List Entry #... I lost count

Lists are a specialty of mine, and of the Life Song Journal, if you have yet to notice. I like lists. They're factual and productive, and still very inspiring and spirit-lifting. And sometimes, as a girl who thinks too much for her own good and talks far more than she is comfortable with, list-entries are the way to go! So, here we go.

* I just concluded a month in Michigan. Honestly, a month to me sounded like a long time to be away from home, but the truth is if we didn't visit, the bonds we have with our family now wouldn't be as strong. It was a great month of camping, Apples to Apples, pictures, shopping, eating, driving, baby-holding, World Cup-watching, nail-doing, bonfires, grass, Chicago, hugs, swings, and old Fraiser episodes. I loved it.

* My cousin Kristie flew back with my brother and dad, and is here with us now. She ventured all the way from the Netherlands to spend a couple weeks in the States. Already today while at a stop during our travels, we saw a man stretching awkwardly against a table. "Is that normal?" she asked. I assured her that the disturbing sight was not usually seen.

* It is the nice boy's re-birthday today! July 13th marks the day he took another step in following Jesus. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Baptism does that to you. I find that that last few years I've seen re-birthdays as so precious, and I'm so glad that Matt has one.

* My camera is currently in the hands of Canon-men/women. You may have been there when this occurred. Last time I saw my baby a few weeks ago, she was still broken. Thankfully, my grandpa is a good camera-sharer. My mom has a cute, bitty camera I can use until they replace my girl's circuit board and send it to my house. Hopefully, she will be healed and our parting will be over soon.

* My can't-stay-still family is on the road traveling once more, slowly making our way back to our beloved home. Pray for us, please, that we would remain safe. (By that I mean from other vehicles and from each other. For frequent travelers small spaces still make us cranky. (: )

(photo from weheartit.com)

Life Is Dreamy

I was driving on the back roads of Michigan yesterday when I came to the most joyful conclusion. I tried to think of all the ambitions I have had, wondering which ones haven't come alive in my life yet. I couldn't think of one. I realized that I am living every dream I've had, right now. Incredible? Yes. Impossible? Not at all.

I'm a worship leader, a dream that I never admitted (or fully understood) to having until it started coming true. In doing so, I'm serving God, a very big dream of mine, in a way that I feel is His will and part of the destiny that He has fabricated for me. I go to Haiti, a dream that will never be fully satisfied unless I reside there one day (who knows); however, the short term dream-come-true of going as often as I can is a blessing. I've always been safe, with a great family, and we all have been healthy. I found a nice, handsome boy awhile ago, a dream almost every girl has, making me a very lucky girl myself. I'm driving, which is surreal when thinking that 9 years ago this time in my life felt centuries away. I didn't have to go to high school, and I'm in college! My life is pretty much perfect. I can't believe the praise that is due to God, for Fathering me to where I am today, for opening doors and for shutting them; to Jesus for giving me a life to live and for providing me with ways to give back to Him.

I'm in Michigan right now, where my mama grew up, visiting my grandparents and my too-many-to-count large family. The Farm, my grandparent's house, is probably one of my most personal and favorite places. The house, the big red barn, the green hill, and endless fields of crops all enchant me. Early childhood memories live there, along with precious new ones that have been recently created.

I have learned that God usually brings me here to learn and to grow, He has since I've been 13 years old. On the way up here, I prayed that this wouldn't just be a vacation for me. I wanted to serve and work for Him while I was here, I wanted to come here for a purpose. That purpose, I have recently decided, is to sit and listen and learn and grow. Hopefully when I get back home I'll be ready to just go, and ignite, and serve.

Right now I hear about 30+ of my family members laughing around a camp fire, sharing their most embarrassing moments with each other.
Yes, I am most certainly living the dream.

I.Love.Leading.Worship.

Today, Happiness Is...

• finding free chord charts online that I don't need to fix.

• taking my last final = no more college until my Italy study trip.

• the sweet boy's prayers for my success.

• seeing my room clean. (Megan just threw all of our stuff which was on the floor on our beds.)

• waking up and remembering that I have red hair now.

• knowing I can talk to my Jesus whenever I please.

• this episode of Gilmore Girls.

• WeHeartIt pictures.

• seeing Megan dress up like a girl.

• yummy dinner tonight with my grandparents.

(photo mine)

Newness..

Things are changing. Things are new. Not big things, but things. Most of these things are not extremely currently new, but new since the last time I wrote about the happenings of this song that is my life.

Because of these new things, I feel a desire to scribe here more regularly. I was contemplating daily updates.. but it's hard to believe that I'll be able to pull that off. Plus, not many people read (that I know of) Between Sundays.

We'll start with weekly posts, ok? Now seems like a good time to start.

My worship leading is going well. I feel like I'm serving weekly and it feels like another piece of my heart has been put into place. I'm growing in this leadership position. I can feel it. And for some reason they keep letting me take the mic. (:

I'm in college now, for those who didn't already know. This is my second semester. I love it. It's a wonderful feature of being homeschooled. Skipping [most] of high school is grand. My english class is enjoyable and easy for this lover of writing and literature. I just took my first test in geography and I'll let you all know how I'm liking that class after I get my grade back.

My best friend turned seventeen yesterday. No longer sixteen. He's old. (: He saw Josh Turner with his brother and ate a donut-hamburger (which, I heard was delicious). It was a good day for him.

I'm missing Haiti. A lot. The piece of my heart that lives there is calling for me. On wednesday I clean the house to raise money for traveling. I'm praying, praying, praying..

I'm reading a Karen Kingsbury book again. It's bringing me bliss to a splendid degree. Her books always brighten my day and, in a mysterious way, keeps my heart on the Lord. Shades of Blue, is the book's title. Maybe you should read it.

Megan's here. (: It's freaking cool. She's good roommate. Next week is my spring break from college, and we're going to have fun.

A new blog title is needed. I want some changes for the place of thoughts. If you have ideas, I'd love to hear 'em! (: I'll be thinking of titles while procrastinating, because that's what I do. procrastinate.

How was that? Boring? Fun? It'll get better, I promise. This is just the beginning... I'm stoked.