27

It's that time again, folks....

THE ANNUAL BIRTHDAY POST!

My 26th year, to say the least, has been insane. Obviously COVID has been raging for a large portion of it, which has made things #complicated, but even without that, 26 has been the year of insanity.

During my 26th year, I....

- Got out of a relationship
- Started dating someone new
- Quit my job
- Started working at an epic new job
- Moved out of my childhood home
- Moved into a cute cottage with my sister
- Finished writing a novel I'd been working on for years
- Started serving at church
- Went to therapy (which I can't recommend highly enough)
- Pierced my ears
- Pierced my nose
- Got health insurance
- Saw one of my favorite bands live (pre-COVID, lol)

Some of these are just fun things, but others have been Major Life Changes. During COVID. Send help.

Like, I'm not going to lie, some parts of 26 were really dark and difficult (read: March 2020). There have also been light spots (buying a PlayStation 4, friend dinners, meeting a cool human). But ultimately, this year has been the year of change. Maybe that's why I've tended to be more nostalgic lately. But! God is good. Even though I've had to get out of my comfort zone this year, I've grown a lot and it's rewarding to see how God used circumstances to grow me closer to Him. Heck yes!

This year for my birthday I just wanted to get off the grid a little, so my family and I hightailed it up to Ye Olde Writing Cabin to spend time in nature.

And eat cheesecake. That as well. I know the world isn't back to normal yet, and maybe things will be different for a while, but I feel strangely hopeful as I begin Day One of Year 27. And it's just nice to be with my family in a place of peace for a couple of days.

I can't believe I've been blogging long enough to have this many archived birthday posts, but if you want to peruse old ones, here they are: 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! I haven't blogged in a hot minute because of all of the aforementioned life changes, but I still love this space and hope all of you are doing well.

I'll try to write soon, maybe. If there's anything you want me to write about, let me know. And tell me how you are doing in the comments!

Is this the real life or is this just fantasy,

E

Goodbye, Groundhog Day

This is the smol writing cabin I sometimes write about in posts. Spent a couple of days there quarantining and trying to put words on the page with my novel.

 There is no better way to describe the month of April than "Groundhog Day." Due to quarantine, it has felt largely like I've been living the same day over and over again. When I look back on April 2020 years from now, it is likely I will remember a lot of time spent indoors, searching for jobs, and novel writing (read also: crying, oops). 

Needless to say, April was not my favorite, though this month has found me getting closer to the Lord and taking steps of faith, for which I am so, so grateful.

I attempted a Domestic Pursuit and made boxed blueberry muffins the other week (it's a start). They were good! It's weird how something as simple as baking (and licking the batter bowl) can put me in good spirits.

In a way, April was ripping off the Band-Aid of my comfort zone. It was me pouring my heart out to God, securing a new job after a season of uncertainty, getting close to completing the novel I've been trying to write for years, and soon, Lord willing, moving to an apartment. It's all a fresh start. I've been listening to a lot of records again, which I somehow got out of the habit of, and one of the lyrics that's piercing me is from the band Whitney's second album:

"Tell me everything is just beginning, I don't feel alive but I've been living. Back when we were young, we would ride. Though the changes come, you'll get by. Anything could happen."

That's oddly how I feel now, entering May: Anything could happen. Maybe before that would have paralyzed me. I'll probably still have bad days, but I feel good things ahead for May. Starting a new job and moving out during Super Dark Pandemic Times might sound crazy, but this whole journey has been about faith and trusting God for me. Staying safe and smart, of course, but not fearful. I'm trying not to be afraid anymore, which is something that used to really take root in my life.

I'll still have my moments. I'll still miss people. I'll still look back on the past with rose-colored glasses, as I always have, but now it's time to go. It's time for a NEW THING.

Ok, but a NEW THING doesn't mean I'll stop listening to old favorites (I see you, Avril).

I hope all of you are doing well, taking heart! That this time has given you a chance to reassess what is most important to you. For me, I realized that I want a slower, simpler pace of life. I want to trust the Lord more, and to listen to more music, to write daily, to take steps of faith, and to drink only decaf coffee. To read more books. What have you learned during quarantine? Let me know in the comments!

