Perfection.

My life is perfect because it has been blessed by God. There are many days that I struggle in remembering that, something that I've felt very convicted of the past couple of months. We all have our desires and our hopes for the future, and that is something so beautiful. However, I think I have allowed my hopes for the future get in the way of the beautiful life I've been given right now.

I need to remember how many times in a day I laugh. How many incredible people I interact with each day. How many lives I get to impact. How glorious.

My family and friends are incredible, and over the past mont, I've been so blessed to get re-acquainted with most of them.

Easter with the family was great, as any holiday is. I truly believe that I have been blessed with the best family. Yes, we have our faults, but what family doesn't. I'm very greatful for my family, and to my grandparents whom I know are reading this... Thank you for continuously opening your home up to all of us, and for supporting and caring for ALL OF US!

I was also blessed with the most magificent trip to Wisconsin. What is better than to see your best friend try on wedding dresses? And, to have the three amigos back together... just like high school. Swinging my arm off playing Wii tennis, planning Mel's wedding with the help of tackyweddings.com, and girl talk before falling asleep... life was perfect for that moment.

Dinner with Danielle and Beth. Ahhh... Our hearts are so fragile, and that is so evident in the conversation we shared over dinner. How beautiful we all are...

Distance keeps my high school friends and I a part, but this month I learned that they are true friends. We are able to pick things up right where we left them... even if it was months and months ago. And, when someone's been fired and needs some support, when someone needs some help planning a wedding, when someone's moving 23 hours away to Texas, and when someone simply feels friend-less... we are there for each other. How amazing. That's true friendship, I'm so glad we've figured it out.

And then my college friends. Hanging out at the apartment, laughing and catching up. Being able to be real with each other... even if it means feeling a little awkward at times. And, forgiving and accepting everyone just as they are. Tony's art show that made me cry. A quick hug and catching up with Kristen. Learning of new relationships, and seeing how old loves have wounded precious hearts. Seeing Kathreen walk down the aisle, finally wed to the man of her dreams. Laughter and joy. Perfection.
What a great month it has been. My God answered my prayers by blessing me with this month that reminded me how wonderfully perfect my life is right now.

God's Gloriousness

March. What a crazy month. I felt as though I were working non-stop.
Long days in the office, late nights spent in a bowling alley collecting money to help serve the children in Jackson County, and countless hours packing and relocating to a new apartment. The busyness was good in a sense. I accomplished great things at work... making many matches, and finally feeling like I'm making a difference in the lives of those I serve. I even had a mother call me in tears, thanking me for giving her daughter such a great Big Sister. And, while I realize that I'm not the one to be appreciated for this great blessing, I feel good knowing that I brought the two together... Sometimes all it takes is a small seed to see something grow beautifully.
With all the hustle and bustle, though, brings tiredness. We were created to serve, yes, but we need to make sure we're taking the time to care for ourselves, and taking the time to reflect on God's goodness.
Hannah and I recently moved to a new apartment. While our move mostly stemmed from needing a less expensive place to live, we've found that the move has brought new opportunities. The excitement of the new place has brought a new sense of joy to our lives... laughter and the chance to experience new things as we learn about our new home. We can go for walks at night, have painted our living room (making us feel like sophisticated grown women), and most importantly, we are blessed with beautiful sunsets off our balcony.
I've always been a sucker for sunsets. To me there is nothing more beautiful in all of God's creation. While God has created beautiful people and places in this world, so many of those beauties have been defiled by the evilness of humans. But, nothing gets in the way of a beautiful sunset. It is one of the few things left in this world that is different each day, yet glorious each and every day.
Sunsets are one of those things that are impossible to describe in words... and honestly, I can't even really explain what it is that I love about them. But, for those few minutes each day that I watch the sunset, I'm thankful for the peaceful time to reflect on God's greatness... and grateful for the laughs I share with my roommate!
God is glorious, each and every day. No matter how busy our lives get, how horrible our days can be, how many mistakes we make... Each evening I know that I will be reminded of what truly matters, simply by watching the everyday event of the glorious sun ducking behind the trees in the distance.