Wisdom teeth and other things….

Hey all you lovely people    I hope this week is treating you well.  I just had a couple of things I wanted to write about tonight.  I don’t have anything particularly profound to write about tonight, but did want to share a little about my life lately.

First of all, I got my wisdom teeth removed last Friday!  haha….oh my, has that been interesting.  So for the past 5 days, I’ve been surrounded by lots of extra pillows and ice packs.  Here’s a little secret about me:  I like feeling like I can take care of myself.  In fact, I thrive off of it.  I like being independent and hate having to rely on others to get things done.  SOOO, at first, I was not only in pain, I was in a bad mood because I couldn’t do normal things….like eating, for example.  But, in the midst of that, a thought occurred to me:  “This must be how people in nursing homes feel.”  Ok, yes, I know–that was probably a bit dramatic, but nonetheless, it got me thinking.  How would you like to be a strong, independent individual who suddenly has to rely on other people to do the most menial of life tasks?  It would be degrading and humiliating, not to mention exhausting.  Thinking of that gave me a renewed compassion for those people.  I was getting frustrated by not being able to eat normal food, and I knew it was very temporary.  I can’t imagine the hopelessness they must feel.  It’s funny when these little life lessons come. 

Second, I just finished “Blue Like Jazz,” by Donald Miller, last Saturday.  I believe I started it Thursday.  Needless to say, it was an amazing book.  I’m not exaggerating when I say it is the best written, and definitely my new favorite book, of any that I’ve ever read.  It’s really hard for me to sum up what it’s about, but the subtitle, “nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality,” does a pretty good job of explaining things.  To say the least, I was challenged and convicted by this author’s honesty and transparency.  Whether you’re a Christian, atheist, agnostic, ___ <–place various religions here, or not sure what you believe, I strongly recommend reading this book.  If nothing else, you will read the remarkable story of a very intelligent individual and come to understand, in very non-church-like terms, why he follows Jesus.

Third, having been basically confined to the house, I had a bunch of free time!  So the other night, a blast of creativity hit me and I decided I wanted to sew.  Haha…weird, right?  I figured I had a bunch of old clothes I didn’t wear anymore that could be used as fabric, so I googled “uses for old tshirts.”  Within a few minutes, I found a tutorial for how to make a purse from an old tshirt.  So I did!  Right then and there, I got a needle and thread and made a purse.  Haha….I think my parents were quite shocked to see me being so domestic.  I was right there with them.  Well, today, I decided to continue the pattern and make another purse…this one out of bandanas, using the sewing machine.  I’m actually kind of proud with how it turned out!  This is the original link with the tutorial:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxH4lPd9NIk  And here is my masterpiece, in all its beginner’s glory, haha:

And finally, I have had a glorious amount of time to work on music since I’ve been home for summer.  I got to work up a song that I wrote a long time ago with the piano, and actually made a video, which you can watch here:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_jx6ZjJNk4c

More music and fun to come, friends!   See ya around 

~Bevin~

Bittersweet

Endings…beginnings…change.  Isn’t it funny how the very things that cause life to be so unstable and constantly changing are some of the few things that are constant?  Of course, change is beautiful in it’s own respect.  Never once have I gone through change and not ultimately benefited from it.  There is always a silver lining.  But still, change is rarely comfortable.  And so, once again, I find myself at the brink of a change.  A temporary change, but a change all the same.  And yes, it’s bittersweet.

What I’m specifically speaking of is that my first year of college is over.  I’m still unsure how that is even possible.  My freshman year of COLLEGE is finished….well, in about 9 hours (after my music theory final).  =)  With that ending comes saying goodbye to friends, to my room (yes, there is an emotional attachment haha), and to my teachers and classes that I’ve grown to love.  Everything that has become my LIFE is, though only for a few months, ending.  At least, it’s pausing. In another sense, I am also experiencing a beginning.  The beginning of summer–a time of new experiences and old ones.  Returning home, seeing old friends, and working on the things I love the most–my relationship with Jesus, music, and friendships.  Much as I have been here at Belmont, but in different ways….Key word here being different.

