Back Seat Driving

I once heard faith being described as driving at 100 mph in dense fog, with little to no sight.

Honestly, I love the idea of faith… Putting complete trust in God is simply beautiful. Giving up the wheel to your life and sitting in the passenger seat while God steers sounds so relaxing.

Yet, why do we find ourselves trying to take over?

Biblical advice? Trust God. He has everything under control. He might speed up or slow down, take another route unexpectedly or swerve to dodge an obstacle in the road. Don’t worry. God is the best driver and you wouldn’t want anybody else driving your car… Especially you.

So enjoy the ride from the passenger seat where you can sit back and relax while God does the hard part.

Let go of the wheel and let God drive… And don’t be a back seat driver.

Embrace Change

Change is scary.

Life will never be the same again.

You’re taken by surprise.

The empty void implies hardship.

So, in general, change is avoided.

 

Yet…

Change is exciting.

You get to redirect your path in life.

Life without surprises would be boring.

The empty void gets to be filled with a new “something”.-(If the void was “meant to be”, then it wouldn’t be empty in the first place.”)

So, embrace any and all changes that come your way.

 

Befriend a person you wouldn’t normally.

Take a random class you don’t need.

Listen to different music than you normally do.

Read a book, not from your favorite genre section at B&N.

Paint your nails a weird color.

Choose a different path to run.

Order a different meal from your favorite restaurant.

Text somebody you don’t ever talk to.

No, scratch that. Don’t text them. Just call them.

Try out a new venue to hang out at.

Watch a cartoon movie.

Move your reading spot. Read outside in the yard on a blanket.

Whatever it is that you usually don’t do, DO IT. And whatever it is that you usually do, DON’T DO IT.

Change life up because change is beautiful and life needs a little sprucing up.

 

A Blessing in Numbers

The Folklore Four has been reunited…

Blessings come in many forms, whether it be a job, a closed door, or simply… An amazing group of friends that only can be explained by divine intervention.

Let’s get serious.

What are the odds that four girls, two from West Texas, one from New Mexico, and one from Southwest Kansas would be best friends?

We are all… Well, “different” in our own way.

There’s a gypsy photographer…

a witty glasses-wearing hipster…

a K-State-loving rancher’s daughter…

and a book-obsessed farm girl… me.

What is the one thing we all have in common?

God.

One of the most amazing things about God is that He has the ability to bring people together. Not only just bringing people together, but people that have little to none in common otherwise.

We have varying religious beliefs, hobbies, talents, interests, goals in life, music tastes, thoughts and ideas. However, that’s what makes our little friend group so… So magical.

So, when it comes down to it, there is a blessing in numbers. Well, there is a blessing in four… The Folklore Four.

Making the World Stop

We’re busy. And by “we”, I mean myself… You… And the other billions of people inhabiting this planet.

Being busy is gilded. We get a lot done when we keep to a strict schedule. At least we think we do. Yet, while we’re “getting things done”, there is a whole other world that we’re missing out on.

We’ve become so addicted to being busy, it’s almost like a drug. The busier we get, the more we tend to pile on. Much like drugs, being busy has it’s own consequences that play out on our spiritual, mental and physical health.

Ultimately, being busy isn’t good. The world gets to spinning and it spins on and on and on. Eventually, the spinning picks up faster and faster and faster. Spinning on till eventually we can’t take anymore.

Sometimes, we need to simply make the world stop.

Go to a slow place. Whether it be the shower, running down the dirt road, or hunkering down in between bookshelves at the library. Go there and shut the world off from your mind. Say a prayer, meditate, sing your favorite spiritual. Do anything. Or do nothing at all.

Simply take a deep breathe… and make the world stop… if only for a moment.

Keep Calm and… No, Seriously. Keep Calm!

There are officially 42 days left till Christmas break.

Hallelujah.

Can I get an amen?

Amen.

 

42 days sounds like forever away.

But… it’s not.

 

So what does that mean?

Get your homework done, your essays written, and study for your tests.

 

Students, if you think you’re stressed out, imagine what your teachers are feeling like.

Chances are, they are teaching more than one class with roughly 20-130 students… per class.

That’s a lot.

 

Teachers, you know your students are stressed.

You can see it on their faces, in their homework and by the face that they are either dozing off during class or they simply don’t come.

 

My point is… EVERYBODY IS STRESSED.

So, give each other a break and just breathe!

Keep calm and learn on!

Just remember there are 42 days till Christmas break!

Letting Go

Let’s face it.

There are things that we have hoarded up in our lives.

Ideas… People… Books… (Okay maybe it’s just me on the last one.)

 

The issue is that these things may not always be good for us.

We all have ideas that are stale, preventing a fresh look on life.

Or people that weigh us down, keeping us from growing.

We have to let go of them.

 

When we keep hanging on, it’s like failing to let go of the ski rope after you’ve fallen.

Just because you’ve fallen doesn’t mean that life stops.

The boat keeps traveling, at the same speed, while you’re being drug behind.

All because you refuse to let go.

 

My point is that nothing in this life is permanent.

Everything is temporary.

That’s just the way that God designed life.

 

I know letting go is scary.

The fear of the unknown hangs over you, clouding your perception.

However, looking up and seeing the boat turning around to come save you, there isn’t any better feeling.

Pushing Self

Let’s face it, we’re lazy.

Bare minimum, that’s our motto.

We do just enough to get by.

 

We’re still getting things “done”.

So what’s the harm?

The harm is we’re robbing ourselves.

 

We need to get out there and exercise. Exercise…

Our souls.

Our brains.

Our bodies.

 

What are we doing to lift our spiritual muscles?

Much like our physical bodies, our spiritual ones can experience atrophy.

Pray. Read your bible. Follow Him.

Never be afraid to share Him with others.

 

Apply yourself at school.

Do your homework.

Make real-life applications.

What’s the point of getting an education if you’re so busy going through the motions that you’re missing the most important point: learning.

 

Do your body a favor: work out.

We get busy, I understand.

But just because you’re too busy to work out doesn’t mean that cellulite isn’t too busy to take up residence in your body.

Out of shape? Body aching? Its not pain. Its your body is thanking you for finally getting active. Trust me.

 

Don’t just get by.

Live life.

Push yourself.

 

P.S. If you look closely enough… You can see hints of poetry.

Kid President

You know all things are right in the world when you watch Kid President on the first day of class.

He’s simply… inspiring.

Don’t just take my word for it, watch for yourself.

 

School has been in session for a few weeks now. Homework is beginning to pile up. Tests are beginning to start. Free time is not so “free” anymore. Stress is beginning to take it’s toll.

When you feel like you’re about to burst… Or that you can’t deal with all the things that life is throwing at you, stop and watch Kid President.

BECAUSE…

“It’s time to be more awesome.” -Kid President

 

Not All Who Wander Are Lost… Or Are They?

As much as it pains me to say this, Mr. Tolkien, you’re wrong.

If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and I would never say such fighting words. However, I’m beginning to think that Tolkien didn’t have one of those first days of college.

Monday, I might have been walking briskly around campus trying to find all of my classes. I might have walked into the wrong classroom but I acted as if it was totally natural and walked right out to find the right one. However, when it was said and done, Monday was a somewhat hectic, but good day.

How was your first day? Did you have an awesome day? Or maybe an embarrassing moment? Leave your story in a comment below!

Mountain love.

Mountains are love.

They’re simple. They’re natural. They’re proof that God exists.

Mountains are home.

Mountains are abandoned.

Mountains are friendships.

Yet at the end of the weekend, the flatness of West Texas is calling me home where a tractor awaits me.