perspective: a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

"blessed are the cracked, for they shall let in the light."

Sometimes, when I try to write, I get really distracted by everyone else's words.  Aka upon beginning this post, I've ready four articles, unintentionally (but sorta intentionally) stumbling upon all of them.

I tell you what, college sucks.  I've been drowning lately.  Too much work, too many papers, lots of quizzes, more than two midterms, exams, and random space-filling assignments.  In addition to that, I've been navigating the waters of people.  Which is much easier said than done.

Someone recently gave me this nugget of advice: try to see the forest more and the trees less.

Jesus works in some really real ways.  It's very interesting to me how people that don't know you terribly well and quite frankly, don't think they have you figured out, can say little random things that get your gears seriously turning.

All day, I've been thinking about that, about the trees.  I think the same can be said about oceans.  If we choose to focus on each individual wave, there isn't an abundant amount of beauty in that.  But entire seas have captivated us for centuries.  Or fields.  A 1x1 patch of grass with one dandelion isn't so significant in comparison a mile wide field of dandelions.  

I firmly believe that all parts of our lives, maybe even life itself, are/is based on the theory of perspective.  That it really is all about how you see things, how you choose to see things, and how that choice runs its course through our bodies, minds, and hearts.  Newton's third law says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  If this is true, which we know it is, we know that every decision we make has a consequence.  Every perspective that we choose to take has a reaction.  The way we choose to see has lasting effects on the lives we (indirectly and sometimes directly) choose to live.  Perspective has the power to make you or break you.  And it will do both when fitting.

Lately, my perspective has been pretty jacked up.  I'm happy and I'm hopeful, but I also suck at being content sometimes.  I think that that is the reason that my head is really attracted to stress and anxiety.  My perspective is all out of whack because I choose to look at the individual trees instead of the forest.  There's beauty in the forest, but I promise you that you won't see it until you learn to see the gracefulness, beauty, and intricate pattern of the forest.

One of my favorite bloggers ever, Lindsey Mead (A Design So Vast) said this: "almost all suffering comes from our attachment to how we thought it was going to be."  We choose the perspective that most identifies with how we want for it to be.  I'm thankful that that doesn't always work, that Jesus knows us and what we need better than that.  Do your best and let go of the outcome.  Free your mind.  The chains around your head and heart are there because of your choice to see things the way you have.  No person, no thing, no problem, no hurt, and no situation has power over you until you decide that it's okay for it to.  You have to pick your battles wisely.  

I'm not Catholic, but for Lent, I'm giving up complaining (I know, don't judge me yet cause I'm aware that that seems sorta unattainable for me).  I'm really going to try.  Because it's a nasty trait and there's power in positive words.  I'm the first to speak them unto others and the last to let them speak to me.

"Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, and events that make you unhappy, sad, and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking." Also, this article: 15 things you should give up to be happy.

"Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.” - Joseph Campbell

I'm trying a healthier perspective.  One where I let go of the notion that the world owes me anything, that I'm entitled to good things.  But rather, one where I accept the sweet things that Jesus allows to come my way.  And I stand firm on the truth of the cross and his resurrection to give me hope in the not-so-sweet things.  

She let it go: She let go. She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go. She let go of the fear. She let go of the judgments. She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head. She let go of the committee of indecision within her. She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go. She didn't ask anyone for advice. She didn't read a book on how to let go. She didn't search the scriptures. She just let go. She let go of all of the memories that held her back. She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward. She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right. She didn't promise to let go. She didn't journal about it. She didn't write the projected date in her Day-Timer. She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. She didn't check the weather report or read her daily horoscope. She just let go. She didn't analyze whether she should let go. She didn't call her friends to discuss the matter. She didn't do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. She didn't call the prayer line. She didn't utter one word. She just let go. No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing. Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go. There was no effort. There was no struggle. It wasn't good and it wasn't bad. It was what it was, and it is just that. In the space of letting go, she let it all be. A small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore… - Ernest Holmes

Thank you, God, that you're good.  Thank you that you're patient with us.  Thank you for designing us to be resilient.  Thank you for the Holy Spirit to guide us when we get sorta lost.  Thank you for peace and ease.  Thank you for forests and oceans.  Thank you for putting semicolons where we put periods.  Thank you for the promise of your faithfulness.  Thank you for the grace that we can stand on.  Thank you for goodness and patience and happier thoughts.  

I've accepted that I think a lot, most of the time too much.  But I'm also consistently working towards not letting my thoughts dictate my life.  

I feel like I post posts like this every other day.  thanks for reading anyway.  hope you're encouraged.  and I hope your week is really, really good for you.

Taste and See

hi, hi, hiiiiii.

The Lord is teaching me a lot.  A whole dang lot.  I'm even totally sure where to start.
I feel like the last week has been a tornado of things; good things, nonetheless, but a lot of things.  I'm thankful to be under the continual watch of Jesus.  Not that I ever doubted His protection, grace, and mercy, but to be honest, sometimes He feels real far away.

And it's really easy to forget that Jesus has sweet things for us.  It took me declaring that over myself for months for me to actually believe it.  But I'm a living testament to the fact that declarations work.  I believe that if you chant your mantra to yourself enough, you begin to really believe those things.

The Lord is good and the Lord has good things for me.  In that, I refuse to believe that the not-so-good things are the best that Jesus can do; I refuse to believe that the people in my life that are clearly not aligned with Jesus' will for me are the best that Jesus has for me, that He could do no better.

With that said, it took weeks for me to believe that.  And even when I said I believed it, I didn't.  And I only know that because it wasn't until I truly believed in the grace, mercy, and sweetness of the Lord that He began to give me the sweet things that I desired.

