Proceed As The Way Opens

This morning I visited a new church here in College Town and was pleasantly bombarded with a made-for-me message. Today was Epiphany Sunday, honoring the visit of the three wise men to the baby Jesus. Not only is the word epiphany high up on my favorite words list, but I can also dig the idea of near aimlessly but in true faith following that which we cannot really manifest into words or even into concrete substance. But what I was really jumping out of my pew about was the phrase, "Proceed as the way opens", that our preacher attributed to the Quakers. I think that is absolute brilliance. How smart would I be to entrust my life and all its little things to its Creator? In fact, since it is not my own--and never has been--who am I to be taking it over, anyway? And if He already has everything I need ("All the Lord has is mine" of John 16:15) what would I be giving up by leaving Him? I think that is some pretty smart thinking to be doing, and I'm glad I remembered to do it today. Think what you can commit and turn over to God today; I'm willing to risk everything--even my life--to bet He would be happy to take it off your hands.

Yours,
K

If you feel like indulging in my music tastes tonight I give you the the Avett Brothers.

Auld Lang Syne

"We'll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne"

I don't really believe in resolutions anymore because I believe we are constantly changing. Our hearts should-- key word being should--always be open to the new paths and directions that our lives lead them towards. Instead I wanted to put in words what I'd like to accomplish, remember, and advocate for in the year 2013. This is the year that I turn 21, that one of my best friends graduates from college, that I will move out of Greek Village, that I start my senior year of undergraduate...and much more that I can not anticipate and do not want to. 

1. Find a job(s) for the summer that is away from home.

2. Dip your toes in the ocean water. 

3. Start believing that everything truly works out...hasn't it up until now?

4. Run a sub 30 5K. More than once.

5. Read to a child. 

6. Remember what it was like to having an actual savings account. Lolz. But really. 

7. Study and take the GRE. Woohoo!

8. Conquer the fear of heights. Confront it at least once this year.

9. Learn to REST this restless heart in God. Daily struggle, but would love to work on it more this year.

10. Live in such way so that if anyone were to speak ill of you nobody would believe it. 

11. Fib less often.

12. Find my favorite alcoholic beverage.

13. WRITE MORE OFTEN :)

14. Keep up the concert list.

15. Expand my vocabulary. 

16. Go on a spur of the moment trip.

17.  Cook an entirely made-from-scratch meal. 

18. Volunteer more.

19. Karaoke. Is this mike on?

20. Keep the present a present. You're truly blessed just to have it. 

For good measure, 

21."Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32

"For what it's worth: it's never too late, or in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again." -Mr. F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Happy first of the year, 

K

Clarity

"And I will wait to find if this will last forever... because it can't, it just can't, it's not supposed to"

John Mayer, "Clarity"

"But I know the heart of life is good" resounds in the background of my kitchen as I blog this one. Except this time it is not coming from my trusty Spotify but rather from the distinct reverberations of a vinyl. And I'm loving it. So big shout out to a dear friend for making a little girl's dream come true;  it is nice to have something to hold on to. And appropriately I dub this post, "Clarity" as a tribute to the genius behind the first two records to my name--next few I'm feeling should be a little Bob Seger, Beatles, and the Fray??

I'm back from a wonderful and relaxing hiatus at the beach with the three favorites, my sweet little family. I kept exclaiming to my father's rolled eyes that this was our best vacation yet, and I have to admit I was not lying. I think the best moment of the whole trip occurred on a quick trip to pick up Papa John's (I know I'm a cheap date). Mama and I trekked out in the cold alone for little lady time disguised as our venture out to fetch the pizzas. While on the ride, I pulled out the dramatics (per the usual) and was met with the best advice I have heard in a long time. And I'm going to try to really take it to heart, because I firmly believe it was a wake-up call from God himself, but spoken--again per the usual :)--through my angel of a mother. She reminded me I had to stop waiting and live in the present. All the little ideas and plans we have for ourselves, not only could they never amount to the glory of God's ETERNAL plans for us, but also they would probably (most definitely) not pan out exactly how we picture them to be. Because that truly is the beauty in our Earthly time--it is both unpredictable and finite. We must make of it what we can with the promise of our loving Father's house as the final destination. I think that is something to smile about. Truly I do. Whatever is plaguing our minds and enrapturing our hearts today is only of this temporary life. If it can and needs to be changed, let's do what we can. But what we cannot change, let us not worry our time away on. I hope 2013 is the year I put this advice to practice, Momma, I really do!