"I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord." - Ezekiel 34:15

Current Favorites: This song (*tears up*) | Also this one (my mood) | Reading outdoors

Entering a new season,
E

The Quiet Life

Sitting on the porch, listening to the birds' song, I realize: I want to live a simple life. This is certainly not the first time I've thought this, and it won't be the last, but it sticks. I want to have a simple life, moving quietly and humbly through the world. I want to rejoice in a thousand little things and put less weight on the trap of appearances.

I was raised this way, I was born to want this.

Maybe it was thrifting trips with my grandparents or spending time in nature at an early age. Maybe it was born from those days spent fishing with my childhood best friend, something that was both a ritual and a reset - but somewhere along the way, all of these little, simple things sunk their teeth in me and got me hooked. And I just want to live the "quiet life," as 1st Thessalonians puts it.

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you."
- 1st Thessalonians 4:11

The Quiet Life: Mornings like this one, spent on porches; cups of coffee and worshipping in community groups; trees, many trees; making a vision board; buying somebody's old stuff at a thrift store and calling it treasure. Iced green tea; novel writing and novel reading; a lazy record on a lazy Sunday; trips to the bookstore; writing by hand in purple ink; looking at old photographs; running, singing, dreaming. Baking cookies.

I have determined that I don't want much.

I am grateful that a life can consist of these simple things and somehow feel full. Our world may be broken, but there is still such a beauty to it. And a certain giddiness fills me now that it is September, arguably my favorite month of the year, with all of the goodness that it brings.

Reasons to love September (an ode):

Thoughts of fall; pumpkin spice lattes; an excuse to resurrect the sweaters in my wardrobe (if Florida will let me); my birthday; school supplies; etc., etc.
I rejoice in these little things.

I always try to write goals for the new month, and September is no different.

I feel newness, good things coming. This summer was a season of growth and change. I feel like fall is going to be about joy and victory. I want to claim all the good things God has for me this month.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
- Isaiah 43:18-19

A song for your Sunday! Do take a listen if you feel so inclined. 

With joy,

E

QUIET | Why I Want to Say Yes to More Quiet Time in May

Easter morning was spent on the back porch of my parents' house in the country, swathed in a sweater and drinking chai tea. The day before, what seemed like my entire extended family arrived to celebrate, but the next morning was quiet, still. There is a certain amount of peace surrounding these kinds of places that words can't do justice. Whenever I visit small towns and this little country house in particular, I feel whole. My only job is to unplug and be present.

Even so, I don't always do the best job of this.

Our lives are so easily filled with noise these days. I'm not saying that we all need to move out to the country to escape it all (wait that's exactly what I'm saying) but I think we have to find ways to cope with the constant surge of sound present in our daily lives. At least in my own experience, any given day can be filled with noise from the media, social networks, texts, emails, music, even my own thoughts. That's why this month will be devoted to posts about pursuing QUIET.

The posts will kind of piggyback on last month's theme, VOICE.
I think that we can create best and really have an impact with our words
when we take time away from everything and rest in the silence.

So, what does QUIET look like? Why should we value it, and what does it mean in terms of places, faces and mental spaces? (I promise I'll stop rhyming; it was just super good timing. OOPS.) I hope to explore posts about this in May, and *throws confetti* we will also have a special top-secret guest poster sharing her thoughts as well!

As always, if you guys have anything you'd like to
see me post about this month, let me know!

I'll leave you with a verse that has been a favorite this year (emphasis mine):

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,
to mind your own business and to work
with your hands, just as we told you."
- 1st Thessalonians 4:11

I don't know about you, but the quiet life sounds pretty darn lovely to me.

What about you?

What do you do to step away from the noise of everything? What kinds of activities do you enjoy that allow you to unplug from the constant stream of sound?
Hoping your May is off to a stellar start! 🌸

It's the first post in the QUIET series!
Which I actually managed to publish on the first day of the month.
Not too shabby if I do say so myself!

What I Learned From Spending Time Offline

Hello, friends. I hope you all had a great weekend!

