Writing (Day 17 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Writing has always been a HUGE passion of mine. I would always write stories when I was a little girl. Once I got into middle school it became a big deal to me and I realized that my dream was to become an author and write books for people to enjoy and have adventures with! I want to be able to inspire others with my writing and impact their lives. Right now I am working on a book, which is a very long process, but it's getting there! :)

Today I am thankful that I am able to express myself and dream up new worlds with writing.

Inspirations (Day 16 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

One thing that I love about life, is that there are tiny little inspirations hidden everywhere. Those inspirations always end up being the most mundane things, and that to me is beautiful. But because these things are so regular and we see them everyday, we pass by them and don't give them a second thought. I try to look for something everyday that can inspire me. So there are a lot of things that do. Birds are the main ones that bring inspiration to me. I love to see them flying in their formations, it has always been so beautiful and it amazes me every time I see it. I adore trees...I don't know what it is about them but they have always taken my breath away. I was even driving home from school today, and I saw an amazing rustic looking door that I just wanted to stop and take a picture of. I love being able to notice these simple things. It makes my day so much better!

So today I am thankful for the things that inspire me everyday.

Times with my Sister (Day 15 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Today, I am thankful for times I get to spend with my sister. I mentioned a few posts back that I had the opportunity to stay the weekend in Kearney with my sister. We had an awesome time! We were able to get coffee, watch lots of movies, go shopping, have a craft time, and go to her church which was amazing. While I was in Kearney I was able to get a little taste of being a grown up for the first time. I was able to see what it was like to live out of the house and without parents. Being able to experience that has made me really excited for the future, and when I am able to go to college.

But the most important part of this weekend, was that I was able to spend three straight days with my sister alone. As Kristen and I are growing older, the times we have together are becoming very scarce and we don't know how many more times we have that we will be able to do things like this. So it was such a blessing that I was able to do this with her, and I can't wait until I am able to do this again!

My sister is such a blessing, and I am thankful for the few times I get to be with her.

Creations (Day 14 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

I have always been a fan of DIY projects. I don't like buying items that I know that I can make for myself. Especially when it comes to decorating or making simple beauty products. (In the picture above you can see a body scrub that I made. It is super simple to make. I will give you the recipe below.) But the reason why I love making these things on my own, is because I actually get to create them myself. I get to use my own hands, and use all the creativity that is in me and make something that I know I or someone else will love. Plus, the process of making these things is so much fun! It's even more fun when you get to do it with people you enjoy being around.

So today I am thankful for the ability to create and make new things!

VANILLA COCONUT BROWN SUGAR SCRUB RECIPE:
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

This recipe is super simple and all you have to do is mix it all together and put it into a small mason jar. Use it while you are in the shower and rinse it off, it makes your skin feel very soft and the smell is wonderful!
(Recipe is adapted by www.treehugger.com)

The DIY projects that I love doing the most is painting canvases. I really got into it this summer, and I ended up making a bunch for people for special occasions. Here are a few that I have done:

Creating things can really get my mind off of a lot of things, so painting these canvases and making simple body scrubs are so much fun and calming, and I am thankful for that.

Safe Trips and Warm Welcomes (Day 13 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

This weekend I went and visited my sister in Kearney. I was super excited that not only did I get to stay the entire weekend with her and do random things, but I was able to drive there by myself.  Now Kearney is only an hour and a half away from North Platte, but I am only 16 (soon to be 17) and that was my first time driving on the interstate on my own. When I was saying goodbye to my mom I noticed that she had gotten a little teary eyed and I asked her why, she replied "Because this is so far for you to drive on your own and you are so young!" I just smiled and I said goodbye to her for the last time and as I was walking out of the house I was wondering why it was such a big deal, but I had to realize that she was just being sentimental because her second kid is actually growing up pretty fast, and that must be very hard to see.
I have never really liked driving on the interstate, especially not at night, but it really wasn't all that bad. I arrived to Kearney safe and sound and I was able to reunite with my sister. I am thankful that God kept me safe through that trip and that he kept me awake while I was driving.  When I got to my sisters apartment, I went to my sisters friends room. Her friend, Shelbi, was gone for the weekend and she was very hospitable and allowed me to sleep in her room the two nights I was there. I was worried that I would have had to sleep on the floor or on the couch, but she was very kind in letting me stay in her room. It was also super sweet when I found that she left a little note for me, along with a few pieces of candy! What a great way of showing Christs love! I pray that I am that hospitable and kind.
So that is what I am thankful for today, safe travels and warm welcomes.

