Melodic

 No, I'd rather not do my homework, thank you. I'd rather spend the last 3 hours of my evening on the carpeted floor of my bedroom, strumming my acoustic guitar and writing songs with my sister. My ethics essay can wait.

Security

Sometimes it's tough to go through my day with confidence and security. When I'm not rooted in the Word of God, I can easily put my eyes on myself, or my perceived problems, when I have such a full, blessed life. One such way I do this is by worrying. I worry a lot, it seems. About school, about my body; even about worrying itself! God brought this verse to mind today and it made me smile:

You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me. ~ Psalm 139: 5

I love the imagery of God weaving our bodies out of the dust of the earth and creating us to be full, beautiful people. He breathed life into us and gives us our vibrancy.

For in Him we live and move and have our being. ~ Acts 17:28a

I find that I compare myself to others so often, and it's not healthy. It's selfish. Instead of focusing on my shortcomings, or feeling strangely triumphant by tearing someone else down in my head, I need to remember that we are all beautifully and wonderfully made, and that God has His hand on me.

I really needed to hear this verse today.

Just in Case

I've had this suitcase ever since I was very young. I used to be a Care Bears fanatic back in the day. (My entire plushie collection is still being stored somewhere up in the rafters of my attic as I type this. My parents have been very....caring.) Anyways, I love the saying on this suitcase: "Setting sail for grandma's". I would always take this with me when my parents went on mini-vacations, and I stayed behind with my grandparents.

One time, I even used it to run away. I filled it to the brim with books and other things to read, my partner in crime, and threatened to leave after a really bad fight with my parents. I was like, eight. I never left. I just sat out on a bench outside reading books from the suitcase until it got too dark to see. Nowadays, the case remains under my bed until I go somewhere. But when I do, I break it out and spend an impossibly long amount of time choosing what I want to bring with me -- books, magazines, journals to write in, a print out draft of my novel. I may not be running away, but it's always nice to have something to read.