Year 23 as told by Rae.

I often ask myself how I got to so lucky to be cast as Jesi Rae on this grand stage called life, and Rae's presence and all the many presents(haha.) God has sent through her(known and unknown. seen and unseen)  is a large reason why I often ponder said query. Like, I. Literarily. can't. even.

You know her, You love her, I quote/reference her all the time.

Her name is Rae.

This is her blog.

and she's my friend.

OH! and this is her heart:

I want to swaddle you in the warmest blanket, Jesi, and wrap you tight in the fantasy that 23 isn’t a crazy age, or a crazy year. I want to spoon feed you candy corn, give you ice cream for breakfast and tell you ten times over that life is fair and you’ve nothing to worry about.

But the truth isn’t pretty and turning 23 is not like turning 2, because there isn’t always going to be a soft hand to hold you or a calm voice to read you bed time stories when the scary monsters growl their biggest and baddest from behind that closet door.

So all I got is all I’ve got to give. It’s the best I can do and the most I can hope for and pray for as you spend these next 365 days as a 23-year-old in a world gone mad.

Life is cray, Jesi, but you don’t have to be.

It’s not a Bible, but here’s some hope, wrapped up with wisdom. Nuggets of testimony, as lived me.

1.     never abandon the art you were born to live, that thing you were made to do: that which makes you happy – and brings Him glory.

2.     speaking of glory, make sure you give it to Him, every moment of everyday.

3.     eat. cookies. like. a. boss.

4.     drink water. lots of it. i’m telling you: wrinkles DO start at 23. i’ve seen them. and they’re mean.
DRINK WATER.

5.     never shop with a credit card. ever.
ever. ever.

6.       boys are dumb.

7.     but they’re cute. so they’re totally worth it. don’t give up on love.

8.     the world is not a mirror, you cannot use it to tell you how you’re supposed to look, or how you should be or who you should be, for that matter. which leads us to #9…

9.     BE unapologetically YOU

10.  you don’t have to blog everyday to be heard. you don’t have to join every online blogger’s shindig. you don’t need a thousand followers, or a new book releasing every summer or the latest trending website design, or a hot picture with puckered lips, or an inbox full of comments and thank you’s. you only need this: to know that without an ounce of makeup or even a finger lifted, your God is crazy about you. utterly crazy about you.

11.  there is a common, cruel joke that the world likes to play on 23-year-olds at the stroke of their 24^th birthday. it’s like an april fools’ joke, except it doesn’t leave you laughing. 24 is hard. it is real, it is harsh, and its nickname is Mean. it comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion. point blank? enjoy 23. have fun – be reckless. . but be ready for 24 to come swooping in with lessons to learn and tears to cry. #growingupain’teasy.

12.  respect yo’ mamma, love your family, hold back no hug.

13.  count memories, not calories.

14.  the antidote for your monthly . is a hot cup of tea, one almond hershey’s bar and these five movies (in no particular order) as follows:

15.  pride & prejudice

16.  my best friend’s wedding

17.  the devil wears prada

18.  breakfast at tiffany’s

19.  mean girls

20.  avoid walmart like it’s the black plague…except for when you need nail polish, pads, tampons, underwear, food, CDs and DVDs, makeup, some cheap and cozy sweatpants and pretty much any and everything else you need. heck – what am I saying, there is no way to avoid walmart.

21.  join a gym, eat healthy, and refer to #3, then repeat, repeat, REPEAT.

22.  ain’t nobody gonna love you as much as you can love yourself. #truth >> which leads to #23, the most important of ‘em all:

23.  be fun, be fab, be saved. 24/7 – 365 days a year, especially on this 23^rd year.

Happy 23^rd Year, Jesi Rae.

Love, Rae @ Chasing Kite Tails.