Coffee Road trip!

Hey everyone! Follow my roomate, Caroline, and I as we embark on a roadtrip from Tennessee to Texas, with random coffee shop stops along the way! We're going to be rating each shop and sharing our experiences with you! It's going to be an adventure, and we can't wait to document it! :) Click here to check us out!

If we were children I would bake you a mudpie

"Oh what I wouldn't do

If I had you, babe, if I had you,"

What I wouldn't do - A Fine Frenzy

Hello friends :) I can't believe the end of the semester is so close! In just 10 days my roommate Caroline and I will be starting our "coffee road trip" all the way HOME to Texas. I can explain that more later. 

The Caroline's Coffee Road trip, coming May 2012

I just wanted to stop in and send out a quick update, since this next week I'll be crazy busy with finals, moving out, and getting everything ready to go HOME. Did I mention I'm going HOME soon?! I really can't wait.

When I reflect on this semester I'm overwhelmed by how much God has revealed to me. I'm exhausted, but I'm thankful. Things are already in place for next semester, which makes me excited to be back here! But, not without Summer first. 

But anyways, in the next few days, this will be me:

I promise I get some studying done...sometimes. 

Texas friends, I can't wait to see you! Contact me soon and we'll figure out a way to hang out this summer :)

Tennessee friends, I've been so blessed to get to know each and every one of you, and I can't wait for round two this fall.

Love always. 

When the Blue Bonnets Bloom, I'll Think of You

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday with your families. I hope you were renewed and refreshed by the gift of the Christ's sacrifice, and strengthened by the promise of the resurrection. It's such a beautiful gift, isn't it?

I'm happy to be back in Tennessee for three weeks, counting off each day until school is out. Spring has officially set it, and even though I'm not in Texas I can celebrate the fact that Blue Bonnets are blooming everywhere in my home state. (if you haven't noticed, my blog is celebrating too!) 

"Say your prayers, say my name

keep it fresh on your brain,

and don't forget that I love you this much."

"Blue Bonnets" - Cross Canadian Ragweed

Since I've been obsessed with springtime, blue bonnets, and home lately, this song will be on repeat for awhile. This video is decent quality, but I would recommend getting the song on Itunes.

Enjoy the springtime, friends. Find a place outside to relax, and notice the beauty that is blooming all around you. Life is beautiful. 

10 reasons why I love coming home

The thing about going to school 900 miles from everything you know is that going home doesn't happen very much. If you're like me and embrace independence, being in a new place is an exciting adventure. However, even independent people get homesick, and long for the place that they know and love.

I'm currently home for Easter break satisfying my Sugar Land crave, so I thought I'd share with you why I love coming home to sweet Sugar Land, Texas, as much as I do.  

Here are the 10 reasons I love coming home:

1. Mexican food. 

When it comes to Mexican food, Tennessee tries. But nothing quite compares to an enchilada in Texas (except for maybe an enchilada in Mexico...)

2. My backyard smells like Carolina Jasmines, and I love it. 

I've never been one to get swept away by smell association, but Carolina Jasmines always bring me home. 

3. Less school, less stress, more shopping. 

Does that really need explanation?

4. I really just love my cat. 

I gave up trying to be cool a long time ago, and since we're going for full disclosure, I'm just going to say this: my cat is one of my favorite things on this earth. She's loving, she's cuddly, and when I'm not at home I miss her at the foot of my bed. Now, proceed to judge me. 

5. Being away from home makes you love it more. 

When I first come home after a few months of being away, I'm sentimental about everything. I love the busy road that I used to take every day to school, I love the june bugs that buzz around our back door in April, I love everything about Sugar Land.

6. I really do love everything about Sugar Land. 

It was the ideal place to grow up, and now it's the ideal home base to come back too. I don't ever want there to be a day when I'm not coming back to Sugar Land. I feel at home as soon as I get here, there's no awkward adjusting or reacquainting time. In my life at least, things move a little slower in Sugar Land, and I'm always able to find peace here. Everyone should have a place like that. 

7. When I'm home, I'm constantly seeing or hearing things that remind me of life at Lee. 

I think that's a good thing; getting away gives me an opportunity to step away from the stress and remember how much I love my life at school. Pretty soon I start to miss it. Even though I absolutely love being home, going back to school isn't always a challenge. 

8. Reunions. 

When you're gone for a long time and only have a few days to be home, you get the chance to have crazy, jumping around and screaming reunion moments with your friends, and it's wonderful. 

9. Friends. 

There's nothing like sitting down for coffee with a really great friend, especially when you haven't seen that friend in awhile. As much as social media let's us keep up with each other, it doesn't match the experience of actually spending time with someone. I love seeing old friends again and hearing about everything that's happened in their life since we last saw each other. 

10. Family. 

My family is my favorite thing in the world, and these days it's extremely rare that we're all in one place at one time. Any time I get a chance to see even just part of my family, I'm the happiest girl in the world. Spending time with my family is the best and easiest way to get refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the semester. 

I don't know how long I'll be away from Texas. Whether I come back and lay roots here or just float through every once in awhile, Texas will always hold a very special place in my heart, and I'll always love coming home. 

