"That's Life"

Hey all! M. here again! Happy November to all of you!! How is your Thanksgiving week going? Tell me in the comments below!!

Today I want to talk about a saying that really really annoys me. (I know, it's brilliant to be complaining the week where we are supposed to be thankful!) I use this saying all the time, but I hate using it and I hate the idea behind it.

"That's life," we say.
When we lose a job or our microwave breaks, we sigh and say, "that's life."
When we're super busy or we don't get along with other people, we shrug it off and say, "that's life."
When we find flaws in our work or we have to start a project over, we grumble and say, "that's life."
When we have an impossible dream and lose our motivation, we quit and say, "that's life."
When wars and crises arise and we think our world's just gone down the drain, we say "that's life."
When it feels like God is distant and we're stuck on our own, we just say, "that's life."
And we move on.

Why do we have to say that? Why are we obligated to a mysterious fate called life? Yes, there are about two things we have guaranteed in this life, first, death; second, taxes! Yes, we can generally look at lives from the past to learn from their mistakes, predict possible outcomes, and maybe make better plans for the future.

But we aren't tied to that. We never have to be controlled by the outcome of a unknown lottery machine of future events. Isn't God the one who created life? Doesn't He have control over our future and over us? Jesus told us that He came to earth so that we might have life, and have it "to the full!" So why do we settle?

Because we're comfortable. We American Christians are so comfortable in our little Jesus boxes that we don't bother to dream the impossible. We don't care enough to look and see if this is really all there is to life. We rarely ask the Holy Spirit to be present in our lives every day. We don't expect God to move in miraculous ways for us. We don't hope for things like what happened in the apostles' stories in Acts to happen today. Because we're comfortable.

How comfortable are you? How okay are you with your life? When was the last time the Holy Spirit pointed out an attitude to change, a relationship to mend, an opportunity to give Him glory? Did you follow that call? Have you even heard His voice?

Living life to the full is like skydiving - you have to jump out of a plane that has a seat for you, a nice buckle to keep you in that seat, protection from the sun and the wind and the rain and the pull of gravity. You have no need to jump out. You have no need to use the dangerous route to get back to the ground. You can just ride the nice plane down to safety.

But you're not going to have much of a story when you get back to the ground if you never jumped out of that window. You're not going to have the thrill of falling, flying, hurtling down towards the planet unrestrained until at the last second you release the parachute.

It's the same way in our walk with Jesus. We could stay in our comfy churches with the seats we've picked out with protection from the elements of our broken world and the gravity of life's messes. We don't have to go do things to earn our salvation. We aren't obligated to take the dangerous route because "His grace abounds in our weakness." We can just ride the nice Christian life to heaven.

But you can't live life the way God designed you to when you're still inside the airplane! It's time to let go of following the status quo of "that's life." Because there really is more than the nice busy Christian life full of church services with plastic perfect people and life groups full of plastic perfect discussion and the rest of your life as the quiet, unoffensive office worker with a "Jesus loves you" sticker in your cubicle. There really is more to life than the loads of dishes and laundry and kids' noses and faces to clean and meals to prepare and arguments to interrupt. Oh, yes, that mundane still exists. Oh, yes, the trials and the failures and the car breakdowns and feeling distant from God won't go away. That's because we're human and our world is broken.

(But we're not just human beings. Our soul is eternal and will live forever in Christ's presence if we've accepted His salvation. I'm learning, too, that that soul isn't the only things that will live on. We will have eternal bodies in continuity with the old, but those bodies won't decay or become useless. What an exciting prospect! I can't wait for heaven. And seeing Jesus.)

When we are in eternity, I think I'd rather tell the story of how I went skydiving.

What about you?

