The Good Things

I tend to be pretty unemotional and suppress any unwelcome feelings, which ends up making me a bit Spock-ish (see Star Trek) about everything. I am also very analytical and live very much in my own head. That is a big reason why I started this blog and also a big reason for my infrequency in posting. I often don't share about my life to a fault and blogging has helped me be a bit more open. But because I have been working through a great many things most of my posts are quite introspective and a bit dreary. In light of that I want to share some things I am thankful for (in no particular order).

1. Mothers, particularly my own.

I worked as a nanny for the majority of 2011 and my sister and I moved out of our parent's home in August of 2011; both experiences gave me a better appreciation of mothers in general, but I have been extremely thankful for my own mother's wisdom this past year. She has always been someone that I could talk to, but I don't think that I have always valued her wisdom, experience, and input as I do now. Thanks Mom. :)

2. My Dad

The same goes for my Dad. I have never appreciated his practicality and his work ethic as much as I do now. I am so grateful for his provision, protection, and his wisdom. I have really come to respect and love my Daddy. Thanks Dad.

3. My siblings

These are my favorite people in the world. We have so much fun together and I love being able to talk as adults now. I cannot imagine living away from them! They are my best friends.

4. Books

I have been trying to expand my readership of classic fiction and have been greatly enjoying the journey. I just finished The Hobbit in anticipation of the movie coming out at the end of this year and am planning to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy again this year. My all-time favorites are Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, but I have also enjoyed Villette by Charlotte Bronte, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, several Jane Austin novels, and have reread The Chronicles of Narnia by the dear Clive Staples Lewis. There are many unread classics on my bookshelf by Twain, Barrie, Doyle, O'Connor, and others which I am greatly looking forward to reading.

5. Really good music

A lot of music these days is so senseless and processed that it really has no appeal to me. Don't get me started on Lady Gag(a). I appreciate musicians who really know music, can write technically proficient songs, and actually have great voices without any electronic help. Punch Brothers, Ray LaMontagne, Mumford and Sons, and The Civil Wars, are just a few artists who do this. I've recently been stuck on Matthew And The Atlas, and James Vincent McMorrow.

6. British Television
I love shows that make you think while still being hilarious. A Little Bit of Fry and Laurie is one of those. Oh, and Doctor Who...it's just my favorite show ever. EVER. Mostly the David Tennant seasons. They also do great adaptations of classic fiction. Pride and Prejudice, and North and South are my favorite miniseries right now.

7. The view from my front door

8. The upcoming trip to Belgium
Though there are many things that I am worried about I am extremely excited for all that I am going to see and learn. I have already read Rebecca's book, Falling Into His Grace and have learned so much from it. I am excited to live with Paul and Rebecca, serve them, and learn from them. I am also hoping that the Lord will provide for us to be able to see some of the surrounding countries before we come back across the pond.

9. My Church
I am thankful for a Church that faithfully adheres to the Word of God and is a place where I can fellowship with others, and serve where I am gifted.

10. The Unknown

I am a major control freak and the threat of the unknown is terrifying to me, but I am learning to trust God more and more with each circumstance that requires me to admit my weakness and limited knowledge.

Slowing down to speed up again

It is nearly Christmas, which is crazy...It seems like this year has flown by faster than most. Of course I spent the first half of it being lost in a depressed stupor and then several more months to get back to "normal," whatever that is.  But seriously I feel like I just blinked and eleven months flew by without me seeing much. I hear that it gets even more that way the older you get.

I was thinking about this last night while I was watching the meteor shower on the roof of my house. My siblings were with me for most of it, but there were several times when they had gone down to get something and took awhile to get back, so I had time for deep introspection. Shooting stars are amazing things. Some are brighter than others, some are slower than most, but they all last just a few seconds or less. If I wasn't looking at exactly the right spot or blinked I could miss the beginning of a brilliant shooting star and only catch it dying at the end. It was also very cold last night and every time I talked smoke would come out of my mouth and disappear into the night. By these things I was reminded that life is a vapor. We live and then we die.

So as I laughed at my sister's pure, childlike giddiness at each falling meteor and smiled as I and my brother had to remind her that we had neighbors who would not appreciate her exuberance, I cherished the moments. I  cherished listening to Andrew Bell with my not-so-little baby brother, and listening to my brothers argue whether Professor X or Q (Star Trek: The Next Generation, for those of you that are less nerdy) would win in a battle if Prof X was given omniscience by some magical stone in the Marvel Universe, or who would win if they added their allies. I cherished bundling up in mountains of covers, and being sandwiched between my brothers to stay warm, and too-chocolatety hot chocolate in a thermos which lid wasn't screwed on right so I had to drink it with my lips right next to the handle.

After the craziness of this past semester, dealing badly with stress, trying to figure out where my life is going, and trying to find a place to fit by expanding my list of places I want to move to, it was good to slow down and just enjoy the time I have in the place I am now, with the people I love the most.