The Love Root

Love.

So misconstrued and misused. Romance has a place in love, but it is the shallowest form.

LOVE.
The surface has yet to be touched for the majority of mankind.

Love between parent and child.
Love between spouses.
Love between family.
Love between friends.
Love for a stranger.
All glimpses of The LOVE from which it all stems.
All we see are the tips of the branches when the roots extend deep within the ground, leaving the most essential and foundational part unseen. If only the "Love Root" were understood, the "love surface" would be more easily tapped into, its accessibility utilized and relayed.

"God does not love us because He created us; He created us because He loves us."

This quote was shared with me once, and it has always intrigued me.
God does not love us because He created us. He created us because He loves us.

A love that initiated life.

Because of the "Love Root," we are existent.
We are given:
breath, life, movement, depth, thought, soul, emotion, pleasure, care, appreciation, beauty

Such things stem from Love.

How can one even attain such a love for others?
Can we truly even enjoy this life without it?

God Almighty, Alpha and Omega, the initiator of all things, including LOVE, is the demonstrator of such love. He is LOVE.

1 John 4:8
"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

Romans 5:7-8
"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

 While we were yet sinners.

In our worst, God loves, and He has given us LIFE. It did not stop at the "emotion of love," but continued into the "action of love." While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Death. The ultimate sacrifice. The ultimate expression of love.

1 John 4:19
"We love, because He first loved us."

Love does not come from us; it comes from Jesus Christ's initiation.
Any love we know, any love we give is a mirror image of the love we've received.

LOVE. The depths are unfathomable.
If we understood the length of God's love, we would cease to attempt to love others or love God with the shallow love of humanity but would instead dispose of such loves in exchange for TRUE LOVE: God's LOVE.

If we loved with the love of Jesus Christ, imagine the power.
Imagine the roots that would be reached. Imagine the hearts that would be touched.

LOVE. God's love covers a multitude of sins.
It forgives. It cares.
It is the Love Root. The initiator for meaningful branches.
The key to removal of fear (1 John 4:18).
 
If only we knew the depths of such LOVE.

People > Stuff

Why are there so many people in the world who feel left out, hopeless, alone and meaningless?
Because the attention that should be going to them is going to STUFF. That's right. Material.
I'm not saying Black Friday in itself is this evil institution of man, but I do believe that people are extremely mistaken and blinded. Trampling people in order to get stuff-- that is what our country has resorted to.

Where is the love? Stolen by things that don't matter. Devoured by products and retail and STUFF. If our love is being captured by those things, they are not going to what love was made for: PEOPLE.
As a believer in Jesus Christ, I believe that my purpose to be here on this earth is to:

1. Glorify God.
2. Love people.

That is why I'm here. That's who I am. That's what I'm called to do. LOVE.

This town, this country, this world has lied to each individual and told him that THINGS will make you happy. MONEY will suffice. STATUS will bring meaning. ENTERTAINMENT will give me a reason.

No. NO. NO..
PEOPLE. People are what make up life. The world is made up of PEOPLE.
People who need love.
People who need friends.
People who need hope.
People who need Jesus. 
Money won't bring them love.
Stuff won't bring anyone love. Just an empty need for MORE.

On our death beds, we will not remember the things we owned or the places we've been, but the people we were with.
The people we made a difference to. The people who made a difference to us. PEOPLE. 

Time is ticking. Stuff doesn't leave or grow old with time, but people do.
Who am I taking for granted? What am I letting distract me?

If it doesn't break your heart, it isn't love.

Every year, Thanksgiving seems to get more bittersweet then ever. Every year it seems that numbers  dwindle at our family gatherings, and the family time just seems less... existent. I love my family so much and we will always be close, but this thing we call "growing up" seemed to happen quicker than I thought. The little ones are in high school, the young ones are in college and the rest are married with children. Such is life, I suppose, but adjusting to the seasons of life will always be a challenge for me.

Maybe it's because I'm in more of an in-between season, whereas most everyone else in my family has already reached a new stage. My stage is more of a... purgatory, of sorts.
I've been spending a lot of time with my sister this week as I'm home for Thanksgiving break, and it's been awesome. It hit me today, however, that this holiday season will be the last holiday that I can just have alone time with my sister. When I come home for Spring Break in March, my sister's baby will be born. I am so incredibly thrilled for this boy to enter the world (and I couldn't be more ready to love this child to bits), but I am also realizing what this will entail. Life will change. My sister is part of a new family now, which is hard to grasp.

