A Life Update, I Suppose

Just a quick update on the life of moi(:

      Please ignore the hot mess that is clearly happening in this picture.... But as you might be able to tell, I got an iPhone!! For those of you who don't know, I've been out of the technology game, so to speak, for a few months now. My long-faithful (and very cracked) iPod died. And since I don't have a steady job, I didn't really have money to buy a new one. However, I found this one on Amazon for $109 (!!). Isn't that crazy?!??!! I don't have service on it yet because I have to pay for it, and as mentioned above, I don't have a steady job-- yet. Fingers crossed for Publix, though.

So this is the box. It's a box. My phone is a 4s, if you were wondering.

 

My lock screen

The main menu. No more going to Settings!!

 

Page numero uno. Otherwise known as the page with all the apps I don't use.

Page two-- the apps that I use the most

Page three-- the apps that didn't make the cut for page two. Plus, isn't my background just adorable?? I love it!! 

 

And that's all the time we have for today!! See you on Music Monday!!

Callan

 

 

Music Monday

I have a new system for Music Mondays. As it turns out I don't have much time on Monday to review songs, nor do I have any amount of time on Sundays. So I've found that since I have the most spare on Thursday afternoons after co-op, I'll sit down at my computer and write several track reviews so that when Monday comes I can just post it and not stress about doing a fast review or doing a good review and then end up not doing it anyway.

Track Review
Track~ Drops in the Ocean
Artist~ Hawk Nelson
Album~ Drops in the Ocean (single)

This song is a redemption song. It's not about a certain person finding salvation or a singer relating their own experiences. This song is sung from Jesus' viewpoint and it explains that no matter how many times we mess up or fall down He is still going to be there to forgive us and pick us up.
If you've never listened to Hawk Nelson then you are missing out!! They're a lesser known Christian group that identifies with the pop/rock sound. Drops in the Ocean is a great mix of the different sounds in this genre. The percussion definitely takes the stage in this song. From the piano to the drums to the various other instruments that fall under percussion. I just don't know what they're called(:
I think that Hawk Nelson is a great band for teenagers to listen to because not only do they create awesome, catchy beats, they couple that music with meaningful lyrics that apply to anyone who listens. I think that's really important when, as a teenager, you are constantly being bombarded with negative messages from the entertainment world.
Psalm 103:12 says, "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." This is the main idea behind Drops in the Ocean. In this song, Jesus is assuring us that "[He is] for [us]..... not against [us]," and that we don't "need to settle for a substitute" or change who we are to be able to come to Him. The chorus is definitely my favorite part of the song so I'm just going to put the whole thing in here for you to read.

If you wanna know how far my love can go
Just how deep
Just how wide
If you wanna see how much you mean to me
Look at my hands
Look at my side
If you could count the times I'd say you are forgiven
It's more than the drops in the ocean

It's so wonderfully expressed and the best part is that it's true!! Jesus sacrificed his life for us because of how deep and wide His love is for us. So if you haven't yet accepted the gift He's holding out to you, it's time to "open your heart" so that you and Jesus can "start again."

This song is available on iTunes, Spotify, and in the Google Play store

Callan

 

 

Pilgrim's Progress || What Even, Weather??

Note: This was supposed to self-post yesterday, but it decided not to, I guess.....

 

Happy First Day of Spring!! Apparently winter was putting up a last-ditch effort last night, because it was cold and rainy and just gross overall. I'm just ready to retire the sweaters and pantyhose(especially the pantyhose!!). Alas, last night was not the night for such celebration and festivities....



What happened last night, you ask?? Well the whole fam went to see Charlotte Christian Theatre's production of Pilgrim's Progress.  It was AH-mazing!!! It was technically called Pilgrim I think.....

Anyway, it was a musical and it was a modernized adaption of the classic story, which was pretty awesome. I think that if you're going to update a classic such as Pilgrim's Progress it would have to be pretty great. This musical exceeded my expectations by leaps and bounds. There was laughter, there were tears, there was anticipation, there was Irish dancing, for crying out loud!! And the score evoked such strong emotions that I didn't expect at all. Overall, it was an amazing musical that I'll never forget.

