First and Last

First:

Tomorrow is my first day of school - at a new school with all new people. {Yet, again.}

Last:

Tomorrow is my last day to enjoy being 20 - the last day that I can tell someone my age and not smile and pretend to laugh at a corny joke about alcohol. {Most people believe themselves to be witty when, in fact, they are quite unoriginal!}

And then it struck me

I was about 16 when I began compiling a quote book.  I continue to fill it with verses, phrases, and quotes from any book or author.  It is great fun {to me} to look back through it at times to remember what quotes have struck me as quote-worthy in the past.  I'll admit, it is currently dominated by John Piper. {He's just so quotable!} One such quote I read from the book Future Grace by Piper. . .  I hope it inspires thought in you as it did to me!

      "To be sure, there is unconditional grace. And it is the glorious foundation of all else in the christian     life. But there is also conditional grace. For most people who breath the popular air of grace and compassion today, conditional grace sounds like an oxymoron- like heavy feathers. So, for example, when people hear the promise of James 4:6 that God 'gives grace to the humble,' many have a hard time thinking about grace that is conditional upon humility."

Conditional upon humility,

upon humility,

humility.



Consume me like a fire 'cause I just want something beautiful

I’ve already revealed my thoughts about this coming semester {or this next season in general} in a previous post. And waves of reality are beginning to wash over me. This time in life is short, and sweet, and incredibly hard! Sometimes I want to run for cover, drop all the heavy {and pricey} textbooks and flee from it all. Move to Italy, or find employment on a cruise ship and see the world—anything to get away from the load of this current life.


This season, I’m finding it hard to remain solid, unwavering, grounded. In spite of the constant support of family, friends, and other loved ones I continue to feel incredibly raw about life in general. An uncertain {but still promising?} future is ahead as I begin the descent of my college education. I thought for certain that I’d “have it together” by now, but direction still eludes me. As my cousin Adria said this evening, “I am barreling headlong into who-knows-what.” I just hope it’s something beautiful.

Surprise!

There have been so few times in my life when I have been truly surprised and this weekend was one of them. Felisha came to visit me! It was such wonderful weekend full of adventures exploring Chico, hiking buttes, staying up late, eating fattening and sugar-laden food, taking pictures, etc.
I loved every moment of it. . .

When the answers and the truth cut their ties

Needtobreath: truly and underrated group of musicians.

Put a good face on it!

One of C.S. Lewis’ beloved characters in The Silver Chair goes by the name of Puddleglum. He is incurably pessimistic in the most endearing way and provides a good amount of the comedic dialogue in the novel. One of his most common phrases is in response to his companion’s optimism about what he sees as a dire situation, he exclaims: “That’s putting a good face on it!”

This phrase is one I need to apply to my outlook on this coming semester: I’ll admit, I am dreading, dreading, dreading my return to Chico. I can’t pin-point one specific reason for my dread; I suppose it is caused by several small{ish} things combined. I am, however, trying to “put a good face on it” and really hoping to thrive.

Before 2011 kicks the bucket. . . .

My 2011 Resolution is to Grow where I am planted. I want to be someone who THRIVES! I don’t want to just live day-to-day without passion and joy. So, in order to help myself out, I’ve decided to create a 2011 Bucket list. (Inspired by Felisha’s Blog.)

Here are some small things I’d like to accomplish this year:

Go to an IKEA

Dress up one day for no real reason

Spend a day in Paradise (the town)

Bike through Bidwell Park

Go on a picnic

Plant a sunflower

Go to the movie theater by myself (and watch a movie!)

Be in a Flashmob

Eat something I’ve never eaten before (Exclusions: tongue, liver, and mushrooms of any kind.)

Bake a cake from scratch

Volunteer at the women’s resource clinic in Chico

Make at least one friend in each class

Read a book by an author I’ve never heard of

Lower my “ten-foot poll” (Just a little bit)

Sleep under the stars