Those Kind of Mornings (Day 12 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

I think that we can all agree with the fact that mornings are very difficult. Since I'm only a teenager, and I don't have kids it isn't as hard for me to get up and going in the morning...but it's still difficult since I adore sleep. It's a challenge getting up early five sometimes six days a week, and trying to drag yourself through your morning routines. With running through the shower...or trying not to take 15 minutes standing under the warm water with heavy eyes, getting dressed, doing your hair and make up, trying to force food down your throat, and getting out of the door in time to get to school. Oh! And don't forget, that with the new fall weather you need to get out a few minutes earlier to get your car warmed up and defrosted. This is a struggle for me...especially since I love extra long showers and sitting around relaxing while attempting to get ready. I really can't imagine whats it's like with kids. Since you not only have to take care of yourself, but you have to take care of little people as well who can't put on their own clothes. So kudos to all of you parents out there...you are doing a fabulous job.

Mornings like these are rough, but there can also be other kinds of mornings that seem to be a piece of cake. You get ready for the day and you realize you have extra time, or you just wake up and you feel refreshed and wide awake. I had that kind of morning today, and it was great! I woke up, got ready and did what I needed to do. I turned on my Spotify playlist and all of these amazing songs came on, pumping me up and getting me excited. So in response to the beautiful songs that started to play, I began to dance. I started to sing at the top of my lungs and I was filled with so much joy. I finished getting ready and I went to school with a lot of time to spare.

I am thankful for these kind of mornings. Where I am able to listen to good music and have little dance sessions by myself in the confinements of my room. (Which should always stay that way, because I am a horrible dancer) I am thankful for the mornings where I feel wide awake and ready for the day, because that can really help with your attitude. These kind of mornings are beautiful, and I pray that there will be MANY more, and that you guys experience mornings like this as well.

Warmth (Day 11 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Today, I am VERY thankful for warmth. It decided to snow in the afternoon, which was very inconvenient. Don't get me wrong, I love snow! I'm actually very thankful for it...but not while I'm wearing a dress and the wind is blowing me around and making the snow unbearable as I'm trying to run as fast as I can back and forth from building to car a few times. It is very unpleasant, and it makes me appreciate warmth so much more! I'm thankful for heating, for long warm socks, LARGE sweaters, beanies, blankets, hot chocolate, coffee...basically anything that will keep me warm on days that are awfully cold.

I'm extremely blessed to have these kind of luxuries, because I know that a lot of people may not have these kind of things. Some people may not have big warm winter coats, or hats and gloves, or a building with heating to keep them warm through the night. It breaks my heart thinking that, but it helps me grow a new appreciation for the things that I have that will keep me warm, and I pray for those who don't have things such as these that will keep them warm through the winter.

So I am thankful for warmth through the coldness of late autumn and winter.

Jess Miller (Day 10 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Today, I am thankful for Jess Miller. So here is a letter to you Jess...

Where do I even begin? I know that you are aware that I am thankful for you, I try my hardest to tell you every single day. But really, I am so thankful for you! It is crazy knowing that it took us three years to start talking to each other, and four years to actually start hanging out. Now here we are, exactly in the place we have always wanted to be in, and what we have always prayed for. I have always prayed for someone to come into my life to help me draw closer to God and even me out so that we may serve God and others, someone who I know has a strong relationship with God and makes it evident through their lifestyle, someone who loves God more than anything, and someone who makes sure we focus our relationship on God because He should always be the center...and I am thankful that someone is you.

