Music always seems to fuel me. It pumps me up. It calms me down. It makes my day more fun. It causes me to think.
I enjoy music so much and thought it would be fun to quickly share some songs I've been enjoying lately. Here are 5 (well 6, but by 5 artists) songs I'm loving.
When I go for a run, I'm always ready to run a bit faster when Nothing but the Blood by Citizens comes on. I still feel that I'm in the baby phase of running (as in I'm still learning the how to and I'm not very good yet) but my goodness, it feels good to run.
When the baby I nanny doesn't nap and we need to have a dance party, I'm quick to turn to Pharrell and sing the modern version of if you're Happy and you know it, clap your hands! Who am I kidding, I listen to this even if the baby does nap!
I like this song when it comes on during my run because it makes me feel like I can do anything. It also actually inspired me to buy a lipstick that was more peach in nature. It took me a few listens to dig this song, but dang, now I love International Smile by Katy Perry.
The lyrics for this song live on my chalkboard in my living room. I instagrammed the photos and then realized I had made a spelling error. Ugh. Each time I listen to Only Hope I've Got by Ellie Holcomb, I pray that the words will remain true for my heart.
I get really excited when my friends do cool things. A friend of mine, Ben Lam, recently released a FREE!!!!! EP called Transition. He plays on the worship team at church and he is one talented musician. The album is an electronic album and features a couple of my friends on two of the songs. Hearts Colliding features my friend Tiffany Haines and is a great song. Taste the Sun feels like a vacation. I love it.
What music are you loving lately?
Early evening yesterday, my friend Stef came over. I already had the front door open and was enjoying the surprisingly spring-like weather. She walked in and I suggested a walk. My roommate Alex joined us and we set off. We talked about our hearts and the things going on, and it was lovely.
We got home and enjoyed dinner and more conversation.
At one point, Stef asked me what my story was.
For the next, probably thirty minutes of longer, I shared my testimony.
It’s easy now, four years into a solid relationship with Christ to forget the nearly two years I spent not living for Him It’s easy to forget how very enticed I became with sin, how I served myself, and how He kept protecting me.
I often tell people of how, during my time away from Christ, I made decisions that should have had very distinct and serious repercussions. And God, in His sovereign grace, protected me. He didn’t let things happen that should have, and part of the reason I came back to Him and started to believe the Gospel was because I was so annoyed by His protection.
I’m praying for a heart that better remembers that time, that has better compassion on those who don’t yet believe (or even won’t ever) in the Gospel.
I’m remembering that grace is so good, even better the more I know it.
Jesus saves. He saved me and I really believe that He will save more.
Tell your story. Remind yourself that once you were blind and now you see. Remind yourself that at one time you were dead in your sin, but now you are alive in Christ.
Remind yourself that Jesus saved you from the darkest and worst thing possible, which is eternity away from Him. He gave you Himself, and that is truly the best.
When I was at The Influence Conference in the fall, I kept hearing the word tender. Like, all the time. Tender this, tender that, oh Lord, keep us tender.
I wasn’t quite sure about the word. It isn’t a buzz word here in Vancouver but it surely is one online. It’s a fancy word that is supposed to share a lot, yet I’m never quite sure exactly what it’s meant to say.
As I’ve looked to define it, I’ve found things that speak of softness and delicateness. I’ve read about it not being hard, but being soft. One definition mentioned it was being a young age. I couldn’t find any definitions that resonated with my soul. The definitions helped me get what others meant but I hadn't quite found my tenderness.
I read a quote by Zooey Deschenel and it made me stop.
"Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh’ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don’t let someone steal your tenderness. Don’t allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to truly be affected by things. Whether it’s a song, a stranger, a mountain, a rain drop, a tea kettle, an article, a sentence, a footstep, feel it all – look around you. All of this is for you. Take it and have gratitude. Give it and feel love.”
The line in there, “Don’t let someone steal your tenderness”. Isn’t it beautiful?
I want that type of tenderness to define my type of tenderness.
I want to be open. I want to speak up. I want to feel. I want to experience things. I want to be inconsistent in the way I style myself. I want to be warm and bold and utterly affected by things. I want to cry and laugh and maybe even do both in a five minute span. I want to be bothered by things that aren’t right and moved by things that are. I want to hear the words that people speak and know what they mean, and when I’m unsure, I want to ask them to tell me more. I want to speak words worth hearing and learn to listen a lot more than I speak. This is my tenderness.