Traveling…changing…growing…learning…searching…experiencing.  These are the things life is made of.  Before I left home, life consisted of certain degrees of those elements, but mostly a bunch of constants–family, school, the hum drum of life.  And then, once I left home, I realized this:  society teaches you to go out and find the one thing that you love (career, relationship, whatever) and stick with it.  As if that would provide some sort of stability and constancy.  Well, news flash–change doesn’t stop.  Our life is season after season–some beautiful seasons, some challenging, but every one of them NEW.  That just amazes me.

And here I thought, “I can handle change.”  I mean, I’ve lived in four states, gone to 8 schools, lived in 6 cities, etc etc etc.  And can I handle it?  Yes.  But I suppose I’m just still a little flabbergasted that it never ends.  And also a little curious why I was never told this.

Change is nothing to be afraid of.  In fact, it’s something to be excited about.  Think of the weather and the various seasons we experience….spring, summer, fall, and winter.  Each is different, and some people prefer one to another, but all of them have beautiful elements.  The newness and life of spring, the fullness and freedom of summer, the beauty of the falling leaves in autumn, and the snow in winter.  And I know these things…..but from where I stand now, all this change feels a little exhausting.  Especially being that the season I’m coming out of right now has been so exceptionally wonderful.  Who said that I wanted it to change?  In my frustrated thoughts that are still trying to balance the bitter with the sweet, all I keep thinking is….why?  Why does everything have to end?

I have loved everything about this year.  In retrospect, even the brief sorrowful or frustrating moments I’ve had have been such positive learning experiences that I don’t regret going through them.  Mostly though, this year at Belmont has been one dream come true after another.  And in the meantime, I’ve sung more than ever before, I’ve had more joy than I imagined I could, I have made more and better friends than I ever have in my life (friendships that I KNOW will last my entire life), learned so much about myself and life, and grown in my relationship with the Lord.  I know that I’m where I’m supposed to be and it’s the most wonderful feeling, hands down, that I’ve ever experienced.  So from where I’m standing now, the idea of that even pausing isn’t exactly appealing.

A few days ago, I was writing some things, and I wrote this:  “What if I never wasted time again?  What’s so crazy about doing what I want to do, all the time?  So what if I’m busy?  I’ll be happy.”  So I know that must remind myself that regret is a time waster.  Regretting that this school year is over, even for a second, wastes a second of my time I could be spending being happy.  As Dr. Suess so brilliantly stated, “Don’t cry because it’s over.  Smile because it happened.”  And yes, oh my, do I smile and feel blessed beyond belief that this year has happened.  God has given me more than I could have even imagined in every area and it is beyond wonderful.  And, speaking to myself here, you know what?  Yes, everything on this earth and in this life ends.  But with that, everything must begin as well.  And I know that the end of this season is not something to mourn, for it simply tells of the beginning of a new season.  Maybe that season isn’t happening in my favorite place, surrounded by all of my new friends…but it will absolutely be beautiful…if I let it be.  More specifically, if I make a choice to enjoy this summer and see that God has created something special and beautiful for me to enjoy, then it will be better than I even expected.  I know this because I know that that is how God, and this life He has created for us, works.

Tonight, I got to have a beautiful conversation with one of my best friends here in Nashville.  We were talking about a subject very similar to this one, and she said something that really stuck with me (so to you, my dear friend, thank you.)  (I’m paraphrasing here)  “Everything changes…people will leave and hurt you, things will change.  But God is a constant.  He never changes and never leaves.”  So for a few minutes, we just marveled over that.  Little did she know how much I needed to be reminded of that truth in this particular season of my life and heart.

So for just a second, will you marvel with me at what an amazing thing that is?  NOTHING on this earth or in this life will stay the same.  But God–He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  He will never leave you or forsake you.  He is–pay attention–FAITHFUL.  He is permanent.  A constant in this life and eternity that you can always completely count on.  I don’t know about you, but that is seriously comforting to me!  What a good God we serve!  God is LOVE, and 1 Cor. 13 tells us that “Love never fails.”  In the Amplified Bible, 1 Cor. 13:8 says this, “Love never fails, never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.”

