Chels in Progress

Three of my dearest friends are graduating this Saturday from my alma mater. This weekend will mark one year since I received my bachelor's. Today I met up with these girls before we all disperse over the globe, and I began thinking about my life now. I am not where I thought I would be, not doing what I thought I would be doing, if you had asked me a year ago. But I am learning to be thankful. The time I thought would be spent elsewhere allowed me to become a youth group leader, to invest in the women around me, and for Father to bring healing to my family. I am learning patience, stillness, love, grace, mercy, and trust. The Lord has put desires in my heart that can only be from Him, which means I must've allowed Him in far enough for Him to scoop some ugly junk out and replace it with His beauty. Admittedly, it is often uncomfortable when people respond as though I haven't done a whole lot since graduating, but I no longer feel the need to justify where I am at. I d

Top Ten Blessings This Week... {1} developed a love for line dancing. {2} workouts and runs. {3} learning a lot about historical Israel. {4} car stuff. {5} sweet time with the dearest friends. {6} the women God has placed in my life. {7} my tomato plant is growing. {8} California weather. {9} summer plans developing. {10} foam rollers for sore muscles. ♥

I am an easily distracted person, comparable to Dug in Up ("Squirrel!").  I see something shiny or glittery and it peels my eyes off of what I'm supposed to be walking, driving, or looking towards.  I also find myself easily invested in stories, and borderline emotionally attached to fictional characters' lives (i.e. I cried when I finished the Harry Potter series).  This makes for a bad combination in the sense that a lot of my free time is torn between looking up pretty things on Pinterest, keeping up with episodes of my favorite television shows on Hulu, and spending time with God.  I thoroughly hate to admit that time with God sometimes gets put aside, and then I end up either trying to cram it in or skipping it altogether. It was a long day at work today.  I came home tired, cranky, irritable, and hungry.  Not a good mix.  All I wanted to do was sit on my butt and do nothing, like scanning Pinterest for more photos of really toned people I'm jealous of,