Saturday, September 29, 2012

AUTUMN!!!!!

IT'S FAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! 

BETHANY. Are you really writing a post JUST to talk about the weather? Well, yes. Yes I am. That and the fact that I've been in the LIBRARY for the past two hours and my brain just officially hit the shut down switch, so I needed something else to do. But enough complaining :) 

Seriously? It's Autumn. Like, the leaves are changing, the nights are cold, I'm walking around in swag pants and a hoodie (in my dorm at least) Autumn. And I'm really enjoying it so far. Also, autumn has some beautiful sunsets. Or maybe that's just South Carolina...but I'm enjoying that too :P  

There is really NO point to this blog post. So if you're looking for one, I'd stop reading now. Just a thought. 

I forgot to write about it earlier, but remember that Pinterest Weekend with the Gibbers from way back when? Well, that actually brought with it the accomplishment of Bucket List item #4: watch The Shining and not DIE from terror. Check! I'm obviously still alive. And breathing. And not...well, terrified. 



Duhduh! That was victorious entry music, just in case you were wondering :) Granted we watched the older version, so I'm sure the newer version of it is doubly terrifying, but for the most part this movie was WEIRD. Just WEIRD. Not even scary weird. WEIRD weird. But the item has been checked off! Which makes 4. Out of....90 something. Oh dear.....

So that's life right now. Classes and homework (LOTS OF HOMEWORK) and cool weather and jeans and chai tea and Savannah trips and wishing I could see people that are currently far away from me in lots of ways. Nighttime runs and football practice (who knew I'd ever be able to say that...) and planning for Fall Break and waking up every morning to God's new mercies because He knows that I need them :) And lots of realizing every morning that God knows what's going to happen as the day continues....and that I need to be patient. I'm not very good at that :P 

So yeah! That's it for now. Because I guess I should get back to this whole "getting homework done" thing....COLLEGELYFE. Can't spell. Over and out! 

p.s. I apologize for the randomness, ridiculousness and overall NO POINT of this whole page. But this doesn't happen TOO often :P I think.....




Monday, September 24, 2012

Faithfulness in Autumn

HAPPY FALL EVERYBODY! 
I'm ridiculously excited. As evidenced by these wonderful fall colors!

September has gone....somewhere. And wherever it's gone it has gone there quickly because there are now only 6 days left. In September. Not that I'm complaining, but seriously. Life is FLYING BY. 

I've been learning a lot about faithfulness this month. In particular, I've been learning a lot about GOD'S faithfulness, in ways that if I'm being honest I'd skip than endure. Don't you wish hard lessons could come a little bit easier? 

I think faithfulness might be one of those words we throw around a lot. I do. You know. "Great is thy faiiiiithfulnesss" and "Oh come, all ye faithful" and "Don't worry honey, God is faithful. He's gonna work this out." But I think I've always assumed in the back of my head that God's faithfulness came into play when my plans lined up with His, and therefore everything worked out the way I was praying it would. I'm just now beginning to realize that SOMETIMES, God's faithfulness is found when the doors I'm praying for close. And I'm not saying that God waits until I get just a liiiittle bit too attached to something and then closes the door, although sometimes it's tempting to think that. I think it's in the fact that He won't let me be satisfied with things of the world because He's designed me with something far more eternal in mind....

I'm so easily satisfied ya'll. And while that can be a good thing, it also means that sometimes I take a blessing and I start being content & finding happiness & joy in THAT THING rather than the Creator who gave me that thing. And if God was a God who just wanted to make us happy that'd be GREAT, but He's not. Because He can see the better things ahead that He's called us for, and He KNOWS that if He lets us keep playing with this little temporary, non-eternal, earthly thing we're going to be missing. out. God's faithfulness is found when He sticks with us, even when we don't want Him to. Even when we get really, really frustrated because we can't imagine what could be better than this thing we were really enjoying. So sometimes, God's faithfulness hurts. Which is a weird concept, because isn't God a God of comfort and blessing and peace and love and all these other good words? Well....yes. 

But personally, I think it's mind blowingly incredible that the God of the universe has the patience and the love for me to stick with me when I say pretty blatantly "Lord, sometimes I want this a little bit more than I want you." And it's kind of convicting to actually write out that I do that, because I don't like admitting it. And not only does He stick with me....He continues to gently prod me and push me towards this better thing, this better plan....this INCREDIBLE ending that's just over the horizon. Which only He knows. But whatever it is, it's GOOD, and will make all this waiting & sadness & pain worth it. 

Yeah. Wow. 

