Hopeful Romantic

That’s me.  The hopeless Romantic.  Not in the “oh baby, take me on a stroll down the beach at sunset and give me a huge diamond ring” kind of way (ok, the huge diamond ring-maybe), but in every definition of the word romantic.  I always think that the most glamorous thing is going to happen in every situation.  Someone will come in and save the day for me.  The problem:  it always leads to disappointment.  Whoever I argued with doesn’t show up at my doorstep to apologize.  My mom doesn’t make my favorite dinner every night for 2 weeks in a row.  I will never be begged to be in the Miss America pageant.  Mr. Darcy (gulp) will most likely never come to me and ask me in that gorgeous British accent to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him (although, I’m still holding out the slightest bit of hope).

But.

More and more I learn that I can be as romantic about Jesus and with Jesus as I want, and I NEVER get disappointed.  Even my innermost desires are being met by my King.

I want someone would love me for who I am.  DONE! God made me this exact person because this was what was pleasing to Him.  Despite all of the filthy sin, he still finds me beautiful and lovely and funny and intelligent.  He loves me BECAUSE I am kind of a dork and BECAUSE I am a little goofy- NOT despite those things.  (More on that in a previous post.)

I want to live a life of adventure.  YOU’RE IN LUCK! Oh gosh, really? Me? A life following Christ is definitely not a walk in the park.  It’s full of challenges and all sorts of other adventurous things (that so far, I’ve been afraid of).  The ones where plans change at the last minute (He’s a fan of spontaneity), and where people surprise you and where you end up knowing people you never thought you’d know.

I just want to be different.  FANTASTIC! I’ve got this life that you can have.  If you follow Me, you’ll be different from the people of this world.  People will find something different in you (Christ, obviously) and be drawn to you because of that.

So here I am- a hopeful romantic.  Thank you, Jesus.

If I would live this out…REALLY, truly live it and overflow with Jesus, my life would be radically different.

Alive

A while back, the youth had  discussion about what makes them feel most alive.  I gave some answer that I honestly don’t remember.  Now that I think about it, I can’t think of just one answer.  These are some of the things that make me feel most alive- or remind me that life is a gift.  (I look at those things as one in the same sometimes).

1. Laughter (from anyone)
2. Listening to the congregation worship
3. Genuinely meaning it when I say thank you.
4. Reading a really, really good book.
5. Driving with the windows down and the sunroof open.
6. Sitting in the car talking for hours because you just aren’t ready for the conversation to end.
7. Dancing in my room with music loud and the door closed.

Oddities in the List

Number 59. Catch the bouquet at every wedding between now and my engagement. So far I've done that! Ha!! Silly.

I’ve had a list of things to do before I die since I was 16.  At that point it was “Things to do before I Graduate High School”.  It then became “Things to do before I’m 25”.  Now it’s “Things to do before I die,” because I haven’t made it far. There are normal things on there: Visit all 50 states.  Vote.  Get married.  Make good art.  Have cute children.  There are also some slightly abnormal (or more adventurous as I’d like to refer to them).  If you feel any sort of desire in your heart to fulfill these things with me, then please…PLEASE let me know.  I’ll be forever grateful.

1.  Have a picnic in the patio furniture section of Home Depot.

2.  Die my hair pink

3.  Wear an outfit that is completely one color (ie. green jeans with a green shirt and greem shoes, green jewelry etc.)-HEY! I could be a green bean for halloween!!! Perfect!

4.  Catch the bouquet at every wedding I attend.  Partially because I’m competitive. Partially because this is the only superstition I think might actually be true. (It has yet to work out for me, so maybe it’s not so true.)  Don’t judge me.  Don’t you dare judge me.

5.  Blow up enough balloons to float (ok, I made this before the movie Up, but that movie made me want to do this even more)

If I could PostSecret

I’d tell you that you are the most beautiful spirit I’ve ever known.

Pre-Qualified

I’ve been sitting in the living room listening to my dad’s BB King in the cd player that I’m not allowed to turn off even though he’s outside doing something that’s taking an eternity, and I began to think of all of the shall we call them “endearing” qualities of my precious father.

Obviously it will be a while before I get married, but I figured I’d give the thousands of guys waiting in line for me a couple of very specific things that would probably win my heart over. These ideas courtesy of my daddy who has raised me to expect these things.

1.  He must listen to some sort of 80s rock on a weekly basis, whether it be in the car or as high as the surround sound volume will go.  He also must sing the lyrics completely wrong and not quite in tune, even though he is trying his hardest to be Lynard Skynard or Rod Stewart.

2.  He must be willing to dance like a fool.

3.  He should probably force his daughter to measure the inseam of her shorts to be the length of his entire hand, even when she is 23 (I guess that wouldn’t be happening in the beginning stages, but his personality should tell me that that’s something he’d do)

4.  He should be willing stay up late to watch a girly movie with his family if that’s what they all want to do (he doesn’t have to enjoy it, but he should certainly not complain).

5.  He should always use the phrase “well you know, I’m old fashioned, but I still think you’re beautiful”

There are probably things that you shouldn’t do too. I’ll be sure to post those later. :)