Septembertwentysix

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

lillian rachel

Thoughts.

It was one of those days where I actually slept well.  I dragged myself out of bed, and hopped in the shower and then tried to figure out what to wear.  I didn't want to just wear jeans and a t-shirt again, that is so boring and I don't particularly want to be boring, but I wanted to be comfortable, and what is most comfortable? Layers.  So I decided to wear jeans... and a dress, and a shirt, and a cardigan.  I was warm and comfy and happy despite the fact that I was not still in bed.

But it was still one of those days.  I went to school, turned in homework, smiled, laughed, but generally just felt quiet.  I like quiet days though. Quiet and content days are really nice.  I felt very comfortable in my skin, and that is a nice feeling. 
You know how what you wear makes a difference in how you act?  I think that dressing is a really big part of a person.  Either you care what you wear, or you don't, but either way, it shows who you are. Mart Twain said "Clothes make the man.  Naked people have little or no affect on society" obviously we aren't going to go around naked (well most people don't ;) but how you clothe yourself, in this outward-appearance-based society we live in, is going to affect what people think of you, and even how you think of yourself. 

There are stories to every article of clothing, and choosing to wear something is adding to your story.  Maybe it's not so drastic as all that, but it's still true.  When I am happy, I am more likely to put on a brightly colored dress.  When I am sad I'm more likely to wear simpler clothing. 
I think that everything that you gather to yourself, everything you surround yourself with, is going to add to the definition of you.  You may not realize it, but each little choice you make says something about you and influences you.  So why would you chose to dress/act/talk like someone else?  Of all the infinite combinations of characters that makes a person, of all the unique traits God gave you, why would you try to be like someone else?  I think we're trying to find ourselves in something other than God, for one.  Don't embrace trends and labels and things of this world.  Embrace the unique person God has made you.  Embrace God.   

 "Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." Dr. Seuss had it right.  There's no one who can be YOU better than you can.  Isn't that pretty obvious?  So why would we try to be someone else when we could be God's 100% unique creation? 

I know this is kind of all over the place.  But when I'm getting dressed, I want to dress 100% me.  Sometimes I put on jeans and a t-shirt because I don't really care that day, but generally I'm so much more comfortable in "my" skin, of dresses and layers and patterns and colors.  
I'm more comfortable and me in smiles and awkwardness.  I'm more comfortable singing loudly than conversing about math.  I would rather cook and bake than play sports.  
So I guess my point is that, I want to encourage each of you lovely people reading this to be you. To not worry what other people think, or try to act like someone else, but to always be the 100% you that God made.   Embrace being yourself, not someone else, and embrace God.  Read his word, and pray without ceasing, live life joyously for God, and find what his purpose is for you.  God has made you special, and he has a great plan for you(Jeremiah 1: 5).  


Lillian ♥

Phillipians 4:4-9


 

Easily re-titled as: 33 Ways to Live Joyously

I found this list on Pinterest the other day, and it's basically everything I want to be doing.  I'd encourage you to read, re-read and put this list into practice.  It's a pretty terrific list, no?

I wrote it down, and added a few of my own.  

34. bake something

35. read the bible

36. pray with thanksgiving

37. spend time with family

This is a list of things I not only want to add, or continue in my life, but also the things I want to blog about.  So maybe I'll have posts like... "#9:  I drank black tea yesterday, and couldn't get to sleep." Which is true.

Additionally, I'll need to remember to take pictures, and good ones. 

Have a lovely Thursday... still.

Lillian ♥

Beginnings

 Oh goodness.  There are so many things I want to say, that I keep re-writing this same paragraph.  I've had so many thoughts and ideas and even a note from a friend regarding this new project (Hi Jordan:), that my brain is just exploding.  Of course, after a few weeks I'll probably be starting to feel the monotony, but that's why I started this blog.  To be accountable for living joyously. 

So, day 1 of my "project" I got off the computer a bit early, played the guitar for a long while, sketched some, and cut out pictures from some magazines for my wall.  It wasn't that early that I got off the computer, and the song I'm playing doesn't sound that much better, and my sketch wasn't that great, but it was lovely putting effort into some things that I didn't view as chores, or put off lazily. 

Yesterday afternoon, I had a couple errands to run, and so my mom dropped me off (only have my permit, because I just.. didn't get my permit... for forever) on the little main street of our town and I walked around a bit.  I went to this used book shop and picked up Jane Eyre, and a selection of Poe's stories.   I then walked aimlessly through some other shops, went to the library (I know, redundant), bought some chocolate at the bulk foods store, and then met my mom at a coffee shop.  Then, we went to this awesome little, privately owned guitar shop.  It was very exciting.  I picked out the guitar I liked, and we'll go back with my pastor who knows guitars, to buy it later (he said he'd come with me so I get a good guitar for my price and all that).  Then, I had modern (dance) class and choreography class, which were both lovely.  It was a very nice day. 

I picked up this book a little while ago from the library and just started reading it.  It is very interesting, though I won't recommend it til I've finished reading it.  It's got some iffy subjects, though it's a terrific story so far.  Sometimes I'm not the best judge though. 

Anyway.  That's what my past couple days have been like.  Just the idea of new beginnings and clean slates just put me in a good mood.  I'm more apt to do things, than just be lazy or just think about them.  And I like that a lot.  My blogging won't always be like this, just a re-cap.  I plan on still doing occasional outfit posts, because I like getting dressed, and I know I like seeing what other people wear.  I'll post what I'm thinking, pictures I'm taking and the like.  But I guess for now, my focus is on documenting life, and living fully.  Having this blog to keep me accountable is nice. 

Also, we serve a mighty God.  He's doing things we can't understand, for reasons we won't understand.  But He is mighty, and loves us very much.  

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’” (Job 37:5-6 NIV)

Have a lovely Thursday!

Lillian ♥

Living Joyously

School.

Firstly,
I am often dissatisfied with what I am doing, or even who I am.  I think that "if only" I did this, or had that, that my life would magically become better, or that I would be happier.  But I am lying to myself.  I know that I need to work diligently in my work that God has set before me, and I know that I have to be the one to initiate these things.  God has given me an amazing life, and I am not living to bring Him glory to the best of my ability.

Secondly,
Part of the reason I have been dissatisfied has been because of the discontented norm our society has brought on itself, and the perfection of life that is so easy to translate onto the Internet when blogging and talking to other people over the Internet.  At this point in my life, I've been very jealous, unwilling to change, and then upset because of the mixture of those two.

Thirdly,
Many blogs these days have such an amazing simplicity and joy that I am so jealous of.  The writers, though acknowledging everything is not perfect, seem to be so happy and lovely, and even when they "confess" everything seems so perfect.  I want to take those lovely blog posts as inspiration to live my days.  I want to live with that simple joy, bringing praise to God.  Not just being jealous of their lives. 
 
I am generally a pretty lazy person, and I want to change that.  I want to live with a joy of life worthy of our great Creator.  And when I realize I've wasted another day, doing practically nothing, I get mad at myself instead of changing it.  That's not what God wants me to do.  I'm not posting this to just complain, I'm starting this blog to keep myself accountable for my days.  I want to live joyously, not dwelling on the negative things, that do happen, but living each day to it's very fullest.  I don't want to to be simply swayed by what other people do and say, I want to become the woman God wants me to be. 

This is probably my favorite group of verses ever.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

So here's my journey in blog form, keeping me accountable.

Living joyously, one day at a time.

Lillian ♥