Oh how my life has changed since Europe. It's crazy, surreal even, to even think about my life abroad just a few short months ago. I can't think of a better way to describe my feelings than this article from Thought Catalog.
"So you look at your life, and the two countries that hold it, and realize that you are now two distinct people." -Quote from Thought Catalog
Bringing tears to my eyes as I read it, I remember my time in London fondly, longing to go back already. My experience abroad not only changed me personally, but changed how I interact with my friends and my surroundings alike. I can't seem to find the words to describe it. I am simply...different. Deep down, I'm still me. I still have my quirky personality and weird tendencies (a.k.a. frequent purr sessions and an odd obsession with cats. duh), but deep down, I am not myself. Well, maybe I am still myself, just a new version. The old me will never be back. Traveling does that to you. It changes you. I feel like a stranger in a place I called home for so long. As much as my friends love to hear my stories and see my pictures, there is an aspect of it they will never be able to relate to. The smell as you walk through the train station by yourself. The fears you have as you step foot on that plane. The first time you handle public transportation by yourself and you want to cry because you are lost in the ghetto and a police officer has to help you home (yes, this might of actually happened). This makes you grow up. It's inevitable. My naivety to the world disappeared in a matter of a few short months.
I keep describing it
like the Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe; the children live this huge
extraordinary life, grow up and mature into adults, all on their own, and have to return to simply being kids again. No one seems to relate simply because no one was in Narnia with them. They share these little secrets in memories in their own minds and lessons learned, but are ever so anxious to be back in their old home of Narnia. But I am trying to remind myself that they
were called back to Narnia eventually and there was a purpose for them being in
the real world again. I have now exited my own wardrobe and I know there is purpose to be found in my life back in Texas; if there wasn't God would not have placed me back here.
I was listening to this song the other day, and this lyric just so resonated with me:
"It's not that I want back all my innocence, just the joy of loosing it again."
I think this is really how I'm feeling. What my soul, deep down, is feeling. Just something I pray the Spirit reveals to me in time.
But anywho, I am now back in Texas for the long haul after a long nine months! Yep, that's right. Nine months. I was only in Texas for about 12 days prior to my departure to camp. Kanakuk this summer was amazing, as usual. Every summer is so different though. This summer I was a counselor for four weeks for two cabins. I had 15 year olds the first two weeks and then 13/14 year olds the second half. I just loved my time with those girls. They were such a blessing and so fun to be with! There hunger for the Lord was an encouragement to myself and my co's. After this, I was a kitchie for 3 weeks and a nanny for one of the directors the last week of camp. Working in the kitchen was some of the speediest sanctification I think I have ever received. I learned quickly how to serve without ever expecting a simple, "Thank you," in return. I learned how to not serve as working for men because men's opinion of me matters nothing in the end.
Now, I have been back in Texas two weeks, and my life has been consumed with sorority life and recruitment week. Talk about a world of difference! Europe to camp to Greek life. Whoa, baby.
I think above all else though, the word I would use to describe my ridiculous, busy, crazy life this past year would be faithfulness. Despite all my doubting (a.k.a. lack of trust in God, a.k.a. sin), He was always faithful to provide comfort and peace in my discomfort. Through fears of taking the leap to go abroad this time last year, to stepping on a train by myself in Switzerland (where I know absolutely no German) to fear of entering a new job at camp as kitchen staff, He was forever faithful. Praise Him for His faithfulness. Praise Him for sticking with me even when I don't deserve anything.
Praise Him for loving me.
Over and out,
Madi Mae
Here's some tunage for your lovely ears to dive into.
So it is sufficient to say that I am completely rubbish at this whole
blog/photo upload thing (who was I kidding myself thinking I should be a
photographer, pah! All they do is upload and blog!..I mean, besides taking the
photos and all).
