...the spirit has begun to beckon.

So today.
The last day of November.
Am I making the best of the last day of this fall month?
Who cares?!
I wore gloves and a scarf because it was so cold today! Autumn is on its way out!

December is here, along with the wonderful holiday season, and that means-

three more full weeks of school-advent calendars-desperation for money-shopping-teachers cramming-students cramming-warmer clothes-Christmas songs and caroling-The Tree-adorning The Tree-hugging The Tree-candle lit Sunday mornings-decorating the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall-sugar cookies-cookie exchanges-wrapping paper-light bulbs-Santa hats-hot chocolate-great Christmas movies and shows-

It never ends!
And so begins the rush that can sometimes leave us burnt out, pummeled not only with snow but with the constant bombardment of things we need to buy or receive or anything, that draws us away from what Christmas is about.

That sounds really cliché.
BUT still ever so true.

It is so important to remember the love and reality behind this holiday. The birth of Jesus, the reasons for his life and the appreciation, joy and praise that should come out of it. That is why I'm going to share one of my favorite Christmas hymns.

O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the king of angels:
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultations,
Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above;
Glory to God
Glory in the highest:
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv'n;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing:
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord!

...I've been easing into the Holiday Season

Peppermint Chapstick and Trader Joes' Jo-Jo's,

Freezing Cold Weather and Wind that numbs my Nose,

Local Church bells with their annual rings-

These are a few of my favorite things.

But Seriously,
I love the Christmas, holiday, winter time all around. But over the years, I think I've lost the deep excitement and loud spirit that accompanies December. No matter how much I pummel carols into my head, or how warmly I dress, I just don't feel the same way. Maybe it's the increased work loads over the years, or just the imminent aging process. Either way, I'll still enjoy the traditions, and hopefully I can get into a bit more this season. The lights are up, I drank some hot coco, and we get our tree next weekend.

Check back for more cheesy carol covers throughout the month :)

...I am annoyed.

I'm annoyed that life isn't just what I thought it'd be.
I'm annoyed with people close to me that I never thought I'd be annoyed with.
I'm annoyed at how teachers think we're done learning and can handle anything they throw at us.

Annoyed at the world for charging money.
Annoyed at Anthropologie for requiring me to be 18 or older to have my dream job-decorating intern for college credits and store discounts.

Annoyed at myself for not being able to control it all.
Irritated, exasperated, aggravated.

It's seems that the only thing there is to follow is exhaustion and then complete submission.
I'd rather keep control of my life though.

And with the advice from a close friend and my newly rediscovered bible, I'm ready to turn over the controls to God, and quit neglecting Him as I feel I've been doing for the last 8 months or so.

Annoying.


"If your ultimate focus isn't right, then everything else is going to be going in its own direction."

...I think I'm losing people.

It's a little sad. But it's expected.
People grow apart. Things change, blah blah blah.

I get it, that's life.

I think sometimes I just don't expect things to happen to me. Even though they're looming closer than ever, and I will eventually have to experience them.
Like driving-I'm terrified to start, but I know I'll eventually have to. And what do you need for a car? Money, for gas...and the car for that matter. And where do you get money?
A job...ugghhhh.

But it's not just these types of things that frighten me. Lately I've been feeling more distant from people I used to be around nonstop. But some have just been hanging around a new crowd, and I except that. We still talk and hang out every once in a while.
But then there are the people I don't want to-cannot let go of. Mainly, my best friend since 5th grade.
We haven't had a class together since then besides one year of P.E. in 8th grade. But we actually had a little fight that year, so I don't really count it.

But yet, we've remained friends and we're close. And sure, she's had other friends, people I don't know, people in her classes. We would eat lunch together and with my other friends who she was friends with too. But then something happened; she claims they would ignore her behind my back or not invite her to things I was asked to come to. And I don't know. I feel I can trust her, but those things aren't typical of the group I now hang out with.
She began to eat lunch with other people, some I didn't like, others that I was friends with too. And I just saw less and less of her at school. I guess it wasn't too bad-we're still close, and she'd still do things with me too. Earlier this school year, September, she befriended a girl named Anna. Never met her. She sounded nice, and now that's all I hear.

But some things are annoying me. For instance, her first homecoming-dance for that matter, since 8th grade-and naturally I want to be there with her. I invite her to spend the night with me and my 'group.' She knows them, but declines, because she doesn't want to spend homecoming with people she thinks might be mean to her. Okay.
But she goes with Anna? Someone she met just this year? That she's known for a month? They, meaning Danielle, Anna, and Anna's best friend Monica, and all of their moms, go to Bucca di Beppo before the dance. Out of all the 4 years I've known her, Our mom's have never done anything together. Let alone something that special.

Sound jealous? a bit.
Am I overreacting? maybe.

Even though we still danced together and hung out at the dance, it would have been nice to have been there with her more.
And now, last night was the T.O. football game. Danielle came with Anna and I went with a few of my closer friends from school too. But it just felt awkward. We all stayed close to each other, but it was the first time I really met Anna. I saw her at the dance, but we actually sat on the same bench and talked and rode home together. With Danielle too.
I don't know. The best way I can describe spending the night with them was as if Danielle and I were divorced, but still spending the evening together with her new spouse. All of us. Weird.

I'll get over it. I can't admit I'm a little jealous of how much time and what she spends her time doing with Anna. Hopefully we can all get to know each other more. Hopefully I won't lose her.