When there's no one else to love, keep me in mind

Zac Brown Band, you are wonderful. 

This will always be one of my favorite songs.

P.S. HAPPY APRIL! Hello Spring time :)

I'm here, and it's on purpose.

"Wherever you are,

 be all there." Jim Elliott 

Well, I'm right here. Hi.

Life is really great, but really busy. Right after Spring break the thick of the middle of the semester hit really hard, and for a few weeks I was lucky if I was able to stay in one place for more than an hour. Life is finally slowing down and letting me breathe a sigh of relief - the storm has passed over. 

I had an amazing Spring break with (most of) my family in Colorado. Along with my parents and Tyler, it was so awesome to see Zach at school, and see how much he's grown as a man of God in the last few months. Next week he'll be flying to Kyrgyzstan to do missionary work for 3 months, which basically means I'll be in constant prayer for him for 3 months! 

In the midst of extreme business, roommate outings make me really happy :) 

Like I said, life at Lee since Spring break has been incredibly busy, but it's been a blessing. There are so many great opportunities for me here. I'm learning to be thankful for them even though I complain about them stealing my time. 

............

I'm homesick. The hardest part about being overloaded with school these past few weeks is that I was having trouble caring. I love being at Lee, but right now my heart and mind are resting in Sugar Land, while my body is still pushing itself in Cleveland. In four days I'll be going home for the first time all semester, and I couldn't be more excited. I could hug the whole state of Texas. 

God has really been using that quote by Jim Elliott to speak to me. When I get homesick, I tend to only think about going home, and I begin going through the minimal motions just to get through the day. That's a sorry way to live.

Like it or not, I'm here.

So now I just need to be here. 

I'm here, and it's on purpose. My resolution for the rest of the semester is to fully, whole-heartedly, un-regretfully be here, and to enjoy it. I'm so fortunate to be where I am, and a stressful season should not give me a reason to complain.

It's such a beautiful truth that the joy of the Lord is not based upon circumstance or current state of mind. He is so constant, so faithful, and so good. 

As always, I'm learning, seeking, serving, and wandering.

With love. 

C.S. Lewis, how do you do it?

I really wish I knew how C.S. Lewis got to be so wise. I'll always be in awe of him.

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell."

-C.S. Lewis, obviously. 

Nostalgia

A sentimental yearning for the happiness of former place or time.

(Dictionary.com)

Today, nostalgia is my best friend. 

I miss the joy that constantly circled his presence. 

Happy Valentines Day. 

Rescued: He Will Break Every Chain

Once again, I'm late. But...  Happy February!! I hope you're having a fantastic February. 


I know I've been MIA lately, but I promise I have a good excuse. The dance troupe, Unity, that I've been apart of since I've been at Lee is having our show this weekend. My schedule has been really crazy this week with rehearsals on top of school and trying to have a social life. 


I'm so excited for this show. This show is going to effect lives. God's heart is in this show, and I believe that He can use it to set the captives free. 


The video above is one of the songs we're dancing too, in the portion of the show that focuses on sex slavery.


Please be praying for the show this weekend. We're dancing for souls caught in slavery...whether it's personal slavery, sex slavery, or any other form...we're being their voice this weekend. 

Sing Me the Legends of the River

"Sing me the legends of the river,

Tell me the story of the Sky.

 

Because I want to grow,

I want to know,

I want to understand.

Paint me a picture of the landscape.

Dance me the dance of the waves. 

In the river is the model of creation.
Our lives like the river to the sea.

Sing me the legends of the river,

Tell me the story of the Sky.

Author Unknown

Changes

Things sure are changing here on Walton's Mountain.

More like the Tennessee Mountains, but I couldn't resist showing off my old soul by making a Walton's reference.

But anyway, the changes. First off, you may have realized that my internet home now has a new name. Instead of "Chasing Joy," my blog is now titled "The Wanderer." I like this a lot. Chasing Joy began to seem too selfish...like my mission is to do whatever makes me happy and nothing else. I didn't mean that in the slightest, but I wanted to make sure I didn't come off that way. And besides...I already have joy. It's not something I'm chasing, it resides within me. It's the joy of the Lord, and I just have to connect to it and let it show.

To me, "The Wanderer" means that I don't have all the answers, and it's ok. Because...

-J.R.R. Tolkien

I'm not sure where I'll end up in this life, but I like the idea of wandering. A personality test I took recently told me that I'm a seeker, stating that I like "adventure and original experiences that stimulate and challenge [the] status quo." So, I'll be wandering around this earth, seeking to spread as much joy and love as I possibly can. The way I see it, as long as I'm wandering with Christ my wandering will never be aimless.

Take the personality test here: http://personality.visualdna.com/

I usually don't buy into these things, but this one was pretty cool, although I did have to enter in my own faith in place of their inner strength message. 

The second change is that I'm off Facebook until March 1st. My dormitory hall is doing the "40 Day Revolution" by Richard Mull, and part of the revolution is a fast. It may seem arbitrary, but Facebook really has become too important to me. Being off of it for awhile will be healthy, and give me more time for more important things. It's been difficult for the first few days, but Kellie Pickler's new album "100 Proof" has been keeping me company as I find new things to do with all of this extra time!