I am thankful for the times I get to have with you. Even though right now we aren't able to see each other everyday like we want so badly, it allows us to appreciate the times we have together even more. The distance is good. Like Mikael has said, it allows us to find ourselves through Christ and not in each other. It allows us to focus more on the people around us, and to be honest, it helps us grow together even more. (But I still can't wait until I am able to see you everyday)

I am thankful for your goofiness and how you can always succeed at making me laugh. With you "calling" me on the cell phone you made out of a caprisun pouch, having a short 10 second conversation then "hanging up". Attempting to impress me by jumping over things, and opening my doors and carrying objects for me because you don't want me to "overexert" myself. 

I'm thankful for times where we are able to watch cartoons and drink soda from fancy chalices from the church kitchen. For the times we are able to go on road trips to Gothenburg, and meet up with your friends Jon and Daniel to watch a movie. I'm thankful for our deep conversations on the way, and for our deep conversations in general, because they are so important to the both of us.

I am thankful for your heart. It is so big and beautiful. You care for others, and you are aware of their feelings. I love seeing you with your nieces and how you gush over them and care for them. I'm especially thankful for your heart for God. You take your talents and you glorify him with them and you give back to God through that. To me that is so beautiful, and I have always loved that about you.

There is so much more I could say, but it all boils down to the fact that I am thankful for YOU. Thank you for everything you do for me, for supporting me and caring for me, and for pushing me towards Christ. I can't wait to see what God has in store for us.

Mikael Heck (Day 9 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

I am thankful for Mikael Heck, so here is a letter to you, Mikael...

I remember first meeting you. I was in eighth grade...and a crazy and energetic person. You were quiet, and laid back, staying close to the walls of the Loft building. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about you at first, I was still pretty bitter that our other youth pastor wasn't staying with us. But I decided that I needed to be welcoming anyway. I ran up to you and said "Hi! I'm Megan!", while a kid whispered to you that I was crazy...that was probably true. You're reaction was priceless, you gave me the weirdest look anybody has given me. I'm pretty sure I scared you right away. 

But you took the job and became our youth pastor. And that ended up being the greatest thing. Why? Because you have influenced me SO much! You have pushed me beyond my comfort zone, to where I am able to excel at what I do. You know my strengths and weaknesses, better than I know them myself to be honest, and you care. You have never failed to show me that you care, and I am thankful for that. You take time out of your day to listen to me, and to pour into me the knowledge that you have, which I gladly take in. You care about my relationship with Jess and have helped us along the way. Giving us so much wisdom that will help us in the future. You help me acknowledge the fact that my relationship with Christ is THE most important thing in my life, and that that is what I need to strive for everyday. You have helped me grow more with leading worship, and have taught me many things along the way. You are so important to me, you are like a father to me, and I am thankful for you.

I am going to miss you so much when you move away. It is going to be very painful, but I am so glad that you and your family will be happy once you are back home. I am so thankful for you, and for everything you have done for me. (I'm getting teary eyed just writing this) You have impacted my life so greatly, and I am thankful that you have been a part of it. 

Worship (Day 8 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Worship is such a beautiful thing. It is a time where you can surrender yourself and allow yourself to be vulnerable. It's a place where you are in the presence of God and lifting up praises to him. Music isn't the only way you can worship God, but I am definitely thankful I am able to worship him through it.

As I have written before, I adore music. So this touches home for me. I lead worship at my church which is one of the best things in the world. I love doing it. What I pray for every time we go into worship, is that I will glorify God with everything I have. That I will give back to him with the talents he has blessed me with, and that I will help lead the people into worshiping God with abandon.

