Ready, Set, Go.

My last post was a whole year and 9 months ago. So let's catch up. Ready, set, go. :)

I graduated my senior year and decided to live in Tennessee for the next year. I worked as a paraprofessional at one of the elementary schools in the area. The next year would be a very memorable year for the rest of my life.

I started a new job, was living independently from my parents in another state, and starting real life. Needless to say, growing up is easier said than done. Everyone wants to grow up when they are young and then they grow up and wanna be young! (I sound old just saying that! haha)

It was a big adjustment for me and I learned a LOT about myself. Like that I use 100 too many pots, pans, and utensils just to make one meal. And that I had a dreadful fear...one that Satan had been festering inside me for so long that when it manifested itself, I was scared to death.

I clung to my boyfriend, who lovingly did his best to fill this hole and conquer this fear of mine. But it wasn't his fight to fight. With time, my struggles as a newly independent person, and his as a senior graduating with a cloudy future, we began to fall apart.

In January we broke up, and I was devastated.

Over the next few months I was overcome with love from the BEST of friends, restoration and healing from Christ, as well as new friends who were just what I needed to become a little more lively and less stressed. A little more....me. :)

Someone wise brought up the movie The Wizard of Oz and mentioned this quote in reference to me...

Dorothy: Can you help me? 
Glinda: You don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas. 
Dorothy: I have? 
Scarecrow: Then why didn't you tell her? 
Glinda: Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself. 

It is a beautiful illustration to me. I had it in me the whole time! To be happy. To enjoy life! But I had to find it myself. I was wasting it being stuck in fear and lost in a new stage of life with nobody to guide me. But God...God had bigger plans. :) :) (BIG smile across my face.)

I moved back to my home state after accepting a job offer in the summer and after 5 months of being apart, God brought my and my boyfriend's hearts back together. This story makes me cry because it is truly written by Him. I never expected us to be together again, but God is so good and brings healing. Turns out we each individually, had a LOT of things to work out with God and ourselves before we could work out together.

In several weeks, we were engaged. YES, engaged! God's timing is perfect and not bound by humans. Now he is serving as a missionary overseas and our wedding will be next summer.

I am teaching 1st grade to the most precious, and LIVELY group of kids! It has been challenging almost EVERY day. But something tells me that God gives me just enough strength in the day to rely on Him, that way I'll daily be coming back to Him for more...and I am okay with that...

So life is beautiful. Live it. Ready, set, go!!

:)

Chug Less.

As I was swiftly chugging down a nice cup of my hot cocoa and caramel macchiato concoction, I suddenly realized the absurdity of what I was doing—why in the world am I rushing?!

Why am I chugging the contents of this mug as if it’s gone like yesterday?

I stopped, and actually indulged in the moment between me and my hot drink. And it was delicious. (not to mention that my stomach will thank me later for not chugging the rest of it down).

I’m a planner. A worrier. A choleric who wishes she was more sanguine and carefree. An “I should be doing something productive with my life” kinda girl. Yes, it is stressful.

But I’m thankful for the little thing inside of me that reminded me that I don’t have to rush all the time. I don’t have to run a marathon and be first place every day of my life. Praise the Lord. I’m sure it was Him who reminded me.

I need to learn to drink slower, laugh more, and worry less. Now…back to my drink. J

A Picture of Creation

Up from the bed of the river

God scooped the clay:

And by the bank of the river

He kneeled Him down:

And there the great God almighty

Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky,

Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night,

Who rounded the earth in the middle of His hand;

This Great God,

Like a mammy bending over her baby, kneeled

down in the dust

Toiling over a lump of clay

Till He shaped it in His own image;

Then into it He blew the breath of life,

And man became a living soul.

Amen. Amen.

James Weldon Johnson

A Little Commercial.

My mom has been sewing since I can remember. She made me all KINDS of things. Dolls, dresses, dresses for my dolls, lol. The list goes on and on. She FINALLY has her own Etsy account where she can sell all her handmade stuff. If you like it or know of someone who might, spread the word!

This is her "minnie" inspired apron for the little helper around the kitchen. $12.00 on Etsy!!! 

SewBella4U -- Hand-sewn little treasures!

5 things I am thankful for.

Due to a very wet and rainy Tennessee, plus a truck load of overwhelming homework, 20 hour work weeks, and juggling a boyfriend and girlfriends, I am a very exhausted, very cranky Rachel.

I decided that I do not enjoy being so crabby and so I am going to write 5 things that I was thankful for today.

1) That I finally found a research topic for class.
     This was stressing me out to the MAX. Thank you Dawnmarie and Jessica who talked me through it!
2) Time with my boyfriend.
     Believe it or not, sometimes you don't get to see your boyfriend in college! Today we got to just sit and just
TALK. It was so relaxing and I was genuinely thankful for the time I spent with him today.
3) That it wasn't raining today.
     I understand that the rain we had in the past 2 days was very much needed. I get it. But this Florida girl needs her sunshine, and one more day of rain might have made me go crazy. Just sayin'. I was thankful for the clouds that DIDN'T bring rain.
4) That I got to sleep in this morning. It was delicious. That's all I have to say.
5) That tomorrow is Thursday and the weekend is coming. Hallelujah.