Welp…I am back in the grand country of America, folks! Weird to say…Doesn’t
seem like I have been living in a foreign country the past 6 months, but low
and behold, that is my reality! I keep describing to people that it feels like
Chronicles of Narnia, where these kids go and live this huge epic life and even
grow old there, only to return to the real world where no time has passed at
all and they are still just kids. Yep,
that’s what it feels like.
(side note: everyone listen to Sigur Ros’s new album. It’s pretty beastly. As
per usual, Sigur Ros style.)
I have gone on more lunch/coffee dates since I have been back than I can
remember. WHICH I ADORE. Seeing close friends and friends I’ve known for only a
short while and friends that are froomies (future roomies) that I can’t wait to
know even more. If there was a job that
required me to talk to people about life and Jesus and laugh and play outside,
that would be a job I’d be ALL over (oh wait..Kanakuk Kounselor in a nut
shell). It’s been so lovely; however, in
the midst of these great and wonderful reunions…I miss my London. And I say my London because that is what it feels
like precisely. MY London. The city belonged to me in a way that it will never
belong to someone else. Not that I, personally, took possession of it and
overthrew Buckingham Palace, but in the sense that no other being will ever
experience the city like I experienced London. It will forever be like a
snowflake. No two are alike. I miss it more than I was expecting too (which I
was already expecting too quite a lot), but completely differently than I
imagined. Within this OHMYGOSHTAKEMEBACKRIGHTNOW feeling, a peace is present
that I cannot describe and can only give credit to the Holy Spirit for. (Romans 8:6 “For to set the mind on
the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”) Do I
still desire to return to London? Yes, very much so. Am I at rest with my
current location and patient in the waiting? For the time being….yes. I know
eventually my flesh will crawl out and demand a time frame from God, but we all
know that is just silly nonsense to ask of. Do I know for sure that I will
return? No, I can only hope and pray. It does though claim in Scriptures that
the Lord does give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4). A lot of the times, this verse is looked at
as “OH GOODY! I’m gunna go to church and God will give me my Ken Barbie Husband
in our Dream House in the suburbs with that perfect job and red sports car and
a boy and a girl who play football and dance perspectively!” Buttttttt this is
not the case. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of
your heart. By my heart resting within His heart and hands, my desires become
His desires. So, if this want and desire to return is fully of Him, I have no
doubt that I will return. Do I know the time frame to that? Absolutely not. I
would prefer sooner or later, but you know what…I’m not going to question the
Author of Time on His timing. Seems a bit silly to do so, don’t you think? So
for now, I rest and I wait in today, enjoying my Texas sun and that Texas heat
(we shall see if I still enjoy it come August….) and praise Him for this new
season of my life that is about to begin.
Let’s just sum up the past 2 months as quickly as possible:
April was my 20 days of backpacking trip, along with a weekend trip to Paris!
Starting April 9th, I travelled to Budapest, Rome, Salerno,
Florence, Venice, ending in Barcelona.
To put some perspective into my travels.
Here is a map!
(I really just like maps, that’s mostly why I have this…)
Quick summary of each location:
Budapest: SO CHEAP! Which was so great after having the pound and then the
euro. Phew. Forint was the name of the Hungarian currency. We just called it
HUF. 300 HUF was about equal to 1 USD. Freakin’ stickin’ awesome. A wonderful
breakfast under our hostel with coffee, juice, and a full meal, cost us around
1400 HUF (aka a little over 4 USD). This is also where I had the best café
latte of my life. Seriously. Italy had some great cappuccinos, don’t get me
wrong. But dag. Those Hungarians know what they are doing. Part of the reason I loved Budapest was
because I didn’t know what to expect.
And if I am being honest, my expectations weren’t the highest. When I
thought about myself traveling to Europe this time last year, I pictured the
typical Paris, Rome, Barcelona, etc….but Budapest? But a close friend I was
travelling with really wanted to go, it was cheap to get to and made our travel
to Rome cheaper, so why not go!? So we went. It was beautiful and citified, yet quant all at the same time.