Lately I've been trying to spend my weekends as offline as possible. (Hence more of a tumbleweed-zone around the blog, my bad, my bad.) I owe this in large part to my lists. I've always loved to write lists - lists about my favorite things, lists about books I want to read, grocery lists, you name it. But I also love to write lists about my goals and how I can improve the quality of my day to day life. A recurring theme? GET OFFLINE.

I don't know about you, but the more time I spend online, the more I turn into a less than desirable version of myself. As in, I start falling into the trap of comparison and end up wasting time and draining myself. #Bleh

As amazing a tool as the Internet can be, for me, it can also be harmful. So I've been trying to unplug as much as possible starting each week after work on Friday. This isn't always easy, but I've been largely attempting to avoid social media and instead spend more time in the real, physical world.

Side-Effects of Living an Offline Life

More coffee shops. The beauty of being online is that you can have community without having to speak, but the same thing can be true of coffee shops. Writing and reading over an iced green tea while listening to good tunes and the sounds of people all around you = instant inspiration and peace.


More Jesus. My prayer life definitely gets stronger when I'm not focusing as much on notifications or comparing myself to people on the 'Gram.

More reading. My number one go-to when I can't be online? Reading books. Take some time to unplug and grab a good book. Depending on the book, it can feel like an instant adventure.

More walks, more tea, more music...More everything, really.

What about you?

What are your thoughts on spending time offline? (You know, this is all very ironic, since I love keeping up this blog and I can't do that without the Internet.) What are your favorite things to do in real life? Any tips for unplugging?

Have a great Monday and start to your week, friends. You've got this.

Sunday Simplicity

What's in the bag? IT'S THE NUTELLA POP TART, MY DUDES.

I have to say, Sundays are the best.

I know that at times they can be stressful, because the next day is Monday, with the rest of the week just around the corner. But there's something beautiful to me about those quiet Sunday moments, something wonderful about that reflective pause right before the week begins.

This weekend, I went up to the writing cabin.

Just to spend some time offline helped me feel so renewed. Sitting on the porch and relaxing and visiting a coffee shop where I could look ahead at the week and plan...that was wonderful. And that's what I feel on Sundays, that anticipation of the next week and a contented sort of peace.

Sunday favorites:

The Sunday morning paper; early morning runs to see the sunrise; church with the family; the highly-anticipated and super lazy Sunday Afternoon Nap; watching movies with the family and catching up on blogs; prepping for the week ahead; reading and drinking tea. Sundays are the jam, folks.

What about you?

What is your favorite kind of Sunday? Do you have any fun routines that you follow on the weekend? What are you looking forward to this week? P.S. Thanks so much for all your sweet comments on my last post. Y'all rock. ♥

Unplugging: How Do You Live the Slow-Paced Life?

Hi, friends!

I hope you all had a restful three-day weekend! Me and my Mom hightailed it to the writing cabin this weekend for running, reading and relaxing. (And also listening to the new Taylor Swift album, which I can confidently say is a SOLID BOP.) Being away from my usual tech-filled surroundings for a little bit has got me thinking even more about social media and what it means to live a slow-paced life.

Here's What I've Learned:

I rely on technology a lot for entertainment. Being away from a stable internet connection made me realize just how much I am always checking my notifications. Like, constantly. Being without the internet forced me to do things that I usually tell myself I don't have the time for - like writing my novel (*ahem*), reading, taking walks, reading the Word and going for a run.

Doing nothing is underrated.

Often I feel like I have to be productive or doing something meaningful at all times, but there's something to be said for just recharging. It reminds me of this verse:



Contemplating clouds and counting your blessings sound like such cliche ways to unwind, but these are a couple of things that made this weekend so peaceful and whole.

Also, a salted caramel cookie skillet from Outback. WOWZA

It's okay not to share everything. Living slow-paced for a couple of days showed me just how plugged-in and update-hungry I am sometimes. I don't need to share everything, nor do I always need to know what everyone else is up to! It's fun to share, of course, but there is also something blissful in relishing a moment and forgetting about the online world...

