Playing in the Puddles

Are you ready for a triple shot of real? If not, then skip ahead to the weekend and come back after I’m done playing in the puddles…

Sometimes life feels like one big puddle where you start splashing around only to realize that the water’s gone up and over your boots.  That feeling? Not so pleasant.  For me, rejection sometimes feels like that.  I’m running along, playing, laughing, enjoying, only to be suddenly struck with some cold, wet reality.

In my first year of college, I found my boots flooded with dirty water.  I skated through first semester: made friends, studied extra hard, even met a boy. Come January, I found myself participating in rush. Why? Good question. I’m not a sorority girl and I knew that. But that was the thing to do on a campus with probably 90% of the students in a sorority or fraternity. So, I followed suit. Problem number one…

The thing that they never tell you is that some girls…don’t make the cut. I was one of those. After parading around campus going to the different houses for little get to know you parties, each house makes a list of those they ask back. These girls I didn’t know. These girls I met for one night. Slashed my name off the list of “wanted.” And, yeah, those cold waters pierced my skin in a not so pleasant way.

Except, the amazing part? God turns things around. I can still feel the sunshine, the crunch of grass beneath a blanket covered in books and my pink Bible laid open.  See, I used all this extra time to soak up and wrestle with God instead of running around with a sorority. He brought me  further along in the journey of learning how to turn toward Him instead of clutching some of my idols (success, money, my plans). He started me on a continual journey of learning to look to Him for who I am rather than what others say because then I can play in the puddles and if the water comes rushing, I will not be shaken.  Because see, He wants me, I’m on His list, and in the end…I am His delight.

Ready to put on your rain boots and go play in some puddles with me?

Because I know that I don’t want to miss out on some fun because of the fear of getting wet…do you?

*prompted to serve up a shot of faith by the Faith Barista 🙂

I am most myself when…

I loved the idea behind this post and the happy thoughts generated so I thought I’d share with you all here:

I am most myself when I am sitting on my bed watching the sunrise mulling over the Bible and talking with God.

I am most myself outside…running, hiking, sitting, soaking up the sun.

I am most myself when I’m in shorts, a tank top, bare feet, and curled up in my bed with a good book.

I am most myself when I am wearing sunglasses on top of my head.

I am most myself when I bring my laptop in the bathroom/am driving with my ipod and turn the volume up way loud and get lost in a song.

I am most myself surrounded by kiddos.

What about you?!

5 Things I Love

1.Yeah, yeah, I’m sure if you’ve been reading a while and saw the title then you just knew that this little guy would be on this list.  I love Lindo especially his amazing hugs and asking to be on my shoulders.

2. Bare feet!  I greatly dislike socks and even shoes. Going barefoot is the best and if not that then at least flip flops.  I must say that being back in the snow…I’ve gotten multiple comments about how I need to wear shoes…boo.

3. Wearing sunglasses on my head.  They make me feel summery and happy.  Oh and I love this girly too! She makes my heart happy!  Though, I’m not so keen on her living miles and miles away now instead of down my stairs…

4 and well 5 too there’s a lot of love in this. This picture shows so many random things I love: Wearing my hair in braids. The hat Tara made for me because I love her! and the hat.  The other hat that I got in SA hanging on the door. Being able to hang things on my door like sweatshirts and purses is so handy. Painted wooden chairs.  All the bright happy colors.  The South African flag in the background because I love SA and the people and God’s calling on my life. Also, below the flag now is a poster of the Hope House kids and I love them. My Lerato shirt from June because I love June, Lerato (love in Sesotho) is my name and that it supports Thrive.

ht: 5 things I love

Full

My heart is full.  Saturday proved to be a perfect, full day.  I woke up thinking and tweeting: “sunny saturday and no plans as of yet. not sure how I feel about that…”

I started out by staying in bed for a bit and then going outside to embrace the sunshine.  I read and got a tan while laying on a combo of a sleeping bag, blanket, towel and three pillows with music playing in the background next to six different books (Wide Awake, Out of the Salt Shaker, Her Name is Woman, Christ In You, The Bible, Inner Healing).  I even had a blank canvas, paints, a journal, pens, and of course sunglasses.  I like to be prepared/going inside and up the stairs to get something is not an ideal interruption.