One thing that's difficult about this purgatorial season is that while my sister and the majority of my cousins have a new family, I'm still part of the old family. Every single one of my cousins, minus two (and I have a lot, so this is not a large amount) and the ones younger than me, are engaged or married. The family has all moved on, but I'm still here.
I know, I know. "It's all part of the cycle of life."
And I know. I'm only 20 (hence the limbo-land of change in my life).
It's a wonder that no one really seems to struggle with progressing through this cycle, but I can assure you that I do.

If Anne Shirley were not a fictional character, I would feel extremely comforted by her similar perspectives. "Why do people have to grow up and marry, change?" To which of course Gilbert Blythe responds obnoxiously, "Oh, you'd change. If someone ever admitted that they were head over heels for you, you'd be swept off your feet in a moment." Sorry Gilbert, but at this moment in my life, I'd have to side with Anne on this one: "I would not, and I defy anyone who would make me change."
Yeah, ok. So maybe they end up together in the end, and they both move on and grow up, too, but until then, I'm going to go with the "Why do we have to grow up and marry and change," sentiment.

Well, since it's Thanksgiving, I should probably throw into this cynicism a little bit of thankfulness.
I'm thankful that I have had a childhood worth missing.
I'm thankful that I have a family worth being sad to grow up from.
I'm thankful that I've been blessed enough that change is painful because the stage I'm in is so wonderful.
I'm thankful that this hurts, because it means that it's love.

As the wise Jon Foreman once said, "If it doesn't break your heart, it isn't love," and I couldn't agree more.
This pain in change, this hurt in necessary development? It's love. It's growth. It's beauty.
If it doesn't break your heart, it isn't love.

So, that's my nostalgic Thanksgiving post.

Sorry for the sappiness of it all, but I'm writer and if a writer can't be sappy and slightly melancholy sometimes, then the world has gone askew.

Princess Heather and the Swinging Suitor

Last night, my best friend Heather couldn't sleep, so I decided to tell her a bedtime story via Facebook chat.
Below is the result. Enjoy!

"Princess Heather and the Swinging Suitor."

Once upon a time (cause every story has to start with that if it's going to end well) there was a beautiful princess named Heather.

Now Heather liked lots of things like flowers and pumpkin munchkins and anything that did not contain dairy products.

She loved music and dancing, and when she was alone she loved PR.

So one day, Heather decided to gather up all of her favorite things and make a song about it.

She decided it would also be useful to sing the song to a multitude of children during a thunderstorm.. and then eventually use the drapes to make them clothing. ("Sound of Music" reference).

While this seemed illogical, Heather decided it was worth the joy that she would bring these children.. and maybe it would bring her a wonderful prince, because everyone knows that princesses all eventually marry a prince... they don't marry anyone less noble. Unless it was Hugh Jackman. Who is a Duke. ("Kate and Leopold" reference).

So anyway, off Heather went, drape-clothed children, favorite things and all...

into the woods they roamed. Dancing and singing and playing with gnomes, until a giant possum emerged from the depths of the darkness.

 The giant possum made its way towards Princess Heather and the children as they stood frozen in their tracks, frightened and confused.

"Why is there a giant possum in the woods!" yelled one child. 

"And why is it dark? It's 2 o'clock in the afternoon!" yelled another.

 "Hush children," said the princess. "The louder you are the more likely the possum will eat you. Also, it's always dark in the forest." ("Anne of Green Gables" reference)

The children all held each others mouths shut since we all know children can't be quiet ever.

So... the possum approached... it's long, fanciful fangs dripping blood and it's eyes seeking satisfaction (for the possum was hungry and trees and bark just aren't satisfying).

Just when the children thought that they would be the solution to this possum's discontentment, Princess Heather saw a light. It was the light bulb above her head. 

She had a plan.

"I shall do my bird call and it shall emerge the birds into the woods!" "You have a bird call?" asked one of the lads. "Not yet," she replied, "But Snow White does this all the time. I know it will work."

