Happy List | The Start of Camp

learning how to drive a bus. veggie burgers. new friends. mornings. hammocks.  the start of a chaco tan. kayaking. goats. lake gaston. back porches. acoustic worship. summer nights. sharing and hearing testimonies. finding new coffee shops. johnnyswim. overcoming fears. support. encouragement. love. grace.

21 Things

Monday was my birthday, and as you can probably guess by the title of this post, I turned 21.  The past year has been crazy full of unexpected, exciting, and scary things.  Even though this year has proved to stretch me in countless ways, I am so thankful for every part of it.  So here is a list of 21 things that this 21 year old has learned (or re-learned) in the last year.

1. You don't have to talk to someone everyday, every week, or every month for that matter to be best friends.

2. My stomach hates meat.

3. I am free to be whoever I want to be, and I don't have to change who I am for anybody.

4. Whether it be across the world or across town, travel is good for the soul.

5. I leave on chipped nail polish for way too long.

6. Virginia is really pretty and fun.

7. My mom is usually always right.  Also, I am my mother, except for I'm usually always wrong.

8. I will never be able to control my hair no matter what I do to it.

9. I eat too many donuts.

10. Moments of either laughter or silence with friends are the best moments. 

11. My brudder is the coolest of all brothers and will forever be one of my best friends.

12. The smell and feel of the pages of a book beat swiping a screen anyday.

13. Don't have high expectations, because you will be disappointed when they are not met.  Brought to you by lessons from Waffle House. 

14. Sometimes you need that second cup of coffee.

15. There are more people who love and care for me then I realize or feel.

16. Learning to apologize and admit you're wrong feels much better then being stubborn and prideful.

17. If you don't shed blood while hiking, then it didn't count for anything.

18. Learning to apply Truth and promises to the moment is a lot harder then applying them to the future. 

19. The World is smaller then it seems.

20. What makes a great adventure great is the company.

21. Attitude and perspective change EVERYTHING.

This next year will surely be even more challenging, but I can't wait to see what the unknown future of it holds.

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."  1 Corinthians 2:2-5

To Do List

 This week's to do list consists of:

-Wear my new shoes everyday
-Listen to The Vespers on repeat
-Drink Boba tea
-Go to the globe shop again
-Have way too many discussions that have the dreaded words "white glove" in them
-Have a movie night with my ladies
-Type up lots of notes
-Attempt to study for my two finals
-Attempt to keep roller coaster emotions about graduation at bay
-Figure out how to make scrabble coasters
-Get an insuffient amount of sleep
-Drink lots of coffee to make up for it

Happy List of the Week

This week's happiness equates to:

1. Wearing shorts every day.
2. Finally seeing Catching Fire.  We almost had the whole theatre to ourselves. 
3. Putting down my deposit for rent in the Fall (WHAT?!)
4. Eating sweet potatoes and trail mix.
5. Hiking a mountain insanely fast and hiding Easter eggs along the way.
6. Buying shoes for camp.
7. How good my clothes smell from my new detergent.
8. Sipping Joe Beans in sketchy parking lots and trying to come up with places to sit besides the car. 
9. The anticipation of Mom coming to visit this weekend.
10. Reading about Peter in Acts.

Late Night List

Photo Cred: Emily :)

 

1.  I walked into Kroger to buy toilet paper today and ONLY bought toilet paper.  This is a miracle in and of itself.  Mental note: call mom on the way to Kroger from now on so as not to buy food I don't need.

2. Tonight I realized I am a sweet potato snob now...

3. I love surprises.

4. I got the email with my packing list for camp this summer!

5. I pretty much cannot put into words how excited I am for this summer.

6. Every time I play Frisbee, I love it even more.

7. I am currently listening to Sights by London Grammar.

8. Lists make me happy.

A Happy List

things that are yellow.  friends that make me laugh.  the pretty springtime snow.  the Lord's provision.  london fogs.  my sweet friends I have made through this blog world.  the anticipation of a Georgia wedding in June.  bon iver. baseball season.  a spring birthday.  pen pals.  when friends stand up for you.  mix CDs.  catching yourself smiling.  getting up with the sun.  when a stranger smiles back.  watching someone talk about something they love.  discovering new music.  accomplishing something ahead of time.  exact change.  the smell of a campfire.  getting so caught up in a Harry Potter movie that I forget that I am knitting.  subconsciously memorizing lyrics.  riding in the passenger seat on a long drive.

Unexpected Turns

The best things in life are unexpected.  Also known as the next 5 or so years of my life. 

Today marks exactly one month since I have returned back to the good ol' U.S. of A from India.  Not to be a downer, but after starting my summer with an experience like that, things back in VA have been a tad bland.  But through this very uneventful, short, time in my life, I know that the Lord is still working and speaking just as clearly as ever.  I never thought I would be watching tennis all day with an elderly lady to keep her company, but alas, here I am.  For all the moments sitting and listening to tennis grunts, the sweet conversations I get to have with Ms. M about our Savior and everything He has done are in our lives make it beyond worth the inactivity of it all.

Our theme for our hall next year is "Run the Race."  While my RA partner and I both enjoy running, we are not simply talking about a race that you physically run.  We are running the "race of life" that the Lord has set before us. We don't run to receive a "perishable" wreath such as the world does, whether that be in money, sex, or "success."  We run to receive an imperishable prize, the eternal glory and inheritance that our waiting for us in our eternal, heavenly home.  As fast-paced as my "race" usually is, I am thankful that I have this short time to focus on the Lord, seek his will, and even glean some truth and advice from a sweet lady that has been walking with the Lord for quite some time now.

The next few months I plan to:
forgive
explore
be a giver
connect with a new friend
dance
eat healthy
treat myself
spend more time with my brother
continue my morning quiet time
get an awesome Chaco tan
reflect
go hiking
get stronger
have fun
limit myself to one cup of coffee a day
babysit
volunteer
be open-hearted
be open-minded (not philosophically, mind you.  both in things the Lord may or may not do)
do what I love and love what I do
learn
grow
eat more apples
have more adventures
keep running
be myself
love others
challenge myself
and sing more

Don't let the picture fool you.  I have not been to the beach yet this summer.  I really want to go, but it's not looking like it will work out.  But who knows, maybe a miracle will happen!

With my full-time job now, I don't have much free time.  With working almost forty hours a week, on top of my two online classes, it's safe to say I will probably be swamped during the next few weeks.  AH!

Also, I have been really wanting a pen pal.  If that sounds at all enticing to you, please comment or send me an email :)