We walked anywhere and everywhere! We planned on going splunking there, but it
turned out the ONE day the company was closed was the day we planned on going.
Oh well. Started off our trip on an awesome note.
Rome: okay, it’s Rome. How could it not be cool? The place we stayed in was
about five minutes from the Vatican. Yep, that’s right. Surreal, really. We
would walk out of our building all, “Sup, Pope! How’s it going up there?!”
Pretty sick. It rained (pourrreedddd) all but our first day there, but it’s
okay. We pushed through the rain and saw
every amazing thing in Rome! I mean, when in Rome, right! The Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Roman
Forum, The Colosseum, and so much more! Best gelato of my life, without a doubt
from Rome at a place near the Sistine Chapel. Om nom nom to the extreme. Our last night we met up with some friends
from London who were traveling and had an amazing 5 course meal for only 15
euros! And after seeing the prices of some of these places, trust me…this was a
steal.
Salerno: was kind of a dud. Wouldn’t have
been had it not been for the rain. But
you see, the only thing to do in Salerno was climb, hike, and beach it up all
day. Pretty difficult when it rained night and day….literally. It made for a nice break in our trip however,
but quite sad to miss out on all the outdoorsy things that Salerno offered
(aka, cliff diving. L ). Despite all the rain, Salerno is one of the
most beautiful places I have ever seen. I have never seen the rain forest, but
this is what I would imagine the rain forest looking like. Stunning,
truly. The place we stayed in was a
classic Italian village style house. SO
PRECIOUS! It was this long stair case leading up to each person’s house.
Reminded me of that scene from the Traveling Pants movie where that one chic
goes to Greece. The houses were kind of like that! That was legit, let me just
tell you. Here is a picture of Salerno:
Florence: WE SAW THE STATUE OF DAVID! WHOO! And it is HUGE. Wow. Never realized
that before. Truly a beauty to behold. My friends and I just stood and stared at
the magnitude of it for a solid 15 minutes without uttering a word. It was breathtaking. We walked around so much
here. The city is wonderfully beautiful.
One of my favorite spots is the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. I love the bridge
across from it though so that I can sit and stare at this beautiful bridge from
across the way. This bridge we sat on holds no significance or any special
beauty, but a key to behold something so grand and lovely. Most of the streets
here are all cobbled stone, which is just awesome. The best pizza of my life
came from Florence. VIVA LA VIVA GUSTA PIZZA! If you are going to Florence. Go
to Gusta Pizza. OH dear lawdy. We were in Florence for close to three full days
and went there twice…need I say more? Oh yea, I hung out with Neal Patrick
Harris as well…so that was cool.
VENICE!
Ladjkadjdafajkdfkjadsadjadjkdasjkladsjlkadklsdjklsajkl Venice=mind blown. Might
be my favorite of the 6 cities I saw backpacking. I always knew how Venice had lots of canals and was built upon water, but you
have no idea how freaking cool it all really is until you are actually
there.We get off the train pretty late
from Florence and are looking at our hostel directions.It says take Line 2 to this stop and
blablahblah. So we are all thinking oh you know…a subway or a bus or something
along those lines. No. Their public transportation is a BOAT. A BOAT. And in my
dear friend Jenny’s words: “OH MY GOSH. I AM GOING TO THOW UP MY ORGANS!!!”
That is how excited we all were. Can you imagine? Five smelly Americans from
ages 19 to 21 with massive backpacks, tired eyes, and excitement that probably
resembled something like a kid injected with five liters of straight sugar.
This was us. Well…manly me. I'm five years old when it comes to most things. (My catch phrase became... "Guys.... WE ARE IN [insert city of location]."...sometimes my brain just couldn't register where my body was actually residing!) Let’s get real here. Still get excited thinking
about it.We did the traditional gondola
ride the next day, meandered the city, watched as they made glass blown art,
saw St. Marc’s Cathedral and Piazza.At
night this piazza floods with water! What!? They bring out huge wooden planks
to walk on so you don’t have to get wet, but naturally, me being me…I chose to
walk in it some of the way. I mean, why not! It is just from the ocean, and
when else can I play in water in front of St. Marc’s Cathedral!? Clothes can
always dry.Oh, Venice. How I loved
thee.
