magnificent mundane

As you have learned from my previous blog post, this semester has been nothing short of a struggle. I am still waiting for God to communicate through sky writing or maybe he could just send me a couple snapchats. (So, I'm still in a limbo of decisions that is less than comfortable, but I am trusting God and over and over again I see the blessing that this semester has been.)

This semester, God brought to light some passions, a creative side of me that was lost and seemed to be buried under science textbooks and scribblings of patient data. I am thankful for the time I had to tap into that side of me that I missed, and to also see God in every little bit of it.

So, here's a super random (but nonetheless lovely) list of things (in no particular order) that I have re-loved and re-appreciated and even loved for the first time:

1. Stars 
When I was a kid, my dad and I would lay on the pavement of the driveway during the summer and just look at stars. I have yet to lose my awe of them.
DO YOU EVER JUST GOOGLE PICTURES OF STARS?!
Sometimes, I do.
It's cool because God's like: "You are so small."
And you're all, "You are SO big and powerful and yet you still love me and care about me?!"
Blows me away.

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?" || Psalm 8

2. Music
When I was a child, I went to a family Christmas party where one of my mom's cousins was playing the piano. I nudged my mom and said, "I want to play piano like him when I'm older." So, I did. And I have been playing since the first grade. I have recently been blessed with the opportunity to sing worship at Cru meetings (something I may not have been able to do if my schedule was not as free) and I bought a guitar (just, because). I am rather terrible at the guitar, but love locking myself in the office and playing three chords over and over again. It's fun to see God in seemingly silly things like learning veggietales songs on the ukulele or hearing encouragements from my close friends after worship sessions at Cru. 

This is Oscar, my new guitar friend.

"My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed." || Psalm 71:23 

3. Writing

I have two middle names. When I was a child, my mom thought that it could be my pen name when I became a famous writer. When I was thirteen I tried to write a novel about being a thirteen year old doctor (a modern day Doogie Howser, if you will). I have since missed writing for fun, and have used my free time to write things like this blog, a few lines of half-written worship songs, and instagram captions (ha ha). I have loved to tap into this part of my childhood that I've missed. It's cool to see how God has been using it to bring people closer to him. I am so beyond blessed in the ways He has chosen to use this blog to affect people I have not talked to in forever. 

"Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." || John 21:25

4. Books 

As a youngster, I had a shelf packed full of books, many I had read multiple times. In high school and college, my love for books was buried under piles of assigned readings and science textbooks that made the thought of book reading leave a bad taste in my mouth. I met a friend last summer that sparked that love for books again and with my newfound free time, I have dived right back in. 

Also, my roommate and I have found a new love for old book resale shops and stores that smell like old books and just books that are old and worn and awesome and beautiful. (seeing beauty in broken things?? the Gospel is everywhere, friends)

5. Travel

I was able, because of extra free time this semester , to travel to my cousins wedding in California as well as make a trip to Florida with some close friends for Fall Break. I even had the opportunity to road trip to Chicago to see Noah and the Whale, a band that is a favorite of my roommate and I. This has further excited a passion of mine (that I didn't always know I had) to travel outside of the United States. My roommate and I are now planning a trip to Europe for next summer. I am also hoping to go to Haiti for some time to explore my newfound love for mission work here as well as overseas. I can't wait to explore and see God in new and cool ways all over the world and am so blessed to have the resources to do so. 

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers." || Psalm 24

6. Photography (ish)
Okay, so I don't have a fancy camera. Okay, so I am not even close to being a photographer. Okay, so the extent of my "photography" stems from my (sometimes unhealthy) love for Instagram and my iPhone photostream. And while I truly believe that "grammin" (as the kids say) is sometimes detrimental to my relationship with God, I feel like I have been given a new sense of awe of the world around me. I see photography in the snow and the bark on the tree and the grass on the ground and the clouds in the sky and the stars at night. I have grown to truly appreciate the world around me and see the music and the art and the photography of the world of my creator.

This love for photography has also re-sparked a somewhat silly, but sometimes useful, love for photoshop and graphic design and using it for God's glory and to see beauty and find joy in silly things. (I also had the opportunity to design some flyers and things for Cru events, which I absolutely loved doing.)

Here's a more serious example of my "work" messing around with photoshop.

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." 
|| Psalm 19 

8. People
Because of the way God has uniquely blessed me this semester, I have had the opportunity to invest in people in a way I have never been able to in the past. I have had opportunities to spend quiet times with God and ultimately pour out into the people around me and do life together and follow Christ together. Thank God that this semester when friends were hurting, I had the time to give them love and encouragement from our Savior. Thank God that when I was hurting this semester, people cared for me and encouraged me and loved on me and laughed with me and enjoyed life with me even if they were far away and just faces on a computer screen. I am blown away with how God has used people this semester to grow me in my walk with Christ and just to teach me so much! 

"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works" || Hebrews 10:24

So, the next time you are doing something mundane like talking to friends or taking a picture of something on your phone or reading a well-written book or looking at the stars at night, remember that there is beauty in the mundane- that God has been there all along amongst the people and the stars and the words on the page.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or WHATEVER you do, do ALL to the glory of God." || 1 Corinthians 10:31

"..as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." || 2 Corinthians 4:18