There can be times sadly, where I can take it for granted. Where I can see it as just another time to bang on the keyboard, or to sing into the mic for everyone to hear, and I will forget to even think about what the words are saying. That is not what it should be. I need to be able to lead the people where they don't even notice me, but that they notice and feel close to God. But there are also times where I even forget that I am up there. I will end up bouncing up and down, swaying back and forth. I will squeeze my eyes shut or look up to the ceiling trying to control myself from crying. My throat will burn, I will have a ginormous grin on my face and I will just want to ditch the keys so that I can lift my hands up.

All of this, is because I feel SO close to Jesus. Having those feelings, is so overwhelming, but it is so beautiful and I love every second of it. I am thankful for those moments where I feel overwhelmed by Gods goodness, and where I acknowledge the fact that I'm not on stage leading worship for myself or to make myself look good. But to help people see God through the music so that they can feel closer to God as well.

So I am thankful for worship, and it's ability to draw me closer to Christ.

Lucy (Day 7 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Today I'm thankful for one of the cutest things that has ever walked the planet. . .

My Cat!

We got Lucy a little less than a year ago in December after my other cat, Heidi, died. We got her from the animal shelter and she was the most jumpy cat I have ever met...she is still the jumpiest cat ever. The first few days after we got her, if she wasn't being held she would run and hide somewhere where it was very difficult for us to find her. She would hide under the deep freeze, behind the furnace, behind my little brothers dresser, and under the couch. It took forever to try to coax her out from those places.

She is very affectionate. She loves to rub up against your leg, or rub her head against anything that will pet her back. But that can change very quickly. I don't know what it is, but she will go crazy while you are petting her and she will either make a mad dash throughout the house, or she will jump and wrap her paws around your leg. But it is so silly, you can't help but giggle. 

She loves chasing her tail, which is the cutest thing. She will run around and once she "catches" it, she will flop over and lick the very tip of it. She also enjoys laying on her back. I don't know why she does it but it is adorable. She just leaves her entire tummy exposed, allowing you to come in and pet her. But DON'T DO IT! It is just a trap so that she can trap your arm and gnaw on it...I make that mistake all the time. She is very clever.

Anything will set her off, loud noises, quick movements. They startle her, and she just goes crazy and  runs around the house with her tail fluffed up. It makes all of us laugh each time. It's funny seeing her get scared so easily.

I am thankful for Lucy, and for the joy she brings to me with her goofiness. :)

Books (Day 6 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Today I am thankful for books...

I have had a deep love for books for as long as I can remember. There is something so beautiful about them, I can't help but fall in love every time I begin to read one. Every time I open up a book, something magical happens. It's as though the very words on the pages captivate you and pull you into the story itself. You live through the story, you are a part of it and it becomes a part of you. I think that many avid readers can agree with me when I say that you become very attached to the story and its characters because it all becomes so real!

I am thankful that there are so many unique stories. There is such a variety, which is amazing because I really can't get enough! What I love is that since there are so many stories, there are ones that are forgotten and lost, and ones that are still yet to be told. Thinking about that, I just want to be able to obtain every story that has ever been written. I am thankful that there are still so many to come!

I am pretty picky when it comes to books. I never read one off of a kindle, because it doesn't feel real to me, and it doesn't give me the full effect. I always need to feel the pages in my hand, I love to feel how far I have gotten, and see how much more I have to read. I love feeling the thickness. There is also that smell that I have always loved. They all have different scents, determined by the age of the book. Having the real thing in my hand is so important to me, it makes it even more beautiful.

I am thankful for books, and for all the adventures they have taken me on, and for the new adventures to come.

The Beauty of Autumn (Day 5 of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Today I am thankful for my favorite season...Autumn. 

This has always been my favorite season and always will be. I love being able to see the leaves on the trees and plants turn various colors...the rustiness of the yellow, orange and red. I love being able to see the leaves fall from the trees, being carried off with the wind. That is something that has always been so magical to me. I love the crispiness of the air, and the ability to wear big warm sweaters. (Even though I still try wearing them during the Summer.) I love the feeling of wanting to curl up in a corner and read a good book while drinking good coffee that warms you up.

