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.

Dear Past; Present; and Future: An Open Letter

Dear Past,

It's been a good run so far. The last few years we've shared have flown by. They've been filled with laughter and joyful moments, even though there have been some difficult ones too. I've met new friends through you and have grown relationships in beautiful ways. But as we both get older, those memories drift farther from me.

Sometimes I don't have the right perspective of you. I don't want to sugarcoat you; but I also don't want to minimize you. God's been good to me and I want to praise Him for that. However, sometimes you take control of me. And I don't want that. I don't want to be stuck re-living you; I want new moments and new memories that I can laugh over and praise God for.

I'm letting go of you. You don't define me.

-M.

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

Dear Future,

Currently, you terrify me. You're so different from anything I've ever known  and I'm not sure what to expect from you. You're the one that's going to bring those new relationships, new memories, and new adventures. You have the potential to bring utter joy, or absolute heartbreak.

Sometimes you control me too much, like the past does. I'm not okay with that; I want to look forward to your joys but I don't want to miss the joys that God has staring me in the face. You aren't getting a minute more of unnecessary time from me.

I'm done chasing after you. There are more important things I'm looking for.

-M.

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

Dear Present,

 I'm on God's side. Bring it on.

-M.

Author of My Life

Hi, (E. writing)

I want to start off with a bible verse. 

It's Romans 8:28 'And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.' (ESV)

I know, your thinking- wow, haven't heard that one before! -right?! But hold on! Think about that for a moment. ALL things, not just a few things, not just big things or little things, but ALL things work together for good. For Good. For those who love God. Notice it doesn't say 'For those who are completely perfect and love God', or 'For those who always obey and love God', it simply says 'For those who love God, and are called according to His purpose,' meaning anyone who has received Christ into their heart, as their Lord and savior. If you have given your life to him, then you are called according to his purpose.

Now just because it says -everything will work for good- doesn't mean that nothing bad will ever happen, and your life will be perfect, or that you won't be hurt, it just means that whatever happens, happens for a reason. If you seek God through it, he will always, without fail, turn it for good.

When bad things happen in my life, God always takes them and shows me a lesson to learn from them. Many times its a hard lesson that I honestly don't want to learn. Sometimes it's even something that I think I already knew. Recently He's been showing me just how far He will let me mess up, just to learn a lesson, and to remind me that no matter what I do He still loves me. Yes, there are always consequences for doing something I shouldn't have, but that is to be expected. In the end I'm always glad to know that I can still learn from mistakes and not repeat them.

Another important point is that God is in control. Completely and totally. Because of this we should always give him full control of our lives. (fyi: very very very hard to do)

An important reminder of how much He is really in control is this: He wrote the story. He is the author. I am a character. He wrote my story. I am a piece of art, subject only to how I am made. He knows what happens at the end. Every detail. He knows my likes and dislikes, what makes me happy and what makes me upset. He watched me grow up even as I rejected Him. He has never stopped loving me. Not for one second. He is with me even when I sin. And he has forgiven me for every sin hundreds of years before they even happen. And through all of this I ask myself daily: Why can't I be in control? 

I 

Am 

Not 

Without

Sin

And that is why Jesus laid down his own life for me. 

~E

  

New Project: 10,000 Reasons

Hi readers! M. here :D

I was going about my day today and decided I needed some encouragement or motivation (or something of that sort). I have a lovely little jar from my graduation last year containing notes of encouragement (AND PAPER CLIPS!!! --Ahem. Sorry.) from E. and L. (Aren't they just aa-mazing?? Yeah, I know.)

Anyway.

I pulled this one out today:

 

 

It was a very timely encouragement for me. I  recalled a project I'd dreamed of doing, but never made any progress on, that I like to call "10,000 Reasons." The idea is to write out literally 10,000 reasons that God is worthy to be praised.

So I took some time tonight to do that!! I got out some small canvases that I'd been saving for some art project that I'd never do and this resulted: 

This is only 50 different words/praises/reasons so I'm really looking forward to what this looks like at the end!! (To put it in perspective, I'm half of 1% of the way done with the project. I need to do this again 199 times before I reach 10,000 reasons...) I'm planning to keep you all updated every hundred words/praises/reasons.

 

This is my new project, guys! I don't know if it'll just take the summer or the whole school year or multiple school years!! I do know this, though: Christ is worthy to be praised over 10,000 times and I owe Him praise every day in every way!

What else should I add on to this project? Comment below and I'll write it in! :D

As always, thanks for reading!

-M.