love/hate relationship.

Hate.

Morning time tends to be a problem for me. No, more like a battle. My alarm goes off, I hit snooze. I hit snooze again & again & again- even sometimes in my sleep (which is entirely inconvenient because that's usually when I'm late to something or I miss class). Most nights before I doze off I think to myself, "tomorrow will be the day I will get out of bed the FIRST time my alarm goes off!" And then tomorrow comes...and my bed seemingly becomes warmer and more comfortable than ever. This is when the stronger part of my will comes in and crushes any thoughts of actually doing what I set out to do. Conclusion: this girl hates gettin out of bed in the morning.

Love.

But the thing is, I love everything about morning time. The grass is dewy, birds are chirping like crazy, no make-up, hair's a mess, and I get to be in my pj's for just a liiiittle bit longer. But there's one thing I love most about mornings: the peace! There is no other part of the day that is as peaceful as morning time. Jesus knew what He was doing getting up at the crack of dawn to go pray. And I am fairly certain I would be a happier person if I got up at 6:00 am before my early-rising family. I imagine myself just sitting on the deck, reading, praying, & being peaceful with nature. No distractions. No phone. Just peace. How could I have a bad day if I started it off like that?!

 I recently took a trip to the Dominican Republic. My group and I were only 10 minutes from the beach. So one morning a few of us got up early and walked to the beach. It was only 6:00 am, and the beach was practically empty. As I sat there listening to the waves crash onto shore, I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with the peacefulness of my surroundings. I'm accustomed to a busy schedule, racing non-stop thoughts, and being surrounded by man-made noise. So what was I supposed to do, just sit there and do nothing?! Exactly. Just sit there and admire my God-made surroundings.  But the breathtaking view of the enormous ocean, the sun rising, the fishermen casting their lines, and the feel of the sand and water hitting my toes was almost too much to bear. It sounds silly, even to me, but it was exactly how I felt. Overwhelmed and restless.

So, for now, I will keep trying to harness that peace and let it become a part of who I am, and I will keep enjoying the simple pleasure of a peaceful morning.

feeling rejuvenated.

There are some people who jog for pleasure. I am not one of them. Jogging is, well, miserable. The only part of jogging that I like is the part where I'm done jogging. Didn't see that one coming did ya? But there's always that wonderful feeling I get after a nice miserable jog. The feeling of rejuvenation. At first, I'm tired, but then I get a rush of energy. Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment. Overall, jogging has way more pros than cons. I just need to suck it up and push through the pain.

But jogging provides me with more than just a burst of energy, a feeling of accomplishment, or a way to keep in shape. It provides me a time by myself. A time where I can just run with my thoughts. Just me and God...O, and my dog Max too. It's a time where I can just talk with God and admire His creation. You wouldn't think there would be anything interesting to look at here in central Illinois, but there is more than meets the eye. The grass isn't just green, it' the kind of green only God could create. It's the most perfectly lush shade of green you've ever seen. And the sky is always changing- sometimes blue, sometimes grey, but always an incredible sight to see. And in the distance there's the busy highway. The quiet yet constant buzz of the cars reminds me of how small I am in comparison to this massive planet.  The feeling of the wind against my face cools me down. And I've never breathed such fresh and perfect air as the air in rural Illinois. No pollution, no smoke, no exhaust. Just air. First it picks up the aroma of the neighbors flowers, then it blows through the pine trees in your yard, and finally it swoops through the grass in the ditches until it reaches your nose. Just in time to give me my next wonderful breath of freshness. 

So maybe there is more to jogging after all :) ahh simple pleasures...

starting fresh.

Simple pleasures seem to be a theme in my life. Everyday I find them in the smallest of things.  Have you ever seen the movie Amelie?  Well, if you have, you know that the main character (Amelie) finds pleasure in the smallest things!  Cracking creme brulee with a teaspoon, skipping stones at the nearest canal, and dipping her hand into a sack of grain at the market.  Years ago when I watched that movie, I realized that I do it too.  I find joy in simple pleasures.  I have used these small moments of pleasure throughout each day to remind me to express my deep thanks to my perfect Creator.  I could probably list hundreds of examples of these little bundles of joy, but I do not want to give them all away at once!  So for now I will start with one of my favorite things.

Coffee.

I love everything about coffee.  The smell, the taste, the way it feels to hold a fresh cup in my cold hands, the sound it makes when it's brewing- not to mention the caffeine boost.  I especially love waking up to it.  There isn't a better simple pleasure than waking up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.  Now I might contradict that statement in another blog, but I will try not to :)  

I feel as though you are either a coffee lover, or a coffee hater.  I don't know many people who are mediocre coffee drinkers.  But I am a coffee lover.  It creates an atmosphere of community and relaxation.  When I look around my house when my whole family is together, everyone has a cup of steamin joe by their side.  And when this busy world wakes up in the morning, what do you think is a-brewin in their kitchen?  And when you curl up on a cold and snowy day, is it with a glass of ice water? No! You've got a big cup of coffee to keep you warm.  

I realize that not everyone loves coffee as much as me, so don't take my words as truth.  But I do know one thing: coffee is a wonderful simple pleasure sent straight from the man upstairs.  It makes me feel warm, content, and joyful.  Who knew one little mug could fit so much?