What's yours?
There's one line in this passage in particular that has stood out to me for weeks every since I looked ahead at all the 90's Psalms (not to be confused with 90's music).
For all the gods of the people are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
That part all the gods of the people are worthless idols, it's stuck with me. It comes to mind when I'm making decisions between things that are good and things that are holy.
I almost simply put that verse over a picture of a cup of coffee to remind myself that the Lord is more giving of life than coffee. But then I didn't because maybe sometimes His grace is a cup of coffee. Or maybe not, so I'll just let this coffee thing go.
I love when I read a scripture and it sticks with me. What's a scripture that's been sticking with you lately?
I like the way Hayley spoke of writing goals that work with what you’re doing. She wrote it far more eloquently so be sure to read her words. I agree with her philosophy because sometimes when I write a list of goals, I get overwhelmed. However taking twenty minutes to think about what I want a month to look like is exciting and fun. It's all about wording for me. Goals = scary. Wants = yay! Anybody else??
February wasn’t a month of failure. Lots got done. Much was enjoyed. I didn't write about my February goals but I did speak a little about accepting grace right in the midst of failure.
Here’s 5 things I did in February.
1.
Decided to go back to school. I’m still waiting to hear back if I got
into the program I want so I won’t share all the details here. Something
happened one day in February though. I was ready to look forward. I
haven’t been looking forward or back for a few months. I’ve simply been
settling in each day, doing each task, and moving on to the next. It’s
been necessary and healthy and now I’m ready to look to tomorrow and
make good decisions. School is a good decision for tomorrow.
2.
I put up my heart headboard. I'll talk a little more about surroundings in my March goals below, but dang it, I
missed my hearts. I don’t use a fan in my new room, so while I don’t hear
them whispering to me all night, but they’re still beautiful and
lovely. I might get a fan again simply so I can hear them whisper over
me.
3.
Other than the last week of the month, I worked out at least 2 times
each week. Believe me when I say that’s an accomplishment!
4. Back in November, I wrote about passion. I've been seeking it out since then. I'm learning to say no to many many things in order to say yes to the right things. In February I said yes to a lot of good conversations with friends, community, adventures, and worship team opportunities. I'm learning that it is okay to pursue the life giving things.
5. I finished Chasing God by Angie Smith. I've got a lot of thoughts on the book and will probably write a review in the coming weeks. I shared quite a bit as I read over on instagram, specifically here, here, here, here and here. P.S. As I went over to my instagram and read the parts of the book I had shared, I was reminded again how much I loved the book!
Now, here are 3 things I’m wanting to do in March.
1. Finish filling up my walls. Much has happened in the last week on my walls which is good momentum for me to keep going and make good decisions about walls. I function best when the space around me is beautiful and inspiring. I also really really really believe that the words we see impact us, even if we don’t read them all the time. So I like to put good and truthful words on my walls. My favourite prints as of late are this one, this one and this one as well.
1b. Share some pictures of my home here on my blog. This is a secondary part of the first goal because it’s not a top priority. But I think it’d be cool to do because I always love seeing other people share their spaces. Maybe it’s time I share mine. The lighting in my home is awful which is crummy for photo taking but I shall attempt to do my best.
2. Keep making healthy choices. January was an easy month to exercise and eat healthy in. February was harder. I still exercised most weeks but eating healthy was hard. I want to keep creating good patters and systems that will help me succeed this month. I realized in January that I actually feel better (emotionally, physically, and surprisingly spiritually as well) when I'm making healthier choices.
3. Invite people over for dinner. I’m hesitant to put a number on this because that will either stretch me or make me feel content once I’ve hit it and stop inviting. For years I’ve wanted to have a weekly or monthly night when I have a lot of people over. I’ve never done it because I’ve been waiting for the right time. Which truly, is silly. It’s never the right time for company and it’s always the right time. Community is a calling on every life because the call for each Christian is to go and make disciples. Jesus spent a lot of time eating meals with his disciples so I want to invite people over and provide space for conversation and full tummies. For my birthday party I had a bunch of friends over for dinner. I loved the time it took to clean my home, make lasagne, and then simply sit back and watch community happened. I want a lot more of that this month.
Now what about you? Hayley hosts a monthly linkup for goals so if you've written a post you should share. Otherwise (and also if you link up there), let me know in the comments what some of you goals are. What's right for your month that will be both life giving and also stretching?