Barcelona: At this point, it was safe to say we were all exhausted.Our hostel was on Las Ramblas which is one of
the main roads of Barcelona, which was lucky for us because who knows if we
would have actually seen all that much had we not been close! Across from us was
a MASSIVE food market called St. Joseph’s.There was everything from empanadas, fresh fruit and veggies, baklava,
smoothies, sheep’s head, and cow’s stomach lining. (ew. I know). We saw Familia
Sagrada and just walked around a ton on the first day. The next two days we
were just so exhausted, we turned this into our Salerno vacation and laid out
on the beach. Looking back I wish I would have taken more advantage of the
sites, but I honestly don’t even know if I would have enjoyed them at this
point.I would have just wanted to sit
down and sleep and give my tired legs a break from all that walking.
After Barcelona, I returned to London for about three days before heading off
to Switzerland, but I will save that for another post….
Over and out,
Madi Mae
Check out this song from Sigur Ros's newest album...been on repeat all day.
Okay so, I was forewarned that my clothes would in fact get completely ruined by the end of my study abroad trip. Little did I know that they were fully, one hundred and ten percent right. Note to all those planning on traveling a lot in the near future,
wear things that are comfy and that you have no sentimental attachment to.
Shall I demonstrate?
Exhibit A: "The Tom Tragedy"
This Tom has lived a wonderful life, like its partner in crime, LT (Left Tom, naturally). I can deal with holes in the toes. I can deal even with the heal rippage (yes, we are going to
say this is a real word. Deal with it), but the SIDE??!?! This makes them virtually unwearable. Good thing I recently picked up sowing. (sorta) Good enough at least to temporarily sow them back together.
These bad boys decided to rip on Easter Sunday. That's only reason why they are titled holy. And the hole too. Doi. But this hole is not any normal hole, but a hole in the crotch. Yep, the worse possible location to get a hole, making them also...unwearable. What a tragedy.
Last night, my other (and only other) pair of jeans had a malfunction as well. The zipper broke. If you see me living in London in tights and yoga pants, you know why.
Exhibit C: "The Blubberin' Booties"
MY FAVORITE SHOES OF ALL TIME. All scuffed up and heel exposed. These shoes are taking the whole "heel-toe" dance shuffle thing to a new level (yes, the toes are like this too).
These shoes practically speak for themselves...or write their own eulogies, I should say.
Exhibit D: "The Klash of the Keds."
So these little whippersnappers are getting holes and cracks all the way around. It's like they are wanting my disgusting feet smell to escape into the air and pollute our environment and possible weaken the ozone layer even more than it already is. I'm just waiting for the day when they finally snap in half.
Good thing nothing I own is truly expensive. THRIFT STORE SHOPER FTW!
So yes, there is more I could show you (coats, shirts, flannels, cardigans, the list goes on...quite like Rose's heart in Titanic), but I will leave it at such. You get the idea.
In actual life updates, I leave on Monday for 20 days of backpacking through Europe!! WHOOO!!! My journeys are taking me to Budapest, Rome, Salerno, Florence,Venice, and Barcelona. Can't wait. So excited. I'll try to update before I leave with a legit life update and not just my clothing issues.
over and out,
Madi Mae
p.s. Sorry. This is quite possibly the dumbest post I have ever left. #overit
p.p.s. GO SEE TITANIC IN 3D. RELIVE THE 90'S IN ALL IT'S THREE DIMENSIONAL GLORY.
So, I apologize for my lack of updates, yet again. I am not the best at this whole-let-me-sit-down-and-write-about-me thing (which is ironic considering I’m majoring in writing and everyone is all like “blablahbla. Write what you know.” And what I know is me.)
