you make all things new

I've been thinking about God as maker..maker of all things new. Maker of all things bright and beautiful. It's awesome. So maybe the earth isn't Heaven and it is full of sinfulness..but His creation is all around us..He is in people, He is in the landscape..He is in that killer guitar solo. There's so many beautiful things to see and discover as long as your eyes are open. Perhaps even when they're closed..my friend Daniel lost his dad a few years ago, and He shared an incredible story with me.

He was having a hard time one week..just missing his dad so much and feeling as if he was going through the grieving process all over again. He prayed night and day that God would let Daniel hang out with his dad in a dream. He prayed this for three days straight..and Saturday night same, and He dreamed of his dad. It was so real, and it was such a precious dream. Daniel cried just talking about it. 

I think it's one of the most beautiful stories I've heard.

God sure has been loving on me through my family. How'd I get so lucky? My sister is my best friend. She is such a loyal friend, and she is such a fun friend. And then I have Ross here in Nashville too. I think he has one of the coolest male hearts I know, period. I am proud to know Him..and He makes me laugh SO MUCH.

Then from a thousand miles away, I am constantly blessed through my mom, dad, cousin Haley, grandma..I am immensely blessed. I dream of visiting a foreign country and maybe living there for a time.. But thinking about being across an ocean from my family..it's hard for me to do. I could pop a squat in Portland or some distant state any day, but across the sea? I just don't know.

My future is so up in the air. But I know God is preparing a lifetime of adventure for me, and I'm eager to follow. 

But on that..the amazing church family I have at Harpeth makes me much less excited about the prospect of ever leaving the Nashville area. 

AH! My heart seriously overflows because of the people He has put in my life.

My birthday was wonderful. My family and friends were so sweet and thoughtful, and I felt so loved.

You know what I've considered. I'm nervous to be a bride on my wedding day. Brides are supposed to be all elegant and graceful and are supposed to say the right things with their wedding guests. I'm not elegant and I'm not socially graceful..ahhh. I think of this mainly because when I was younger I always said I was going to get married when I turned 22. haha..so I started thinking about what that would be like. Also, I don't want to take pictures of my wedding ring because I have the number one worst hands in America. I'm not being all "oh i'm so ugly woe is me tell me i'm pretty" when I say that..I mean, they are legitimately unattractive. 

Obviously I should never marry..it's settled. I don't want hand pictures and I don't want to attempt to be socially graceful. All the bachelors out there will probably call for a day of mourning upon reading that..I'm truly sorry, and I hope you understand that it's for the best.