Technologically Challenged

Today I was so excited when I looked outside and saw that the sky was full of clouds and that a rain storm was on its way in. And no, I am not being sarcastic! On days when it is sunny outside, I feel like I am wasting my day unless I am outside the entire time soaking up the sun and the beautiful weather. This means having movie days are out of the question on sunny, summer days. I woke up early this morning and got in my daily workout and after showering, making lunch and getting ready for the day, I grabbed my favorite blanket and snuggled up on the comfy couch in my basement for a day full of movies. However, to my disappointment, I popped in a DVD and became quickly overwhelmed by the wires and cords and colored things behind the TV...what the heck was I supposed to do with all of these strange objects?! After staring at the back of the TV for a solid 15 minutes and then moving cords and plugs around for about 30 minutes, I finally figured it out. Thank. Goodness. Watching the movie Drumline has never been so rewarding and I payed a lot more attention than I usually do when I'm watching a movie! I think that's how it can be in our relationship with Christ. At first, it is really overwhelming and confusing. What do I do? What is it supposed to look like? How can I put all of these things together to make something that works? There is a lot of trial and error in our relationship with Christ, just like there is when you are trying to figure out how to get a Blue Ray DVD player to work. Yes, there is an instruction manual, but sometimes it is better to figure things out for yourself. There is no instruction manual for life, and you will make many "errors" before you find the right path or the right colored plug-in, but the end result is worth it. Have some patience, dive into life and remember to enjoy the benefits of your hard work! 

The Golden Rule

I can't even remember the amount of times my dad told me to use the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you want others to do unto you)...I can still hear him saying it to me now as I think back to fights my sister and I got into and rude words that were exchanged. However, as much as I mimicked and fought the system, he was right. The Golden Rule is one that has been passed down for years and it makes a lot of sense. Treat others the way that you want to be treated--while this can be very difficult at times, it is worth the effort. Tonight I had the opportunity to meet up with a few friends that I have been blessed with the chance of knowing over the past few years. They have always encouraged me in my faith and I absolutely love the meaningful and intentional conversations we have when we are together. As we were discussing ways that we wanted to grow and goals that we had for ourselves, I summed mine up into one broad statement. I want to love others the best way that I can every single day. It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives and not concern ourselves with others, however, what joy does this bring to us? A petty, temporary self-satisfaction that does not go beyond our own selfish motives? I want to change this. I want to look for ways on a daily basis to reach out to those around me and love them. This can be a daunting task considering I have surrounded myself with many people that I care deeply about, but this is meant to be a challenge. I want to support my friends in what is important to them. I want to give to something bigger than myself. I want to offer words of encouragement to a friend that is struggling. I want to listen to a friend that needs it. I want to send a letter to someone I love, putting into words how much I care about them. All of these things will take time, but it is all about how I use the time in the day that God has given me. I want to love others. Period. God calls us to love one another and I want to do just that. I am going to change up the Golden Rule...I think it should say, "Love others the way you want to be loved". Think of how you can make someone's day every single day. Love them for who they are without placing judgement on them. Become selfless and look for ways to support those around you. The love that you spread will come right back around and I guarantee the feeling will be incredible. 

Airplane life lessons

Wow. I can hardly believe that it has been over a month since I have posted anything. I knew that this summer was going to fly by but I think I underestimated the rate at which it would happen. I am just a little over 2 weeks into summer break and just returned home from my second trip of the summer. I spent an amazing week in Colorado to start the summer off; there is nothing quite like the mountains to make you realize the beauty that surrounds us. My second trip was a family vacation with my dad and sister to Puerto Rico. We spent a week at a beautiful resort and soaked up the sun (I soaked up a little too much) and enjoyed some relaxation time together. On this trip to Puerto Rico I got to do one of my favorite things--yes I do love laying out on the beach, but I am actually referring to the flying part of the trip. I LOVE taking airplanes to various destinations. Actually, if I was to pick my ideal situation, I would get the chance to choose my own seat on the plane next to someone I didn't know. Think about it. Sitting next to a complete stranger by choice...this is where an explanation comes into play. I have gone on many trips whether it be with family, friends or by myself and I have had the opportunity to sit next to some very interesting people. It is crazy how much people are willing to open up to complete strangers about their lives-- family, struggles, beliefs and values. In addition, I have been helped out by many kind strangers when I got stuck in both Cincinnati and San Antonio for a night by myself due to plane problems. Complete strangers have bought me a cab, checked me into hotels and taken me out to dinner. So much for not associating with strangers! Luckily, I have chosen good ones to put my trust in! I think that's how it is a lot of the times with God. We sometimes feel like He is a stranger--someone we can't relate to because we haven't allowed ourselves the chance to get to know Him. The fact of the matter is, God wants to reach out to us even if we haven't made an effort to know Him yet. I think that we are intrigued by this idea but sometimes take a step back in fear of what others say, or our own inner thoughts. Take that leap of faith. Step outside of your comfort zone. Learn more about the people that surround you. Pretend your airplane ticket has seat 27A on it. Now picture God coming and sitting next to you with ticket 27B. Strike up a conversation. Learn what you can. Be open and honest about yourself and your life. However, this flight isn't one that will only last a few hours...this flight is one that will last the rest of your life. Don't plug in your iPod or nap through the trip; God has an amazing life to tell you all about!

