November 25. Car rides with friends;)

I'm sorry i'm doing really bad at this challenge thing, it may take me all year to get to a months worth of posts! 

Tonight i am thankful for Car rides with friends.

 I felt like this week i needed a week to myself meaning "a week of rest" i ended up going to Paradise to watch a football game with some good friends to start it off. most people don't look at that as rest, but to me it was rest. i relaxed, hung out with great people, had great conversation, and soaked in some amazing worship during the car rides.  I love nights like these, where you get to get away for a little while even if that only means an hour and a half away.Brings me to a place of peace. Where i don't worry so much about the little things, but instead whats going on in that moment. While i was in paradise i wasn't constantly wondering what was going on in redding, i was focused and my attention was on what was going on with the people i was with and the place i was at. it was nice. I think that's what this week is going to be about for me. Not to worry about everything i could worry about or what the world wants me to worry about,  but to just be still and take in everything around me... the scents, the voices, the laughter, the eye contact, everything that's captured in a moment. 

I am feeling blessed and my heart feels full tonight. <3

Text Messaging

I've missed a couple days so here i am catching up a bit.

Don't you love those people who just know you?...They can tell your upset without really even knowing your upset? Or the ones who know something great has happened in your life, just because they know you and the way you act.

While i was driving home last night around 11 pm i was  feeling confused, frustrated, and well a little hopeful at least. After i arrived home I spent the night running things through my mind playing things back in my mind and forwarding things in my mind... finally i ran my mind so much that i eventually fell asleep. This morning i woke up to a text from one of my most precious friends. She had wrote that it seemed i was upset last night, and wanted to know what was going on(not because she's nosey, but because she genuinely cares). I had told her a short short version and her response was PERFECT. Best thing i could have received at that moment. I am thankful today for text messages. yup! not only that, but i am thankful for the incredible women that Emily Branca is.
Loves xoxo.

Day.6

I ADORE THESE TWO MORE THAN YOU WILL PROBABLY EVER KNOW

I am thankful for two of my most favorite friends Zoé and Judah Fleck.
These two make me laugh so much that i could possibly get a six pack.
I feel so blessed to be apart of their lives and to watch them grow in extraordinary ways.
I am honored to be able to be apart of there journey through life..it's going to be a beautiful one.
These two bring me to a place of hope. These two are going to change the world someday.
I know they've already changed my life, crazy right Zoé-3 yrs. old and Judah-6 yrs. old.

Zo is my little sassy-pants just like her mama;) who always finds a way to speak straight to my heart with her words or actions.She is a fighter and one of the strongest little girls i know, SERIOUSLY she is full of life. She's had me wrapped around her finger since i can remember...anything she asks for starts out with ..ummm...MAAAACKKKK. :)  so precious.
Judah is incredible. He is one of the sweetest boys i know. His heart is full of love and sensitivity...just like his daddy's. I love hanging out with judah, he sometimes says things that blow my mind. He knows more about transformers than any other kids i know... i dare you to challenge him in that... ;) Judah is someone whose smile can make any day a good one.


I could go on an on about these two really, They've changed my life.

I Love you Babes:)

Day.5 Lateedah-dee

I skipped a day...I knew i'd do it some time within this month...but hey life happens.

So as you know i've been sharing a little something that i'm thankful for each day, and today i hadn't really thought about it...which is another reason why this challenge is so great. Sometimes we get so caught up in what we have to DO next...or what's NOT going on in our life...why we don't have THAT job...or THAT life...we miss everything else and every opportunity to be thankful for what's going on in our lives, even the LITTLE THINGS!

Today i am thankful for music. Every kind of music, Soaking music, Pump up music, Worship music, Chill listening music. I love that no one in the world has the SAME exact music taste as you. Not one person. I love everything about music. I love how you can always find a song to fit your "mood" or "day". I love those songs where you just want to get up and bust a move...i know you all know what i'm talking about (Single Ladies- Beyonce, Just Dance-Lady GaGa).  I love how songs can somehow relate to just how you're feeling. I really love how we can use music to sing praises to our father.These are just a few things that i adore about music.


 A few songs that have my heart at the moment are Sweet Disposition -The Temper Trap, Breathe-Pearl Jam, Where I belong-cory asbury, Gravity-John Mayer...and so many more..


Music,
I Love You.
Sincerly,Me.

Day.4 short &sweet.

Today i am thankful for so many things...I don't want to choose one so i wont.

I'm keeping this one short and sweet.

--The amazing skies i've seen within this last week.

--Amilee Joy<3 because she makes my heart feel happy :)

--Good Friends because they remind me not to take life to seriously.

--My wonderful mom, just because she's incredible.

--The Cold weather because i love my hoodies.

