Gimme a break, gimme a break... (Kit Kat theme song anyone?)

We all deserve a break, may it be from work, school, even our most favorite activity. Breaks are not a bad thing. And so for the past 10 days I happened to be on Easter break for spring semester at school. 

Now to tell you that break wasn't spectacular would be lying, it indeed was absolutely positively refreshing. A much needed hiatus from school work and the town that I have come to live nine months out of the year at, Grove City. 

You're probably thinking I went home and just slept my head off, ate like crazy, and just dozed around doing nothing; living the good life of a college kid back home. Well if you thought that for a split second, hate to break it to you that you are incorrect with that assumption. At home, I baked, read, cycled, played frisbee & tennis, swam, ate meals with old friends, hung out with family, and alas did teeny bit of homework. Yes I did sleep and eat good food, but you know my sleep schedule did not really change at home and for eating, bless my mother for being such a good cook.

All those activities seem to be something some one would stray away on a break, but frankly it was those activities that brought me the happiest moods and times for a good long while. 

I was doing things that did not require me to stop and think, to contemplate the pros and cons, or to analyze the outcomes of. 

For me, that was what I desperately needed.

Time after time I've been told and have told myself to just live life as it is. As surfers would put it, live each life one wave after another. That's what I did at home and by George it was great!

Upon returning to campus, the usual question of "how was break?" comes up in conversation. When directed towards me I have just simply responded with how "absolutely positively refreshing" break was with a huge grin and perky attitude. 

Think I like how I'm feeling now and I plan on keeping it going as long as possible. I'm in a good mental state, life is going well, and the Lord is watching over me. Can't complain. 

There you have it folks :-D

Generosity

So the past two days have shown me how generous friends and family can be.

Yesterday morning four of my friends took me home, yes the four hour car ride isn't all that bad. However asking them to take part of their break to take me back down to Maryland and them saying yes ended up being such a good thing and helpful to me and my parents.

Once getting down and surprising my parents since I came home a day earlier than expected. We just chilled and  relaxed.

Today we then went out to play frisbee with the guys while the girls went out to explore/shop in downtown Frederick. While we were out my parents whipped up a Korean dinner of marinated beef, chicken, potato salad, rice, and a Korean dipping sauce for lettuce and cucumbers. Afterwards my mom showed one of my friends how to prepare salted seaweed and then the seaweed that she prepared she gave to them. They definitely weren't expecting that as well as the container of leftovers we prepared for them to eat on the trip back. To top that off they got a sizable portion of gomobang (Korean sweet bread) that my mom had just baked. And lastly my parents then made sure they had gas and toll money.

Seeing all this showed me how generous my parents really are. One of my friends noted how they really didn't need to do all this, but I replied how that they couldn't get them not to. And that I truly hoped that I could do the same to others in how my parents portrayed their generosity. Saying that it dawned on me that I really do hope that I can be as generous as my parents were/are.

That all being said stop and reflect on what event recently you've shown generosity.
Have you done such a good deed recently?

If not aim to do so, for it is definitely worth it.

The Dividing Line

There always comes a point in life when one realizes that there lies in front of them a boundary line. That line can be there for multiple reasons, but as we all know beyond a shadow of a doubt this line separates one from two differing perspectives.

Some willingly cross over to the other side of the line, the "grass is greener on the other side" approach fully ingrained in their minds. Others just stand back and watch content with where they currently are, whatever side that is. Some scurry back and forth not being able to make up their minds about their decisions and wondering which side is really the better choice. There are some who timidly approach the line to the very edge and debate whether to cross or not to cross, their minds in absolute anxiety over the choice. And lastly there are those who walk up directly to the line and stand right on top of it, wishing to neither be fully part of one side or the other.

So that being said what is the better choice? Several hours ago I was asked to make a decision for a certain situation. To me the choice that would bring the least turmoil to me was the best choice. That being the last option I wanted to take it. However the question poser replied in that a choice HAD to be made. Therefore the decision was made by the one who posed the question on what side I was to take.