What I also know is that I love/hate relationship with words.Words are the starting point of everything.Every thought, idea, belief, starts with letter, formulating into words, which translates into questions, which then search for the answers, even they are never to be found.Our emotions find their way into words in our conscience, which are expressed into words or actions.People always say actions speak more than words, but maybe it is because we have lost touch with the art of words.The sacred concept of words.If we were given 100 words to utter our entire lives, that was it…what would we speak? Would we tell our loved ones how dear they are to us? Or would we get up and tell the world about global warming and how we need to recycle? Or would we try to go to our government and tell them how we think things should be run? Would we tell those that hurt us how we forgave them? We’ve lost the art of words.
Ah, I digress.Sorry, this blog is not about my rants, but about my life updates and travels. (not sure which is more boring, ha).
I think part of the reason my blog updates have been lackluster is the fact I am in a semi creative/writing slump.I know what you are thinking, “Madi…this is not the least bit creative? This is about your travels! Just simple life updates. The two should not correlate.” Oh, but see this is where you are wrong, my dear friend.
I am the person that bottles everything.I can sit there, any day of the week, and hear other people’s issues, hearts, problems, fears, dreams, but when it comes to my own, I never know what to say. It’s not that I am afraid to tell them. No, on the contrary!I am quiet the open book! But, I never know how to express them. This is the issue.Writing and words is how I think, process. Without it, I am a seven year old’s double-scooped ice cream cone on a hot summer day in July.
I am terrible with words. I am hilarious on the Internet, but awkward and weird in real life.I can sound intelligent and artsy on paper, but sound like a buffoon if I’m ever asked to express something out loud.If someone asks me a deep question that hasn’t ever crossed my mind, I can take up to 10 minutes sitting in silence to formulate an actual response.
I have a love/hate relationship with words.I love the art form of words.The beauty and darkness they can elicit.The same word brings different emotions for each person.Scriptures even go to say that “death and life are in the power of the tongue...” (Proverbs 18:21).
Secretly, words scare me.They reveal the deepest parts of me if I allow them too.God uses them to vomit my soul into open, sucking all that’s inside out like a vacuum.Some people need alcohol to pour out their soul, others a shoulder to cry on, me? I need a pen and paper. This often terrifies me.
But back to the main subject: writing slump. I’m in it. But not the “in it,” that Natalie Portman speaks of in Garden State when her co-star Zach Braff seems to be in some intense, internal life debates.I’m in the opposite of that. I’m in a city that should inspire art all around me, and yet I find myself starring at a blank computer screen and an empty journal pages, longing to put some type of beautiful poetry in front of me, only to later question if should chunk it completely because it sounds pretentious and/or cliché.
This is when the beat changes, however; I am slowly coming to a realization that maybe my slumps aren’t so bad after all. In the past, when I have been head over heels with what I have written, wanting the entire world to see it, like a proud mamma, it is when I am coming out of “it.”The “it” always varies.When my writings are booming and I can’t get enough on paper, I’ve just learned some great life lesson, had a life epiphany, finally decided to overcome some dreadful habit, decide to finally heal from something I never though possible, etc. You get the picture. But I’m always coming out of these “it” moments when I write marathons of words and works.Never in them. In them, I feel weighted, bogged down, completely unlike myself usually, always hidden by a cheerful façade though, naturally.
I’m usually able to pretty much pick out what the “it” is that I am in at the time, but not this time.And I am okay with that.It’s kind of nice not knowing because when I know, I always search for the way out; in the unknown, I just take each day at a time, waiting till the “it” wants to be found and comes searching for me.
