what else, you may ask?

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Peachy













Today I channeled my inner Southern self and picked some peaches. Although it was quite the drive out there and we were forced to combat the million degree weather, by the time my head hit the pillow - I realized how good of a day it was.

And if you haven't learned one thing about me yet, it is that I am all for recognizing the good days.

Here's to an infinite amount of good days filled with sticky peaches and lovely friends.

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grace

**my week in pictures? click here!
**also -- see my full peach picture journal here!

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Unstoppable



Hope everyone is having the BEST summer -- I know I am :)
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grace

Want to see my week in pictures? Click here!

Monday, June 15, 2015

What A Year

In true Filled With Grace fashion, I am a day late. As of yesterday, I have had this blog for a full year! For some strange reason, people stick around to read my rants on a day to day basis and for that -- I am so grateful.

I started this blog simply to serve as a creative outlet. Some time ago, I had the epiphany of the fact that I am not the only teen going through this. I am not the only one with struggles and questions. I am not the only one wandering around looking for my place in life. There are thousands of other kids, teenagers, adults even, struggling with the same things I am.

Joy has been something I have been focusing on for the past few years and let me tell you, this blog and the people who I have come in contact with because of simply writing has brought me more joy than anything. There is not really any way to describe the feeling of someone telling you that your work helped them. The idea that my rants thrown onto my own website altered somebody's path or way of life is truly daunting. I am so, so, SO blessed to have had the opportunity to have created something like this.

So really I am here to thank you. Thank you first of all for even reading this. Thank you for the emails, phone calls, texts, and comments filled with love and joy about my work. Thank you for the coffee dates where we got to simply talk about the insurmountable love of Jesus. Thank you to those who took the time to proofread my work or let me interview them. Thank you to those who pushed me to do what I love and tolerated my crazy, compulsive attitude along the way. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I love each and every one of you dearly.

Here's to many more years of crazy, all over the place rants and nearly never on time studies of the Bible.

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grace

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

While in the midst of studying for finals, starting my final thesis papers, and handling my normal homework load -- some will ask why I am taking time to blog while I should be hiding out in a cafe or library hovering over my books. And to those who were going to ask that or to those who are now curious because I have brought it up - I assure you this post is part of my English paper. So you see, I am killing two birds with one stone.

For my English project, we were given a poetry anthology from which we were asked to pick a single poem. Without knowing what it was for or why we would need this poem, I picked "To Everything There Is A Season," a passage from Ecclesiastes. It stuck out to me immediately because I have read this passage before and I adore it. We went on to learn that we would have to teach the poem of our choice to the class during one class period. No more, no less. So as I finally sat down to work up my lesson plan, I realized how big of a meaning this passage has. I dug into every line, looking for clues and studying the careful choice of words. I compared four different versions: King James, New King James, New International, and New Living. I dug into the history of the book which lead me to Solomon, the author of this book. Which leads me to the point of this post.

Solomon. For those who don't know about Solomon (which was me up until an hour ago), here is some of the history I have acquired from my dig. He is believed to have written three books: Ecclesiastes in his older age, Proverbs in his middle age, and Song of Solomon in his young age. He was crowned King in the first chapter of 1 Kings and his reign takes up the first part of 2 Chronicles.

Solomon was wise. Every book I've read and website I've come across says that he was KNOWN FOR his wisdom. In the first chapter of 1 Chronicles, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask for anything he wanted and it would be his. Solomon, being a man of character, asked for the wisdom to rule and to know right from wrong. God was so pleased and told Solomon that "since this is your heart's desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you my king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given [to] you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions, and honor, such as no king before you ever had and none after you will have" (2 Chron 1:11-12).

That could be the coolest thing in the Bible!! Solomon was patient and had his priorities straight. He did not want money or fame, he wanted wisdom. And because his priorities were straight, God rewarded him big time. This is such an example for us. When we pray, we should ask the Lord for things like wisdom and the ability to tell right from wrong.

I may not have it all figured out but I do know this: money is fleeting. When judgement day comes, the amount of money you have will not be the determining factor on if you are let through the gates. In fact it won't even be the slightest of a determining factor. Those who asked for things like wisdom, the ability to love, and to have a joyful heart will be the ones walking past you into the kingdom of heaven of you rely on worldly items like money.

So in conclusion, I'd say it is pretty cool that I am about to be able to speak the Word of God to my class this week. I'd say it is pretty cool that God called me to select this piece of writing to dig into. I'd say it is pretty cool that God is working through me.

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grace

ps. prayers please!!! finals are hard and stressful and time consuming but summer is so close I can feel it!!

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Ode To The Good Days

here is an appreciation post for the good days.

early last week, after finishing one of the many tennis practices that have been on the agenda, I took a moment to dump some thoughts into my tumblr:

Today, the first thing I said when I got into the car was, “today was a good day.” You know I think there is a lot to be said for this. We spend so many days waiting to get back in bed or for the day to be over. We wish away time waiting for some day in the future. When one single bad thing happens, we classify that day as a bad day. So here is a recognition post for a good day. Here’s to stringing together more good days. Here’s to a lifetime filled with joyous good days.
--Ode to the good days (4-8-15)

so once again, as I got in bed tonight after another crazy day -- this thought crossed my mind again. "Today was a good day."

this week was a good one. a really good one. this week I felt like myself again. I didn't feel like I was changing to be someone for someone or something else. I got to spend time with people who really make me happy. and I got to do things I love.

happy heart going into this week y'all. 

here's to making everyday a good day. 

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grace

ps. checkout my week in pictures here!! 

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Scatter Brained and Reflective

hello my loves:)

these past few weeks have been probably the craziest of my school year thus far so here is a crazy, scatter-brained attempt of a glimpse into my life at the moment.

with dozens of tests before spring break, i was cramming non stop like a mad man. right after i finished my last exam, my family and i hopped on a plane and headed straight to the big apple. man oh man, was that heaven on earth. time flew there as well, the days all seemed to run together due to the amount of fun we were having.

after we got home from the big city, we celebrated my birthday on the 22 and then classes resumed the following day. i dove right back into all the craziness. among the many things, tennis season is now well underway and making me a bit crazy. with practices every day and my own weight training / fitness regime thrown in, i am beyond exhausted. i pretty much go from the classroom to the court to my desk and then fall into my bed at night.

to top it all off, i'm in quite a reflective period at the moment. things are falling into perspective for me and i'm learning more about myself than i ever thought was possible. not that this has been easy by any means, but i have faith that this will only propel me forward on this crazy journey.

now that we're in the final, home stretch for summer, i am hoping things will calm down (as i type this i realize the irony in the fact that this is merely the calm before the storm and that i will be forced to face final exams before i even begin to picture myself laying by the pool). i'm ready for some time off and the opportunity to pour more of my time into things i love.

God is good, y'all. we can never forget that.

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grace

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Oh, The City

Surprise!

I just got back from my favorite place on earth (NYC!!) & I'm still over the moon. I had the best time with my family and made a few friends along the way.

We stayed for six days, covering everything from the suburbs in Jersey to the Upper East Side. I am feeling more like a New Yorker everyday!

I would love, love, love it if y'all checked out my pictures by clicking here. It is my online photo journal of the trip!

lots of love!

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grace