Autumn seems to be the start of something new, even though everything is dying away. It is such an inspiring season. I really wish that it would stay around longer, because I could really do with more of it! I don't think I could ever get tired of Autumn. I am thankful for the beauty that God shows us with this.

Thank you Autumn, for being so lovely...

"There is something incredibly nostalgic and significant about the annual cascade of Autumn leaves."

-Joe L. Wheeler

The Heck Kids (Day Four of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

Today was such a beautiful day. The weather was perfect, everything at school seemed to fall into place, and, most importantly, I was able to spend some time with these five lovely and spunky kids! I absolutely adore them. Since Mikael and his family are moving in only a few weeks, they have to get everything packed up and ready to move, and also have things nice and clean so that their land-lord is able to show the house to other potential renters. I was so excited when they asked me if I was able to watch them for a while! I couldn't have thought of anything better to do than spend some time with my favorite kids.

So what did we do with our time? We went to the park!  (It is very convenient we live so close to each other - 10 houses a part to be exact.) We all ran to a little book nook that is right across from the park to grab some books to read under a tree.

Reading books really only lasted about ten minutes, they got distracted by all of the other amazing things that were at the park! We were able to play on the teeter totters, and the swings. We played multiple games of grounders and then freeze tag (which wasn't the easiest for the girls).

Once we all got tired of that, we decided that we should have a photo session. All the kids were thrilled, and wanted to show me what picture taking skills they had. It can be pretty chaotic trying to make all of them share when they all want to take pictures on one phone. But it ended up working out fairly well.

These are just a couple out of MULTIPLE that they took (I took the last one, of course). But aren't these kids just beautiful? Times like this are so wonderful and lovely, you just really have to be present with them through it all. I'm thankful for these kids, and for the times I am able to spend with them. I'm thankful for the long drawn out descriptions Lukas has for me when he is telling me about books and video games. I'm thankful that the girls always want to play with me and hold my hand. I'm thankful for the stories that Eli has to tell me, and for Wyatt and his shyness, but once he breaks out of it he can be so goofy. I'm thankful that I am able to know them and that they were put into my life. They are such a huge blessing, and I am going to miss them so much when they are gone.

Thank you for being so good and lovely, I love you guys!

#30daysoflittlethings

COFFEE (Day Three of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

 

It's day three of the #30daysoflittlethings challenge, and to my surprise today went a lot better than yesterday. I was shown multiple things of what I am thankful for, which is absolutely amazing. (And it also means I have a bunch under my belt!) But today, as you can probably tell, I am thankful for coffee.

Coffee in itself is one of the best things that has ever been created, but one thing that I love about it most is that it seems to bring people together. I love being able to meet up with people I adore and enjoy an amazing cup of coffee. The conversations that form around it are always so good, and the environment that you are in is always chill and relaxed. I was so fortunate today to be able to get together with a couple of good friends from church at one of my favorite coffee shops. We ended up staying there for two hours talking and telling each other awful jokes that brought us to tears. Whenever I am able to have times like this, it always brightens my day and I seem to get into a better mood. They always refresh me.

These moments we have can be so special! And having these moments over coffee just adds to how awesome they are. So thank you coffee, for always tasting amazing and for being something we can have great fellowship over! 

The Gift of Music (Day Two of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

It is day two of the #30daysoflittlethings challenge, and let me just tell you...I had some trouble thinking of something I'm thankful for. I was wracking my brain all morning, trying to come up with something that I know I am blessed with, and I felt a little ashamed. I really just wanted this to come to me. As I was sitting in choir class today, holding my sheet music of "The Hallelujah Chorus" it dawned on me. I am SO thankful for music, and I am especially thankful that I am able to spend 90 minutes of my school day in music classes (such as band and choir).

Those 90 minutes really aren't enough time for me. I could spend my entire day playing my flute, singing our Christmas songs, (no it definitely isn't too early for that!) and playing the piano. But, at the same time, those 90 minutes are the perfect amount of time for me to get a little break from everything else in my busy day. I can relax and let myself unwind. They give me the peace that I love so dearly.