There's no going back once you jump. But when it come to living God's life for you, you won't regret jumping.
You'll get the opportunity to truly be God's hands and feet for this broken world.
You might get to see God's presence tangibly changing lives and changing whole cultures.
Your heart attitude towards God might be personally transformed from the inside out.
You might be hated for your radical ideas. Jesus practically guarantees it.
You won't be comfortable. But you probably won't miss that comfortable life once you leave it.
You might live that impossible dream in spite of every voice that says it can't happen.
You'll have the chance to redefine what you call truly living.

You will be changed. And that's life. God's way.

Crazy Months (and new adventures)

Hey all!

How have you been? We're sorry for leaving you all in the middle of October and never coming back (just kidding, I'm writing right now!!!)

Last time I hung out with you guys, it was the middle of SEPTEMBER (oops) and I had just been getting into a new school and work routine for my life. I haven't written here since then because I've been writing in other ways!!! (Like songs and spoken words!!! And another project that I'll tell you about in a minute...)

ON CLASSES: They're going really good for the most part! I still really am not loving my 8:25 music theory class (and that's not even that early!). We are done with Aristotle in our English class and only have one more paper and one presentation for the semester!!! We're looking at Ethics in my "university success" class and at the person of Jesus Christ in theology. :D

ON MUSIC: I've written two songs here at school!!! Both were homework assignments. :P I also am really looking forward to learning how to use the tech equipment we have in our new RECORDING STUDIO!!!! I really love the band that I'm a part of - it's so much fun to jam out with other people who love and follow Jesus and want to lift Him high the same way you do!

ON OTHER FUN THINGS: I was in a play!!!!! And I am currently doing a writing project called "NaNoWriMo!" That's an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to write 50,000 words in the month of November. That's 1,667 words a day!!! So the writing side of my brain is a little shot currently. I hope to blog at least a few more times here in November; but I apologize in advance if I end up under a rock the whole month!!! Maybe I'll post a little excerpt from the rough draft here sometime this month :D

ON THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit has been more present in my life in the last few weeks than I've ever felt Him. I used to worry about my salvation because of how sinful or messed up I was, but the fact that I hear the Holy Spirit's conviction so often in my, I am more assured and confident in my salvation than ever! I'm also more convinced of the things that God is calling me to do; even when I don't want to do it or feel uncomfortable doing it. (Especially when I feel uncomfortable doing it!)

ON SLEEP: Is it normal to fall asleep in the middle of the day and accidentally sleep for THREE AND A HALF HOURS??? I've done that twice in the last ten days.... (hehe oops). Hey, at least I didn't sleep through any classes!

ON MY NEW SISTER!!! We're adopting my baby sister!! We've had her in foster care for over a year now and on Friday, we are officially adopting her!!! I'M SO EXCITED GUYS!!!!!!!! (Can you tell?)

ON SIMPLEX STUFF: I have a post in my mind about Identity that I'm hoping to work on soon!! So you all can look forward to that! :D Also life gets simpler and simpler the more I think about it. Here's a new little perspective on what simplex means to me lately:

"The world gets crazier and crazier. God calls, 'talk with me.' 

Your life circumstances get heavier, Jesus says, 'I died for those.' 

The culture whispers to you to enjoy yourself, the Holy Spirit cries, 'deny yourself.'

It's a simple sentence. But the fact that it's from the Lord of the galaxies makes it astronomical."

Thanks for reading! Talk to you all soon!

-M.

The Beginning...

Hey everyone!!!

GUESS. WHAT.

(I started school. Like three weeks ago.)
*cue screaming*

Don't worry, it's not bad screaming!! Well, mostly not bad. I did kinda forget how hard school in general is. But most of the past month has been really really awesome!!

ON WELCOME WEEK: I moved in... I met my roommates... I met about 3000 other people whose names I will never remember... I did SO MANY welcome week events (Including a worship night, a movie night, and a concert!!)... and ate way too much free pizza.

ON CLASSES: I have an english class where we make memes that connect to aristotle. I have a "university success" class where we're gonna play clue in a few weeks!! I have a theology class where we talked about dreams of aliens and zombies. I'm super stoked about voice lessons. And I have not one, but TWO classes dedicated just to writing music!!