So my sweet friends, I hope that whatever season you’re experiencing right now, or (if you’re like me) whatever season you’re saying goodbye to, that you remember a couple of things:

1)  Every season in our life is beautiful.  Why?  Because God knew you’d be where you are right now before you got there and prepared and planned accordingly (and it’s a good plan according to Jeremiah 29:11).  He’s already provided for this season that you’re in and the one that’s coming up.  He has amazing and beautiful things in store for every season in your life if you’ll just follow Him and pay attention to the beauty that’s right in front of you.

2)  Every day (speaking to myself here), remind yourself “This is the day that the Lord has made (for me!).  I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!”  Make that choice to rejoice–and you’ll find that you have plenty to rejoice about.

3)  (Again speaking to myself)  Don’t be discouraged by change.  As my friend said so well earlier, “God’s got you!”  Don’t worry about it.  There’s no reason to mourn leaving a specific time or place in your life.  That’s something to be happy about, because it was a beautiful blessing from God and whatever is ahead you can be assured will be just as good and better!  Different, yes…..but wonderful?  Yes too.

4)  No matter what changes seem to be thrown at you, always lean on the One who never changes.  He and His love are consistent and faithful, even when nothing else is.  He will absolutely never leave you or forsake you.  He’s got your back.  Trust Him and be comforted in knowing that He is your Constant.

Love always,

~Bevin~

*insert sweet sigh of relief here*

So I was walking along the path around campus on this gorgeous Spring day, and eventually through the flowers and the sound of birds singing, my dorm came into view.  I smiled because on Monday, I received the news that I will be a Resident’s Assistant there next year.  It brings me so much joy to imagine living here again next year, only this time having the opportunity to pour into the lives of girls just like me who will be starting their college experience.  And right around that sweet moment between smiling and imagining, it hit me…..”God, you knew.”  God knew, even before I got to Belmont, that I would be an RA here next year.  He knew it before I even had the first thought of how fun that could be…..before it became a desire of my heart.  And here I am, nearing the end of March, knowing that I will be here next year and smiling about it…..and God is smiling too.  Because He knew.

Wow!!  Does that blow anyone else away?  God knows the paths that we will take, the decisions we’ll make, our futures, our desires, everything…..WAY before we do.  Those things that you’re worried about, or that you wonder about, or that you can’t see an answer to–God knows those things too.  That is such a humbling and comforting thought.  Why?  Because the Word tells us that God has a plan for our lives, that He’s thinking about us all the time, and that all things work together for our good.  Go ahead, smile–because everything is going to be ok. 

Well, almost immediately after having that small epiphany, I began to sing a new song, out of a grateful heart.  I went inside, got to my room, and recorded the chorus….and I really like it.  =)  So I started reflecting on that song and a few others that have been swirling around in my heart, and realized that I am beginning to see a theme for this album that has been on my heart for such a long time.  I know several songs that will definitely be a part of this project, and I love the theme that God is creating.  And what’s funny is that God has known this whole time that this moment would come.  He’s been inspiring songs and connecting them, even when I didn’t see the connection…..I mean, wow.  He is good! 

I guess all I really want to say right now is that you should rest easy.  God has a glorious, beautiful plan for you.  He loves you and is thinking about you right now, as you’re reading this.  So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.  He knows what’s ahead for you.  For me, He knows about the songs that I haven’t written yet that will complete this album.  He knows the struggles and joys that I will face next year as an RA.  For the joys, He’s already smiling for me…..almost waiting to give me a present and see my face when I open it.  For the struggles, He’s already providing His grace and a way out, an escape….putting things in order so that I’ll be provided for.

So yah….I’m sighing a huge sigh of relief.  God has reminded me today, and is reminding you right now, that you might not know everything that is to come, or all the answers, or know exactly what to do in every situation—but He does.  So trust in the One who has the ultimate perspective and loves you enough to have a beautiful plan for your beautiful life.

*The Joy of the Lord is my strength*

~Bevin~

I’m learning things….

