Blogs Are Lame.

Hola Peeps!

Yes, I have decided to name this blog is "Still Can't Decide" and yes, the title of this blog post is "Blogs Are Lame." Maybe one day I'll give this blog a real, sophisticated name....or maybe I'll just decide to keep the sassy name in place forever. My dad has a 15+ year old boat named "Still Can't Decide" so I guess indecisiveness runs in the family? I had a blog about 3 years ago and forced a weird name upon it, so I'm just going to stick with this for now.

To me, blogs are lame. It sounds cynical, but I view them as something people create because they want to seem hipster and philosophical. I kinda cringe a little bit at the thought of me "putting up a new blog post, with link in bio". However, I am full of thoughts and discoveries that I want to share with as many people as possible and I love to be creative....so whatever, here we go!

My aim is for this to be a space where I can share the ideas that run around my brain a mile a minute, with the goal that whoever actually decides to read this can be encouraged. Mutually encouraging one another is one of my favorite things to do and something I find life-giving!

I am one of those people who comes across something interesting and immediately wants to share about it with someone. If I am running and see a crazy beautiful sunset, I'll FaceTime a solid 8 people until someone answers (thank you Catherine Parler for always answering my FaceTimes!) If I find a ballin restaurant, I'll take 3 people there the next week. I guess I'm basically a recruiter for things I find hype in life.

Since today is December 31st, the last day of 2016, I'm feeling highly sappy and reflective. 2016 has been full of change and new experiences, so much so that I believe it is actually worth sharing. If you're reading this.......its too late. (jk, but I hope you got the Drake reference.) But actually, if you are reading this, maybe you too are walking through a lot of change in your life and are wondering what is the best way to handle that. Maybe you want to see that you aren't the only one trying to navigate post grad life. Maybe, you are finding yourself in need of a little grace (or a lot, in my case) for your shortcomings.

Like I said, 2016 was a year categorized by change. I moved from Columbia, SC to New York, NY. I went from college student to yopro. I changed churches and got new roommates, and had to learn to cook for myself instead of the treat of a sorority meal plan (shoutout to da Phi Mu chefs, y'all were the realest!). We sold my car and I learned to navigate the subway. I said bye to my friends that I held so dear and then we moved all over the earth....yes the earth, Maggie is in Albania :( and Kelly Wisner literally hit up 11 countries.

But, God, the one who is constant despite all of this change, leans in and gives me peace that passes all understanding to guard my heart and my mind. In April, my dad had heart complications and in early July he had open heart surgery. I thank God for the doctors as Duke and the successful surgery my dad had and the Lord's timing and assurance in all things.

You see, we can have the craziest external circumstances, but if our foundation is firm, then we won't be shaken. This year, I clung to the Isaiah 26:3-4. I had this verse written out and taped to my bedside table as a reminder that God's got me and is the absolute most reliable thing in this world. It says "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forevermore, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." In Christ, hope and joy is independent of our circumstances-how cool is that?!

2016 was challenging and full of immeasurably more great times (and food) than I could have imagined. I am thankful to experience another year of walking through this life with the Lord by my side and going before me. So here's to 2017, a year of a million unknowns, but also the knowledge that I am fully known and yet fully loved by God. 2K17 LETS GOOOO!