ON HOMEWORK: I already have a song due for songwriting this weekend :| and I have a speech TOMORROW in my English class!!!

ON CLUBS: I'm going to join a guitar club!! I have had a guitar for 8 months and haven't learned to play it yet. I want to join a Frisbee club but I haven't found one yet that fits my schedule. (Noooo.... I need my Frisbee!!!!)

ON FOOD: The food here is way too good... let's just say I've eaten a lot of chicken sandwiches and had a few too many drinks from Jamba Juice :P

ON GOD AND THE START OF COLLEGE: I'm having a blast. It's crazy, it's busy, and it's more difficult than I ever really anticipated. (I've already had one night where I stayed up till 3am to finish homework...!) But it's the beginning of the rest of my life. I'm SO excited for what God's gonna bring me not only this year, but throughout the college experience for me. He's already teaching me so many new concepts and drawing me into a closer relationship with Him. I can't wait for more.

The Candlelight Dedication service for the Freshman class

In summary, I started college. But there's so much more that God has in my story. And knowing God, He's gonna make it AWESOME.

Thanks for reading! See you guys next time!
-M.

On FIVE DAYS TILL SCHOOL (!!) and Moments that Change You

This might not turn out as well as I'm hoping, but here goes nothing...

Hey everyone! M. here!!!

(So just to confirm how awful my motivation/inspiration/will to write is currently, I wrote the two sentences above TWO WEEKS ago and then was sidetracked for the day and then I forgot about them and then I continued life as usual and then I procrastinated and then I CAME HOME and then I started packing and can you tell that blogging hasn't been a priority lately????)

How are you all doing? Comment below with your lamest pun involving a banana, a buffalo, and a pair of socks. :D

GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?! I move into my new dorm in 5 (five) (cinco!!!) days!!!
I can't believe it. I'm literally dancing in my room right now. (And you can't prove me wrong cause you're not here to see it! So there.)

Anyway, on to my simplex observations of the day!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Life is funny. It changes so quickly yet we expect it to stay fairly consistent. We expect our perceptions of the world to be consistent, which really is the strangest thing to expect at all!! This is because our perception and our "brain filters" or "worldview lenses" are always being added to with each new experience every day.

Think back to a year or so ago. Didn't you feel so much younger, or immature, or less knowledgeable? Well, that's because, obviously, you were younger. You probably were more immature. And you were definitely less knowledgeable, whether in head knowledge or experiential knowledge. And all of the moments in the last year of your life have brought you to today! And each moment is going to move you forward. To some degree, what you ate for breakfast today actually is going to change the outcome of your life!!!!

But don't freak out - it's NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. Something that trivial is probably not going to change your life in a negative or positive way. It's a more neutral event in the grand scheme of your years of life. But there are some events, some moments or days that leave a mark on you.

And you are forever different because of it.

Maybe it was a moment in first grade when you made an awesome friend - or an "enemy for life." Maybe it was your first day at a job. Maybe it was a graduation or the receiving of an award that you worked really hard for! Maybe it was the day when someone close to you died. Or maybe it was a period of time when you struggled with doubt or anxiety or depression. Maybe it was a moment of laughter you shared with a friend. Or maybe it was the week you spent at youth camp.

Whatever it was, it changed you. And it's so weird that we expect consistency in our own lives when we have moments or days like that.

I had more than a few days like that this summer. In fact, my whole summer was an experience that changed me!! Going away for a month to a place out of my comfort zone, to a job that fulfilled me and exhausted me simultaneously, and to a spiritual craving for God unlike my usual walk with Him really grew me and stretched me in ways I didn't expect or ask for.

I'm finally home and have had a week to get back "to normal;" just in time to start packing up for school! But a recap is always necessary for me to really get some good closure.

