Little Blessings

Today has been a good day, one that included Starbucks and Aveda tea, so I'm feeling quite positive. I thought it'd be a good idea make a list of some of the good things in my life, just for the record.

1. Coffee
2. Tea
3. Cute movies
4. Wonderful friends all over the world, even if they're not here in Illinois with me
5. New friends
6. New jobs
7. Old jobs
8. Jobs that neighbors randomly call me to do
9. Awesome managers (Stephanie...and it's looking like Ken is going to be good as well!)
10. Finding humor in the oddest places
11. Seeing how God is working through the people I love
12. Hamsters (Harold specifically)
13. Oreos
14. Big bags with which to sneak food into movie theatres
15. Exercising
16. The internet
17. Disney music
18. Friends (the show)
19. All things Asian
20. Funny stories 
21. Pictures 
22. Crystal Light
23. Crumpets
24. Things to look forward to
25. Post-it notes that were lost but are now found!

I know that's only a few--I'm thankful for a whole lot more--but those are what has affected me most today. 

Proverbs 18:24

After today, I will have completed my 11th day at home. I was dreading coming back, to be totally honest. Not that I don't love my family, but I was just sad to leave. Really sad, and not looking forward to adjusting. I love my life at school. Anyway, home has been far better than expected. I've stayed busy thus far, I've made a reading list, decided on a summer project, gotten a second job, begun reading through the New Testament...yet somehow, I've still often found myself dissatisfied. It isn't that I'm ungrateful; there are a couple reasons.

For one, it's hard to stay positive around here. Ethan's negativity is far more contagious than I ever imagined. I had never realized quite how much my attitude was affected by his, but now that I've been gone, it obvious to me. It affects my mom, too, which in turn gets me again. This summer, I'll work to figure how how to respond and deal with it. At the same time, being away from school has left me with far less spiritual encouragement. Here, I go to church one or two times each week; at school it was chapel anywhere from one to three times a week, small group once, Old Testament three times, church once, and random discussions about God and the Bible both inside and outside of class. 

More importantly, I have no friends here--good friends, at least. I have people who are at that stage where they're more than acquaintances, but I wouldn't necessarily say they are friends. My friends are currently in Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, Romania, and South Africa. Immediately I came to the conclusion that maybe God did this for a reason. Maybe this is intended for me to become closer to him rather than relying on other people for support. After all, "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proberbs 18:24). My question is, how do I make it where I look to God first? How do I make him my friend? Dozens of times each day, something happens, and I think about how I should tell a specific friend of mine about it. Why do I not think of God when things happen? How do I make communication with him natural and think of talking to him frequently, like I would if I was speaking to a person who was with me? 

I am thankful for all the good things that have happened since I came home. I am certainly not sulking in any of the very few misfortunes that I have. I just want answers for how I'm supposed to go about learning these lessons. 

Just Listen

I just (as in two hours ago) finished a book, for the first time all year! I don't get around to reading much these days. I read Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen. Dessen's books are a guilty pleasure of mine. They are easy to read, a bit melodramatic at times, and simply typical "feel good" books. I pride myself in my enjoyment of more complex and sometimes controversial books that involve far less high school drama. Still, something about Dessen's insight into human character attracts me to her stories. Just Listen, as expected based on previous experiences, captivated me. I won't go into detail about the story--the way it sounds would make me all the more embarrassed to have spend the last couple days reading it--but there was one good lesson that came out of it. The primary theme, I'd say, was honesty. Not just honesty in the truth or lie sense, but in regard to openness. It has made me highly aware of how honest I am with people and with myself. How many times do I respond "Fine" to the inescapable "How are you?" even when I'm having a day that I'm really not pleased with? Or why have I hinted at telling my best friends stories of how my life used to be, but then hesitated and withdrew my offer? How should I act upon this newfound consciousness?

Overall, Just Listen was a decent book. It kept me highly entertained and excited to read on. I'd recommend it. If you decide to read it, let me know! I love discussing books.

Other books on my list this summer:

-Les Miserables (assigned by Liz)

-The Historian (assigned by Tori)

-Serving with Eyes Wide Open (recommended by Liz, assigned by myself)

-The Jesus Creed and Life Giving Mentors (assigned my Murdoch for Sherpas)

Home

Well well well...I am finally at home. "Home," as in the place I've lived for almost 11 years. Why does it not feel more like home? It's odd. I've been out of school for a week and a half now, and have had quite adventurous times between then and now. Last Thursday, I left GR and drove to Grand Haven, where I stayed for two nights. Saturday it was back to GR for Circle's wedding! I ended up spontaneously visiting Liz that night as well, since she was still at school. Afterward, I drove down to the Detroit area for Mother's Day and my grandma's birthday. The next night it was up to Shelbyville for a party at Liz's house with her and Tori. Coffee + spaghetti + smoothies + movies = amazingness. 

Actually...I don't feel like writing now. I'm exhausted. Goodnight.