Since arriving in London, I am learning more than I ever thought possible.I am learning things I never though I would need to know or have to learn.Or even more so, I am having to relearn many things as well. I don’t think I could put it all into words even if I tried.I am not even sure what the biggest lesson is or what over arching theme God is trying to teach me, but all I know is that I am in “it,” and somewhere, He is in the “it” with me. I am growing, and that is enough to last me through my writing slump.At the end of this current “it,” I know words will be found and writings will commence again. This gets me excited.So I continue on the “it” and stay up late drinking absurd amounts of juice (there is no coffee machine in my flat, sadly. I must resort to juice and tea), reading good books, and going on walks as often as possible, remembering all the while that God, the creator of words and good books and juice, knows my "it" front to back, side to side, and walks through "it" with me. This is how I survive the “its.”
And in other generic life update news:
1.) I am seeing the Shins live on Friday. 2.) I am going to see Wicked on Broadway on Thursday. 3.) I went to the Harry Potter walking tour tonight.
4.) The new Shins album came out today. 5.) I saw the Civil Wars live last week for free. 6.) I am going to Paris on the 31st of this month. 7.) I leave for Budapest on April 9th, beginning my 20 days of travels. 8.) I am working at Kanakuk K2 again this summer for 8 weeks! 9.) I will be done with school in two weeks. 10.) I just finished reading Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller. HIGHLY recommend it to people of all faiths.It does talk about God, yes, but it is a fantastic book regardless of what you believe. Get it. You won’t regret it. 11.) Bought and started Million Miles in a Thousand Years today. So pumped already.
Anywho, that’s it for now.Hope all is well in whatever country you find yourself in this fine night. :) Toodles!
Before I get started on my last few weeks, here are some killer Scottish photos! :)
soooo anywho..This week has been extremely chill and laid back. Which has been just lovely. As was last week. On Wednesday, I went and saw Dry the River with the Jezebels which was epic. then come Friday, I SAW BEN HOWARD IN CONERT. He is completely phenomenal! Wow, like...his voice is even better in real life than on CD. Wow...I was completely giddy after. Top 5 concerts I've been to, by far. Also, bought tickets to see The Shins live in March. WHOO
Tuesday, I went to the Portobello Market with my friend from Brazil which was just lovely. I really want to go back on a Saturday when it is more hoppin'. But they had all these precious stalls open with cheap, vintage clothes and a ton of fresh fruits and vegetables!
(this is completely irrelevant, but my windows are currently open and someone is jamming out HARDCORE to Fresh Prince theme song outside....ANYWHOOOO)
Wednesday (yesterday), I went to see Zach Braff [insert major swoon-age here] starring in his new play All New People. SO GOOD. for all of you who loved Garden State. This is for you. Just brilliant. Hilarious, but still so beautiful. It had such great life truths and wisdom hidden within the play. I highly doubt Zach Braff is a Christian, but man...you can sure get some Christ centered truths from the play.
Tonight I am going to a bunch of small business art galleries around the dorms! :) whoo!
but anywho, back to my thoughts on the play:
There was this one scene of the play where Zach Braff's character (and I am probably going to butcher this...), but he is watching two ants fight over a poptart crumb and he just notices how silly it is for these two ants to be fighting over something so small. To these ants, this crumb means life and existence; they think they need it to survive. What they don't realize is that there is all these other crumbs and food bits everywhere, but they are too small to see it. They are too focused on their problem and fight to look around. Braff's character is saying all of this, and finally end his monologue with, "And then I wondered if this is how God views me and my decisions."
This is a wonderful thought. Sad, but so wonderfully beautiful. We spend our whole lives in toil and fights. Fighting for the right grades, the right relationships, the right job, internship, right salary...but are we fighting the right fights? What if God intended for us to work hard and to fight, but fight for love, for mercy, for forgiveness? What if we fought just as hard for justice and health as we did for wealth and fame? And I don't mean fame as in hollywood...but simple fame within our own circle of friends. The fame we seek as we try to win the approval of others, sometimes without even realizing how hard we are fighting for it.
