May 1:
Raining in the freezing rain, 13.1 miles all the way, worshipping along the journey! :)
May 2:
Seeing the beauty of the emerald Flint Hills
May 3:
Having Nicole to make me feel better on awful days
May 4:
The innocence of friendship and love witnessed at Natural Ties prom
May 5:
Being helped unexpectedly in my therapy session by Joann Hootz
May 6:
Friendship, sunshine, poetry, music...the list goes on, and the heart of life is good!
May 7:
Being surrounded by beautiful sisters-in-Christ, and having a productive day!
May 8:
Fabulous roommate date to KCMO!
May 9:
First afternoon to just sit in the sun!
May 10:
The sound of my parents' voices
May 11:
An hour between classes to finish Matthew in the sunshine
May 12:
An hour of friend-time with Bethany in the courtyard
May 13:
Open worshipping and joyous hearts with dear friends!
May 14:
Insanely productive day, and being almost finished with the semester!
May 15:
One last Sunday with several beloved friends
May 16:
Heather's friendship and Godly influence
May 17:
Done with math forever, hallelujah!
May 18:
I survived the semester!!!
May 19:
HOME
May 20:
The loyal, beautiful friendship of Shannon Nicole Hackney
May 21:
Blessed day with the family
May 22:
Blessed with worshippful songwriting/church service
May 23:
Restoration of friendships, and an afternoon with my best friend Alyssa Laura King
May 24:
eleven years of calling God "Father" and His protection from storms
May 25:
Restoration of old acquaintances
May 26:
Prayers by the lake
May 27:
Kyle's friendship, and our family's beautiful legacy
May 28:
Feeling so much as I remember who I am
May 29:
A short chat with an old high school friend
May 30:
Heart-revelations
May 31:
Kindness of the eye doctor's assistant
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
This is Home
Currently, I am sitting in my life-long bedroom, cooling down after a 5k run around my end of Purcell. The walls around me are still lime green from my painting spree at age 13, but the majority of the boxes I left here when I went to college are now gone and replaced by my array of instruments. I've been away to Kansas for two years, but I'm finally back in Purcell, Oklahoma for an extended amount of time.
It's weird, actually. For my entire first year of college, I never felt homesick and rarely tried to come home. It's not that home is bad, by any means, it was just that I felt that I was grown up enough to live on my own and not look back. Then, my sophomore year hit, and I started having a deep longing within my heart for the entire concept of "home". Maybe not necessarily the actual house on 846 W Apache where I have lived since I was born, but the little things that are synonymous with home.
Things such as: the foundation of faith and support that I feel all around me from my family and from the people of Sunray Baptist Church. The love that I see and feel from my family. The joy I get from getting to spend time with my Meemaw. Spending significant time in God's Word and getting that feeling that I love it more than anything else in the world. Getting to run along all my old trails and seeing familiar faces no matter where I go. Sitting with a heart-sister for an entire evening and rekindling our loving friendship. Being volunteered to do things in the community, and remembering how to interact with--and genuinely love--people. The simple beauty of watching my pets run around and be crazy, and thinking about how creative God is to give even these small animals personalities. The feeling of opening a book that is an "old friend" and getting lost once again. Sitting in my backyard, watching storms roll in, and spending an hour or more quietly in awe of God and His greatness. The list could continue indefinitely.
I've only been home for 3 full days so far, but I am already feeling myself changing. All the homesickness and lack of joy that hit me during the school year are returning in full force. I'm remembering who I am, and how absolutely beyond-blessed I am. I've started writing music again, and I've been spending each day doing as much as I can to seize the day. Most importantly, I have been filled over and over again with joy from my Savior, and I am just worshipping and hungering after more of Him. I'm no longer worried about the future, because I'm seeing how, if God loves me so much that He has blessed me with this beautiful life that takes my breath away, He will continue to provide in even more amazing ways, no matter where life takes me.
I don't know where the rest of the summer will lead, but I'm not expecting boredom to hit me. This is exactly where I am supposed to be, and I know that God will show me purpose and continue to draw me closer to His heart. And frankly, that sounds like a beautiful way to spend my summer vacation.
This is home, and I'm finally where I belong.
It's weird, actually. For my entire first year of college, I never felt homesick and rarely tried to come home. It's not that home is bad, by any means, it was just that I felt that I was grown up enough to live on my own and not look back. Then, my sophomore year hit, and I started having a deep longing within my heart for the entire concept of "home". Maybe not necessarily the actual house on 846 W Apache where I have lived since I was born, but the little things that are synonymous with home.