Somewhere along the way I decided to pile all my stuff on my stairs in case I decided to return to my spot on the porch after I made delicious sweet tea.  Sweet tea makes my heart happy and feel like summer.  Though, I never did make it back to lay on the porch.  Instead, I helped (Josh–a volunteer here for 10 days) make a sweet video in iMovie.  I am so using that to make some fun stuff.

Then I intended to go on a walk (with Jace), which was delayed due to hanging out and chatting.  Eventually, we (Jace, Allen, and I) made our way to the pond where we saw some poor, sad, dead frogs while discussing how dirty the pool looked and how we needed to get gloves before trying to shimmy down the zip line.  After the walk, we (Jace, Allen, Jen, and I) jumped into a game of Settlers, which made my heart happy since we hadn’t played it yet.  Then dinner, hanging out (most/all of the interns plus the volunteers), playing guitar on an adorable little guitar, talking about life, laughing, time for prayer (for Tara’s family–pray for them too!), and then we ended the day with watching Wolverine.  I even stayed awake and got in some discussion about how some characters have some bitter roots!

Thus, the day ended with the thought and tweet: “what an awesome full saturday that is ending with a full heart 🙂 praise God!”  I am so thankful for the people God has put around me during this time to walk with me and build me up during this time of re-learning, un-learning, and learning while embracing who I am in Him!

One, Two, Three: Pack

Unpacking. Packing. Unpacking. Packing. This has been my life for the last few days.   I feel like I have accumulated so much stuff.  Though, I have enjoyed being able to organize and reorganized everything.  I put up pictures in my room and added my happy yellow mirror.  I created an extra bookcase until I can have the white one.  I made a happy place in my closet and turned my bed into a “I want to get in right now and never leave” place.  Here are some photos of the finished product.  Well, at least for now.  I still have more packing and unpacking and organizing to do, but you can get the general gist of things 🙂

Closet/makeshift bookshelf and happy area. Note: I still have to add clothes to the left side, but have to wait since I have to decide what I’m bringing still….

11 pillows. 2 down comforters. 1 feather bed. 1 comforter. 1 blanket (for now).

My bed was too tall so I stacked the night stands 🙂

Bookshelf, speakers and night stands, and flowers

Okay, I’m ready for bed now!

Love it!

I am loving the weather today 🙂 I’ve spent the morning reading and laying out on my deck enjoying the sunshine.  Heavenly.  Summer finally seems like it might be here.  I’m not holding my breath, but here’s to hoping.  

Hello My Name is God, I like sunsets, lightning bolts, and when people listen to me

So, I didn’t quite get to go on a road trip today, but I did get to go rollerblading! I hadn’t even planned on going until I thought of going when I was waiting to be let back into my deadbolt locked house (yeah…fun story…I love getting locked out!). I definitely explored some new territory and got myself into a few “uphill” adventures, but still made my way back to my house in one piece. Well, we’ll see what my legs say tomorrow about that!  Either way, I loved the feeling of the wind and the warm sunshine (finally!).  I am so thankful for the warm weather!  Now I just have to find some more trails.

In other news, I went to church (Substance) with a friend (Tiffany! One of my redheads! love her!) today. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into another church and seeing how they do things. I had fun being with new people and being let into her world. Plus, the sermon ended with a couple of great questions:

1. Fall in love with the Promiser not the Promise
2. Focus on God, not your circumstances

“Hello God did you lose your compass?  I thought the Promised Land was over here??”  My heart keeps wondering why I’m heading the direction I am when I want/ed to go a different way.  God led the people into the desert so that they could worship Him.  When the people were led out of Egypt they could have taken the “beach road” but instead they headed down into the desert and then back up.  Sometimes the promise is delayed so that we can learn something in the “desert” and fall more in love with the Promiser before we get to the promise.  In summation, the sermon served as a good reminder to seek and worship God in the times of “desert” and let Him bring me to the Promise Land according to His compass not mine.