Lately, it seems the pressures of reality have been closing in on me. Despite grad school and looming big decisions, I decided to escape for a few days. I took a 3-day weekend to just get away and enjoy a trip to North Carolina & the Blue Ridge Mountains. My grandparents lived near Brevard, NC, for most of my childhood so I grew up going to the mountains several times a year. Their home now belongs to our family, and we're so blessed to be able to visit the area whenever we like. Due to living in Mexico though, it'd been more than three years since I was last there so a visit to "The Hemlocks" was way overdue.
Some highlights of the trip included: staying with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Sara (and her husband Matt) in Cartersville, GA, on the way Friday night--enjoying hours of talking, a walk with their energetic dogs, and lunch at Swheat Market Deli...meeting up with my parents north of Atlanta and driving the rest of the way with them...buying local corn from the farmer who knew my grandpa...relaxing on the enclosed porch and watching sunsets...climbing Devil's Courthouse & Black Balsam Bald and exploring a bit along the Art Loeb Trail...loving the cool breeze...all the beautiful views from the Blue Ridge Parkway... stopping by Pisgah Inn...a mint chocolate chip milkshake at Rocky's Soda Shop in downtown Brevard...quality talk time with my parents...my mom spoiling me a bit...watching Midnight in Paris for the second time...sleeping...
Here's to escape weekends! More to come! :)
Atop Devil's Courthouse
Black Balsam...my family's been hiking this trail since I was a toddler in the backpack
In my mind, college wasn't that long ago. As if it were yesterday, I can remember starting college at Samford University. I was a young, happy freshman ready to embark on four of the best years of my life. I was excited about new friends & experiences, ready for many adventures.
However, the truth is that it wasn't yesterday. In fact, I began college eleven years ago. How did I get to be so old?!
Well, this week I started at Samford again. I'm beginning a program for a Masters in Gifted Education. Even though I may still look like an undergrad, a lot has changed. Here are a few random observations I've made:
When I was a freshman, I had a standard desk-top computer that stayed in my dorm room. This week, I brought my laptop to class with me.
Health Services has moved (should you need to update your immunization form and not be late for your appointment).
Cell phones are drastically different than they were in 2001. Film cameras are rarely in use anymore either.
Current Samford students need to appreciate the Pete Hanna Center (especially the work-out center) and O'Henry's Coffee because I sure would have loved to have them in my day. *I am taking full advantage of having a student ID again though and have already worked out there twice.
I've also noticed that there are some things that haven't changed:
The campus is still beautiful.
The bathrooms on the main floor of OBB are still an awful orange that doesn't go with the tile.
I STILL have class in Room 233, even though there are only 6 people in my class instead of 45.
There's nothing like a trip to the Food Court and Chick-fil-A during a break from class.
Everyone, from professors to students, is still genuinely nice and friendly.
So even though I may not be as excited as I was the first time around, I'm thankful for the opportunity to study at 800 Lakeshore Drive again, and I'm thankful to be a part of a community that seeks to live out its motto "...for God, for learning, forever."
Several months ago in the spring, my mom asked me if I'd like to attend The Gospel Coalition's national women's conference this summer in Orlando, FL. My church in Tallahassee was taking a large group, and my mom graciously offered to pay for me if we wanted to go and make it a mother-daughter weekend as well. Since I love both great Biblical teaching (which TGC is well known-for) and quality time with my mom, it didn't take me too long to say yes. While I was very much looking forward to those aspects of the weekend, I was a little wary of being around almost 4,000 women in one large hotel (seemed like too much estrogen). However, the conference leaders said from the beginning that this was a conference "for women, but not about women," and they were right.
This was a conference about the Lord. Period. "Here Is Our God: God's Revelation of Himself in Scripture" was the theme for the weekend, and it truly epitomizes what it was all about. Eight plenary session speakers walked us through Exodus 19, I Kings 8, Isaiah 6, Psalm 40, 2 Corinthians 12, Matthew 17, Revelation 4-5, and Revelation 21-22. I loved how each conference speaker always pointed to the Gospel and to Christ. But it's not just because the "gospel"is a part of their name though--it's because Christreally ispreeminent in all of Scripture. As the Jesus Story-Book Bible says, "every story whispers His name." And so what I came away with from this weekend was not so much lots of practical challenges and inspirations (although I did receive some of those especially from the workshops I attended), but simply a bigger picture of who God is. A more all-encompassiong understanding of the fullness of our HOLY, MAJESTIC, GLORIOUS GOD who also came to dwell and die among us as the incarnate God so that we might live with Him forever. Hallelujah!
The week following the conference was a difficult one--some of the challenges I was expecting, but one was a complete surprise and the kind that can really "shake your world." In each circumstance though, the Lord gently yet strongly brought back to my mind the truth from that weekend. He alone is our Anchor, and He is unshakable and greater than I could ever imagine--a Rock worth trusting. Even now, I can't fully articulate or explain it. I'm simply grateful for how God enlarged my faith through that weekend.
Another wonderful aspect of the weekend was the corporate worship time, led by Keith and Kristyn Getty. Their band hails from Ireland, and they are incredibly gifted. From both a musical and lyrical standpoint, their songs are a blessing. Here's one of my favorites ("Still, My Soul, Be Still") that I've been listening to a lot lately:
Lastly, the weekend really was a sweet time to share with my mom. Not only being there in the moment, but also now since then as we reflect on the conference, it's been neat to share and process that together. It was also special to spend time with Kate and Cassidy, two of my favorite Tallahassee friends. Since Kate's heading to the mission field soon, it was especially a treasure to spend time together. Here's a pic of all four of us:
Today I woke up early before my alarm to a wonderful, long-awaited sound: thunder. It's been a long time since it stormed in Birmingham, and with temperatures above 100 several days in a row, I was ready to welcome the thunderstorm regardless of any sleep deprivation it might cause. Since I grew up in Florida where frequent thunderstorms are almost synonymous with summer, booming thunder and cracks of lightning are two of the quintessential sounds of summer to me. After the storm died down, and I sat listening to the soothing sound of constant rain while I journaled and prayed, a favorite verse came to mind: "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (Psalm 116:7) I needed to be reminded of this truth this morning, to be still and renew my mind. Yesterday, the calendar flipped to July which means summer is half over for teachers, and this sent me into momentary panic over all the things I haven't gotten done yet. The truth is time is fleeting, and I probably won't accomplish everything I hope to this summer. Isn't it always that way, though? Whether it's a Saturday or a summer, we never seem to cross everything off on our ambitious to-do lists. So while I'm still praying for motivation and wisdom on how to prioritize, I'm also trying to not feel guilty when things remain undone and to simply enjoy the moments of summer.
When I'm delighting in the present, I hear various sounds of summer: happy shouts and screams from my neighbors and I as we watch Spain win the Euro Cup, all decked out in our España apparel... the refreshing mini-cascade of raspberry lemonade filling a glass... children's excited voices as they pick blueberries at the farm... quality conversations over lunches with friends... laughter while attempting to play tennis...