...because the offline world can be a pretty amazing place, too. On Saturday I went for a run on a nature trail and I didn't see a single person, only one solitary deer hiding in the trees. (Same.) I found myself praising God for the sky and the trees and mornings. Nature is such a wonderful re-energizer. ♥

What about you?

Do you have a favorite way to decompress from the fast-paced life? Are you reading anything awesome currently? Have you listened to Taylor Swift's new album yet? ONCE AGAIN, IT'S A BOP

God, Friends, & Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Every now and then the Lord blesses me in such an incredibly specific way that it just blows my mind. And let me just say, this weekend has been Blessed To The Max. THE MAX

Before I delve into the gloriousness, I wanted to preface this post by saying that at the start of Sunday morning I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. A bit blue. Lately I have been noticing that sometimes, friends grow up, get out, and move on. Other times, this may only be my perception of things. But regardless, I was feeling a bit hurt, a bit lonely. And I was lifting that up to the Lord like a pitiful, mopey child: 

"Do I even have friends anymore?"

Cue God being God. {He's pretty good at that.}

My sister (on the right) got a text from my cousin (in the middle) inviting us to tag along with her on a mini road-trip reunion of sorts, to visit our old Bible college. Which I was a bit apprehensive about, because not only have I not been back to my Bible college in a year, but I also left it feeling quite negative about the whole experience. And so I was a little nervous about going back, especially because I felt like maybe no one there liked or remembered or cared about me.

This was my prayer:

"Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as He did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.'"

~ Deuteronomy 1:29-31

And well, God totally answered it.

When we arrived, our friends flocked to us, laughing and hugging us all, some almost tearful. {The visit was a surprise.} It was so refreshing to talk to my old pals and hear how much they had missed me, what God was doing in their lives, and to remember good times.

It's cheesy to say, but through that one visit, I could feel all the lies and bitterness and negative thoughts I'd had about Bible college and my friends for a solid year just fall away.

To think that God would answer my prayer of hurt feelings with a visit of such tenderness and joy, only several hours later, well....that is something to me.

After the visit, my cousin and sister and I crashed at my parent's tiny cottage an hour or so away, and slept hard. {Introverts + a full day of socializing = major recharge time.} Then this morning on our way home, we decided we'd better stop for breakfast. We "randomly" stumbled upon this bistro we'd probably passed a hundred times, but never ever eaten at before. Lo and behold, the place was not only adorable, but our waitress was also a Christian and knew people from our hometown! From my cousin's very church, in fact!

You may also note that my cousin and I are holding fabulous plates of CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES WITH WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP. Silly to say, but this was a moment of mini-liberation for me, as I usually never allow myself to enjoy such treats like this. But today was something different...a step in the right direction, yes?

When I got home, the mailman delivered me the Mumford and Sons vinyl I ordered a week or so ago. {Also set to arrive soon? Gerard Way's Hesitant Alien and The Killers' Hot Fuss records.}

WELL HOT DANG!

I remember once that my pastor said if you ask God to take you on adventures, He will. And I don't know, these past two days have felt very much like adventure to me. And none of it can I take credit for! Jesus is just that good. He rights the wrongs, shouts the truth, and heals my hurt heart.

God is good. 

+ I have so much more I could say about all of this, but this post is already a veritable novel as it is, so I shall refrain. But please let me know how you all are doing, because I have been pretty MIA in the blogging world as of late...egad!

casual sunday

Hello, humans!

I had to, don't judge me.

It may be the last day of Spring Break,
and I might be crying a little inside just thinking
of all the assignments and projects I've procrastinated,
but today is the bomb and I know the week ahead is going to be radical.

Ain't nothing stopping me today, yo.

CURRENT MOOD:

Also, I just got back from another brief but blessed trip to my favorite little Writing Cabin, and it was a rockin' weekend! And by rockin', I mean I spent hours writing, and then watched a film with my parents.
But I prayed beforehand that God would bless the trip, and He did.

