resound.

Things I’ve learned so far this summer.

• Things are never what you expect them to be.

• Everything happens for a reason—but it’s not my place to ALWAYS analyze what that reason might be. I need to stop living in this idealistic world in which I control EVERYTHING. The beauty of life is enjoying the surprises. Instead of taking the moment for granted—-slow down—-and actually appreciate it. And not as a sort of obligation, but really ENJOY it. I need to stop thinking (correction: worrying) about the future, be it 5 months or 10 years from now. A glass half empty is still a glass half full.

• It’s alright to trust people. Even if they haven’t “earned” it.  Life is so much more meaningful when it’s shared—-and the people who don’t support you no matter what you share aren’t worth keeping around. Sure, you may get burned a few times—but think about all the times its works out great (see point above).

• It’s alright to not have the answers or be able to articulate the answers. Sometimes the feeling is really enough for the moment. Life is so much more than the words we have to describe it, and instead of throwing language in an attempt to capture these feelings or ideas and feeling like you’re crazy because you can’t express something—-just let it be what it is.

• Really…just let it be. I’m not in control. 

• Change is good. New perspectives bring new beliefs, and that’s okay too. As we grow we change. Yes, I will probably look back 5 years from now and think “wow, I was so young and dumb and arrogant”, but that leads to my next point…

• I’m 20 years old. I (Lord willing) have a long life ahead of me. You have to make your own mistakes sometimes if you’re actually going to learn from it. Every experience can be learned from, even the ones that seem awful while you’re going (thinking) through them. I don’t have all the answers, I don’t have a crazy-perfect plan for my life, and I’m not madly in love with anyone. For everything there is a season, and I think this is my season to finally grow up. Whatever that looks like.

• Blogging is good for me. Even if no one reads it, I need to see things in black and white to be at peace with them.

And attached are two screen clips of how awesome Pandora is…perhaps these will help explain the reason that I am in the mood I’m in! 

quick thoughts.

Sitting in Intro to World Religions. Struggling to stay awake. I figure its better to be awake and partially distracted than passing out in the middle of class. And I’ve been meaning to write a post lately anyway. 

Even though I’m tired, today (yesterday?) has been a great day. I’ve been able to focus clearly on what God is trying to teach me, learning to let go of so much that really doesn’t matter. Its amazing what God will do when we let him work. For so long I’ve struggled with trying to fix everything. Sure, I have good intentions, but if I’m going to be honest (and you’ll probably agree), I have to be in control of everything. I try and trust people, but more often then not I can’t even trust myself.

But God has been using so many situations in my life to remind me that in all things His strength can only be found in my weakness. It has been such a weight off my shoulders to know that I’m not expected to be perfect, and that sometimes there are things I can’t fix, things I am going to mess up, and people I’m going to make angry. Thank you all for sticking with me through some of my more insane moments. I can’t tell you how much it has meant to me.