Hmm.. if I am being honest, I don't know why people skirt around the topic and questions of God. We all have different beliefs about it...why ignore it though? Why act like we don't all question, all wonder? Why do we get angry even at the mere mention of some kind of deity? We make so many decisions and live choices, even behaviors around this topic. Why avoid it though? Even if you don't believe in God or even some form of higher being at all...you have at least pondered the thought of there being one. Everyone has; you can't deny that.
What is it though that makes us all questions the existence of some bigger life form? We don't believe in magic (the hocus-pocus Disney kind). We don't believe in super heroes or aliens (well..for the most part anwyhooo). Or fairy tales. Superstitions and myths fade and change through generations and cultures, but the one thing that has always been is the topic of God. Yes, not everybody believes there is a Higher Power, but many do. And even if you don't, you have at least wrestled with the idea and concept of something else out there. Why? What is it within us that makes us question something, anything's existence. Our small life...this can't be it. There must be something else. Why have all superstitions and myths and out dated religions faded, but the question and debate of God still remains? It seems that if it were truly just some hoax and all Christians were crazy lunatics, it would have faded long ago.
In Romans 1:20 it says, "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."
This is saying that we are able to see God everywhere. This earth, everything that is good and lovely in it, is a shadow of His goodness and glory. It is a little taste of who He is, in hopes that we will see Him in that. So that we worship the Creator and not the creation. No wonder the question of God and religion will forever hang over our society. He is everywhere. He is in everything. From the mountains in Scotland, to the tube system in London, and all the way back to my old campus in College Station, TX. He is. We cannot ignore it. We must do something with that long held debate. He is, and was, and will forever be.
I pray that you find God, the Creator of everything around you, Creator of the lungs and the breath they hold, Creator of the hands of your loved one you hold so tightly in yours, in everything you encounter. And not the list of do's and don'ts you think you need to obey to be in right standing with Him, but that you fall madly in love with Him. By falling in love, we see and we learn and grow and come to realize we can never be in right standing with Him by our actions, but that is the beautiful part of the cross. The death and resurrection of Jesus.
Okay, moving off soap box again. haha
Past few days have just been so blissfully joyful. Love it.
So, here are a few things that I am adding to my to do list and you should do the same:
Smile if you feel like smiling...what's the worse that could happen?
Be okay with sitting down for three hours doing absolutely nothing with friends. Take life slow. You have the rest of forever to run around like a man person.
Listen to a new favourite (note the UK spelling (; ) song on repeat 3,4, maybe 9 times. (this does not apply to some new Gaga song or some other terrible song with awful lyrics that have no actual deep thought behind them... #sorrynotsorry) Let the words seep deep into your skin till they are etched into the line on your hand, the fingerprints that make you, you.
Here are some awesome quotes from this book I am reading right now! (check it out!)
"I was raised to believe that a quality of a man's life would greatly increase, not with the gain of status or success, not by his heart's knowing romance or by prosperity in industry or academia, but by his nearness to God. It confuses me that Christian living is not simpler... God bestows three blessings on man: to feed him like birds, dress him like flowers, and befriend him as a confidant. Too many take the first two and neglect the last. Sooner or later you figure out life is constructed specifically and brilliantly to squeeze man into association with the Owner of heaven. It is a struggle, with labor pains and thorny landscapes, bloody hands and a sweaty brow, head in hands, moments of severe loneliness and questioning, moments of ache and desire. All this leads to God, I think. Perhaps this is what is on the other side of the commercials... Matter and thought are a canvas on which God paints, a painting with tragedy and delivery, with sin and redemption. Life is a dance towards God, I began to think. And the dance is not so graceful as we might want. While we glide and swing our practiced sway, God crowds our feet, bumps our toes, and scuffs our shoes. So we learn to dance with the One who made us. And it is a difficult dance to learn, because its steps are foreign....
And I think to myself, There is nothing I am missing. I have everything I was supposed to have to experience the magnitude of this story, to dance with God."
Donald Miller
Anywho, that's about it folks. This post is super rando and all over the place, but enjoy! it's the best I got for now.
