The Little Things...

Doritos and chocolate milk...
Those were two of our favorite things to eat on a Friday or Saturday night while watching a movie.
We would sit on the couch in my living room, curled up in our comfy clothes with blankets and we would become captivated in thrilling tales of love or adventure.
Every Birthday or school party that we ever had one of us would be responsible to bring half of our favorite treat, and it would be the only thing we would eat all night.
It was "our thing." Some people thought we were the weirdest teenagers ever, truth was we totally were, but we didn't care, we thought it was the best food in the world.

To us it was never about what we could buy for one another.
We never did anything together that was out of the ordinary or spectacular.
To us the things that made life special were the little things, like Doritos and chocolate milk.

When you left, I never drank chocolate milk or ate Doritos.
I was almost afraid to let the taste even come close to my mouth.
I didn't want to remember anything about what we once were.
I didn't want to remember you, so I didn't.

I would skip over the bowl of Doritos at any party and turn down chocolate milk for a glass of water almost effortlessly.
As the years went by I allowed my fears of remembering control every part of me.
I always live terrified that someday I would remember too much.
I got rid of all of "our" little things.

I went to college, and as hard as I tried to forget, there was something within me that nagged at me to just let go and remember some of the good things.
"It isn't wrong!" the suppressed memories screamed at me.
Rather than remember, though, I tried to dampen the sound by putting new things in place of the old.

This Christmas I learned that it's ok to remember the little things.
Sometimes the things that were "ours" weren't really ours.
They were little things that made our lives special, sometimes together, sometimes apart.
I'm learning to remember the good things, and not let my fears get the better of me.

Each day is a new adventure in what I now know to be normal,
Sure you're not here, and we aren't friends anymore, but that's ok, that's exactly what was supposed to happen.
Tonight I had Doritos and on a whim I grabbed a glass of chocolate milk.
Funny thing is, I also watched a movie in comfy clothes snuggled under a blanket.
I remembered a little, but they were happy memories, good memories, and I was ok.
It's not always the big things, sometimes it's just the little things.
Those little things make new memories too.
They did for me.
I hope they do for you.

A Prayer for Change.

On Thursday evening I had the privilege of getting to be a part of Bob Jones University history. Each year, at the beginning of the semester, there are 50 students who are asked to go backstage and pray during the opening evangelistic services. This semester I was asked to be apart of this special event. As the evening's service began we joined in singing with the congregation, or at least we attempted to, then when the speaker began to preach we began to pray.

Students prayed for the audience members, and for a revival among the students at Bob Jones University. There were prayers for friends and family members who were listening, as well as for those who participated through the evening's webcast. As I sat there, listening to the prayers that others lifted up I was hit by the reality of how cool it was to be in a room of students who shared my heart for the Lord, as well as my desire to see lives changed. As I began to get comfortable with what was being prayed there was another girl who began to pray that the group in that room would stop praying for a revival among the students of our university.

I think at that point in the evening everyone in the room was shocked by what she had just said. She then followed that by praying that there would be a revival in each individual person at our university. I was hit with the reality that I could not pray for a revival or a change in the lives of others, unless I was first praying for a revival or change in my own life.

Not only was I able to be a very special part of history, but I was convicted without even sitting in a service! God works in mysterious ways. This year I want to stop praying for revival and change in those around me, instead I want to commit to praying for it and seeing it in my own life.

A Resolution...

Well Dear Readers, we are into the second week of the new year :) It is so exciting to see what God is already doing in 2014. I am normally not the kind person who likes to make New Year's resolutions, but this year I thought that maybe I would. I didn't want to just pick any old resolution that at least 100 other people chose too, I wanted something that I could pick to be uniquely mine.

As I was sitting in the guest room at my sister's house on New Year's Eve I notices one of the pictures hanging on the wall. All it says is "Rejoice Always, Pray Without Ceasing, Give Thanks in All Circumstances." at the bottom was 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. As I was looking at that I thought that those three things could be taken as a resolution. I chose to make my New Year's resolution exactly what that picture said, based on Scripture.

To rejoice always, in all circumstances. Both good and bad. In situations that are big and ones that are small. No matter what happens, I am choosing to rejoice.

To pray without ceasing. Every day, I want to have a spirit of prayer that honors the Lord. I want to be able to pray when serious situations arise, and I also want to be able to pray for things that may sometimes seem a little silly.

To give thanks in all circumstances. Every circumstance, not just the ones that I like. In the circumstances that God uses to test me, and in the ones that make me smile. Sometimes my thanks may come out intermittent with tears, but I want to always be thankful for everything.

Already this year the Lord has handed me situations where I have had to stop and think about what I have committed to do this year. Already God has tested my faith by throwing things at me that I never expected. I hope and pray that each day when I wake up, no matter what comes my way I will remember what my New Year's Resolution is and I will Rejoice Always, Pray Without Ceasing, and Give Thanks in All Circumstances.