--My Sister because of the simple things we laugh together about.

--Christmas movies, because they always find a way straight to my heart.

The simple things in life.

mmm mmm Candles Day.3

Day 3 has already arrived. It's funny I catch myself thinking throughout the day "what am I going to write about in my blog tonight" theres SO many different things I am and should be thankful for. Seriously this is harder than ya think;)

Today I am thankful for the sweet scents that travel through my bedroom. The simple item that bring such comfort to me, the one thing that makes a house homier than ever. Yes, i am talking about Candles.One of my favorite thing to do is turn all my lights off in my room and just have my candles burning...and just be quiet and rest. I love when it rains, i always end up pulling up my blinds and watching the rain as my candles burn gracefully and wax drips and drips... it honestly warms my heart. Have you ever met someone who doesn't like candles? NOT ME. It's something everyone can agree on as being fabulous. Candles are one of my favorite gifts to give or receive. The awesome thing about my house is not only will you find candles in my bedroom at all times, but in every room of my house pretty much on any given day. :] My favorite scent of candle is something Vanilla-yee or candles that smell like christmas in a jar...you ALL know what kinda candles i'm talkin' about;) I love, love, love the coziness that candles add to a room. I could go on and on about how thankful i am for candles, but i think you get the point.

So,Today November 10th I Mackenzie Stickney am thankful for CANDLES.

Day.2 Talk about childlike faith.

It's Day 2 of me diving into the gratitude challenge...booyah.


Man, do i love my Tuesday nights...i get the opportunity to hang out with a ton of unique high-school students...It's awesome. Tonight I got to be in a room FULL of laughter, Rockin Music, Pool Tables, Awesome food, Great conversation,but even more than that incredible people.

We went back to the basics tonight. The basics of worship. The basics of loving and having a relationship with god. I was listening to some kids talk tonight about how they honestly didn't know how god could love someone like them after everything they've so called "done"...all it took for them to realize that, that was not at all the truth, was by simply going back to the basics. I was recently talking with a dear friend and he reminded me that "we often forget what love sounds like"and it went with what we talked about tonight... which was John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.he loved us THAT much simple as that.....it couldn't be more black and white.Where could you honestly ever find a love like that apart from god?


Childlike faith reminds me of when i was a little girl. No matter what I did those  days if i stole candy from the grocery store, colored on the brand new painted walls in our brand new house, or even left my bike laying in the middle of the road for my dad to run over when he got home, that no matter what my parents would forgive me, and love me just the same(even if that meant there was some spanking and crying involved). Since when did we start believing we're loved any less because of the things we do? I challenge whoever reads this to look back at times in your lives where you felt the shift,the shift where you started to believe you were suddenly loved because of the things you do rather than simply who you are. Today I am thankful for the childlike faith that brings me back to the basics of what a real relationship with God looks like.

Gratitude Challenge:Inspired by The one and only Emily Branca

Blogging is something i've contemplated on doing for awhile now, and I thought hmmm what a better way to start than starting with a challenge(I love challenges).  Emily Branca being one of the most inspiring/influential people in my life has now inspired me to take on this challenge, what do ya know huh?

Although, I'm starting 8 days late, so i guess i'll go 8 days longer;)...

I will be blogging a little everyday about something i'm thankful for in my life. 

Today i am thankful for friendship, seems plain and unoriginal... i know, but not this kind. The kind of friendship i'm talking about is how when you're spending time with that person your agendas are completely set aside, knowing that there is no other place you would rather be than with them at that moment hearing whats on their heart, or spilling out whats on yours. Friendship where the silent moments you have together speak louder than any words ever could. The type of friendships where you always know where you stand, you don't need to work for a place in their lives,their love and commitment to you is already evident. The type of friendship filled with a lot...A LOT of laughter.I love the simplicity of friendship.Some people are lucky to have just one friend that shows these incredible characteristics, but God has gone above and beyond and has provided me with more of these types of friendships than i even knew was ever possible for someone. Someone told me a couple years ago that when it comes to friends "quality is always better than quantity"- i believe in this strongly,but not only do i have great quality in my friendships,but also quantity...i'm blessed, SO Thankful for that. I have incredible people in my life who speak words of life into me everyday and remind me who i am,  how great i am, and how loved i am whether or not i believe that about myself at that time. I love how each friendship has it's own uniqueness to it.I trust that the lord speaks to them about me, and i love that. <3

Special Shout Out to (Jordyn,Niki,Emily,The Schwitt(Shelby),Danielle&Derrick,JD,Ian,Marty and Becky,Tina,Caitlin,Both Chelsea's,Shannon,Meghan,Kels,Ashtyn,Aaron and Sarah..and so many more)So thankful for you guys and the friendship we share.