July comes to an end

July has been a crazy month, especially here towards the end. With the last couple of weeks came a mission trip, pneumonia, and the beginning of a new school year (thus ushering in the end of summer). There have been a lot of good things that have happened and some not so great things, but at the end of the day, I am thankful to be a part of them all.

End of July positives:
-Having more than enough money for the mission trip (by no effort of mine, completely all God)
-The airport
-Going on a mission trip with church family who just happen to also be really good friends :)
-The opportunity to see the beauty of northern Michigan again
-TSA employees singing Paul McCartney songs in security
-Reconnecting with campers from last year and meeting awesome new ones
-Buffalo wild wings
-Bottled water
-Worship on the beach
-Lip-syncing
-Starbucks
-Oreos and Froyo!
-Box fans
-Anti-biotics
-Friends who are willing to take care of me
-Friends who care
-New classroom
-New school year
-New mercies everyday

:-)

July 7 2011

I feel like this week has been a bit of a redemption for me from last week. It's not solely because better things happened, but because my perspective has shifted. A lot of thoughts have been rolling around in my head, and God has been speaking to me constantly all week about my happiness and contentedness with what He's given me. He knows me better than I do, so in response to my questioning and my self-pity He started asking me some hard questions.

It may seem somewhat cliche, but the point that was driven home to me was that you can't be happy until you are happy with what you have. We've all heard that one. What that means to me is that nothing, NOTHING that is added or taken away from your life right this moment will make you happy. We dream about certain things happening to us, things that we pray constantly for, that if we just get that ONE thing we can be happy. I have certainly said this to God on many occasions.

He answered me by saying until I am content right here, right now, with what I have happiness doesn't exist.
I am where I am for a reason. God is always on time. If I am in a season, it is for a purpose, and I shouldn't take for granted that the reason things are the way they are is because He is teaching me something. He is working all this for His purpose, not mine.

 Matt Chandler said in one of his sermons that "Happiness is a cheap, cheap substitute for Joy".

Joy is knowing that something better is on the way. Joy is having the hope of Christ for all eternity, and knowing that while we do get great things here, it's not where our Joy rests.

So, in saying all of this, I have had a great week:
-crazy busy work days
-"miscellaneous" work days
-people coming out of the woodwork to buy groceries
-superheroes at children's church
-being myself
-living in a country where I am free
-watching crazy thunderstorms
-believing in the One who makes me truly free
-setting off fireworks
-cooking dinner with good friends
-watching dumb shows
-the Farmer's market
-shopping with good friends
-bread
-weird fruits and veggies
-people from other nationalities
-long car rides and good conversation
-hot wings
-peach milkshakes
-skip bo
-browsing books
-sleeping in
-productivity
-90's music

I needed this especially this week

Satan was all up in my business this week. The only way to counter his lies is with God's truth, and a whole lotta gratitude. So I'm gonna do just that.

-spending a whole day watching Lost with a friend
-mexican food and a hot fudge sundae
-lazy afternoons by the pool
-coffee
-memorizing Scripture and loving it
-more time in the Word
-a house full of playing laughing girls
-friends who tolerate my crazy
-Friends season 2
-reorganizing
-smoothies
-pb&j