It's not about the destination, It's about the journey

Oftentimes I feel as if I am working toward one goal. However, after I accomplish that one thing, I am on to the next thing without much thought as to how I got there in the first place. I think many people are guilty of this; focusing on those checklist items or destinations. If you start focusing too much on the destination however, you miss out on a lot of stuff in between--the things that make the destination worthwhile. Have you ever been on a road trip before? For me at least, getting there is half the fun. Creating a playlist, stopping at random gas stations, playing car games...it is little things like that, which make what can be a really long car ride, a whole lot of fun. Coming from someone who has sticky note checklists all over my planner...and even on my computer, I am challenging myself and everyone else to go with the flow. Life is not about specific events, but the way in which you got there. Live advice: Don't let yourself get too caught up in crossing one more thing off the list; enjoy each opportunity and look for ways to make each day a memorable one! Make new friends, go on adventures and remember that it's not about the destination...it's about the journey. 

Never Alone

Wow. I can hardly believe everything that has happened over the past week and a half. Projects were due, huge tests, fundraisers, Greek week, Young Life...it seems like everything piled up at once. Last Sunday at Young Life leadership, we were given a challenge. The challenge was to go and be a part of kids' lives every day. Now I must admit that the thought of this completely overwhelmed me. As I glanced down at my planner seeing just about every hour of every day filled up with something I "had" to do, I realized that I was going to have to move some things around in order to take this challenge head on. I should go ahead and say upfront that I am an incredibly competitive person; nothing puts a smile on my face quite like a little fun competition. It might have had to do with the fact that I was exhausted from a long weekend at the Ozarks, but I went into the week with a negative attitude. However, that negative attitude quickly changed when I got to see how great it felt to be around the girls that I love, every single day. Going up to the school, watching a soccer game, going to a swim meet and getting coffee with one of my YL girls were all the highlights of what could have been a very stressful week. I looked forward to seeing not only my YL friends but also getting to build community with the YL leaders. There was one event this past week however, that made me realize how crazy God is with His timing. This past week there was a student from MHS that was shot and killed. He went to Wyldlife and was a close friend to many of the kids at both the middle schools and high school. I could hardly believe it when I found out. A tragedy like this should never happen and I am in full belief that God did not want this to happen. However, God is here to help us through any difficult time that we may face. Ironically, that was the point of our area director's challenge to us leaders. We were given a challenge to be in the life of kids on a daily basis just like God is with us on a daily basis. He is the strength we do not have on our own and He never leaves our side. God inspired our area director to make this challenge...the timing couldn't have been any better. I feel blessed that I have had the opportunity to be with my YL girls and show them that I'm there for them and that I love them so much. We never really know what life will throw at us, but God places people in our lives for a reason. Life advice: Look for opportunities to reach out to others and show them that you are there. Embrace the challenges that life throws at you. Step up and try your best. We don't always know where our efforts will take us, but the beauty of God's love is that we will never have to walk alone. 

The art of being selfless

"Through selfless service, eternal peace is obtained."


I am not quite sure where I heard this quote, but it is one that has stuck with me like glue. What does it mean to be selfless? Doing something for another person just because. Not because it is something that you necessarily would do out of your own motivations, but rather because you notice that it is important to someone else. I have to admit that I don't always act in a selfless manner. I get overwhelmed as I look at my planner and see that my day is full of meetings, class, work and other commitments. I think that this is something that most other people can relate to. I don't often do things that I don't want to do because I look at time as such a difficult thing to give up, especially if it is for something that isn't directly benefitting myself. How awful does that sound? Pretty selfish if you ask me. However, as I was reading through some verses this morning, I stumbled across one that was a wake-up call. 


"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." -Philippians 2:4


Hmm...there are some verses in the Bible that are difficult to understand, but this one seems pretty straightforward to me. Last night my sorority had a workshop where we talked about ways that we could improve as a chapter. Our open motto says, "We live for each other," but that is not a motto that we always live out. The motto is focused around my blog topic for today which is selflessness. It makes me sad to think that I don't act out of selflessness on a daily basis but rather out of selfishness. I am selfish with my time and while I do feel like I am supportive of my close friends and family, I am sometimes ignorant to those that I do not hang out with on a daily basis. This needs to change. I need to start living for those around me by supporting them in the things that they do. I need to live for God everyday...not just when it is convenient for me. My goal and hope for myself is to become someone that people associate with selflessness. This adjective is a challenging but attainable reality if I start looking for ways to reach out to those around me without my own selfish desires as a motivation. So here is my challenge to you: Live for God and live for one another; only then, will you be completely at peace. 

One Day Without Shoes

I can hardly believe that it has been a year since the first day without shoes that I participated in. For those of you who don't know, TOMS shoes sponsors a day in order to raise awareness about children across the world that don't even have one pair of shoes to wear. How crazy is that to think about? There are some kids out there that can't even slide on a pair of flip flops or lace up a pair of Nikes. It makes me feel pretty bad about taking so much for granted, that's for sure. This day has really brought to my attention the ways that I have been blessed in my life. I have a wonderful family, supportive friends, a roof over my head and I never have to worry about not having a meal to eat. It is so easy to forget about all the ways that we have been blessed when we walk around in a world of ignorance. There is a reality out there that some of us become blind to as we get so consumed with our own busy lives. I am guilty of that. My hope and prayer is that I can remain aware of not only the ways that I have been blessed, but also make an effort to raise awareness about the struggles and difficulties that others face on a regular basis. Here is my challenge to you all: Do something that is bigger than just yourself. Reach out to others and lend a helping hand because big changes can be made if we all make a conscious effort. Also, don't make excuses! We all think that if we don't do something to help then someone else will, but that isn't true. Change starts with you. I absolutely love the quote by Gandhi that says, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." So whether you decide to go a day without shoes, volunteer for an organization or reach out to that kid that no one else talks to, start making some changes. We can make a difference and create a loving world that God will smile down on.