"Question," said one of the frightened girls. 

"Why aren't the birds already in the woods? Why do they have to emerge?"

"Stop asking questions," Princess Heather replied, very irritated at the children's ignorance. "You're all nonsensical. I made you clothing out of drapes-- don't you trust me!"

This silenced the children, for she was right. She had never let them down before, and if Princess Heather wanted to emerge the birds, she would emerge them, especially since Snow White was her support in this matter.

The bird call she made was like none other... almost like a shrieking of sorts.

No movement.

"Why didn't it work!?" yelled little Alfred. "Hush. No nonsense," she replied.

And again she shrieked.. er, I mean called.

What happened next was not exactly what Heather expected.

Though birds did not emerge, something else did. Thump, thump, thump. 

Heather couldn't believe her eyes.

Not one, but two bears plopped themselves merrily towards the possum.

"We're saved!!!" yelled the children.

The two bears took quite a while to destroy the possum, not because they were incapable, but only because they could not agree on which would get the head and which would get the bottom.

Once a compromise was finally reached, the bears soon devoured the possum leaving only its tale, because no one likes cartilage.

"HOORAY!" yelled the children. But Heather stood speechless.

She knew there was more to this situation than met the eye. Actually, it was quite evident to the eye, but at this moment everyone was blinded by the fact that the two larger bears just devoured their smaller enemy.

"Stop! There's a bigger problem here, children! Grab your drapes... these bears are still hungry."

This comment caused all of the children to shriek... bringing more bears. Goldilocks was relieved.

So, everyone was surrounded.

There was no hope.

But what's this? A gentleman swinging from trees? This confused Princess Heather, because normally gentlemen don't swing from trees, especially when they're wearing suit coats with tales.

The bears recklessly strained their necks to see what all the commotion was about above them, causing some of their heads to snap off of their bodies.

This resolved some of the bear-problem, but yet some of the smarter bears simply tilted their heads carefully and remained alive.

The gentleman swung and he swung.. and yet he swung more until he reached a high branch, unreachable to the ferocious beasts.

There were only four bears left at this point, leaving the suited man with a few more options than before.

Princess Heather knew she had to do something to divert the attention from the man, so... she did the first thing that came to her mind.

She danced.

She danced and she danced, the draperies swinging about merrily.

Then something magical happened:

Not only did the children begin to dance, but so did the bears.

Not only did the bears begin to dance, but so did the possum (and the possum was dead, so this was magical indeed).

Not only did the possum begin to dance, but so did the birds (who had refused to come because they don't respond to shrieking).

Not only did the birds begin to dance, but so did the trees and the rivers and the ants and even some of the skunks (who like to frighten women who stick their heads in their cages). (Youtube video, "Killer Karaoke" reference).

Princess Heather paused a moment in her dancing endeavors and watched the motions of the forest.

The entire forest had erupted into dance. Bears dancing with children and children dancing with skunks. The Creator would be pleased to see his creation as He intended it.

The gentleman looked from above, his suit coat swaying in the breeze, the sweat dripping from his dark brow and his eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"This woman. She is ravishing."

As he peered from the trees, admiring her beauty and elegant dance, he decided he would marry her if it was the last thing he did.

But first, he must not miss out on this dance, because no gentleman misses a ball.

Arms spread majestically, he dove into the dancing forest and landed into a pile of leaves doing a jig as well.

It tickled a bit so he was forced to giggle but then he composed himself, because we all know that gentlemen don't giggle.

(except for Andrew)

The man quickly brought himself to his feet and pushed through the dancing crowd of forest friend, struggling to find the dancing queen, young and sweet only 17. But he was mistaken because she was 20.

Finally he reached her.. the woman of his dreams.. her light brown hair blowing in the wind and her big blue eyes sparkling with relief. "Miss! May I have this dance!"

She was astonished. She couldn't believe her ears. Who was this suited stranger who had come to rescue her? Why was he now seeking a dance? She shrugged. "Oh well," she thought, "He's charming and handsome, and I'm young, beautiful and can make clothing quite creatively."

So they danced.

And danced.

The bears still dancing, the children still dancing, the skunk still dancing... the forest dancing.

