Someone once told me...

That when she's lonely or finds herself wanting a significant other, she thinks of all the ministry she has been able to accomplish as a single person...

And so as I was changing the quote on my little whiteboard,  I came up with this "Think of all that he has done with just you, now imagine the work he will do when one becomes two."inhaleexhalewait

Eighth "Love, according to them..."

About a month or so ago, my roommates boyfriend messaged me saying that their 6month anniversary was coming up and he wanted to know if I could possibly help him with something he was planning. B however caught on and so he left it for sometime but then early this week brought it back to my attention and asked me if I could distract her this morning so that he could leave something for her in our room.

 Mind you, this was after they had a breakfast together this morning since they couldn't do dinner that evening. So presh.

Anyway, even though I was apart of the scheming, I had no idea what he was up to. Until that is he sent me the text that said all was done, and the room was clear...somewhat.

B and I walk back to the room, I open the door and proceed to my side of the room as usual but B stops in the door way and stares at the array of cards and a bowl of rose centerpiece placed in the center of our room. She looks at me & I just smile back at her and she made her way towards the surprise. 

On each individual card, D wrote all of the reasons why he loves her. 

I watched her as she planted herself on the floor carefully taking it all in and then one by one reading the cards and stacking them together.

I decided to contribute to this moment by playing some background ambiance music.
Just that sight alone was breathtaking but then of course I found myself reading the nicely stacked gift and I almost started crying.. But only like one tear actually fell... 

Anyway, 

The reasons for his love were so inspiring to read, some were funny, some were a little more serious but all of them you knew he meant with all of his heart. 

The fact that he took the time to do that AND that he wanted it to be a surprise...

I was just blown away.

It was not so much that this taught me something new, it more so reminded me of what I sometimes forget, and that is that love, as long as it may take, is worth waiting for. 

It was one of the wonderful moments I needed to see happen and get to be somewhat apart of and it reassured me of all of the reasons why I wait.. that one day, after all this waiting, I will know that it was so worth it. 


So that's love,
according to others.

And then there was seven.

I hope you have been enjoying my "Love, According to them..." series as much as I have enjoyed writing them!

I've only written seven, and already this little thing has literally been like a therapy for me. 
I have been able to sort out my thoughts, not focus on being "lonely" and remember all the reasons why I wait for the love story being written for me everyday.

Inhale
Exhale
Blog.

Seventh "Love, According to them..."

My RD (Resident Director) and her husband just had their 2nd year anniversary a few weeks ago.
Through their marriage I have learned & witnessed the "newness" of love.
Celebrating two years of marriage is a big deal, in fact each year, each month, each day that a marriage stands should be a celebration considering how hard it can be in our society today.

Their marriage reminds me that love is like a garden.
You start fresh, soil a few seeds and you water and nurture, water and nurture.
You will plant, grow and nourish beautiful things... and at sometime those beautiful things may die BUT only so that new beautiful times, memories and so much more can grow in their place.
Their marriage reminds me of the richness of that new soil, the so many possibilites that can grow from it.

Their marriage has shown me the young ferver that marriages should want to hold onto no matter how many the years they've been married.

They redid their wedding photos .... different time, same dress and let me tell you...
those pictures were absolutely GORGEOUS!
And my favorite part? The way the looked at one another was the same so evidently in love gazes that they had when they first said, "I do."
His eyes still twinkled and her smile were as radiant as ever.
Those looks, that new young ferver should forever last in a marriage,
They should be one of the attributes that keeps it going, twinkling eyes, radiant smile and all.


So that's love,
according to others.

Sixth "Love, According to them..."

Being an RA has shown me so so many things about love... but for this sixth post I will mention just one of them.

In this job, I have learned that love is indeed jealous.
We find something and begin to love it and claim it before it even has a chance to claim us, and whenever something gets in the way or takes a piece of that love, we feel a little jealousy.

I love that my residents have alpha groups, and friends besides me, that's what they're here for!
But at the same time there's this little thing in me that says "No, their mine!" That's normal though right?

I think love needs a good does of jealousy.
I believe that sometimes it shows how deep your love for that person or thing may be... so deep that you feel this tug of possession over them (hopefully in a healthy way)

Our jealousy can show that we care.
It can also show that we don't... learning the boundary is up to us.


So that's love,
according to others.

My heart.

I don't really have enough time to blog out the past month or so of my life... so here are snip bits in snapshots of what's been going on!

My 38 beautiful residents. (Some are missing :)

Brother hall (Right side, black shirt+ left side jean shirt)

Roommate (Polka dot shirt)

Roommates Boyfriend (Bottom left)

Crazy Uncle M (Left side bottom right)

This picture also represents... I turned 21&changed my hair.. ohmygawsh.