Things such as: the foundation of faith and support that I feel all around me from my family and from the people of Sunray Baptist Church. The love that I see and feel from my family. The joy I get from getting to spend time with my Meemaw. Spending significant time in God's Word and getting that feeling that I love it more than anything else in the world. Getting to run along all my old trails and seeing familiar faces no matter where I go. Sitting with a heart-sister for an entire evening and rekindling our loving friendship. Being volunteered to do things in the community, and remembering how to interact with--and genuinely love--people. The simple beauty of watching my pets run around and be crazy, and thinking about how creative God is to give even these small animals personalities. The feeling of opening a book that is an "old friend" and getting lost once again. Sitting in my backyard, watching storms roll in, and spending an hour or more quietly in awe of God and His greatness. The list could continue indefinitely.
I've only been home for 3 full days so far, but I am already feeling myself changing. All the homesickness and lack of joy that hit me during the school year are returning in full force. I'm remembering who I am, and how absolutely beyond-blessed I am. I've started writing music again, and I've been spending each day doing as much as I can to seize the day. Most importantly, I have been filled over and over again with joy from my Savior, and I am just worshipping and hungering after more of Him. I'm no longer worried about the future, because I'm seeing how, if God loves me so much that He has blessed me with this beautiful life that takes my breath away, He will continue to provide in even more amazing ways, no matter where life takes me.
I don't know where the rest of the summer will lead, but I'm not expecting boredom to hit me. This is exactly where I am supposed to be, and I know that God will show me purpose and continue to draw me closer to His heart. And frankly, that sounds like a beautiful way to spend my summer vacation.
This is home, and I'm finally where I belong.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
One Year of Gratitude: April
April 1: Dorky times with friends :)
April 2: Beyond-beautiful day, and God heart-stirrings
April 3: Laying on my porch, listening to hallelujahs, and watching the storm roll in
April 4: The love amongst the Bandies
April 5: Witnessing the most beautiful evening sky I have ever seen that compelled me to worship
April 6: Beautiful day with lots of God-time :)
April 7: An evening for errands!
April 8: Dr. Clair's advice to "stand in the hammock"
April 9: Refreshing lunch talk with Kim and Melissa Hill
April 10: Getting elected to the MWRAMTAS board and setting my 10-song quiz-out!
April 11: Winning the MEMT scholarship, and reflections on love
April 12: Pounding heart while running
April 13: The beauty and heart of folk music, and gaining my Dad's ability to discern random, beautiful things
April 14: Music that brings people together, and kind, understanding professors
April 15: Friend-date with Alex, and movies that advocate for music therapy!
April 16: A day all alone and a morning with God
April 17: Good friends from church
April 18: Stimulating God-conversations
April 19: Long phone call with Tyler
April 20: Unexpected rambles with Bethany
April 21: Getting to talk with all my family members
April 22: Having the sun emerge just in time for a run
April 23: Blessed by so many wonderful people in my life!
April 24: The beauty and endurance of the Bible
April 25: Thunderstorm to end a grey day
April 26: Everyone who got sick today in Murphy is doing better
April 27: Beautiful piano music in theory
April 28: Professors, employees, and friends that make school "worth it"
April 29: The beauty of coming home!
April 30: Wonderful day spent with Tyler :)
April 2: Beyond-beautiful day, and God heart-stirrings
April 3: Laying on my porch, listening to hallelujahs, and watching the storm roll in
April 4: The love amongst the Bandies
April 5: Witnessing the most beautiful evening sky I have ever seen that compelled me to worship
April 6: Beautiful day with lots of God-time :)
April 7: An evening for errands!
April 8: Dr. Clair's advice to "stand in the hammock"
April 9: Refreshing lunch talk with Kim and Melissa Hill
April 10: Getting elected to the MWRAMTAS board and setting my 10-song quiz-out!
April 11: Winning the MEMT scholarship, and reflections on love
April 12: Pounding heart while running
April 13: The beauty and heart of folk music, and gaining my Dad's ability to discern random, beautiful things
April 14: Music that brings people together, and kind, understanding professors
April 15: Friend-date with Alex, and movies that advocate for music therapy!
April 16: A day all alone and a morning with God
April 17: Good friends from church
April 18: Stimulating God-conversations
April 19: Long phone call with Tyler
April 20: Unexpected rambles with Bethany
April 21: Getting to talk with all my family members
April 22: Having the sun emerge just in time for a run
April 23: Blessed by so many wonderful people in my life!
April 24: The beauty and endurance of the Bible
April 25: Thunderstorm to end a grey day
April 26: Everyone who got sick today in Murphy is doing better
April 27: Beautiful piano music in theory
April 28: Professors, employees, and friends that make school "worth it"
April 29: The beauty of coming home!
April 30: Wonderful day spent with Tyler :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)