But all of this seemed to be nonexistent as the two shared their dance. All they saw was the trees, hanging like a canopy above their heads.

Amidst the dance, however, Princess Heather, the PR in her arising, remembered that once the dancing ended, so would their lives (for the bears were still hungry and their appetite would only increase due to intense dance).

"Stop," she whispered to the man. "We must take the children and leave. I am hungry, and if I am hungry the bears are hungry and if the bears are hungry we will no longer be hungry because we will no longer be."

The man was slightly lost, but decided that Heather was too beautiful to argue with. So he grabbed her hand along with all of the children's hands (I'm not sure how managed to hold all of their hands at once, but gentlemen find ways) and they sneaked out of the dancing gang, past the bears, through the woods and up to a mountain.

"Let's get married!" he shouted victoriously. "OK!" she yelled, staring into his dark, melancholy eyes.

"Wait! But what about the children?!"

She stopped abruptly.

"The children? Well they have drapes, isn't that enough?"

She was offended by this comment and he knew it, so he quickly came up with a solution.

"Let's send them to a convent and they can all become nuns!"

"But the majority of them are boys," she said logically.

"They can become monks then!"

This seemed reasonable to Princess Heather.

So off they sent the children, each to their convent and monastery.

And the gentleman, whose name is unknown to the public, and Princess Heather lived happily ever after as they skipped through the mountains singing joyous melodies about climbing mountains and yodeling peddlers.

The End. 

In the beginning (3rd grade)...

Reading through old stories, poems and journals I have written is absolutely PRIME.

If you want a good laugh, read a story written by an 8 year old about a haunted bathroom stall.
The story involves lots of exclamation points, a hidden romance that the reader doesn't know about (the author knew though.. oh the author knew..), an extensive use of the word "Yikes" and many trap doors that lead no where.

Yes, that is an accurate portrayal of the story I wrote 13 years ago. I hold the hard copy in my hand at this very moment, illustrations created on "Paint" and all. My use of quotation marks is a little bit embarrassing, but I'd say for an eight-year-old, my grammar was pretty impressive.
Well done, 3rd grade teacher! I may have disliked you deeply but at least I knew my grammar!

Oh man, 3rd grade. The days when cubbies were where we stuck our backpacks, we cleaned down our desks with shaving cream, recess involved barbies, cops & robbers and tire swings, and my crush was the "popular boy" .. the one with the spikey hair and cool sneakers.
Yeah, third grade. My first steps as a writer. I mean, I haven't even published a book since then ;] (yes, I sold that baby to lots of folks.. $.50 to each person, I made a pretty hefty paycheck of $5).
It's amazing to see what little interests God gave me growing up that have led to deciding what my major in college would be and what steps He made me take to prepare myself for whatever it is my future holds.

Who knew that 13 years later, I would be at college with friends that I knew since 4th grade and that our dreams would be unfolding all at the same time. Remember those days when 20 seemed so far away? The days when 20-year-olds seemed like scary adults who had it all together and knew life? Well the day has arrived. Except we don't have life all together and we're pretty far from ever really KNOWING life. We just pretend. Either way, now is the time we've dreamed of... so let's make it count.
I don't know what to do with this writing obsession of mine, but something's going to come of it. The question is what. If it's just my famous (haha.. famous among 3rd graders and my grandma) bathroom-stall story, then I guess that's fine, because it's brought a lot of laughs (someday I'll post it on here for you all to LOL at. It's just not the same outside of it's original form and Paint illustrations to go with it, though).

I pray that God will use this desire He's placed in me for something He wants and that anything I write touches the heart of at least one person. I guess we'll find out.
Until then, I'm going to keep writing.

A Jane Austen Ideal

Jane Austen will always be one of my favorite classic authors. I've only read two of her books, but I've watched almost all of her movies that are based on her books (I know, I know.. how could I..) and intend to soon read through all of her books (better?).
The characters in her novels are so passionate and intriguing that I can't help but love them, and the language is so profound and vibrant that I tend to linger over lines and soak them in.

Elizabeth Bennett is of course a favorite female heroine, her strong but wise personality admirable and fascinating. Emma is a hilarious, bold character, but I can't say that she's my favorite, while Anne Elliot (of "Persuasion".. a less popular one of Austen's but an absolutely fantastic story) just hits me as someone I would love to know.
The list of Austen's amazing female leads could go on and on, but the list of Austen's incredible male leads would just be endless.