Hey y’all!  Welcome to March and what is probably my favorite time of year, Spring!!!  I’m so grateful for sunny days, 70 degree weather, and colorful flowers popping up everywhere!  It reminds me of the goodness of God and second chances.  =)  Music City is looking especially nice right about now.  In particular, Belmont is starting to see the first blooms on what seems like a thousand tulips all over campus—and it’s absolutely beautiful.  =)

Just recently, on Friday of last week, I posted a video of my Dad and I playing one of my original songs, “Learning.”  (Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kj5QVUAQZo )

I actually wrote this song in 2010, but it’s relevance to the reflective mood I’ve been for the past couple of weeks is pretty cool.  I can’t believe almost two years have passed since I first began writing it!  Wow–time flies so quickly.  This song actually started out as sort of a confessional poem….just me being honest about who I am and what I struggle with.  And now, after having been away at college for almost a year, I have learned even more about myself.  In a way, this song means more to me now than ever before…..and that’s why I chose to share it with you!  =)

I’m learning that I am flawed–I’m not perfect, I mess up.  But also, there are plenty of great things about me!  I’m starting to focus on building my strengths instead of trying to make up for my weaknesses and be something I’m not.  It’s ok to not be great at everything–someone else will be good at those things that I struggle with, and together, we can make a great team.  In the meantime, I’ve got to be the best I can be and enjoy who and how God has made me to be.  That doesn’t mean slacking off and not caring–it means finding what I naturally do well and focusing on that!  Learning more about myself and who I am becoming is a beautiful and fun process.  It’s not always easy, but writing songs like this help me to be honest with myself and others.  So, I’m including in this post the lyrics to “Learning.”  Copyright 2011, Bevin Gregory. 

 

“Learning”

I’m learning things about myself

I’m asking a few more whys

I’m learning things about myself

As I’m learning about life

Life’s harder than it looks when

You don’t choose quite right

But how am I supposed to be

Perfect all the time?

 

I over-think, and over-think, and

Think it over again

And I try and I try and I pray and I cry

To do things right again

So I’m living along, I’m breathing along,

My only release is writing these songs

And I pray and I hope I don’t do things wrong

But as I go along…

 

I’m learning that I make mistakes

More often than I don’t

I’m learning that I need Your grace

As much as I need hope

Being perfect is no breeze

And nothing that I want

I just wanna be myself

And really, that is all

 

I’m learning that I love deeply

And I dream about the same

And that those two things drive me

To somewhat crazy things

I’m learning that no matter how hard

I couldn’t live without following my heart

May have had a rocky start,

But however far…

 

I’m learning things about myself

I never knew before

And I’m hoping that You help me

‘Cause I can’t do it all anymore

That much I’ve learned about myself

And I’m sure I’ll learn much more

So help me God, that’s my request

Do more, than learn about myself

 

My dear friends, find who is it that God has made you to be!  Don’t be afraid to try new things and put yourself out there.  If you mess up, so what??  The times that you succeed will make it worth it.  YOU ARE beautiful and amazing just the way you are (props to you if you just sang the song…I did, haha).  Don’t try to compete with others and be someone you’re not.  If anything, be a better you.  God looks and you and loves what He sees!  Why?  Because He doesn’t look at your mistakes and sins….He looks at your potential and your beautiful heart!  His Grace is sufficient for you and covers all your sins.  In your weaknesses, He is strong.  So let Him lead.  Keep moving forward and learning–everything will be just fine.  And that’s the Truth.  =)

Lots of love,

~Bevin~

We’re just ordinary people…

Merry Christmas everybody!  Here it is, only about an hour from the most wonderful time of the year!  Time seems to go faster and faster with the years, but this year I am really enjoying the Christmas season.  In fact, there are 2 Christmas songs I recorded on my facebook page–take a listen!  Let it Snow and The Christmas Song (by Bevin G.)  God’s blessed me with wonderful friends and family to help make this year even more special.  Plus, there’s the lights, the Christmas carols, the presents under the tree, the hopeful anticipation of snow, family and friends all around….these are a few of my favorite things and they all come in extra amounts this time of year.  But there’s something else, in fact, it’s the thing I love most about Christmas that I’d like to write about now…

Trust me when I say I know how annoying cliche statements can get, no matter how right they may be.  But if you’ll bear with me for a moment, I’m gonna refer to just one:  “Jesus is the reason for the season.”  I’m sure Dec. 25 is not the actual day Jesus was born over 2000 years ago, but I sure am glad we have a day dedicated to celebrating that event.  It’s not just a cute story that puts us in the Christmas spirit, you know.  It’s an amazing miracle that only happened because God loved you and me and this whole world more than any of us deserved.  I’m not gonna repeat the whole story, you can read it for yourself in Luke 2.  But there is one part of the story that really amazes me and I’d like to reflect on it.