 

Anyway, I thought I'd share my outfit from last night, so hopefully you like outfit posts. Otherwise.... I don't really know. Also, I apologize for the blurry quality. It was getting dark and we were in a rush because we were running late, as usual. 

  

Top- Goodwill

Blazer- Goodwill

Skirt- Charlotte Russe
Pantyhose- Walmart

Shoes- Karousel Kids

This blazer is life. It's originally from Ann Taylor and I think I got it for $6. I looked it up on the Ann Taylor website the day I got it and it retails for about $160. Can you say discount?!?! I've had for a little over a year now and it has served me well. The moral of this story: always look at Goodwill.

Ignore my face, please. But can we talk about my hair?? It looks all ombre and fabulous, which I can promise you is not what my hair looks like in person.

Squad

Not really sure what Jackson is doing... Max and I were being all James Bond-esque and we look around and there's Jackson. Just standing there being strange. Btw, I have no clue why I look like I'm planning world domination....

 

See you on Music Monday!!

Callan

 

 

Upcycling || Sweater Edition



 Hello everyone!! Spring has sprung!! However, the mornings are still a bit chilly (thanks NC), so in the spirit of fickle weather I'm upcycling a sweater!!

I got this sweater a couple years ago at Goodwill and I wear it all the time. At least, until the incident. Long story short, a candle fell off my desk and burned some holes in the sleeves. No biggie. Also, its made of cotton so it has shrunk quite a bit since I got it and the sleeves are about 2 inches tops short.

But I still love it and I must save it, if possible.

Enter: Scissors

You can kind of see one of the holes, which is quite large. Basically, I'm going to start cutting at the large hole and go inward toward the inner seam. Then I'll measure the dismembered sleeve against the soon-to-also-be-dismembered sleeve and chop away!!

Like ripping off a Band-Aid....

 The afore-mentioned dismembered sleeves

Tada!!

 Close-up of the cut

 

Of course we had to take a few selfies.....

 Selfie game on fleek

 

Let me know in the comments if you want me to do more of these upcycling projects!! Also the Rushing family is working on spring cleaning so if you want me to do a spring wardrobe post, then let me know!!

 

Much love,

Callan

Full Circle

Today is a special day. Today I am 17 years old. But today isn't special just because it's my birthday. It's also Friday the 13th. Now I'm not the superstitious type (I don't need to be), but I'd like to think that 17 years of clumsiness and blonde moments will end.

No??

I thought not. It's still a fun idea to share with people. Subsequently, they look at me like I'm crazy and smile anyway.

Anyway, 17 has been a  mostly quiet birthday, not the usual hubbub of gifts and barrage of phone calls. Mostly Facebook messages and two large gifts. The first of these large gifts was given to me by Theresa. A few weeks ago Theresa and I were to go guitar shopping for her since she's been learning how to play and has been recording music with a friend. She wanted me to come along since I've been playing guitar for a few years now. So we go into Guitar Center and we go through the process of picking out the guitar, a beautiful, top-of-the-line Taylor Guitar with acoustic/electric capabilities, and after we confirm everything she turns to me and says, "Happy birthday, Callan!!"

I just kind of sat there for a second and then I started bawling. As it turns out, she has been planning this purchase for two years and only learned to play guitar so that she could pull it off without me finding out. Is that not the greatest thing EVER?!?!?!???!!

For those of you that don't know, it is my dream to become a performing artist in the music world. And this guitar just took me one step closer to achieving that dream. Thank you Theresa!! I love you so much and you are the best friend anyone could ask for!!

The second gift that I received will take me (hopefully) many steps closer to my dream. For a few years now I've been dreaming of going to this fabulous, Christian music camp called Camp Electric. It is run by tobyMac and is THE place for up-and-coming Christian artists. Well I've been wanting to go to this camp but it hasn't been possible because the camp costs $750. But this year my parents have given me the gift of attending Camp Electric this summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My wonderful, amazing Spanish teacher has also contributed to this gift.

So, in a way, my 17th birthday has been quite the hubbub and barrage, just not in the normal way. And though my "unlucky" Friday the 13th-ness may not have come full circle, I'm starting to believe that my dream finally will.

Callan