JOY & MIRTH WERE HAD BY ALL:

- I ate cookie dough brownies. Cookie dough brownies! If you've never had the great delight of consuming one of these Frankenpastries, you seriously need to go bake a batch because they're splendid. Whoever thought to combine the hearty and fudgy brownie with the humble and crumbly cookie was a genius. Aaaand now I'm craving one.

- I ran a total of twelve miles on the little nature trail just outside the house, and during one run I kicked it old school, sans iPod. This was mostly because of the threat of so-called "imminent rain" (which never did materialize), but it was nice to not have to attend to my sometimes unwieldy earbuds. You should try it sometime. The birds were chirping and I had no way to check my distance, so I just ran. Kind of freeing!

- I went to a diner and tried bread pudding.
That stuff is moist and tasty, but it ain't no cookie dough brownie, son.

- The Lord gave me a revelation about my novel. I don't know if any of you other writers can relate, but out of the blue God just hit me with a plot twist/backstory I should include in my novel that I never saw coming. Adding to the epicness was the fact that this revelation came while I was listening to the powerful and poignant Simon and Garfunkel track,"Bridge Over Troubled Water," during my morning nature walk.

- I finished reading Jackaby. As casual a reader as I thought I was, I actually got a little bit emotional when this book ended. I don't know, sometimes I get attached to characters. I didn't think I was that invested, but wow, I guess I was...? Jackaby blindsided me with his lovability, what can I say?

P.S. I'm in the process of making the vlog, aka bearing my soul to you all. Which is fun and a bit nerve-wrecking, but dare I say it's in the works, folks.

+ What about you? How has your weekend been? 

And tell me, would you pick brownies or cookies if you could only eat one?

musings in the key of life

Wow, y'all, it's March. I know it's a stereotypical blogger thing to comment on the passing of time, but seriously, March?! I feel like 2016 is flying by. I thought I would be more prepared for March when it came around this year, but here it is, upon me like a ninja I never saw coming.

Life lately, now condensed in glorious list-form:

+ Birds are out to get me: The other day I was driving to class and I almost hit a low-flying bird. A low-flying bird! Thankfully, it flew past and I slowed down enough to avoid hitting it, but I almost had a pigeon homicide on my hands. I don't know about you, but I don't want that on my conscience.

+ The Amazing Tour is Not on Fire: Me and my cousin decided we were going to Act Our Age and demonstrated it by purchasing tickets to go see Dan and Phil on tour this spring. I initially felt ridiculous, but I am slowly moving into the territory of No Regrets. It'll be a fun bonding moment with Daisy, that's for sure.

+ Rrrrr: I played a pirate in my Sunday School skit the other day. A STAR IS BORN

+ Miles to go before I sleep: I don't think I ever blogged about this, but the other day I ran my first half marathon! I wasn't in a race or anything; I just ran 13.1 miles on my own, but it was a cool experience. I love long distance running, and it's fun to see my progress.

+ The Lord gives me hope: Found some gnifty verses this morning. I've been feeling discouraged lately, but God reminds me gently that He loves me, and He cares:

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. 
Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death."
~ Psalm 68:19-20

+ How to be a recluse in 10 steps or your money back: Last weekend I drove up to the writing cabin and spent two days of seclusion eating split pea soup, running, and most importantly, writing and editing my novel. It was wonderful to actually get something accomplished on that front!

+ What have you been up to lately? What are you excited about accomplishing in March?

i know it's gotta stop, love, but i don't know how

After a busy but fun week of plans with friends and family, I'm rising before the sun tomorrow to drive the winding, woodsy roads. They will lead me to my parent's teensy canary yellow cabin, where I plan to write my novel and run long distance on the little trail beyond the doorstep.

This may be the smallest of adventures, but I am so excited. 

I love planning the little details of a trip -- which music I'll listen to on the drive up, what foods I'm going to bring, which books will be my companion in the evenings. These things light me up inside.

 And that's probably because I'm 22 going on 85 years old. 

Seriously, am I the only one who gets wickedly excited when packing for a trip, however small?

+ I probably should post this on my music blog, and maybe I will later, but OH MY GOODNESS, I found a new favorite song and like a junkie I've listened to it 35 consecutive times. That's how you know it's killer! Check it out and tell me what you think!