Happy Day!

Thank you to everyone who made my 26th birthday so special and fun!

Dinner at TAP with girlfriends...

fun presents!

Cute (albeit much younger) waiters.

Good friends and fun times at Six Feet Under...

and nothing like a cupcake toast to make the night perfect!

From 25 to 26

Tomorrow I turn 26 [long deep breaths]. I'm not really sure what to think about turning 26... I guess it really is just an arbitrary number, 26. It is an even number, which is nice and round, but the even numbers always seem less exciting to me [don't ask me why, it is just the way my mind works I guess]. Last year I couldn't wait to turn 25. When I was about to turn 25 I was excited, I'm not sure why I was so excited, but I was super excited! Right now I am excited to have a birthday. Birthdays are fun. But 26, I just don't know what to think...

I think there was something more climatic about turning 25... at least in my mind. I had decided 25 was a big deal. I'm not sure why, I honestly can't remember what I was thinking a year ago [oh my memory is already going... where was I?] I know it is a major "mile-marker" in everyone's life, but maybe I felt like I would finally feel like an adult at 25. Or my life was all the sudden going to make sense.

I'm not sure.

I can say if I thought my life was all the sudden going to make sense just because I was 25, man was I wrong. It probably makes less sense now then it did a year ago. I think life actually gets more complicated as you get older, not less. I wish I could elaborate on this thought more, but I still haven't figured it out... life is just a mystery. And there is really only one person who can guide you through: Jesus.

It is exciting to think that you can traipse through life's mysteries and never get lost when you're walking with the Lord! You can actually sit back, relax and let him lead the way.

So, while 26 may seem like a bit of a mystery to me, since I'm walking with a man who knows the way I think I'll be okay!

We'll All Float on... Lake Grandview.

Nothing satisfies this summer soul like a weekend away at the lake with good friends! Especially when that lake is Grandview in North Georgia...

And the Lord knew I needed a weekend away from the real world, surrounded by wonderful friends to clear my head and be revived. My sweet friend Laura so kindly invited me and 16 (or so) of our closest friends to her parent's lake house this weekend.

At Lake Grandview there is always one thing on the agenda: fun times!

This weekend was no exception.

Floating in the lake all day; long talks on the porch; late night swims; lots of laughs...

life is good when good friends are there.

Find the Silver Lining

Nobody ever claimed this life would be easy. [and if they do, ask them what they're smoking...] Nor that we would have all the answers or even figure out half the things we try to figure out. But life can be good. We can have joy and hope. Not in ourselves, nope, but in JESUS!

My sweet dad called me this morning and shared this quote from Dudley Hall [I think that is his name?] with me, "Contentment in weakness is confidence in grace."  

Man, I have been feeling weak the past few days. But I can't say I've been feeling very content in it. In fact, I've been fighting the weakness trying to get it to go away... hoping I might feel whole again. My thoughts have been "get over it", "move on", certainly not "be content in it". Being content in your weakness means you've given up, but truly God's grace is right there when we are weak. He is waiting to save us from our misery.  His grace is mighty, which is way better than my weakness.

Jill Phillips has a song called Turn it Around. It has been oil to my dry bones  recently...

Everyone said its not a matter of if but when; Just keep believing; One day you'll feel sane again; In the waiting; somehow you gave my broken heart a way to mend.

The silver lining’s been a long time coming; Finally see the sun shining through the clouds; Shouldn’t be surprising that you could take something;Upside down; And turn it around

Patience is a virtue I don’t always have; But the truth is; You know what I need long before I ever ask

You brought me through; The darkest days to; The silver lining

Comfort

"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalms 34:17-18

I was at lunch with a friend today and as we were talking about some stuff going on in my life [thank heaven for sweet friends who lift you up when you're down!] when this idea hit me: sometimes I think I ask the Lord to comfort me but really all I want is for Him to put me somewhere more comfortable. And when I do that I miss out on really allowing the Lord to comfort me, right where I am.

Not only do I miss out on the Lord's great comfort, but I miss out on all the other good that comes from our sufferings. Because being comfortable is way better than wading through the depths of pain and sorrow, right? But in the end what does being comfortable do for us? It doesn't press us closer to the Lord. It certainly doesn't cause us to reach out to the Lord. And it really doesn't help us grow in love and compassion toward the Lord or toward others. There is a verse in 2nd Corinthians that has always stuck with me... "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (1:3)

Not only do my sorrows draw me closer to the Lord and allow me to see more of His character, but they allow me to draw comfort so that I may comfort others. The Lord is good to us! He uses all things for our good and His glory, of that I am sure.

Question?

Have you ever asked a question and as soon as it comes out of your mouth you know the answer? Only you really hope your friend won't tell you what you already know... even though chances are they're going to tell you the truth...

[at least I hope so, since they are your friend]

Last night I asked my friend: "why is life so complicated?" and he responded with, "life is as complicated as you make it. All you need is to love God and be loved by him."

Well, well... isn't that the simple truth.

I knew he was right because I thought to myself as soon as I asked it, "life is only complicated because I make it complicated." But I needed to hear someone else say it.

I'm a words person... I know this will surprise very few people. I can think something over and over again and do nothing with it, but when it comes out of my head all the sudden it clicks. It is like I can finally get a hold of it rather than letting it have a hold on me.

Recently I have felt devoid of words. That is probably why I have been MIA on here. I couldn't exactly say why I have felt so wordless, but I am praying they will come back to me.

[I'm hopeful they will!]