So here's where this all gets tricky for me.
Sometimes I find myself so enamored by characters like Darcy and Wentworth that I place myself in this dream land of the "misunderstood men" who don't actually contain flaws but are rather perfect in every way once their women really get to know them.
I love literature, and I love the classic romances of famous authors like Austen, yet I realize how blinding it all can be.

Jane Austen, the woman who created these characters, built these men from her personal ideals, her female expectations forming an unattainable bar for all real, uninvented men. I can imagine how frustrating it must be for any man to hold themselves to the standards of  Mr. Darcy- wise, pondering, genuine, often taken as a harsh man when he is really ultra precious and attractively shy, his opinions revolving around his woman's preferences and wishes.
Don't forget extremely handsome, wealthy and possessing integrity levels reaching the Empire State Building. I mean, who doesn't want a man like that? But really, is there even a man that perfect?
Let's be real here.. there are great men, but there are no flawless men.

The irony of this all is that Austen remained unmarried. 
It's a wonder such standards were left unfulfilled.

Don't get me wrong, I swoon over Mr. Darcy as much as the next nerdy girl, but I do believe all of the "Darcy swooning" can be inexpressibly dangerous.

Ideals.
Dangerous ideals.

I think of Anne Shirley of L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" series. Anne mentions to her best friend Diana that she can't marry her childhood friend, Gilbert Blythe (who loves her to the moon and back), because he doesn't meet her "ideals."
Marilla, Anne's mother figure, tells her of Gilbert's love for Anne, to which Anne replies, "Marilla, he's hardly my idea of a romantic suitor." 

Marilla's response is one I will always love and remember:

"Anne, you have tricked something out of that imagination of yours that you call romance. Have you forgotten how he gave up the Avonlea school for you so that you could stay here with me? He picked you up everyday in his carriage so that you could study your courses together. Don't toss it away for some ridiculous ideal that doesn't exist. Hmm? Now, you come downstairs and see if a good cup of tea and some of those plum puffs I made today don't hearten you."

Anne almost misses out on her perfect match (and almost ends up with the most annoying man ever).
Gilbert Blythe is simple, frank and someone she's always known, but she doesn't know how perfect he is for her.

What do we as women miss out on while we place such ideals upon men?
Of course, other factors rule into make a decision about a man (faith, family, personality, compatibility, attraction, etc.), but if the only thing holding us back is our "ideals," then what are we doing?

I love Jane Austen and the passion of her characters. I love the Bronte sisters and their deep melancholy romances. I love Elizabeth Gaskell and her complicated plots.

I love them all, but I don't want their ideals.

The King who can't be Dethroned

So, maybe I've missed the "obligatory political blog post" boat during these election times, but I feel as though maybe the after-thoughts may be more interesting, and well, just more thought out in general. During the election, my emotions are usually all over the place and everyone tends to be high on politics. I guess this is part of what I want to write about.

I'm not going to be shy, and I'm not going to lie. I was extremely disappointed with the outcome of the election and failed to have a good attitude. This is a personal blog, so I'm going to go ahead and openly say that President Obama being in office for another four years makes me shutter. And wonder what freedom will look like when I'm 24.

When the election results came out, a fog of depression emerged upon my extremely conservative university, except for the occasional Obama fan who would decide that throwing Obama flyers was a great idea. (To slightly digress on that- if you want to help me maintain a good attitude, then please do not do this. I will in fact snap and yell things like "SAVE THE BABIES!" and then walk away angrily. This is a true story). Walking back to the dorm room after hearing that was like walking out of a funeral home and into a memorial service. The tensions on my hall were high, and I decided that there was no possible way that we could have a good attitude and show respect without intense prayer. So, I made a "prayer circle" call onto the hall and some obviously unhappy girls emerged from their room, ready and willing to pray for the country and our president. As I prayed out loud, it occurred to me that it was not in fact the end of the world. It may not be good news for our country, but it is not the end of the world (yet).