I'm not sure that I'm making much sense, but I'm trying.  I guess I'm saying that when I really believed in Jesus' ability to bless me, He started blessing me.  

I've slept a lot less and prayed a lot more in the last week or two.  I'm thankful that I don't know where things are headed and I'm thrilled to watch Jesus' plan unfold.

With all of that said, I encourage anyone reading this to not settle for anything less than what you deserve.  Coming from the formerly reigning Queen of Settle for much too long, I urge and really demand you to wait for the Lord.  Because He does have good things.  And He does know what we need.  And He definitely wishes to bless us.  And I know that it's easy to see good things that the Lord is doing and count them as being for everyone else and not ourselves, but I'm really happy about the fact that that's not the way Jesus works.  It's not about earning blessings, but about trust and faith in His ability to provide blessings to you.  It's not worth it to believe or put faith in something that was never yours to believe or put faith in.  You can't change a heart and it was never your duty to try to.  Hallelujah and amen for that.

Guarding my heart, still onward we go.  One step at a time is a real good philosophy.  Psalm 119:105 says that Jesus' word is a lamp unto my feet.  Not a spotlight, not a blazing fire, but a lamp.  Because of that, I trust and believe that as I trust in the Lord, He will reveal His plan.  It's not something that can be rushed or measured and I'm really dang thankful for that.  One foot in front of the other, onward we go, receiving the blessings and resting in that abounding grace.

"It should be something altogether more organic and intuitive.  A spiritual courtship wherein two parties determine if God has ordained their paths to intersect." 

This is a lot of churchy language, but I'm just really happy and blessed and thankful.  Here's to fabulous.

Thank you, God, that you're good.  Thank you for having nothing but goodness for us.  Thank you for blessings that blow away any expectations we could ever have.  Thank you for your sense of humor and the grace that comes with it.  Thank you for giving us the desires of our hearts.  Thank you for continually teaching us and guiding us.  Even if you stop here, you've done enough and I'm thankful.  Thank you that your sweetness never, ever gets old.

"O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed are they that hopeth in Him." -Psalm 34:8

"thank you Lord for letting my best friend see that there are male specimens out there that cherish who she is and what she says *hand clap emoji*".  Yes and amen, Lindsey, couldn't have said it better myself.

Telling Stories

There's nothing quite like changing your major for the 5th time to make you feel quite so inadequate.

Though I'm confident in my decision, I'm nervous.  I'm scared of what's to come.  Nursing majors intend to be nurses after college; education majors intend to be educators after college.  But I'm now a Communications major and I have next to no idea what I would like to spend the rest of my life doing.  It seems like I should at least have a plan.  

For my lack of plan, I'm thankful that the Lord guides my steps.  A light unto my path (Psalm 119:105), I'm taking things baby step-by-baby step, following Jesus.  I'm also thankful that the Lord encourages us along the way.  Thankful that I was never meant to do this alone, thankful for reassurance.

In Mark 5, Jesus shows up.  A man needed a miracle and Jesus showed up to perform, much like Jesus shows up in our lives.

Mark 5:18-20-As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 

The man, much like myself, did not know what was to come, had no clue what was next for him (or for me).  But as every Christian should, he simply desired to be near to the Lord.

I think I was a pretty normal kid.  I behaved in school, made good grades.  I was a little (a lot) quiet, but I was okay with that.  When I was 7ish, my parents split up.  Back then, that was really hard on me.  I felt like they were giving up and at the little age of 7, I decided that I would never, never get a divorce.  ]

Middle school was so awkward for me.  Looking back now, I don't know how I made it.  I was young and needy and all over the daggum place.  Those were definitely not my shining years and I don't think you could pay me enough money to go back and do them again.  Middle school was just pretty rough for me.  The world got pretty real for me then.  I saw a lot of desire, from alcohol to money to sex to betrayal to deceit, everything.  And I did not know how to handle it at all.

High school wasn't terrible.  Not my favorite, but not so bad.  In tenth grade, I met my best friend, who passionately and persistently invited me to church.  After lots of no's (thank God she never gave up on me), I reluctantly said yes and the Lord took hold of me.  Saved a few months later, baptized at 18.  Since then, things haven't been steadily smooth sailing.  I've accepted that my life won't ever be.  I've struggled a lot, a whole lot, I've made a bunch of wrong decisions, and I've turned my back on Jesus more than once.  But I'm so, so thankful for grace and forgiveness and patience.  I'm thankful that the Lord met me where I was, that He accepted me when I had all of nothing and a whole lot of problems to bring.  I'm thankful that I didn't meet Jesus until I was 18 because I firmly believe that I would have full-blown rejected the sweetness of Jesus if it had been sooner.  I'm thankful that the Lord gave me a story to tell because I have zero clue where I would be now without Jesus.  My views on a lot (sex, divorce, sin, corruption) have changed a lot since I met Jesus and for that, I'm thankful.  I don't always think straightly, but I know very, very well that I'm dang better off now than I was before.

I think each of us has a great, great story to tell.  This is just a small piece of mine, but I tell it boldly and confidently.  I believe that there is a lot to be said about letting your guard down (trust me, I tend to be pretty terrible at this) and being open.  I think beautiful things come from that.  There's a lot of beauty in the words we speak and the stories we tell and the laughs we laugh and the things we do.  I believe in telling those things and I believe they're worth hearing.

Mark 5:20-So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

I'm not sure why I felt the need to say this.  I pray it speaks to someone.  I am so in love with being in love with Jesus.  Thanks for riding this out with me.