My music classes help ease my stress and allow me to forget everything else (at least for a little while). They help me forget things like the test I decided not to study for the night before even though it is coming up in my next period, or all the homework I may have this afternoon. My music classes, and music in general, allow me to become lost for a few minutes in the day. When I have choir and band in my day, it's like taking a big deep breath. . .a 90 minute long deep breath, so that I am able to recharge and be focused in my next class.

I am thankful for the beauty music gives us. For all the adversity that is in it, and the power that can radiate from it. I am blessed to have teachers who are passionate about what they do and pour into us everyday. I am thankful that music can speak to my heart, and that it brings me constant joy through my day.

And I am especially thankful that I am able to praise my God with music. We can praise God with anything we do, but I am thankful that, since this is something that is so close to my heart, I am able to show Him that I love him through it.

Thank you for this blessing Jesus...

True Love

"True Love". . . this is a topic that many of us believe we have pegged down. We have come to believe that love is something that you can feel. You feel it with your body and with your emotions. We describe it as the warm fuzziness and the butterflies in your stomach when you think that you may have finally met "The One". It's the feeling of your heart jumping into your throat whenever you see the person you are into. Or it's simply the overall attraction we feel towards another person.

But there is a problem with all this. Love is not really a thing. It is not a noun. It is a verb. Love is something that you do, not something you feel. You can have feelings towards a person, and those feelings can lead to loving them, but those feelings in and of themselves are not love. The warm fuzziness we feel may truly be real, but it is just that . . . a feeling.

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul the Apostle writes, "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

All of those things that Paul is using to describe what love is are things you do when you show love. And sadly, most of the time, we fail at showing that everyday.  But there is one person who has never failed to show us his love. That person is Jesus.

Jesus showed us what true love is when he died for us on the cross. He loved us so madly, so deeply, that he was willing to give up everything . . . even his life . . . to rescue us and to call us his own. What is even crazier is that we can never be separated from his love. Nothing we have ever done, will do, or could do can separate us from his undying, never stopping, never giving up, always and forever LOVE. That is so amazing and mind-boggling . . . and freeing!

Paul writes in Romans 8:35-39; "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger, or sword?  As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us. for I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Wow . . . how amazing is that? Every time I read that it takes my breath away! I don't know about you, but that sounds like true love to me . . . especially when death can't even separate us from his love. I was scrolling through my Instagram feed the other day and I came upon a picture with a caption that said; "He pursues us to bring us to himself. Because with Christ, it isn't about "Till death do us part", it's in death we will never be apart."

That is so true! What's even more beautiful about this is that we can only find and experience this type of love through knowing Jesus personally. This is a kind of love that is so great and vast that we are not able to even begin to comprehend it. While I was reading through these passages, I had come to the realization that I was not able to give this type of love to Jess, or my friends and family, because I fail them all the time. So, because of our sinful nature and because it is so deeply rooted in us, we are unable to give this love to anyone. Not on our own or of ourselves alone. That is what makes this love even better, and even truer, even sweeter.

Being able to know and experience God's true love is so amazing, and I'm thankful I am able to live in it and feel it. The best part is that when this love is flowing in us, it begins to flow out of us . . . into and onto others. Jesus' love for us is so deep and so strong that it goes even beyond us and into the people that we come into contact with. I pray that you guys know true love, or will come to know it too. There is nothing better in this world or beyond it that can compare to it.

The Quiet Times (Day One of #30daysoflittlethings Challenge)

October is already over (I can't believe how fast it came and went), and we are now in the beautiful month of November. The month that, I feel, can be overlooked by many of us because we are anticipating Christmas time in December. Most often it seems like there is really nothing to look forward to throughout the month, except for the last Thursday of the month which is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is holiday where family or friends usually gets together and eat more food in one day than any person should eat in a week. But Thanksgiving is so much more than that; it SHOULD be so much more than that! Thanksgiving is a time, where we are able to reflect on and acknowledge all of our blessings and the things we are thankful for.