Jesus, well, let’s put it this way: He is THE Son of God.  I mean, He’s it…King of Kings, Lord of Lords, ___ <–place any of his other amazing titles here.  Perfect, flawless, the treasure of Heaven, deserving of worship and adoration 24/7–basically, the Big Kahuna of Heaven.  But if you remember from Luke, He didn’t come to this earth in gold robes, on mighty horses, riding in a big parade (though honestly, He could have and by all means deserved to).  No, Jesus, the Savior of the world came as a baby…an infant…completely defenseless and weak, born in a nasty, smelly barn full of loud and dirty animals, to a teenage mom.

Wow.  So, what could be the point of that?  Some skeptics could even say (and they have), if He was really God in flesh, why didn’t He come in a flashier way, and I don’t know, live in a castle or something, etc?  This is the part of the story I love the most, and it has to do with Jesus’ nature.  See, Jesus works by unconditional love and at the same time, awesome power.  All throughout his life, he helped the “least of these,” the poor, the weak, even the worst of the worst (some of those became his disciples).  So from my perspective, the way the Son of God came to Earth is just another awesome example of Jesus loving us SO much He was willing to go out of his way to relate to us and be our example.  To me, seeing Jesus–Creator of the universe, King of Kings, Almighty God starting out in a lowly manger is Jesus saying:  It doesn’t matter where you come from, what your life looks like to the rest of the world, how poor or rich, how famous or unknown, how weak or strong, how unprepared or how equipped you are–when you live your life for God, you can do AMAZING things!  My Mamaw pointed out tonight that even the shepherds and the wise men are examples of that.  The shepherds, probably dirty and tired, poor and uneducated, came to worship the newborn King and are still remembered today.  The wise men, educated, intelligent, bringing expensive gifts, also came to worship Jesus.  The point is, God doesn’t care where you come from, so long as you come to Him! 

That little baby is still being talked about today….and has been for over 2000 years!  He’s changed countless lives, for generations, and is still saving lives today….He saved mine about 12 years ago.  =)  Jesus was showing us that on our own, we might not have a chance at being something great–but with God, ALL things are possible. 

God has a LONG history of taking ordinary people and doing something extraordinary with their lives.  I don’t know about you, but I sure do feel privileged to be a part of that history.  I don’t know all God has in store for me, but I know that with Him with me, it’s gonna be a beautiful ride.

So this Christmas, remember that no matter what your past looks like, where you’ve come from, or how many mistakes you’ve made, Jesus can take your life and make it something beautiful….something that will touch people’s lives and positively effect the world for generations to come.  All it takes to be accepted by Jesus is for you to accept Him.

Merry Christmas, everyone!  Love, ~Bevin~

Love is alive.

Hello all!  It’s about time for a new blog from yours truly…..and not just because I don’t have one for December yet!  No, this is purely born out of inspiration.  My favorite.

So the subject of my ponderings today is that infamous word…love.  Even more specifically, how love should look when it’s working in our everyday lives.  God has been dealing with me lately about seeing other people as He sees them.  Not seeking relationships for what I can get out of them, but for something else entirely.  I’ve realized that first, I should seek a relationship with someone when I see their value, because of how God has made them.  Second, I should I look at what I can contribute to the relationship.  Knowing that I can grow as a person because of the traits God has placed uniquely in that person, I should also consider how my God-given traits are meant to bless them.  Let me expound….

