Alyssa, the hobbit.

So it struck me this morning while I was getting ready for the day, after I had finished my breakfast & enjoyed a cup of tea, that I am just like Bilbo Baggins from the Hobbit.

I say this because lately my head has been in the clouds over venturing away from my humble abode to the woods of Massachusetts for a whole new season of life, full of adventure indeed. My heart has been full of sentiment over leaving my day to day routine here for the unknown way over there. The people I love here, the relaxation of summer days, & of course, my two sweet little kitty cats I just adore. My bed is warm & my room is all mine. Everything that surrounds me here is familiar, & even though I might not acknowledge it every day, everything that surrounds me here is quite beautiful.

Now I'll be off in less than 3 weeks to begin an entirely fresh chapter. Little familiarity, few people I know, busy weekdays packed with lectures & books galore, &...no kitty cats to nestle beside me. This all probably seems so silly & small but really, for me, a home body wanna be adventurer, it's a big deal.

The thing that has also been prevalent in my heart though is the realization that I need to be thankful for having these blessings that are worth missing. Feeling this immense sensation of bittersweet emotion means that I have been showered with beautiful things from above that make this place home. It is a place of warmth & security. & yet, it's my time to get up & head off. I have moments of solitude where I think to myself, "I can't leave...I love this place. Why did I make such a decision?" & in the midst of that I feel this pull on my heart that reminds me of what is temporary & what is permanent.

So, you're right, I'm not exactly like Bilbo Baggins but kinda! A little person who adores the security of home, good books, warm cups of tea, & comfy chairs. Most likely he had kitties too, Tolkien just left that detail out, I'm sure ;) Anyway...just like Mr. Baggins, it's time for me to leave my "hobbit hole" & get on my way to a different land...Massachusetts. Thankfully I don't have to worry about creepy monsters or big scary dragons but there will naturally be hiccups along the way while I transition. But it's all apart of the experience. I am happy to add that I have a beautiful, sweet roommate to share the year with! God is so good. So I am trusting that all I have been given here will remain safe & sound while I am away. I just need to go & have faith.


“Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

The Quiet City.

Not only does this gem of a video have one of my favorite songs by Arvo Part, but the cinematography of Paris is breathtaking.
You must watch.

http://vimeo.com/62959319

Building a well.

Okay so it has been too long since I last blogged...I was sitting on the couch yesterday morning just thinking about life & realized how I have abandoned my blog for too long yet again.

It's not that I have an incredible life just filled with excitement 24/7, but I regret not documenting this year's happenings because I am a firm believer that every little bit counts. This school year will soon be coming to a close & as I look back on it I think the biggest thing I learned is that God is in the small things just as much as the big things.

Perhaps I wrote about this on here before, but when i was talking to my dad about the differences of this school year compared to the previous, he used a really beautiful metaphor of building a well. He encouraged me by explaining that what God has taught me in this year can be stored and used for my next year, as I begin college. I know for certain that next year is going to be nothing like this one & I truly believe that what God has taught me this year through painful & beautiful moments will be handy next year. Being across the country, meeting new people, learning new things, exploring eclectic cities and places will all require an open heart and mind but also a heart that is full. Because if my heart is full of lessons learned and a deeper knowledge of God it will make all of those things so much richer.

"Building a deeper well" in our lives really should be an ongoing mission. The deeper it is, the more we can draw out to give to others & give back to God. Spending time with beloved friends & family, reading beautiful books, serving others even if I might not feel like it at the time & striving to learn whatever God is trying to teach me have all been some of the greatest character builders. Life is much better when lived outside of your comfort zone. I am grateful for what God is in the midst of building.

"For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God." Hebrews 3:4

a beautiful birthday.

Yesterday was my wonderful friends birthday celebration. It was absolutely beautiful & reconnecting with old friends was lovely as well. It is so crazy to think that I have known this girl since 1st grade & have stayed close through the different seasons of our lives. Now we will soon be off to different colleges & even though we will be far, I have no doubt our friendship will last & only get better with age.

Psalm 63:3-4

"Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands."

new.

(Picked up this Massachusetts picture for my dorm. For now, it's decorating my bedside table.)

So far, this week has been a good one. Well, minus Monday. Monday was great at first & then it seemed to get kinda poopy later. & really for no reason...I don't know about you, but do you ever put way too much pressure on yourself? Maybe I just have that problem. It's a stressful one! But if you happen to share this struggle, I hope you have a great sister (or sibling) & a best friend to help pull you through & get to you back to normal, like I have. I'm so grateful I do.

Yesterday was a good day & what made it even better was a surprise coffee date with my dear friend, Elizabeth. We're kinda hooked on going to Lost Bean because they just added on a beautiful new room. It's quaint & perfect for long conversations.

What made yesterday particularly special though was hearing the wonderful news that my cousin Kari & her husband are pregnant with a sweet little girl! She is arriving in June & my family just can't wait to meet her. We already have goodies for her & she is going to be one spoiled child. Her parents will probably be the coolest around. I hope to see her as much as I can when I'm in Massachusetts!

