Let me be poetic for a moment and say that summer reminds me of a melody: dozens of lines, stanzas stacked one on top of the other, notes sprinkled across the page in a dozen different patterns, and the occasional crescendo here or there. Many of the notes might be the same, just played in a different order. One or two lines could be repeated, but a musician rarely plays a song exactly the same twice (at least I don't). 

This summer has been an interesting composition. A mix of hopeful and minor keys, it certainly didn't live up to my expectations. Thanks to the little surprise twist my Composer threw in - turning the world on its head - I have been forced to look outside myself and realize something:

It's not about what life holds for you, it's what you bring to it. 

It is so easy to get wrapped up in this world - a single, feeble line in the grand scheme of a symphony - and forget that this is not my home. I am not here simply to suck every ounce of pleasure out of life, to revel in my accomplishments, or even to shoot for the stars and chase my dreams. If that were so, I am afraid that life would disappoint me. Instead, my ultimate purpose as a child of God is to serve others and glorify my Creator.

​All else - the beauty of a sunrise, the excitement of hearing my favorite song on the radio, sipping pumpkin spice lattes, relaxing on the back of a horse as it grazes and watching the clouds float by, the joy of reaching for the stars and dreaming big - all these little joys flow from that truth. I am His and He is mine.

Now... to remind myself often, because it is all too easy to write down the truth, and then walk away and forget.

​"We have all eternity to celebrate the victories but only a few hours before sunset to win them."
- Amy Carmichael 

​Hello Friend!

Here I am, emerging from the midst of a crazy busy, challengingly different, albeit inspiringly beautiful summer. It's been a while since my last blog post or writing update - but while my blog has sat quiet, the rest of my life has been anything but. 

The first few months of summer were crowded with planting thousands of baby trees for my summer job. My sister and I spent hours working under the sun, getting coated in dirt, and learning to navigate the tangle of gravel roads in our rural county. 

Once planting season ended, the usual plethora of farm work has kept me busy: hauling small square bales off the ditch, butchering chickens, training and riding our horses, pasture upkeep, and marveling at my mother's incredible garden. Of course there are also long hours of reading, sunny days at the lake, playing with kittens, or going out for ice cream with my siblings. 

And, of course, watching a pandemic shut down the world has been... interesting. ​