Me

I believe in authenticity. I think that the best things in life are not forced. I believe that the best friendships take time and effort to build. Life is a lot of give and take. A true friend will see you through the good times and the bad. They love your ugly because they see your beauty too. 

I think that life is meant to be lived at a slow ambling pace. I know that I do not always achieve this, it is contrary to our culture, but it is what I strive for. I know that my best days are usually spent outside, ambling through the strawberry fields, picking blueberries, visiting a favorite park, playing in the water with kids, and barbequing with friends. I think the common denominator in my life highlight reels are people, people that I love, that have time for me and my family.

People. People who are as invested in my life as I am in theirs. They are the people we throw parties with, that cry on our shoulder, that rage at the world when all seems unfair and help to pick up my broken pieces after a hard day. They love me when I make mistakes or constantly change my mind. They know that I'm a crazy wind child and in that I love to plan as well. They understand that I am a walking contradiction, but this is probably because I am constantly trying to grow or being forced to grow.

I know who I am and I am not afraid of me. I know my shortcomings and my strengths. I love to share life with people, to walk alongside those I love. I will never compromise who I am or my beliefs, but neither will I let your beliefs be what stands between us. I do not expect everybody to agree with me, we all travel the same road but at different times. We are all unique and will make unique choices in our unique situations that all have a common denominator in some way or another. I may not always agree with somebody but I will always love. 

Love is the foundation of my life. It is rooted in my love for God. It is what I hope that people see when they see me. But I often feel that it is my failure that shines through. That just may be my feelings at the moment as it's been a hard year for me. When going through things it's easier to see the troubles in front of you than the hope inside. But the hope is always inside, it's what keeps me going. What calms me in the torrent rains. Without hope there would be no reason to live, so I am so thankful that my God is a God of hope. He is so many things, but right now what I want is hope. Hope that this season will pass, as they all do. Hope that when the season is past what I will remember is the treasures buried within this crazy time and I know that that will be what I remember. Beneath my moody contradictory surface is a optimist at heart. There are things that will always be true, always represent who I am and those are things that are found in my Lord, the only thing unchanging in my life.