Tuesday Ten - Celiac-Friendly Starbucks Drinks!

So I like coffee. Not normal coffee, but sometimes fancy coffee from Starbucks with the whipped cream on top. But how was I going to drink those on a gluten-free diet? Well, I did my research. And these 10 drinks from Starbucks are gluten-free!

1. Salted Caramel Latte
2. Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
3. Hazelnut Machiatto
4. Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher
5. Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino
6. White Chocolate Mocha Iced Latte
7. Hot Chocolate
8. Mocha Coconut Frappuccino
9. Iced Chai Tea Latte
10. Strawberry and Creme Frappuccino

Head on over to Starbucks and order a gluten-free drink! But be careful if you do have celiac disease -- normally they just rinse the equipment instead of washing it thoroughly between each drink. Enjoy!

19 Disney Quotes To Get You Through Being 19

1. "Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." - Rafiki
2. "You're mad. Bonkers. Off your head. But I'll tell you a secret: all of the best people are." - Alice in Wonderland
3. "Just keep swimming." - Dory
4. "To laugh at yourself is to love yourself." - Mickey Mouse
5. "Remember: you are the one who can fill the world with sunshine." - Snow White
6. "The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." - The Emperor of China 
7. "Don't trust anyone that says you can't do it. Show them you can." - Rapunzel
8. "You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - Christopher Robin
9. "Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become." - Mufasa
10. "All you need is faith, trust, and a little pixie dust." - Tinker Bell
11. "The things that make me different are the things that make me, me." - Piglet
12. "Venture outside of your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it." - Rapunzel
13. "It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine." - Eeyore
14. "Don't just fly - soar." - Dumbo
15. "Be grateful that you don't have everything you want. That means you still have an opportunity to be happier tomorrow than you are today." - Jasmine
16. "It'll turn out alright in the end. You'll see." - Mrs. Potts
17. "No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true." - Cinderella
18. "If you focus on what you left behind, you will never see what lies ahead." - Gusteau
19. "Our fate lives within us; you only have to be brave enough to see it." - Merida

Finals Week!

Finals are here. But don't panic! Well, panic. But keep these 5 quotes in mind while you breathe and study through the panic! 

1. Hard work spotlights the character of people. Some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their notes, and some don't turn up at all. 

2. Obsessed is just a word that the lazy use to describe the dedicated. 

3. You are capable of more than you know. 

4. Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. 

5. Pain is temporary; GPA is forever. 

Now, here we go with Lindsay's (The Compulsive Study-er and Overachiever) Tips for Finals Week! 

• For every 50 minutes you study, take a 10 minute break. 
• Drink coffee. 
• Read Spark Notes and watch Thug Notes - you do NOT have time to read that 300-page book that you put off all semester. 
• Make flash cards and outlines to organize your thoughts while studying. 
• Take legitimate study breaks to spend time with your friends. 
• Don't forget to eat meals! 
• Try and find some time to sleep in between studying and packing and cleaning. 
• Wear comfy but chic clothes - you don't want to be uncomfortable while taking your finals, but you don't want to take finals in clothes you'll fall asleep in. For girls: wear a pair of leggings with a cute top/cardigan and easy shoes. Keep your hair and make-up simple. For guys: sorry, I got nothing...but y'all always seem comfy. 
• Don't forget to PRAY! Jesus is always there for you, even during finals week. 

Good luck on finals, and may the curve be ever in your favor!

The Music of Love

Our song of love is pure and fair

All the hurt music can repair

As heaven comes to us on earth

And makes us one in our rebirth

And now we're open to the tune

The world may fall, but we're immune

It binds us two in sweet refrain

And twirls us 'round and 'round again

Each heart in harmony now beats

And lifts us both up from our seats

To dance and swirl in unison

In perfect pitch, us two made one

Each giving up the solo roles

And harmonizing with our souls

An orchestra of pure delight

Our song lights each and every night

This tune a symbol from above

A perfect melody of love 

My Breaking Point Doesn't Define Me

We're human; we all have breaking points.

"Even the best fall down sometimes;
Even the stars refuse to shine."
- Collide, Howie Day

"But I'm only human, and I bleed when I fall down.

I'm only human, and I crash and I break down."

- Human, Christina Perri

"You're aching; you're breaking,

And I can see the pain in your eyes."

- Everybody's Changing, Keane

I am an incredibly patient person. I give plenty of second chances, and third chances, and fourth chances. I put effort into one-sided relationships with the hope that I will receive effort in return someday. I give of myself endlessly, and I do not expect much in return, but this usually results in people walking all over me. Even when I know I'm being used, I let it happen, because I think I can help these people. However, I am not a saint. I have my limits; I have reached my breaking point.

Breaking Point: the moment of greatest strain at which someone or something gives way; a moment of stress in which a person breaks down or a situation becomes critical; the point at which physical, mental, or emotional strength gives way under stress.

this is mine. 