Being completely honest, that decision being made for me sucked. I'm serious I didn't want to offend either side and wanted to stay neutral (go Switzerland?). However I was blatantly told that, my desired outcome wasn't plausible.

Wake up call much?!

Perhaps my goal was just too optimistic, but even so this situation just made me realize some things.
1. A side must be chosen in life.
2. Attempting to please everyone around you, you increase the chances you yourself will get burned.
3. Where do I lie in correlation to the Lord's battlefield?

I still haven't figured out what I'm gonna do for the aforementioned situation. Knowing myself I'm probably gonna lean towards to straddling the line even so after what I've just gotten out to saying. Yet the best thing I can do is to just be the best person I can for both sides from whatever side I end up choosing.

I'll end with this thought (and see what pops up into your head)
What side do you lie on? 

Being late.. Check. Not be organized... Check. Be spontaneous.. Double Check!

So this post is gonna be primarily focused on a friend of mine.

This person recently took a survey and found out that their personality truly does encompass actions like being late and trying to avoid organization.

However if you've ever met this friend of mine you'd understand that's just the way they are. One thing that I've come to understand is that their longing towards more spontaneity is definitely something worthwhile. Too much of our lives is structured, we plan out so many activities and don't leave time in for perhaps more precious and valuable things. That leads us to the question on what is important in our own lives?

Right now I'd have to say relationships are. Foremost with the Lord and with that all other relationships fall into place.

Now back to the main topic. Just tonight I passed my friend just standing and contemplating something. I really wish I hadn't a prior commitment because I really wanted to ask them what they were pondering about. I mean I then asked later what they'd been thinking about. The reply was short and simple: Life :-).

It's those moments that I wish I could talk to people and hold a meaningful conversation with them.

I definitely don't have everything figured out and never truly will. But some things I have definitely come to embrace this year is to take every day one small task at a time, value time spent with those around you, and now I'm being reminded that though organization can be helpful and good, spontaneity and less structure can also be just as good to one's own life :-)

Observe and Contemplate.

Saw this thanks to a certain Gary Horvath.
Just watch and think. (may be good to fullscreen it)

Thoughts Upon Reading...

So this weekend I finally got around to finishing the book Forgotten God by Francis Chan. In the last chapter Chan concludes on how we must have the Holy Spirit present in our lives. Now while reading this I came upon a few lines that stuck out to me as well as make a valid point in such a short way. 

That being said here it is:

I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for Him to come through. That if He doesn't come through, I am screwed. (I probably shouldn't write that word here, but it's how I truly feel about this.)

So first off I think it's great that Chan goes on to say how we can be screwed without the Spirit. That part just made me smile. However we definitely need to take heed to this little excerpt since it speaks such truth.  

The Voice of A Little Girl

Happened to listen to this song the other day and in its entirety it is an 18 minute long song, most of it instrumental but the part above is the last portion. Play it now and listen carefully to the words.

Now if you're just being too lazy here are the lyrics:

Everything we do in this life has a consequence of some sort, 
Whether it's going for a walk or going to war. 
The end result is uncertain, so we must be sure of our mesage. 
We must be sure of our desire. 
Stay true to your word, live as if you have no regrets, 
And no matter the outcome, stand proud knowing your two hands 
Did something that will be remembered for centuries to come. 

We're just trying to find some color in this black and white world

Don't know about you, but those lines definitely got to me and made me think.
Guess what I'm getting is that perhaps these lines bear a truth that we humans tend to overlook and ignore.

Ignorance perhaps is bliss but then why aren't so many more people happy?

No matter who you are being wishy washy is not a trait anyone wishes to have therefore one must exude confidence in their message. Oh so true for us, the ones with THE Message.

I don't know really, perhaps I'm just rambling and bumbling up my words. However go back to those 8 lines and reread them. I urge you to do so and then to just sit down and think about the meaning.

Besides if you somehow don't get anything from this, least you've taken a nice small break from the busyness of life :-)