You're trying so hard.

"You work so hard, just to end up at
home crying yourself to sleep;
remember you're trying, you are
moving mountains that have plagued
you since you were young, and you're
trying so hard.

Keep fighting, fight until you have
won. Fight until you have found your
way home, until the sun comes back
and your heart learns to love the
mornings again."

- T.B. LaBerge // Go Now

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I love that quote so much. 

South Africa

{All images belong to me, please ask before taking}

I came up with the idea to show you bits and pieces of my country in a blog post, using photos. (or, at least, the part of Africa that I live in)
I thought about doing this long ago, so, in my mind, it is far overdue.

Some of my followers actually live in South Africa as well, but a lot of them don't. And this post was inspired by questions frequently asked by my oversea blogger friends, questions about South Africa. 

Sometimes I feel I take my country for granted, and I really shouldn't. You'll agree with me after the photos... (some of them were taken with my iPhone, so when you see a blurry or noisy image, please excuse it with my apologies)

Here goes.

 

a brilliant sunset was shining, and at the same time it was pouring. // the clouds...they like to play.

 

a late evening warm sunset breaking through the trees // every spring, these beautiful little faces are plentiful in our garden.

 

 rainbow leaves. (I did not modify their color at all when I was editing the photo) // another sunset. (even more are coming)

 

a sunny day. // a Pincushion Protea.

 

yes, again with the daisies. // we have quite an incredible view from our veranda. 

 

candyfloss clouds, don't you think? // our moon rises are pretty breathtaking. 

 

sunset on the beach. (told you more were coming) // stormy clouds on a gloomy day.

 

 

double rainbow. // the Helderberg mountain.

 

sunrise. // palm tree silhouettes.

 

more palm trees.

 

ice cream on the beach. // when the city lights come out.

 

the moon, high in the sky. // big, fluffy clouds.

 

daydream days.

The Blogger Recognition Award

I've been awarded by the wonderful Arushee. She's really lovely - you should go over to her blog and follow.

rules and regulations:

• Select 15 blogs to nominate. 
• Thank the person who nominated you, and give a brief story of how your blog got started and a piece or two of advice to new bloggers. 
• Attach the award itself! I decided to not attach any images, but Arushee's image is beautiful and if you want to use it, you can get it here.
• Comment on each nominee's blog and let them know that you've nominated them.
• Provide a link to the original to the original post on Edge of Night. (sadly, I don't know how to get to this link, so I can't share it)

what sparked fifth out of ten:

I was eleven when I first started my blog.
If I'm going to be ruthlessly honest, I did not start my blog for some special or deep or beautiful meaning or reason. I started it because I was a bored, little girl on a sunny, Sunday afternoon.
It was a wonderful new world, full of excitement, ready for being explored. And explore I did. I cannot tell you how many amazing online friends I have made through blogging whom I love, love, love.
But as I grew as a blogger and learned more about everything there was to learn about, I realized what I loved most about having a blog. I have mentioned this before, so you probably won't be surprised.
I loved sparking more sparks, I loved inspiring. 

New beginnings are beautiful. I look back on my blog's beginning with fondness.

nominations:

OK, so, I am supposed to nominate 15. But I think I'll do what Arushee did and nominate 5 bloggers. If you haven't been nominated and you'd like to do this award, go ahead.

1. Jordy

2. Aaliyah

3. Vanshi

4. Rebekah Joan

5. Rachel

Perfect Moments

Image my own, taken with my iPhone at our local beach, on a day when my family and I played and ran and teased each other and laughed and splashed in the ocean and watched the sunset.

Sometimes I want to cry because I will never be able to fix everything that so desperately needs repair, or tie all the loose ends that, trust me, need to be tied. Sometimes I want to cry because I, myself, am so beyond repair.

Sometimes I want to give up, on everything. It feels as though it might be easier.

But I'm not going to. I'm going to choose to live my life, the life Jesus has given me to honor and praise Him with.

I'm going to feel the cold splash as I jump into the blue pool water on a hot Summer day, I'm going to smile and close my eyes as a breeze lifts a strand of my hair and drops it again, I'm going to clutch my warm mug of tea, I'm going to feel paper beneath my hands as I draw or write, I'm going to try harder to become more like Jesus, I'm going to laugh as my little brother wraps his little arms around my neck, I'm going to feel the festive feeling in the air as Christmas nears, I'm going to shiver when I listen to beautiful music, I'm going to read books, I'm going to bake treats with my siblings, I'm going to flourish under my God's loving care, safely tucked under His wings, I'm going to look back on precious memories and hold them close and I'm going to look forward to all the beautiful things that I know will happen in the future.


My life isn't perfect, but it has perfect moments.

I'm going to live the perfect moments.

{via}

The Battle

Growing up is learning how to fight.

Every day is like a battleground. Those of us, who are left alive at the end of the battle, leave wounded.

And it hurts. Boy, does it hurt.

But sometimes we win the battle. Some days are better.

And, we go on, we live for those days.

Because, that's what warriors do. We fight on.

And I want to be a warrior for my God.