I’m 18, almost 19, just finishing my first semester of college, and 100% totally female.  What does that equal?  Well, for most who fit those descriptions, it means being constantly on the lookout for “Mr. Right.”  Whether this is driven by society’s pressures to be paired up for one’s self worth to be complete, or some instinct driven by (as some would say) one’s “flesh,” I don’t know.  It’s probably a mix of both.  But in any case, it seems to be consistently on my mind……”I wonder who he is?” “Could this guy be the one?” “When will I find him?” and so on and so forth.  Now don’t get me wrong, I think to a certain extent, this is fine.  If God’s put a desire in my heart or your heart to have/find the person He created you to be with, it’s good to think about that person, pray about/for that person.  And I do.  But here’s the problem….or well, one of the problems….with too much of this, let’s call it, “search-mindedness.”  At some point, I started viewing every guy that came into my life through those searching glasses, measuring him up right away to see if he could possibly fit the bill for what I was looking for.  Now, just for the sake of complete and total transparency, I’ll let you into my thought process.  As a tall girl, aka, almost 6 feet tall, right off the bat, the first thing I see is height.  If a guy is tall enough, I look at whether he’s friendly, cute, funny, etc.  If he passes all of those tests (and let me tell you, many-a-guy has), then I start wondering.  I might let myself start liking him, even in the least.  Just kind of trying it out for size, if you will.  Keep in mind, this whole process could take as little as a couple of days.  Clearly we have a problem here.  If you haven’t seen it, let me show you…..

If God brings a guy who physically, meets those requirements, and personality-wise is fun to be with, I immediately jump to considering him as a candidate for Mr. Right.  Well, not all that long ago, I sensed God prompting me to ask myself this:  What if God brought him into your life to be a friend, maybe even a best friend?  You just sized him up like he was a new car you were looking to buy, when that should have been the furthest thing from your mind.  How about seeing him as God sees him?  How about forgetting about looking for Mr. Right, and start looking for and nurturing God-given relationships?  And furthermore, why are you so concerned with finding Mr. Right anyway?  What happened to trusting God and knowing that in His timing, Mr. Right will come?

See, I let myself get consumed with taking control and doing things myself, instead of trusting God–even though I know He would do a much better job than I would anyway!  Then, when that happened, I not only put my heart at risk, but the hearts of others at risk.  And most alarming of all, I started missing out on the beautiful opportunities for friendship God was placing right in front of me.  God has one, count it, ONE, guy for me.  But will I only encounter one guy in my life?  No, of course not.  Will I have a relationship with just one guy in my life?  No way.  So what does that say?  The rest of those guys that I have and will continue to meet and know throughout my life are there for a different reason!  It says that instead of searching for Mr. Right, I should be enjoying and nurturing the countless great new friendships God is bringing my way.  When Mr. Right comes along, it won’t be because I was obsessed with finding him.  It will be because God brought him in my life and brought us together.  And in the meantime, all those guys that I, at one time, would have been busy measuring up for the role of husband, will be great friends that I will be blessed to know.

What it comes down to is love….true Love….and being willing to truly love others, in whatever capacity your relationship with them calls for.  Love isn’t selfish–it asks what it can do for the other person.  Instead of seeing others for what they can give you or be to you, let’s take a new perspective.  Ask yourself, “how can I bless this person?”  “Who is it that God has made them to be and what role would He like me to play in helping them become that?”  Concern yourself with caring for them, being humble, being patient, being loving.  I guarantee, you’ll not only be a better friend, you’ll gain a beautiful friendship.  Remember, love never fails.  =)

Girls and guys both, be careful when walking that fine line between flirting and lusting.  My suggestion?  Let’s stop both and just be ourselves with each other.  Let’s stop looking at the opposite sex as something to conquer and starting seeing them as a blessing, a way to learn how to relate with others and grow as individuals.  Each person is so, so very valuable.  God has beautifully and wonderfully made each person, and you are privileged enough to have a few of them come into your life.  Don’t overlook them.  Don’t discount them if they don’t match what you’re looking for in a partner—maybe that’s not what they are in your life for.  Enjoy getting to know the amazing creation God has made and be patient waiting for “the One.”  Remember?  Love never fails.  You have nothing to be anxious or worried or rushed about.

