Groggily, I rolled over and glared at my cell phone. Despite my ire, the buzzing sound refused to cease. Truly, it was morning. The simple thought of rolling out of bed seemed insuperable--getting down to the work out room to go for a run seemed impossible. Still, at least one part of my brain was awake. Only half-commitally, I began a slow prayer. It certainly was no glorious meditation. In fact, my mind was only half concentrated on what I was asking. Still, buried beneath half-formed thoughts and grudging confession, an utterance of thanks rose to heaven. "Thanks for everything, Lord. God, let me count my blessings today." It wasn't profound. I wasn't even really serious about it. But rolling out of bed ten minutes later, I at least partially remembered the prayer.
And then, heaven started showering down blessings upon me. After my first three classes of the morning, I wandered into the Student Union. I received information that I had not just one package but TWO. Despite the fact that my darling older sister had already snagged one and needed to be tracked down, the grace was readily apparent. Two HUGE Valentines Day packages were mine for the having--a genuine outpouring of love that I could never deserve. There are two many highlights in these packages for me to outline each one, but the blessings were incredible. I just happened to open them in front of Crystal, a simple action that inspired her to heap blessings upon me. It seems silly, but when she posted a picture of my gifts to facebook and sent a sweet comment to my wall, I felt this palpable sense of love and acceptance that exceeded most other days.
I fairly skipped to my one o clock class, only to find it cancelled. Though I love the class, it was incredible to call up Lois and my dearest Katie Pynes to tell them that it was cancelled. Their joy was yet another gift. Thanks to a happy accident, I caught sight of Lois and got to spend some quality time with her. Pushing on through the day that had now become incredible, I found myself breezing through homework. Soon, I found myself walking to a coffee date with Kelly. Maybe I don't know her yet, but the conversation I had with her was so encouraging and clarifying.
I have to admit that despite the outpouring of love heaped upon me, I still heaved as sigh as I headed to orchestra rehearsal. The Pi Phi mug of coffee (crafted by my unskilled hand while bonding with my pledge class) helped a little, but my excitement wasn't high. And then, one of the college alumns who plays in the cello section slipped into the seat beside me.
"I just wanted to tell you that when I went to school here, no one dressed up like you. I regret that. Thank you so much for looking so polished, it's very admirable."
Not only was this an encouraging compliment from a stranger, it affirmed that love comes from all corners. Plus, I learned a little about her too. In addition to being committed to this school, she was a Pi Phi just like me. In excitement, she gave me a hug and offered her congratulations.
I have Bible Study tonight, something that I'm usually only half alive for. Honestly, Monday can be a long day. But today, I've had an incredible blessing waiting at every turn.
So, if anyone tells you that prayer doesnt work, LAUGH. And if you feel that grouchy-morning-I-hate-the-World-and-My-Alarm feeling, maybe, just maybe, you should pray. After all, you never know what greatness is headed your way.
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord..."
You can bet those plans include a thousandfold blessing that's waiting right outside your everyday routine.
Now, I can't promise that I'll be this happy tomorrow. But I'm not going to forget today for a very long time.
Happy Valentines Day everyone. You might not see it BUT YOU ARE LOVED.
All my love,
Leah
Monday, February 13, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
You Don't Need Newspaper Space to Write a Letter
Dear Self,
Alright, so first semester was great. You learned a lot, let's not deny that. But, despite your extremely dorky love of Hillsdale, you really have a great deal still to learn about this place. Number one, let's remember the lesson of humility. Though it's great to have a good GPA to look back on and a house of brand new sisters to support you, you still need to see the world through clear eyes. It takes the direction of God to move a step forward--to follow the example of Paul, all achievements made by myself are counted for not in the grand scheme of things. Now don't get me wrong, this is no excuse for focusing on yourself negatively. Indeed, I mean quite the opposite. Learning isn't just the classroom (Don't forget to keep working for that, though), it's understanding how to live life outwardly. Think about it: when was the last time you honestly cared to hear about someone's day more than you cared about mentally scheduling out your next week. Stop. Take a breath. Listen. You'll hear some of the greatest, most beautiful things this way. And maybe, you'll learn lessons even greater than those lovely insights you learned about in English class. After all, which role comes first: Student or Christian.
Think about it. Really engage your mind in the study of God and his people. All else comes from this. And though there is no grade in this class, the loss of not learning this lesson is far greater than a poor GPA.
Now, this is all about honesty. So, I have to say that you're not going to be perfect in learning this lesson. It will be as frustrating as getting to know a new professor, as much of a struggle as fighting against your inadequate grasp of prose, and its certainly going to trouble your mind as much as the petty stresses are. Instead of letting it clutter you, though, remember two essential lessons: One, as Aristotle said: "You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor." Two, pray as Aquinas prayed in this lesson too: "Give me keen understanding, a retentive memory and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally. Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion."
All my love,
Leah
Alright, so first semester was great. You learned a lot, let's not deny that. But, despite your extremely dorky love of Hillsdale, you really have a great deal still to learn about this place. Number one, let's remember the lesson of humility. Though it's great to have a good GPA to look back on and a house of brand new sisters to support you, you still need to see the world through clear eyes. It takes the direction of God to move a step forward--to follow the example of Paul, all achievements made by myself are counted for not in the grand scheme of things. Now don't get me wrong, this is no excuse for focusing on yourself negatively. Indeed, I mean quite the opposite. Learning isn't just the classroom (Don't forget to keep working for that, though), it's understanding how to live life outwardly. Think about it: when was the last time you honestly cared to hear about someone's day more than you cared about mentally scheduling out your next week. Stop. Take a breath. Listen. You'll hear some of the greatest, most beautiful things this way. And maybe, you'll learn lessons even greater than those lovely insights you learned about in English class. After all, which role comes first: Student or Christian.
Think about it. Really engage your mind in the study of God and his people. All else comes from this. And though there is no grade in this class, the loss of not learning this lesson is far greater than a poor GPA.
Now, this is all about honesty. So, I have to say that you're not going to be perfect in learning this lesson. It will be as frustrating as getting to know a new professor, as much of a struggle as fighting against your inadequate grasp of prose, and its certainly going to trouble your mind as much as the petty stresses are. Instead of letting it clutter you, though, remember two essential lessons: One, as Aristotle said: "You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor." Two, pray as Aquinas prayed in this lesson too: "Give me keen understanding, a retentive memory and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally. Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion."
All my love,
Leah
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