Although my attitude still suffered and I had to fight bitterness, I believe God used this whole thing in my life a lot. I learned a lot about people and about myself, and I re-realized how omnipotent and sovereign God really is.

Now, before I go on, let me just say that I think it is extremely important to respect authority, and since President Obama has been placed in authority over our country, I will respect him.
However, the moment he tells me to do or think something that opposes God's Word, I choose Jesus over him any day. But anyway...

The main verses that popped into my head right after President Obama was announced to be the winner of the election was Romans 1. Now I'm not saying Mitt Romney would have been some sort of redeemer, but any candidate who supports the genocide of the unborn proves himself to be lacking in the "following God" department. So anyway...

Romans 1:18-25

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,¹⁹because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, ²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²² Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. ²⁴Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, ²⁵ who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

 ...I can't help but relate this verse perfectly to our country and our world.
Immorality and corruption is overtaking our country, but here's the thing-- the people have CHOSEN it. When people want to sit in their own filth and manure, God allows them. Maybe that's heartless, but I believe it's the truth.

God won't force anyone to love Him. 
He won't force anyone to care about what He says.
However, God gives people the worst punishment they could imagine when they choose to live in sin-- what they want. You don't want a God to tell you what to do? Prepare for chaos. Prepare for complete and utter chaos. The world without God's presence is a very scare place, my friends.
Sorry if that's morbid, but this really did come to mind at all of these occurrences. I was surprised that our country re-chose a man who stands for all things contrary to the Bible, truth and morality, but then again, I wasn't surprised at all. This is the world we live in and this is the choice that they've made.

As for me, I choose to follow the ONE true God. No human being can give me the hope that Jesus Christ has given me. Now to only spread this hope and truth to the rest of the world *another post for another time*....

Anyway, I guess to conclude all of these thoughts I'm just going to say that whoever our president is- Jesus Christ is LORD. Whatever the people choose- God's Word is the final authority. Whatever chaos breaks out in this lost world- there is peace in Jesus Christ.
Life will go on, and Jesus will always be in control.
Jesus Christ will always be King.
Nothing will ever change that.
Not the republicans. Not the democrats. Not Romney. Not Obama. Not any individual. Not any policy. Not any "change."

Twilight Zone Thursday

Well, I would say today is a blog-worthy day. Some days are just more abnormal than most, and today was one of those days.

Let's just begin with the fact my biology class is like the twilight zone. Last night I studied for about four hours straight only to find out this morning when I got to class that he moved the test to next Tuesday. Biology- 2947924. Me- 0.

So, I get to biology, find out there is no test today and what else do I experience? Chaos.
Where to begin...

1. Girls sitting behind me talking in regular voices through the entire class, having full-on conversations. Really now? As one of my gym teachers in high school would say... "This is not a sleepovah!"
2. Girl a few seats down from me asks the teacher if Chic-fil-a is a vegetable. I'm not sure what to think of this- only that I am hoping she was joking. 
3. Awkward couple sitting in the first two rows doing all sorts of weird things when the teacher turns his head. And by all sorts, I mean him grabbing her head and giving her noogies in class. Yes. In class.
4. Girl in the front row (she's part of the awkward couple in #3) turns completely around in the middle of class, with the teacher standing right in front of her, and begins to caress the face of the guy sitting behind her. The teacher says nothing. Not one word. He simply continues to lecture on the difference between vegetables and fruits. I mean come on. Is this real life?
5. The professor also called a girl out in the beginning of class and openly said that he was creeping on her at last Friday's Switchfoot concert. To which he concluded his statement by saying, "I was with my two kids, so it's not really creepy that I was creeping on you." 

This class. Just this class. Full of freshman. Odd teacher. Just why? I don't even know.

So then, class ends.
I continue on with my day.
I meet with my SLD (Spiritual Life Director) for lunch.We talk and eat as we usually do,
until the conclusion of our lunch time.