I’ll leave you with these, the beautiful lyrics to Brandon Heath’s song, “Love Never Fails,” from 1 Corinthians 13……

Love is not proud, love does not boast, love, after all, matters the most.  Love does not run, love does not hide, love does not keep locked inside. Love is a river that flows through and love never fails you.  Love will sustain, love will provide, love will not cease at the end of time.  And love will protect, love always hopes, and love still believes when you don’t.  Love is the arms that are holding you, love never fails you.  Love is right here, Love is alive, Love is the Way, the Truth, the Life.  Love is the river that flows through, love is the arms that are holding you, and love is a place you will fly to….Love never fails you.

Things don’t have to be perfect to be really, really good.

Hey y’all!  I hope you’ve got your reading glasses on (or happen to have 20/20 vision), ’cause I’m ready to blog it up!  My focus tonight is on being happy.  Haha, ok, stay with me.  I know that sounds shallow– at least, not especially philosophically deep or profound.  But here’s the thing…I was sitting at my keyboard last night, in my dorm, practicing some scales, when BAM! this simple, but totally profound thought hit me. 

I could be anywhere in the world, dealing with any multitude of problems, being happy or unhappy….but instead, I’m here–at an amazing school, getting to my homework, which, though it may be boring music, is still MUSIC…and THAT is beyond wonderful.  I get to do what I love, every day.  To state the obvious, there’s not a whole lot of people who can honestly say that.  Yet here I am.  Yes, doing homework.  Yes, staying up late.  Yes, being busier than I care to think about.  Yes, studying for a test.  But at the end of the day, I’m playing scales on a piano, making music in one way or another…….

I don’t know guys, but when I realized that (the obvious), I was just completely blown away with gratitude.  I just immediately wanted to laugh, smile, and do a myriad of happiness-related actions.  I started thanking Jesus for leading me to this place, providing a way for me to go here, etc.  It was amazing.  And honestly, as I sit here right now, the same thing is happening.  I am just absolutely overwhelmed with joy!  I could literally be living on the streets, not knowing where my next meal will come from, and definitely not knowing what the future holds….but here I am.

Now, sure, this probably sounds like a bragging session.  “Oh sure, it’s easy for you to be happy.  You’ve got a great life.  What’s not to be happy about?”  Well see, that’s the funny part.  These past few days, I’ve been struggling–inwardly, of course, because that’s how I deal with things–but nonetheless, struggling.  I won’t go into details, but basically, I was feeling pretty down and pretty confused about some things.  On top of that, these past two weeks of school have been busy with plenty of assignments due, and these next few weeks will be even crazier.  So stress, confusion, frustration, even a good dose of sadness were all presenting themselves as pretty logical feelings.  Not exactly what I’d call a boat-load of happy.

So when I had my eureka moment last night, it was beyond a blessing–it was a remedy.  Am I still unsure of how some things will work out?  Yep.  Do I still have 3 million assignments and research papers and finals coming up in the next few weeks?  You know it!  But the difference now is that I’m not allowing those things to be the only things I see.  Because when I stop focusing on those few, relatively-insignificant-in-the-grand-scheme-of-life things, I start to see the multitude of small, wonderful blessings that I had forgotten about.  It’s funny how when you have a problem in your life, big or small, it is so, so very easy to focus on that one thing and suddenly, it’s a BIG DEAL.  It’s all you think about, it’s more prevalent than any good thing in your life….yah, you get the picture.  But, lovely readers, I challenge you to put that problem, or hey, those problems, aside for a moment and think about the good things in your life.  I don’t know your specific situation, how many friends you have, what your relationship with your family is like, or what you are or are not dealing with.  But I guarantee you that whatever your life is like, there are plenty of things to be happy about.

Let’s name a few, often-overlooked blessings, shall we?