Last night & today I have been so encouraged by the thought that God makes all things new. Not only does He make us new if we are willing to submit to his will, but He gives us renewed hearts filled with new passions & goals. Passions & goals that are clearly placed there by God because they are far more incredible than what you & I would think up for ourselves. & as you continue going about your life pursuing these big dreams, God takes you to new places that also bring about new surroundings, friends, lessons. & your life feels so much more richer and satisfying because you are following after what God has established for your life. I really love that thought. He is a personal Savior who wants to take you places. He knows how to make your life exciting. I always say that He is unexpected too because He throws in all sorts of surprises along the way, sometimes great, sometimes a little hard. But it's all part of the adventure.

Maybe the word "new" seems so prevalent in my brain because of the rainy weather we just had. Or maybe it's because Spring is on its way. Or the creation of a new life that will soon be a part of my family. Or the fact that I will be living in a new state just 6 months from now...

I think we all can look around & find the areas where God is bringing in the new. I promise you won't be bored if you take the time to do so.

2 Corinthians 4:18

today.

So today I have a list to compose, bedroom dresser drawers to organize, and a sweet coffee date to share with a great friend.
Started the day today the way I am inspired to continue every day this semester...Wake up, put the kettle on, grab my Bible & journal. It ended up being such a sweet time that made me wonder why I hadn't been doing this on a regular basis. I hope I stick to this goal!
Can't believe it's Friday already...
Yesterday I had the privilege of babysitting 2 girls who I regularly babysit. It was great fun because I spent time with the littlest one, Elle, who is in kindergarten at the park since Emmy had to do homework at home. Elle reminds me so much of me when I was little. She finds creativity and humor in everything. She's so goofy and carefree. I was entertained as I sat & watched her make an "island" in the sand bank. She grabbed a thick, little branch and placed a big, vibrant green leaf on top of it so it resembled a palm tree. She then told me she had to find the little things that fall from the trees since they look like coconuts. She eventually found a few on the ground (since we were both too short to reach the tree branches) & placed them in the sand right beneath the little palm tree she created. She was so happy to see her creation, it made me smile.
I have told a few people that God seems to use babysitting as one of the primary ways to speak the loudest to me. Some days I am reminded of how badly I desire to have a strong, faithful husband, other days it's the urge to have children & raise them up in the best way possible. Just the family unit is something that I have seen & have become passionate about.
Yesterday, I looked at Elle playing in the sand, showing me all these little things around the park & realized how wonderful it is to be a kid. Things change as you get older, but the beautiful, simple things in life should never lose their luster because they all come from God. It was honestly the highlight of my day to just be outside in the warm, breezy air, under the clear blue sky with Elle. She made me think about some of the most important things. She made me laugh. On the walk home, we talked about heaven & she surprised me with her knowledge of the topic & made me laugh even more with her quirky comments.
She taught me so much yesterday & she has no idea. I am so grateful for these opportunities.

a new semester, a new season.

So I am finishing up my first semester of senior year which is absolutely crazy to think of & about to begin my final semester of high school. Where has the time gone?! 

Speaking of time flying by, my dear friend Nathan left yesterday to return to Massachusetts. His visit went by too quickly for my liking, but I look back on his weeks here with a big smile on my face. Our coffee shop talks, our silly obsession with playing letterpress, & our late night fast food runs are just a few of our special things that make me love our friendship so much. He's a gem. & although I wish all the people I love could be with me always, I am excited & confident that this semester will be a great one for him.

Isn't it astounding how good God is? In a constantly changing world He never changes. His love never grows weary for us & He delights in us. I always wonder how He could find such delight in me, but the only reason for that is simply grace. It's His amazing grace indeed that never seizes to amaze me. Entering into this new semester, I hope to focus more on God & His faithfulness, rather than the world & it's inconsistencies. Such a better use of my time. Don't you agree? Especially since time is so precious. 

Time.

Wow. Last time I blogged it was 2012. August. Time really does fly by so quickly. Life is so unexpected!
When I wrote here in August, I was just starting out senior year; now I'm entering into my second semester, making it my very last semester of high school...absolutely surreal.

• Started my last year of high school. It's been a good, yet stressful one indeed!
• Had the best birthday experience for my 18th. 
• Did college applications. Exciting!
• Went back east in Autumn. Visited Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. Saw sweet family members and wonderful friends.
• Took my first SAT. What a headache that was. 
• Got accepted into my number one school. Feel completely blessed & undeserving. 
• Enjoyed the holidays with loved ones.

All I am left with as I look back on the happenings of my senior year so far is the reality that God is so good. I have always known that but I feel as though the older I get, the more I really come to know His goodness. I had all these dreams in my heart & now they are becoming reality. It's only because God has paved the way for these things to happen. I really feel that he planted the desires in my heart a long while ago, & after I nurtured them & fought for them to take root, He has rewarded the efforts of my selfish heart. Again, I'm entirely thankful, so unworthy. I can't believe that I get to go onto new adventures in 2013 that I only dreamed of actually accomplishing. It is definitely not due to anything that I have accomplished, it is all due to what God is planning to accomplish in me.