Here's a short little list of things that hit me this summer during my summer job/weekend trips home/vacation with family:

• It's actually ok to be homesick!!!! (In the past I viewed it as a weakness and therefore to be avoided like the plague. But it's real and it's healthy!)
• Hard work doesn't always pay off. But wise work does.
• The timely encouragement of a friend is worth more than gold!!!
• Car drives were made for loud music. And singing at the top of my lungs.
• Taking pictures was one of my coping methods. And also one of my ways to save up priceless memories. 
• I really really love the visual aid of life as a story to remind myself that Jesus is a better author than I'll ever be.
• I missed my piano SO MUCH over the summer!
• I had some long days at work, but the last week had one of the hardest because I was so spent of energy.
• My time spent with God was different because I was in a place of daily reliance on Him much more that I do at home. And I want to trust Him that much all the time, recognizing that every little thing I have is from His will.

This summer changed me. God changed me in a good way, though the path wasn't sunshine and rainbows all of the time. In fact it was often clouds and downpour, both figuratively and literally!! But now I see life a different way and it's brought me closer to God and to other friends!

And now, in just five days, I'm going on another new adventure. God's called me to the school I'm headed for and He's opened every single door I've needed to follow that calling. And I can't wait to make so many memories and have those moments that change me forever as God molds me into the girl He wants me to be.

See you guys next time!!
-M.

What's New?

Hey readers!!!

I wish I blogged more often.... why does life have to be so crazy sometimes??

Anyway, I wanted to give you guys a little update on my simplex life lately! 

• When I wrote that open letter to my past present, and future a few weeks ago, I was literally in the car on the way to a new city for a month! The family I work for decided to move up north and I didn't have any major summer plans so I said, "I'll come with you!" The blog post was a reaction and preparation for the coming month of new challenges and adventures
• I've spent the last three weeks making meals, playing games, taking photos, singing the same songs over and over again, drawing pictures, reading, rereading, and REreading "There's a Wocket in my Pocket!!"
• I've gotten to do video calls to home several times :D It's so cute to watch two two-year-olds video chat with each other on the phone!
• I've also gotten to go home several times! The drive from my home to this other city is around two hours but I can fly standby on a 30 minute flight to go back and see my family. 
• I went back for our baby foster girl's 1st birthday!! She is adorable, people. She can walk and clap and dance and babble and is just SO CUTE, GUYS.
• I also flew back for the 4th of July weekend. I watched fireworks with my family on Saturday. And on Sunday I went to see "Inside Out" with a few friends, then went to another friend's birthday party! It was such a fun weekend and I was reminded about how important it is for me to stay connected to my friends.
• The last flight back I've made (so far) was to spend Friday and Saturday at our homeschool convention volunteering! I wrote about last year's convention making my feet sore and it was definitely the same this year! I had a pretty fantastic time, although I came back up to work exhausted on Monday.
• I hate grocery shopping for myself. I can't handle that kind of responsibility! I go in thinking, "Okay, some fruits and veggies and healthy snacks!" and I leave with three different kinds of cookies. Seriously?
• I've been gearing up for school in ONE MONTH from now and I'm freaking out with excitement!!!!!!!!! My roommates and I are collaborating on packing lists and I'm checking out welcome week schedules, clubs and sports I might join in, and beginning to look for textbooks and supplies I'm gonna need. I CAN'T WAIT, GUYS.
• Related to school, I'm thinking of starting a separate blog for sharing my school adventures! If you guys want to read it, let me know!!!!!
• Why do I say guys so much???
• I dyed my hair purple again!!!!!! Well, just the bangs. :D

 



Of all of the photos I've taken this whole month, this one's probably gotta be my favorite (heart melts)

That's all I can think of right now!! I'm spending time with family next week, working the next two weeks, then coming home for a week to prepare (and pack!) for college!!!! It's going to be a crazy busy month, but may God be glorified in it all.
See you next time!
-M.