beloved

 

five minutes tucked away on a friday to spend writing:

Beloved

you’ve wrapped me up in sweet words and you surprise me with the grace you’ve poured over my heart.  there you stay by my side forgiving and letting grace and love flow from your lips.  beloved, we had such fun yesterday being us and my oh my i’m so thankful that this year i can call you mine.  you are my beloved. i made a cake just in time for you to pound it out and help me cut it and put it together. we ate frosting out of the bowl and snuck strawberries.  we ate dessert before dinner. we laughed when our surprise plans collided and goodness we eat well. dessert and then enough delicious pasta to last a whole night of secret smiles.  you show me just how hard it can be to truly show just how much i love you which turns right around at me and humbles me by forcing me to look at the ways that i show love to you and to God.  i pray, beloved, that we would learn to love each other in a way that only stirs up more love for god than each other.

iMiss

I’ve loved being in Greece.  I’ve loved the people God placed in my path and the journey we’ve been on together.  But, like most overseas adventures, there are a few things I miss in no particular order:

• An actual shower head that I don’t have to hold!
• My adorable little puppy
• A comfy bed
• The rest of my clothes…I’m tired of these…
• Eating my own food and cooking for myself
• Church family
• That boy of my mine
• Being able to run alone
• Thick milkshakes
• Driving a car
• A full length mirror
• Playing my music loud whenever
• A phone that works
• Free water
• My electric tooth brush

Though, as always there are many things I’ll miss about being here too:

• Community and my people
• Sandy beaches
• Gorgeous mountains
• Blue water
• Feta cheese pastries
• Pistachio everything…ice cream, desserts, gelato, etc.
• Nutella croissants
• Time to relax
• My amazing professors
• Helen and her wonderful tour guide-ness
• Hearing stories
• Tons of laughing and smiling and enjoying life
• Walking all over and hiking up hills and mountains
• Heart challenges
• Processing time
• Learning to trust the process

So much to be said on both ends and there’s much more I could add.  Mostly, I’m thankful for a God who knew what I needed and gave it to me when I needed it and is with me wherever I am.  You better believe He’s going to be holding my hand as I jump on a few planes tomorrow to head home.

Have you traveled overseas? What are some things you missed about home and what are some things you miss?

Cheesefries

This fun little article informed me that the FDA has no definition of “all natural.”  So, when you hear on that advertisement that the chicken or beef or what have you is “all natural” run.  They might be lying!  I’ve heard the book contains fun, disappointing little facts about what menu items may be deceiving and appear to be healthy when in fact they can be over 1000 calories.  Yikes, kind of makes me not want to eat out ever again!  But…let’s be honest, that won’t happen.  Eating out can be fun.  I’ll just make sure not to order the Outback Aussie Cheesefries coming in at 2,900 calories 🙂