So...I guess you can say I'm spending some time working on myself. I always want to be bettering myself; deepening my relationship with Christ's and others. And I always want to be sharing the love and grace that Christ gives me with others. 

Other news: I've found a church in Cleveland that I really, really love. I'm so thankful!

Promo shot for Rescued

Rescued is coming soon! The dance show I've been working on (with Unity Dance Troupe) since last semester is almost here! I'm so excited. This message (slavery) is so important. I went to a forum tonight with various advocates raising awareness for sex trafficking prevention, and once again it hit me how big this issue is, and how captive our nation is currently being held. 

Do some research on the issue, and if you're in the area come see Rescued! February 10-11th in the Dixon Center at Lee University. Check out http://146taskforce.org/events/rescued for more info. 

This post has gone on way too long, but then again I say that at the end of almost every post, so it looks like that's one thing that isn't changing. Thanks for sticking with me. 

Blessings, 

Caroline

....The wanderer. 

New Favorite Songs

From the night time to the morning I am aching for a better part of me.

Time is love, gotta run

We'll go home and lay down safe in the arms of love

So what if I can't kick a soccer ball into a goal?

I feel like I could lift 500 pounds with my soul.

This last song was written by a friend of Brad Paisley's who suffers with A-T. Brad recorded the song, and is now donating all the royalties to A-T's Children Project. Just another reason to love him. Read more about it here: http://www.theboot.com/2011/12/13/brad-paisley-hard-life/

In the palm of His hand.

Imagine the hand of God. Now look at His palm, and imagine me sitting there, just chilling out. That's pretty much where I like to reside 24/7. Everything is better when you're in the palm of His hand.

Not only am I in the palm of His hand, but my destiny resides there also. He's got it taken care of already, even though all I see right now are a bunch of question marks.

"'For I know the plans I have for you' declared the Lord..." Jeremiah 29:11.
That's great Lord, buy here's the thing: I DON'T know the plans you have for me, and that's where we have an issue. I'm a planner. I like to ask a lot of questions and know things way in advance. So living with my destiny in the palm of the Lord's hand, with no actual clue of what my life is going to turn out to be...that scares me.

I guess I should rephrase...WE don't have an issue, I have an issue. Sometimes I really don't know how to handle not knowing where my life is going, but the Lord doesn't even waste a breathe on it. He's already taken care of everything. Despite all of my doubts and fears, as long as I'm resting in the palm of His hand I'll always be in the right place at the right time. My destiny is already set in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As hard as it is to let go of control over my life, He really knows what He's doing. Actually, He knows more about me than I do, so letting Him take care of me is definitely the better option.

The best part of living in the palm of His hand is that I get to live soaked in His love. Why do I ever worry?!

I pray that you've found your place in the palm of the Lord's hand, and while you're there you let go of all worry, fear, stress, anxiety...and just rest. There's no better feeling than knowing that you are taken care of by the God of pure love.

Things I don't understand...

...and probably never will.
This is just a completely random list of a few things I don't understand. Some of them are funny and meaningless, some of them are legitimate concerns.

1. Why guys get buzz cuts. Really, fella's, not your smartest idea. 
2. My musical taste. Lately I've been listening to everything from Alan Jackson, Ben Rector, Needtobreathe, Lady Antebellum, Boyce Avenue, Jesus Culture and even a little bit of Justin Bieber. Can't put me in a box...
3. Why people tend to limit God, and dictate what He can and cannot do (or will and will not do) without Biblical backing. 
4. Ryan Gosling's voice. But I don't have to understand it to love it. 
5. Why Christian's are so divided. The fact that Christians sometimes have to defend their own faith to other Christians bewilders me. 
6. My impatience. Why can't I ever just love where I am and what I'm doing at the current moment instead of always wanting something more or different? I'm not saying that I hate where I am or what I'm doing, I just always find myself daydreaming about all of the other places life could take me, and wishing I could be there now (but probably at the same time be where I am now. Again, this confuses me.)
7. Cynism. I'll never get why some people (especially apathetic teenagers) with extremely fortunate lives always expect the worst out of their situations. 
8. Why God loves me so much. That one blows my mind each and every moment of every day. 

Basically, the world would be a better place if everyone were more loving, accepting, and joyful. And if guy's didn't get buzz cuts. That's all, folks!

"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7

Better late than never...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I know, I know...it's already the middle of January. But even though my well wishes are late, they are still sincere.

I had to best month at home. It was probably my favorite Christmas break I've ever had. The fact that I live away from home now makes going back so much sweeter. Plus the fact that my whole family was together for the first time since August made it so much fun.

Displaying some Christmas gifts!
New sweater, make up and curling iron :)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and that 2012 is treating you well so far. I pray that you all continue to seek Christ, and build a relationship with Him deeper than you've ever known.

I'll write a longer update about Christmas break soon, but at the moment I'm still settling in to being back at Lee and starting the brand new semester (it's going great so far!). Once I've wrapped my head around everything you'll definitely be hearing from me.

Till next time :)