50 Random Thoughts and Lessons

We are past the halfway point in July, my friends. The summer is finally moving its rear end along, and I’m quite pleased with its decision. Not that I don’t love all that summer brings- long days, tanned skin, yummy treats and fun dresses- but I’m kind of really excited about January for some reason this year. J

The countdown to wedded bliss finally has some momentum behind it, and the numbers are starting to get closer in the mirror than they appear. We’re about 5 and a half months out now, and things are really starting to take off. The fun of wedding planning has begun- flowers, decorations, personal details, cake design. Which means the really fun part is only just around the corner- registering, wedding showers, honeymoon reservations. I can’t wait!

I’m on a wedding high to say the least. I just got back in this weekend from Mr. and Mrs. Luke Finch’s wedding, and it’s got my mind all wrapped up in wedding thoughts once more. They hadn’t ever gone away, but the mode has shifted back to consumed, like it did right after the proposal. I’m just so excited, I think I might burst right out of my skin!

All of that being said, it’s fair to assume that there are very few updates in my life right now, which is why I would just like to share a bit of what I’ve been learning lately. Please enjoy this fun/serious list of thoughts floating through my head.

1.       Life is not a sprint; life is short, but it is meant to be savored, lived to the fullest, and ran with excellence.

2.       Few things matter this side of eternity other than souls.

3.       Money will continue to be worth less and less, so it’s not very dependable.

4.       I am well past the point where donuts and chocolate milk are acceptable breakfast options- they will go straight to my hips.

5.       Few things in life are permanent- some things feel like they are permanent fixtures that will never leave, but most are just transient guests and will be gone before I know it.

6.       There is nothing- absolutely nothing- to watch on Sports Center between the months of June and August.

7.       Having a handful of faithful friends is worth so much more than hundreds of acquaintances.

8.       There is absolutely no reason to spend a dime on clothing in College Station when you can save it for a trip to DFW malls.

9.       I am beyond blessed to have the family I have and cannot imagine how my life would be different without them in it.

10.   Party politics has gotten us nowhere for a very long time and it’s simply unfruitful to listen to arrogant, self-centered people argue over decisions on which a compromise will never be reached.

11.   Taiwan, Hong Kong, Chaing Mai, Phuket, and Figi are apparently all “the perfect place to fall in love.”

12.   Reading is so much better for the mind than watching television- it stretches the imaginative areas of your mind and challenges them in ways that we don’t get in this culture anymore.

13.   Style > Fashion.

14.   God cares so much more about my holiness than he does about my happiness.

15.   People are always looking for “what’s next”- you get engaged, and their next question is when you expect to have children.

16.   Children can wait for as long as humanly and physically possible.

17.   There are probably several things the Lord will change my mind about as I grow and mature…children being one of them.

18.   Will-power is something I can never have enough of; discipline is something I should constantly covet in all areas of my life.

19.   Just being with Clayton is one of the most content places I’ve ever found myself, which is a good indicator that marriage is a good decision.

20.   There is no reason to count on my plans for the future when it is way more likely that God has something a lot cooler planned if I’ll allow Him to lead and guide.

21.   The goodies in the break room are never worth it in retrospect; do your best to ignore them and convince yourself that you do not want them.

22.   It’s incredibly hard to compensate for sitting on your bum for 8 hours a day- working out, eating less, and drinking more water have never been more vital.

23.   God loves His children, and He is more real than anything we can physically see; trusting Him is essential.

24.   There are a lot of rude people in the world; I was born just as depraved, but was saved only by grace.

25.   I cry at just about everything these days, which is a sign of strength; my heart is becoming more attune to the things in life that matter most- people, people’s hurts and needs, people’s joys and triumphs, and the movement of the Holy Spirit allowing me to grieve and rejoice with people.

26.   Don’t let people convince you that having “good taste in music” is a superior pinnacle that is actually attainable; they simply have an opinion and preference, just like you do.

27.   There is nothing right or wrong about marrying young or old; there is obedience, and there is disobedience.

28.   There is no shame in wanting to see Winnie the Pooh or reading “teen literature” like “The Hunger Games” at age almost 22.

29.   There is nothing exciting about age 22.

30.   Year 22 for me will forever be my favorite, however, because I get to marry the love of my life.

31.   Heaven is going to be spectacular one day, amen?

32.   Change is the only constant in this life- sometimes it’s scary, sometimes it’s exciting, but you will experience it until the day you die, so embrace it.

33.   I was recently told that I have “God-given artist hands” and that I am “missing my calling by sitting at a computer desk all day.” Is that what someone told this artist?

 

34.   Sometimes there is nothing more satisfying in the world than to sleep in until 11, watch Teen Mom in bed til 2, and then lounge around with your fiancé until it’s almost time for bed again. Oh, and break up the day with a no-holds-barred search for the perfect snow-cone.

35.   It is true that you drink more water if you drink out of a straw.

36.   Counting calories can actually be turned into a game because…there’s an app for that.

37.   Sometimes you think that graduating college was the worst decision you’ve ever made, but then you remember that having money brings with it nice things like pretty clothes, food in your belly, and oh yeah, the opportunity to get married soon.

38.   There is always someone out there who is better at something than you are. The secret to beating them is realizing this isn’t a competition.

39.   People will always hurt you, disappoint you, let you down, deceive you, and ultimately fail you; the comfort in all of that is knowing that God is actually incapable of any of those.

40.   Learning from others’ mistakes is actually better than learning by making your own- it’s called wisdom.

41.   Resourcefulness is a very worthwhile practice, one that I would like to better myself in.

42.   I have always had an inexplicable expensive taste bud; line up 10 similar items, ask me which one I like the best, and I am nearly perfect at “preferring” the most expensive one. Clayton be warned- I’ve got Tiffany’s taste on a Target budget.

43.   A consistently manicured hand is one of the easiest ways to always feel like a lady, and of course, a very costly way.

44.   I hate it when I find myself looking through a jaded lens because I can usually dig just under the surface of my memory and find areas of un-forgiveness.

45.   Do your best to not burn bridges; you have no idea how or when someone will reappear and change your life forever.

46.   I’ve heard it said that there are two things in life you can’t avoid- death and taxes. My question is, how many do we have on record as death BY taxes?

47.   God says He wants your best from you. He also says He wants you to be perfect. Your best is only perfect through the power of the Holy Spirit and the death of you to yourself.

48.   God is a giver of good gifts, so it only makes sense that Satan, the prince of lies, would try to convince the world to blame God when disaster strikes.

49.   There is no need to ever call the search for the perfect little black dress complete.

50.   I am blessed beyond reason, and there is no need to ever question God’s timing or His goodness.