Holy

I hope I get to sing this in heaven.

love songs.

So I got to see Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors last night in concert. They were so amazing. Such great music and so fun to watch. But my favorite part was watching Ellie and Drew and the way they looked at each other while they played together. It was so obvious that they adored each other. They played this song during the acoustic part of the show:

I really want to be in love like this someday :)

live in the sunshine

Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine

We'll understand this, all by and by 

....

Josh Garrels

things making me happy [december edition]

{1}

In honor of December's arrival, I made these little guys last night :)

{2}

Christmas music has started! Here are my favorites this year:

[1] Santa Clause is Coming to Town - Justin Bieber

[2] Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Josh Groban & Brian McKnight

[3] Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Andrew Ripp 

[4] I'll Be Home for Christmas - Michael Buble

[5] God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman - Bethany Dillon

[6] O Come O Come Emmanuel - Maeve

[7] Oh Come All Te Faithful - Faith Hill

[8] Joy to the World - Sufjan Stevens

[9] Silent Night - Sarah McLachlan

[10] What Are You Doing New Years Eve? - Ella Fitzgerald 

[11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Frank Sinatra

{3}

I bought a MacBook. I'm mostly in love with it so far, and spending way too much time playing around on it.

{4}

Funny things my students write on their worksheets. 

{5}

These adorable silver-tipped matches I discovered at my house

{6}

Hilarious conversations my family has on this group messaging app we started using

{7}

Reading the Chronicles of Narnia. I'm embarrassed to say it's my first time to ever read them. 

on [un]gratefulness and lions.

So yesterday was thanksgiving, the holiday of gratefulness.


And, if I'm being honest, this season of my life (post-college, living with my parents, teaching at the detention center, etc.) has not been marked with gratefulness.

Or even lightly dusted with it.

I have complained, sometimes out loud, to people, but far more often in my heart, to the Lord. Along with this posture of ungratefulness came a host of other unpleasant things, like restlessness, selfishness, and distrust in the Lord.

I've been wallowing in these things for a few months now, and every now and then I'd see the light, the millions of things I had to be grateful for, and get my act together. But I would always return to those attitudes, because, as awful as they are, they're easier. And in some strange way it feels good to feel sorry for yourself.

then 2 or 3 nights ago, I read this verse:

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. (Psalm 116:7)

And the Lord's voice practically shouting at me, I have been here, pouring out my goodness on you, and you're shutting your eyes to it.

And it's funny, because when the Lord speaks, and I'm actually listening, I never feel hurt or embarrassed,  or offended, or even ashamed, but His voice is completely disarming. And humbling. I forget all the complaints and excuses I had, and it makes me want to give up. In the very best way.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, there are two quotes about this. I love how C.S. Lewis describes the effects of an encounter with God, or in this case, a lion:

But he was in no danger of feeling conceited for he didn't think about it at all now that he was face to face with Aslan. This time he found he could look straight into the Lion's eyes. He had forgotten his troubles and felt absolutely content. - The Magicians Nephew

"You have a traitor here Aslan," said the Witch. Of course everyone present that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he'd had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn't seem to matter what the Witch said. -The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe


So all of that said, here is my gratefulness list this thanksgiving:

1. I am so incredibly thankful for the disarming voice of God, and that He chooses to speak to me.
2. I am thankful for a job that I am in love with, and students who make my day every time I go into work.
3. I am thankful for a family who loves me much more than I deserve, and think much more highly of me than they ought to.
4. I am thankful for friends who are more like sisters, and a sister who my best friend.
5. I am thankful for the power of music. There have been so many times when I have felt less alone just because of a song lyric written by someone whom I have never met.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. Amen.

decisions, decisions.

I decided today that

a) If I were to be magically given the song-writing ability of anyone in the world, it would be Sara Bareilles. She is the only artist I've listened to that can make me cry, laugh out loud, and be hopeful about love and life, all in one album.

b) If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be blueberry muffins. Hands down. Preferably the ones from Cafe on Broadway.

c) I love my job. I'm probably going to write something excessively long and heartfelt soon. So be pumped up for that.

anticipation.

Sometimes I think I enjoy looking forward to things just as much as I do actually experiencing them. Here are some people and places I'm excited about:

1. Tyler, Texas

I get to see my favorite boy this weekend, which is always fun :)

2. Wichita, Kansas

Wedding #3 for the Summer: Erin and Graham!

3. Pine Bluff, AR

I started scheduling swimming lessons for this summer. I already have about 4 planned and I can't wait to get started.

4. Chicago

Today I bought tickets for a music festival in Chicago during July... I'll be hearing Dave Matthews Band, Amos Lee, Ray LaMontagne, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and Blind Pilot, just to name a few :)

(confession.... I'm maybe more excited about this than anything else happening this Summer)

5. Hot Springs, Arkansas

The lake! (Hopefully) lots of weekends of tubing, swimming, and playing.

I. Can't. Wait.

:)