So I have taken up a challenge. My good friend Olivia Youngs, from SimplyLiv Blog has created the #30daysoflittlethings challenge. The purpose of this challenge is to go throughout the month November and think of the little, mundane things we are thankful for that we otherwise overlook. I think it is an awesome idea. Through this, I believe, we will be able to look at and form a new appreciation for the things we forget to notice.    

Here is the first thing that I am thankful for; I just thought of it today:  I am thankful for the QUIET TIMES. There can be times, especially now, where everything feels so chaotic. As a teenager, school can be extremely frustrating and chaotic! We can be surrounded by multiple people who really are not positive influences for you throughout the day. There can be a huge amount of homework, which some of the time we don't even come close to understanding. Then we have our extra activities we get ourselves into. For me, I tend to get myself involved into too many things and I don't realize they are going to take up most of my time. Life in general can just be so rough, especially outside of school. We really just need and want to have our moments peace, where we don't have to deal with anyone and we can just be by ourselves and recharge.

That is something that is important to me. With all the chaos surrounding me, I'm too busy worrying about the things I have to deal with throughout the day. Resulting in me not acknowledging the times where I am able to have small quiet moments to myself. Those moments are so good! I love being able to relax and take a deep breath and soak it all in. I'm able to clear my mind through these little times, and focus on Jesus. I am so thankful that he gives me small amounts of peace when I go through the day. Sometimes they are hard to see or notice, but when I do, they are just what I need!

I really encourage you guys to take up this challenge and think about the little things you are thankful for, the things that you usually don't pay attention to. It is so important for us to be thankful for the blessings we are given. With this challenge I know for sure you will be able to notice things you have never noticed before.

Here's to a beautiful month full of thanksgiving!

The Stress of Life

I came across this quote from Francis Chan and it really resonated with me. "Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control. Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that we've been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won't be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God's strength, our problems are small, indeed."

I love how Chan points out that stress and worry are, at the root level, signs of arrogance. They show us that we don't actually trust that God has everything under control - that he isn't big enough to handle everything that we are dealing with. Let me be transparent with you for a moment... I struggle with that daily. I tend to look at situations in my life that are outside of my control as big problems, and I allow them to consume me and worry me. The sad part is, most of the time, the things I am constantly worrying and stressing about are things that don't or won't even matter in the end. Because in the end, I need to realize that God is in control, and he can handle every situation I find myself in. And honestly...I was never meant to handle them on my own in the first place.

Matthew 11:28 - "Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Philippians 4:6-7 - "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

1 Peter 5:7 - "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."

A Letter to My Sister

A letter to my beautiful sister, who inspires me...

Kristen,

Wow...Just thinking about it, I really can't imagine my life without you. You are a huge part of it, and because of that you are such an amazing blessing. You do SO MUCH for me that I probably don't even think twice about...sadly. You care and you love relentlessly which is so astounding.  You have always been there for me, whether it is with the stress in my life, my "boy problems",  supporting me with everything I set out to do, or just plainly loving me.

You are so beautiful, (as your little sister I have always been jealous of that), and I know that many people notice this about you. But it isn't just your outer beauty; your heart is so big and beautiful. You love and care for others, even though most of the time they can be so difficult to love (I know I'm probably one of those). Your love for Christ is so evident with everything you do. The way you pursue your relationship with God, the way you treat others, and with your attitude. I look up to you so much, and I'm thankful to have a big sister to influence me in this way.

What I am most thankful for, though, is how close we are. I love being able to have our long drawn out conversations at night. Those were always the best before you moved to college, and I still really love having them when you come home (even though at times I may seem absent-minded).  I love singing and playing the piano with you; that will always be our thing. And I just love being able to hang out with you. You are my best friend. I hope you know that.  

Thank you for everything you do, and for inspiring me. I love you SO much! Please don't ever forget that.   

Love,

Your sister, Megan.