Walkabout Team

My Staff

Basically I am living a beautiful and crazy life.

I wouldn't change a thing.

Fifth "Love, according to them..."

My home church is really small... small as in, we maybe have 20- 30 people each sunday and if we get real crazy we have around 60 or so.
But there's one thing about my church that is unmistakable, and that is the fact that God is so present in that place despite our numbers.

So what has that taught me about love? You may ask?
Well, it has taught me that love does not have to be big or small in order to be meaningful.
When we think about love.. sometimes we think of all these big and "great things"
but love can also be a collection of all the little wonders too.

I believe that at the core of love, it is meant to be close and intimate and not necessarily always loud, boisterous and in your face.
Love can come as a mosaic of small things and create one big beautiful, soft, and intimate love bubble.


So that's love,
according to others.

Fourth "Love, according to them..."

For my birthday... My hall ( along with my sneaky roommate).

Bought me a Keurig, along with some tasty cupcakes (courtesy of my sneaky mother).

My birthday was October 1st.... So at this point, I have known these thirty wonderful women (not including my sneaky roommate) for less than a month. I was blown away.

I never expected to receive anything from them on my birthday, let alone the effort it took to surprise me.

And so... what I learned from my residents and my roommate about love, is that LOVE IS TIMELESS. 

It knows no means of how long you've known that person, it has no recollection of how many times you have actually seen their face or weather or not you know their name (its been a struggle, but I almost got them down). 

Love knows no time... it is us that keeps track.

Perhaps we can learn a little something from not keeping track, simply loving because someone or something deserves love at that point and time.

So, even after this year has passed, I will make coffee from my Keuirg and remember the timeless love that I received on my 21st birthday from my residents.

So that's love,
according to others.

Third "Love, according to them...."

My roommate (B) & her boyfriend entered into a relationship in the end periods of our sophomore year (last semester)
I have heard the story of her boyfriends (D) pursuit many a times... I could probably even tell it to you but not as good as they can and minus the precious eye gazes that they sometimes give to one another when they tell it.

And through those stories... this is what I have learned from B & D about love...

I have learned that every girl deserves to be pursued.
And when I say "pursued" I don't mean... "Get her... get her.. got her. Prize Won."
I mean a continuous pursuit.
Once he gets you... he should still be continuing to figure out what makes you laugh.
What are the little collection of things that brings you joy...
Find out what small things he does that has a tendency to rub you the wrong way.

Instead of just this "one-shot, let me learn all about her just so I can "get her" kind of thing.. it should be a learn so much about her but still have the desire to keep pursuing her within the relationship to really keep her.

Relationships in all sorts should be a continuous pursuit, constantly trying to unravel the beautiful puzzles before us and explore all of the wonders it holds.
And at some point we will be able to say that we know someone else better than we know the back of our own hand yet still be fascinated by the continuous and daily pursuit of them.


I have also learned from them that sometimes it just takes one time to find love.
Without the constant searching, constant running into the wrong type of love, without the constant heartbreak...
They have taught me that love, and good love can be found with just one search.


So that's love,
according to others.

Second "Love, according to them..." Post

My parents marriage has taught me ....

That I want someone who is so secure in themselves, that it allows me to do the same.

My parents are certain in who they are as a couple, as a family unit etc.
But I do not believe that security can happen without the security that they have in themselves as individuals.

My dad knows he is not defined as a pastor, he is not still searching for himself because he knows of his identity in Christ and how that is ultimately what he is called to be, a follower of Christ and within that comes his identity description; Father, husband, Pastor, Church Planter, Friend etc.

Same goes for my mother.
At the core of who she is she knows what kind of woman she is, she knows what her strengths are the environments in which she most adequately strives.
She knows what makes her laugh and what rest means to her.

And sure, maybe what they like to do may change, their hobbies or interests may fluctuate, their taste buds may no longer enjoy their favorite foods but... at the end of the day they can confidently declare who they are and that is why their love works so well.


My parents are no longer trying to find themselves, they already know who they are, and that is why they are able to walk confidently in their marriage with one another.
Yes, because they know the other person but most importantly because the other person knows thyself.


So that's love,
according to others.

Starting a new little mini serious type deal.

"Love, according to others...." Is what I will call it. The "others" is basically anyone around me, that could be people in my family, friends, or complete strangers.

Here's the first one, and naturally it is about my parents.

My parents marriage has made me realize..

That I want someone who allows me to be weak.

My mom is a strong woman, wise and very much so her own person. I of course have received some of her dominant traits. I want a man who allows me to be weak and not the stereotypical “Damsel in distress” type of "weakness", none of that. 

But when I just don’t feel like being the one who saves everyone all the time, I know I have someone right behind me to do the saving, including when the person needing it is myself. 

So that's love,
according to others.