Revealing Grace

What a year, what a year. I never would have believed you if you had tried to tell me all that would occur in these 12 months. Let's take a look back, shall we? January 2011: I began my last semester at Georgia College with two snow days! We filled these days with sledding, cocoa, friends, and homemade music videos. February 2011: My good friend Matt and I ran as the Ambassador team representatives for Mr. and Ms. Georgia College. Though I had absolutely no chance at winning we had a really good time representing a fantastic part of the university. March 2011: A busy month! I visited my brother for a rainy weekend in Birmingham, my roommate from Spain came to visit me at Georgia College, I inducted my mentor into ODK, and I visited my homeland, Richmond, Virginia.  April 2011: In April I turned 22 with some fabulous friends. We celebrated with a huge ice cream/dance party in our little apartment. We also found Feathers in the hood of my roommate Ansley's car. Oh ...

"Stories have changed, my dear boy," the man in the grey suit says, his voice almost imperceptibly sad.  "There are no more battles between good and evil, no monsters to slay, no maidens in need of rescue.  Most maidens are perfectly capable of rescuing themselves in my experience, at least the ones worth something, in any case." - The Night Circus, page 373

It is a quiet day in Pasadena. The kind I relish in for I know that in a few short days the streets will be bustling with activity as we begin our new quarter. Though I have used half a box of tissues and my ears seem incapable of hearing clearly, the day is still very close to perfect. The weather is the kind of dreams, where the temperature is just right and the air smells fresh and perfect. It is the smell of the air and the light sweater temperature that brings back memories of all the great days like this in my past. It is the kind of day where one can curl up and read of a mysterious night circus and dueling magicians falling in love. The kind of day where hours can pass, hours of contentment wrapped in a big chair and an open window, and yet no time seems to pass at all. For in a few days I will be back to the busy hours of schoolwork, class, and being a nanny, but for now, for these hours, I will relinquish all stress and obligations. For these hours I will be engulfed in the b...

There are few points in my life where I admit to being wrong, or mistaken. I don't like to admit my faults because, let's face it, I would prefer perfection. But after this Christmas I have to admit that I was mistaken in my post I wrote a few days ago. I wrote that I did not see the correlation between the arrival of Jesus and a bunch of presents under the tree. But this Christmas proved me wrong. You see, there was so much joy in opening presents at my house this year. The gifts represented time, thought, and resources that someone expended for me . As I received my gifts I truly felt loved that someone had put that much effort into finding things I would enjoy. And it hit me. I had been wrong about presents. Not because I realized how much I love presents, but because I realized these presents were about love. And the love I felt from receiving these gifts was just an infinitesimally small fraction of the love I will feel when I finally grasp the magnitude of the gift ...

After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’”  So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them.  As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”  They said, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus;  and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.  As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.  As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power t...

Oh Christmas season! A week back in the dysfunctional family atmosphere that accompanies the great celebration of Christmas. On the topic of dysfunction, let me let you in on a secret... sometimes I think the world revolves around me. I know. I know! I went to the planetarium in Hollywood so I do know for a fact the universe does not actually revolve around me...but I like to forget that sometimes. So I guess in turn....Christmas is not about me. (A hard pill to swallow!) I know most of you who read this blog believe that "Jesus is the reason for the season!" But I would be willing to bet (ok, maybe not bet, I don't think God approves of gambling...) that we have kind of lost this in the traditions of modern Christmas. We all love Christmas because it is a time to be with family, to eat great food, and to take a break from our busy work days. We love to give and receive gifts (although I don't think materialism and the Gospel go hand in hand), and all of these t...

To my dearest chickies, Whether you are seven, fourteen, or twenty, I implore you to hear me out. Though I may only be a little bit older I have some wisdom to offer. For I have been where you have been. I have felt what you have felt, and I want to tell you what I wish I would have known. When the world seems to be ending, I promise you it isn't. Though your heart may hurt or your parents may be mad, the world goes on and those big problems become small. I promise that in years you will have forgotten those things you spent so many hours upset or worried about. So leave them where they are and forget about them. Instead of wasting time, embrace it. Acknowledge the worry or stress but don't let it overtake you. Live each moment. Enjoy the people you are with when you are with them. Don't let anything get you down, for our lives our precious. You are precious. You have been created and formed by the Almighty God and you are beautiful. Did you hear that? You are beaut...