Between the pressures of school, being away from home, extracurricular activities, job applications, scholarship applications, finals that are approaching, working to maintain friendships, and building new relationships, I have collapsed. It is simply too much pressure for a single person to handle without the support of good friends. Stress was coming at me from all aspects of my life, and I could no longer deal with everything. 

So I broke. I cried. I ate too much. I slept too much. I watched too much Netflix. I avoided going out in public as much as I could because I dreaded social situations. I malfunctioned and crashed. I shattered into a million pieces. I couldn't find any tape for awhile, but recently I came across some glue. I am in the process of putting myself back together and turning my breaking point into a learning experience. 

Just underneath your breaking point lies your true strength. Your breaking point is really your making point. I was able to pull myself up after knocking myself down, and you can pull yourself up, too. Remember that you and I are human. We make mistakes. We fall down. Sometimes we do not want to get up. But we are human. We thrive knowing we are strong. We fall down seven times, but we stand up eight times. 

Our breaking points do not define us. 

The Man Behind The Door

I hear a gasp as a man catches a glimpse of me in my current situation on the sidewalk.  As I lock eyes with him, I feel as if his face allows me some insight to his soul.  His eyes hold a greater darkness that resembles a starless night sky, and raven eyeliner heavily coats the underneath of his obsidian headlights.  Vertical creases lie between his eyes, proving his chronic unhappiness.  As I search the bottomless pits I discover his empty soul that is closed off to the rest of the world.  

My eyes divert from his charcoal blinders when he twitches his nose ever so slightly.  As my exploration of his inner being continues, I notice the weakness of his aquiline snout and begin to wonder about his character flaws.  The man’s angled muzzle resembles the beak of an eagle and leads me to believe that he is of depraved moral character.  His hollow spirit is exposed through the hook of his nose.

My attention is drawn to his mouth when he does not return the smile I flash at him.  His sanguine lips are in a tightly pursed position as if he is about to kiss someone.  His caved in cheeks sharpen his rigid jaw line that leads to his chiseled chin.  His face could have been sculpted out of marble if not for the seams surrounding the corners of his lips.  The cracks indented into his face tell a story about who he once was, before his prolonged period of sadness.  His story unfolds as I examine the laugh lines turned into grief lines that are taking over his weather-beaten face.  

I watch from the sidewalk as the man closes the small window on his large ebony door.  I ponder what I just saw in his handsome face.  He showed me his vacant yet wanting soul through his mysterious and cloudy eyes.  He let me discover his corrupt moral depravity, his only flaw, through his bent nose.  He told me his life story through the grooves on his face.  He revealed his entire self to me without saying a word.  His memorable face will forever be in my mind.  To me, he will always be known as the man behind the door.  

A Letter to a Toxic Former Friend

I'm stronger than you ever thought I'd be.

Dear Toxic Former Friend, 

You hurt me. You bullied me. You manipulated and embarrassed me. You shoved me down into my lowest of lows. You emotionally tortured me. You made me not want to live anymore. Yet here I am. 

I wonder if you even comprehend what you are doing. You are making the people you call your 'friends' feel like lesser beings so that you can raise yourself up and boost your own self-worth. There were times when I thought that friendship was supposed to be like that; they dealt with your drama, and you dealt with theirs. However, the spotlight is always on you, and the rest of us are only here for your entertainment. 

People asked me why I chose to be friends with you. They wondered how I could bear being around you all the time. And you know what? I always stood up for you. Always. Even when it seemed like I had no reason to stick around anymore, like I was just a chew toy, I was there for you. I was a friend, even if you were not. 

Looking back at this so-called "friendship" and evaluating it for what it truly was, I realize that it's time to move on from this relationship and the pain that I felt as a result of it. At the same time, with ending this friendship, I recognize how much I have grown as an individual, and how this toxic friendship may have even changed me for the better. While you may have attempted to belittle the people you call "friends" by filling our minds with anxiety and our lives with drama, I want to thank you. 

Thank you for teaching me that I do not need toxic people like you in my life. Thank you for empowering me to no longer sit back and take demands and insults, and to finally stand up for myself and my own opinions. Thank you for making me realize who my true friends are, the ones who really do have my back and care about me, rather than selfish people like you who only worry about themselves. Thank you for allowing me to discover my self-worth and all I am capable of doing. After the hurricane of drama died down, I finally saw that the real problem was not me at all; the real problem is you and your actions. 

If it weren't for you, I would not be able to spot other toxic people from a mile away the way that I can now. I am free from the weights dragging me down to feel lesser than anybody else, and I am happier than I have been in a long time. Thank you for teaching me these life lessons; now, I have some life lessons for you, so listen up. Friends don't turn on each other. They don't call each other names that are too hurtful to even be mentioned. Lying, deceitful, gossiping personalities aren't attractive. Lastly, karma is a bitch. Good luck with that. 

You broke my heart. You tried to shatter me, but you didn't. I am stronger than I ever was because I have found that I am able to hit rock bottom, and still get back up again. Thank you for saving me from becoming a toxic friend. Life is short, and it's time to make a clean break from this toxic friendship so I can move on to something better. 

Sincerely, 
The Girl You Used