As a last nod of the year I wanted to leave you with two articles. One addresses the glorification of busy and why that glorification is unduly awarded. The other addresses a young lady's viewpoint on a topic I touched on tonight--waiting. I think both are absolutely great, and rather than paraphrase I will just send you to the source!

"Don't Tell Me You're Busy": http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/10/23/dont-tell-me-youre-busy/

And 

"I Don't Wait Anymore"...please stick it out to the end, I promise it is not a pro-pre-marital sex rant!: http://gracefortheroad.com/2012/02/03/idontwait/

Happy New Year lovers, 

K

 

And So This is Christmas

"Those Christmas lights light up the street
Down where the sea and city meet
May all your troubles soon be gone
Oh, Christmas lights, keep shinin' on
Those Christmas lights light up the street
Maybe they'll bring her back to me
And then all my troubles will be gone
Oh, Christmas lights, keep shinin' on
Oh, Christmas lights, light up the street
Light up the fireworks in me
May all your troubles soon be gone
Those Christmas lights keep shinin' on"

Coldplay's "Christmas Lights"

"The angel answered, the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35
Hope the days leading up to the birth of our Savior remind you what is most important in life!
-K

Nothing

This morning I'm thinking about how different my life was a year ago this time. I was not even the same major I am now. I took a big leap of faith and switched my major and took on an internship that probably ended up being one of the best decisions of my life thus far. I figured out what I was really passionate about and formed a loyalty to Macon, GA that I think I'll never forget no matter where I go.

The friends I had a year ago are still good friends to me, but the people I am closest to now are people I barely spoke to, and some I didn't even know, this time last year. There were people I thought I'd never let go of, and today they're not in my life at all.

There have been a few constants, the good kind. Like my devotion to Jesus Christ. I still don't have a church home or denomination that I can identify with, but I have no other rock but Him in my life. I am so completely thankful for my family and my home and the undeserved blessings I have recognized in my life since a year ago.

But all this is not really what this post is about. Instead of talking about how much can change in the long run, I want to talk about how quickly things change...

For the middle school girls that hate to wake up and go to school every morning because you're afraid of what part of you today will get picked apart and judged, quickly things change for you.

For the high school girls that wonder when you're going to be recognized for more than the fact that you can write papers like nobody's business and when you're going to figure out what you really care about in this life, quickly things change for you.

For the kid out there that wonders if you'll ever learn to love something or someone more than yourself, quickly things change for you.

For the person out there that is scared to take an airplane ride halfway across the world because you're afraid you'll find more of yourself over there than you ever have anywhere else, quickly things change for you.

For the daughter that wonders if she would end up making everybody proud of the girl she was and the woman she wanted to become, quickly things change for you.

For the friend that wonders if you're going to find anybody that genuinely wants to stick around and who is worth exposing all sides of yourself to, quickly things change for you.

For the Christian that wonders if your God really will stand by you even while you're running away, quickly things change for you.

And last, for the lady who thinks college is the biggest adventure of your life, quickly things change for you.

I know because I have lived it. My biggest challenge to you is not to let today's temporary circumstances control your life. God has planned and promised a better plan than we could ever afford or attempt to plan for ourselves. I have to trust in that, and I really hope you can too.

Keep fighting the good fight,
K

Finals Week

I think some good (distractive) writing is going to come out next week while I cram for finals. In the meantime, I want to challenge you readers-- make a bucket list only for the weekend, go for a walk, stop complaining, think back to your favorite memory and then file it away again, read poetry and smile when it reminds you of someone, dabble in new friendships and passions. Happy weekend, good people!

Like I Never Left At All

I feel such a longing for India as of late. Really I feel a longing for any place where the people really need me.  I know people need me here, but not in the same way. I will, and cannot, forget those faces. I never want to. I would give anything to be on a plane back.

So much feels unfinished. And I think the broken pieces of me and my heart were getting fixed over there, and they just want to go back so bad. I'd give anything to go back.

And this time I would not have that feeling in the pit of the stomach, the one that made me cry at night. The one that told me I should be missing someone back home. Because as it turned out, he didn't miss me. I'd give anything to go back.

Ever since then it feels like I've been watching it all play back through a glass window. And I'd give anything to go back.

Yours, 

K