1. You’re reading this blog.  That means that you have access to a computer.  Maybe it’s yours (how great is that?!), or maybe your using one in a library or at a friend’s house (how cool that you don’t even have to own one to be able to use one!).
2. You are capable of reading, in two senses.  One, physically, you’re able to see!  I know that seems silly, but when you think about what it would be like to NOT have the option of reading this, it’s a pretty big blessing.  Two, you’re literate!  Woohoo!  Haha, ok, that one was kind of me being silly, but hey–you’ve had the opportunity to learn a skill that so many people never get the chance to practice.
3. You’re alive!  You’re here, on this amazingly beautiful earth, breathing, reading, being not-dead. =)  It’s amazing that we take this massive thing, being alive, for granted.  One, you don’t have to think about breathing or your heart beating for it to happen.  Score!  Two, if you’re alive (which you are!), you have a chance to make things better–either for you or for someone else.  If you’re alive, there’s still time to change things, to make a difference in this world (even if it’s just in one person’s life).
4. Think about the people in your life that you care about, or that care about you.  Again, I don’t know what your relationships are like, so I won’t assume anything here.  Whoever that person is or those people are, I’d like you for just a moment to thank God for them.  And hey, thank them for being in your life.  And you know what, if there is no one in your life–if you feel completely and totally alone, read these next statements knowing that I am being absolutely, completely sincere.  I care about you.  It means a lot to me that you’re reading this and I’m grateful for you.  You’ve made a difference in my life by caring enough to read this far.  And I am praying for you.  Which, perfectly leads to my next point….
5. No matter what you’re going through, who you are, how you feel, or whatever other thing you can think of–Jesus truly, deeply, completely loves YOU.  He loves you just as you are, no matter what you’ve done or not done.  He desires to be with you and have you as a friend.  He thinks that much of you!  Believe me when I say, I only write this last point because I’ve experienced it in MY personal, daily life.  Do not forget that there is always someone who loves you and wants you!  And the best part?  God will never leave you.  All it takes to be accepted by Jesus to accept Him.  If you haven’t done that (made Jesus a part of your life), I hope you really consider it.  It’s totally, 360 degrees, completely, altogether changed my life for the better.  And I’d be glad to talk to you about it, so message me!  If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, add that to the list of things to be thankful for!  Think of all the things He has done for you, brought you through, given you.  Isn’t He an amazing friend?

Honestly guys, the list goes on and on and on and on.  The point I’m trying to make is this….things don’t have to be perfect to be really, really good.  Being positive is not avoiding reality.  It’s realizing that reality is a beautiful mix of good things and frustrating things, and most of the time, the good out-weighs the bad.  And if there’s a time in your life where it feels like the bad out-weighs the good, do two things.  One, look back through your life at all the good things that have happened to you.  Be thankful and know that whatever the bad is, compared to the good that has already happened and the good that inevitably will happen, the bad is hardly anything to worry about.  Two, know that there is tomorrow!  If you’re having a horrible day, know that in the morning, you have a whole other chance to have a great day!

One last thing on this subject, more or less straight from my journal.  I learned another great lesson last week, relating to all of this.  Basically, it was a Friday and I had a fantastic day.  Seriously–one thing after another, it was just beautiful.  Yet somehow, at the end of the day, I was feeling really, really down.  I was feeling jealous of some certain people and the way their lives are going and feeling like I’d never get there, etc., etc.  I was climbing into bed, thankfully with my journal, and asked God, “What’s up with this?  Why do I feel this way when you’ve given me such a beautiful day?”  Here’s the answer I got….

“When I’ve had an amazing day, influenced by God Himself, and end up feeling rundown, downtrodden, and frustrated, isn’t it more likely that this is simply the devil trying to discourage me and distract me from the goodness of God at work in my life, rather than my day actually being bad?  The answer is yes.  I dare say it’s perspective, via a reminder from God, that reveals the truth in situations.  A light in what looks like a dark place can easily prove the place to be light after all.”

What God showed me is that when it seems like everything’s going wrong, that’s the precise time to go to Him and look for and thank Him for the good things that are happening!  Why?  Because, as my journal reads, focusing on the bad things is just a well-planned distraction to keep you discouraged and keep you from looking at the good things God is doing.  =)  Make sense?

As I’ve been writing, I realized that this subject is rather fitting, being that next week is Thanksgiving!  Haha, I really didn’t plan that at all.  Well, anyways, thanks for reading this.  I am going to pray for each and every person who reads this, so know that you’ve got someone praying for you.  =)  Whatever thing you’re going through right now, I strongly suggest you take a step back and look at the big picture.  Perspective is so important, and when you look at your life from a thankful perspective, that problem you’re facing will seem less and less enormous and more and more like it really is….a bump in the road that you will soon pass.  =)

Joshua 1:9–”This is my command–be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Good night everyone! ~Bevin~