As we carried our dirty plates to the dish return, we were trailing behind two guys. One of these lads almost spilled his drink on the ground. So began his friend's rant.
Friend's description? Extremely southern freshman with a cowboy hat and incredible guts.
Southern Freshman: "You almost dropped your drink and these ladies could have slipped on it! What a horrible person you are! What are we going to do with him?"
My SLD and me: *Laughs* "It happens."
Southern Freshman: *precedes to attempt to maintain conversation and ramble on about who knows what* "Sorry my friend is a northerner and just doesn't understand such things."
Me: "I'm a northerner...."
Southern Freshman: "Oh I feel bad for you....What year are you two ladies?"
Me: "Junior."
SLD: "Senior."
Southern Freshman: "Oh wow. I would have guessed you two were sophomores!"
Me: "...Oh... not sure what that means. I guess that's good?"
Southern Freshman: "Oh it's good. Trust me. It's good."
Me: "Ok.. what year are you?"
Southern Freshman: "What would you guess?"
Me: "Freshman."
SLD: "...Sophomore?"
Southern Freshman: "Freshman!"
Me: "Yeah. I figured."
...We continued to walk out and as we finally arrived at the door, he ran in front of us to open the door, tipped his jet black cowboy hat at us (as we stifled laughter), and then told his friend that he had to make up for his friend's failure.
"You almost made them slip on their pretty little behinds!"

Then the laughter erupted. There was no holding back. And then we walked quickly away.

This day. And what scares me is that it's still not over.

#ThankfulFor - October 2012

Some people call twitter a "micro-blog." I would have to agree. After a long month of complaining all of September (it just happens to be my least favorite month of the year), I decided it was time to stop complaining and time to start thanking God for everything He does daily in my life.

SO, I decided twitter was a great place to thank God daily AND encourage others!

Daily "#ThankfulFor" Tweets - October Edition =)

October 1st, 2012
-"I've decided that I'm going to try (I can't promise I won't miss a day) to tweet something I'm thankful for every single day. #ThankfulFor"
-"First of my #ThankfulFor daily tweets: I'm thankful for the big, bright orange loofah that Heather gave me. #sosoftandcomfy"
-"#ThankfulFor the ability to learn and grow."
 October 2nd, 2012

-#ThankfulFor hilarious embarrassing moments.. they stink at the time, but man do they make for great stories. #LOLmoments

October 3rd, 2012

-#ThankfulFor parents who let me talk to them about anything and everything, even when I'm being unreasonable. #blessed

October 4th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor Thursdays. Thursdays are always so chill and wonderful, and they're right before Fridays. Thank you, Jesus, for Thursdays.
(apparently I was so thankful for the weekend that I didn't tweet about it...)
October 8th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor the fact that my phone is now found. *insert 'prodigal son' analogy*
October 9th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor friends who love me just the way I am, but love me enough to tell me when it's time to change. 
October 10th, 2012

-#ThankfulFor a God I can trust. #itwillbeok

October 12th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor restful weekends.
October 13th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor the 90s and the hilarity of it all

October 14th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor long car rides :)
October 15th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor spinach. Random, I know, but it's so delicious and will make me like Popeye. #pumping iron

October 16th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor the internship God just provided for next semester. Seriously JUST what I need!

October 17th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor this new phone! Sad my little green one is dead, though. You lived a good life, little buddy.

October 19th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor an awesome leadership team and amazing friends!

October 22nd, 2012
-#ThankfulFor the fact that God is in control. It's hard to give up control, but when we do, it's so incredibly freeing.

October 23rd, 2012
-#ThankfulFor parents who support me always. And who encourage me in my Arabic.. even though they laugh at my bad grammar ;].
October 24th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor the ladies on Dorm 2 and the way they bond together in tough times! You women are SOLID!
October 29th, 2012
I know why today was blah now! I have been forgetting to do my #ThankfulFor tweets! #ThankfulFor days off from class :).
October 30th, 2012
-#ThankfulFor chapstick. For real though..

So, as you can see, some days (weekends.. weeks.. ya know), I totally failed. Hopefully, this will show me how many days I forget to thank God and remind me to ALWAYS thank Him. This whole project of mine has so far showed me how MUCH I have to be thankful for.. and all of the little happy things that bring joy to my life (whether serious or a bit humorous). It's so convicting to realize how blessed I am and how little I thank God for such blessings.

So.. thank You, Jesus!

I've really enjoyed beginning this "project." It's helped me quite a bit and definitely has opened my eyes to God's blessings in my life.
I think I'm going to make this a monthly blog tradition. =) What do you all think?