On a MUCH less serious note, I got to spend the week with my bestest friends in Savannah and my LITTLE SISTER!!! She came up to surprise me. And I might have cried a little bit when she got out of the car because that's literally how excited I was....also I'm pretty sure I got NO sleep this weekend which seemed like a really, really good idea at the time. Making memories! 

It wasn't a good idea. But they were some pretty amazing memories :) 


Monday, September 10, 2012

Nineteen....WHAT?!

I'M NINETEEN.

Which let's be honest, is weird. I've wanted to be nineteen since I was EIGHT, because nineteen was my favorite number and on top of that I had some very short, profound reason as to why it was the best age EVER ( that I don't remember now and probably had something to do with being on top of the teenage pyramid now...). I ALSO find it funny because aren't I supposed to be an adult now? And the first thing my best friend posts on my wall for my birthday is the scene from Lilo and Stitch where she's feeding Pudge a sandwhich and apparently it reminds her of me :D Hey. I'll take it.

But just because I CAN....in nineteen years of living, here's some of the things I've learned. About life, love, people, best friends and yeah, myself :)

Life is much more enjoyable when you live in the present, and don't let your mind wander to the future CONSTANTLY. 

Country music is perfect driving, fall weather, windows down music & ALWAYS will be :)

I don't understand why everyone says blue eyes are the prettiest. They're some of the most beautiful I've seen, but I will take a pair of warm, brown eyes that make me feel safe over a pair of baby blues ANY day of the week :) 

The beach is GORGEOUS. And peaceful and breezy and close to perfect. I don't know why I was ignorant of this fact for my first eighteen years....

You never know what tomorrow will bring. God can change your life in 2 hours, and only He knows when that's going to happen.

No matter how harsh or depressing reality seems, holding on to hope in God's plan is WORTH it, no matter what the world says. 

The value of just sitting, snuggled up in a blanket and your best friends watching a movie should NEVER be underestimated. Because it makes some of the best, most comforting moments & memories :) Especially if significant amounts of junk food are included. 

Honesty is hard. It's also worth the pain. 

God uses pain & sadness just like He uses joys and triumphs. 

Singing makes life a lil' bit better....and belting stupid songs in the car at midnight with the windows down and a handful of best friends ALWAYS makes life a LOT better :D 

Loving people is vulnerable, and uncomfortable, and sometimes hurts a lot, but I would honestly say it's worth the risk :) 

That being said...being TRULY vulnerable is one of the hardest experiences I have ever gone through.

ALWAYS journal. Someday you're going to want to look back and laugh at where you were & how far God's brought you :D

The right song can make a moment perfect. 

People come in and out of your life. They are not yours to keep, no matter how badly you want to. 

"Above all else, GUARD YOUR HEART, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23

You're never too old for a Disney movie! 

God gives you the strength to get up in the mornings, even when you feel like you can't. 

Running can bring MUCH needed peace, clarity, stillness, and quiet :)

Sunsets will never get old. Nor will they ever stop declaring God's glory. EVER. 

People who want to stay in your life will fight to keep their spot in it. Don't reserve a spot for someone, who no longer wants to fight to show you what you mean to them. 

Everyday may not be GOOD, but there is something incredible hidden somewhere within each day :D

There are some lessons you just have to experience to truly learn.

Memories are, and always will be treasures. They are worth holding onto, good or bad.

I'm a lil' bit camera happy :P slash Instagram happy. Ya know.

Savannah, Georgia MIGHT be one of my favorite places on earth. Besides Texas of course ;) And I'd say Charleston, but since TECHNICALLY I've never been there, I guess I can't count it. 

Roadtrips are WONDERFUL. Seriously. So very much fun :D

Good morning texts are a wonderful thing, and can CHANGE the course of someone's morning/day/mood/smile :)

No matter how much healing you think has been done, little comments can still bring back a lot of hurt.

That being said....God is bigger than my feelings. And my fears. 

I AM CLUMSY. 

People letting you down hurts, but is a testament to the faithfulness of God I do not think I will EVER fully understand. 

Bonfires & the smell of burning leaves is a huge blessing....it makes me smile :) If there was a cologne made that smelled like that, I'd be a goner in ten seconds flat. 

I was a very dramatic child....perchance I am STILL a very dramatic child. 

NOTHING is too big for my God. 

The smallest compliments have the power to make someone's day. 

No matter how bookwormish it sounds, I will always, ALWAYS love the way that books smell.

Don't underestimate how much fun you can have when you simply stop taking life so seriously for a few hours.

A childlike nature is a blessing to be around, and it is a gift from God :) 

I have problems with writing things in caps...MEANING I DO IT WAY TO MUCH. 

Watching people discover the image of God they are created in, and the identity of who they are in Christ is the most breath-taking, beautiful, emotional thing I have ever experienced. 

I have an addiction to smell-good things. Like Bath & Body hand sanitizers. and Old Spice. And coffee ;)

If you want to win a girl's heart, write her letters. About your day, about the sunset, about stupid, trivial things, and most of all about how you feel about her. Having words to re-read when the nights get long is worth a million spoken moments. 

God's promises are ours to claim. Broken pieces will once again be made whole. 

I might be one of the most IMPATIENT people on the planet. But God's working on that :) 

Well. This was super long. But that's okay! 19 years is a long time to sum up, and I think I've done a pretty meh job....because every life is a story, and that story is LONG. But I have been blessed beyond what I deserve, gifted with more than I think I will EVER understand, and no matter how many times I think I've finally grasped it God CONSTANTLY blows my mind with how deep, far, consistent, faithful, steadfast, wonderful and overwhelmingly personal His love truly is :) 

I can't believe I'm 19. I can't believe I've made it through 19 years in one(ish) piece ;P I can't believe the people I've been allowed to meet, the lives I've been able to watch change through Christ, and the memories I've been able to collect...good and bad :) 

GOD IS SO GOOD.

Monday, September 3, 2012

Creativitied OUT.

Just got home from Labor Day weekend in SAVANNAH....so of course the first thing I do is blog about it before I forget anything I want to say :D Again, sorry for the mental jump around. After 2 hours and 40 minutes of driving & singing & admiring the BEAUTIFUL scenery that is South Carolina, this is just how my mind is running :)

And yes. Everytime I passed the word "Charleston" on a road sign, billboard, or advertisement I smiled and giggled like a little girl. Seriously? I might have a problem...

This weekend was the "Pinterest" weekend and we pinterested a LOT....given the I AM NOW OUT OF CREATIVITY vibe that I'm now giving off.
The verse is Micah 7:7, which says "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord. I wait for my God, my Savior. My God will hear me."

Also? I'd like to point out that when Pinterest says DIY! everyone thinks...."aw, easy project! Fun! Let's go!" LIES AND DECEPTION. DIY does not mean easy, but it DOES mean fun....in addition to time consuming, somewhat frustrating, paint all over your fingers.

Basically, you need vinyl letters for the project. Well, we didn't know what vinyl letters were. OR where to find them. So, we just had to hold down these little paper letters onto the page and paint over them. Sounds simple right? WRONG. The letters shifted & squiggled & wiggled all over the canvas, which meant that in the end some of my "i"s didn't have their dots and my "H"s looked a lot more like ns. BUT it was wonderfully, wonderfully fun :D
We got to watch the sunset on the beach, which is good because it feeds my beach obsession....

Aaaaaand bad because it ridiculously encourages my beach obsessions...

ALSO. I've added "Must see a shooting star" to my bucket list. Because I've never seen one. Because apparently I suffer from a curse that dictates every time a shooting star even MIGHT appear I have to be looking at something or watching something. Or blinking. For example:

"Look, a shooting star!"
"Oh, cool! You know, I've never seen one..."
"WEll, did you see that one?"
"No, I was rolling over to lay on my back."
FIVE MINUTES LATER.

"Look, there's another one!...Did you see that one?"
"Nope. I was looking at my phone to see what time it was."
TEN minutes later....

"You MUST have seen that one...."
"NOPE. I BLINKED."

It's ridiculous really. So now that's on my bucket list. I apparently ALSO suffer from a curse that most would probably just call BULL in the CHINA CLOSET, because in the space of one weekend I broke (or re-broke) the Gibbs blinds in Alan's room, spilled my drink at dinner & got handed a sippie cup, knocked an entire WRACK of surfboards off the shelf at Walmart, which then became the running reference of family AND extended family for the entire weekend.

Of course, I was also adopted as the 3rd niece and daughter, so I guess it wasn't too bad of a tradeoff :)

I love these girls a lot, and am SO thankful they live so very, very close. 

So that was my weekend! Countless hours spent at the beach, one of which I basically talked for and they had the patience to listen :) 

Also? God answered a really cool prayer request this weekend, which meant He brought a friend back into my life that I've been praying might be able to happen for a while. So....I really don't have any words for that OTHER than the fact it was really, really awesome :) Hence the Micah 7:7 "God hears my prayer" pinterest craft. 

NOW BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD! Aka school :D Week 3, here I come.