The Joy is in the Details

Hi guys!

So it's been a pretty hectic few weeks.

 I've studied for like 10 tests, wrote a paper, read what seems like an infinite amount of articles, chapters, and books for all of my classes (seriously, just in the last 4 days I've read 2 books, almost 200 pages in my geography book, the Gospel of Mark, and took 2 tests and a quiz. Talk about information overload!)

With all this stuff going on, it's pretty easy to get overloaded and worn down. I could so easily get overwhelmed with all the stress and just freak out and give up hope.

But my Jesus knows just what I need.

Seriously!

In the last few weeks, I've become so aware of the little things that happened throughout the day that kinda just brightened my whole perspective.  And you have to understand something about me.

I freaking love noticing little details.

It makes me feel astute, ok? It's strange because I'm really more of a "big picture" kind of person when it comes to planning stuff or writing stuff or basically anything where I have do do something. The only time I'm not is when I have to make something that will be presented and shared to a bunch of people, like a flyer or newspaper or something. My perfectionism cannot be contained then.

 

ANYWAY......

I thought I'd share with you guys some of the things that brightened my day recently.

-My mom set my place at the table with all the silverware positioned for a left handed person.

Ok, so apparently she always does this, but I think it had been so long that I've eaten a meal at home that I forgot. But it made me feel special, ok? LET ME FEEL SPECIAL, AND NOT LIKE AN IDIOT FOR FORGETTING THAT MY MOM REMEMBERS THAT I'M LEFT HANDED.

-I heard not one, but TWO Tobymac songs on the radio. One right after the other.

Now this is a quirk of mine that some people don't know about me. I'm a huge Tobymac fan (in fact, he's coming to JQH with Winterjam in March and IAMSOEXCITEDTHATIFORGETTOUSESPACESWHENITYPETHINGSEXPLAININGMYEXCITEMENT.)
If I hear a Tobymac song on the radio, I've got it in my head that it's gonna be a good day. I do this so often, in fact, that my family does it too.  (I've received text messages from my brother telling me that he heard a Tobymac song on the radio. We weren't in a conversation or anything. It was just a random out of the blue text. MY FAMILY IS AWESOME.)
But this day, I was feeling kinda bummed out, thinking about stupid stuff that happened in the past that I can't change but feel the need to dwell on periodically. I was in my car, sitting at a red light on my way to work when the first song came on. I was like "Jesus, you know just what I need." My mood got better. But then ANOTHER song came on. I mildly freaked out.
THAT NEVER HAPPENS.
Day=made.

-I helped this super cute couple take a picture.

This one was fun. I was walking to my car (again, heading to work) and I see this couple trying to take a picture. They asked if I could help. Apparently, they were standing in front of the place they first met (they were by one of the dorms) and needed the picture for a Valentine's Day gift. Being both a teenage girl and just a general overall romantic, I easily agreed. I know that they thought I was just doing them a favor, but their adorableness kind of made my day.

-I got two really hard questions right in Spanish class.

This one is self explanatory. Everyone likes to be right when the teacher asks them a question.

 

-They had chicken tenders in the dining hall.

I repeat.
THEY HAD CHICKEN TENDERS IN THE DINING HALL.
The meal plan gods were smiling down upon me that day.

-The cute guy from one of my classes last semester smiled at me.

My brain went akdjfladjfadslkfjaslkgjlkghfoienrklewgnaflkjgldkfjaeslkfjargklajfadsjfadfawefdfksdgklatlkjtdflfvlmh
And then I pictured that part from Lilo and Stitch, where Stitch says "Hi." super awkwardly. I didn't actually say "Hi"... I just smiled back, but that's basically what I felt like. YAY AWKWARDNESS.
But it still made my day. I'm strange like that.

-The song I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) came on my iPod right when I started walking back to my dorm after a class.

First off, if you've never heard this song, please proceed to YouTube and look it up. In fact, I will provide you with a link so you can have easier access to the greatness. This is just the lyric video and I did not make it, so if there are typos, DON'T BLAME ME. Click Here
Did you listen to it? Good. No imagine this song coming on right as you step outside. The sun is shining, you're done with classes for the day, you're on top of the world. I felt like I was at the beginning of a movie like Easy A or something. I half expected to see title credits appearing around me. (That didn't happen, thank goodness. I would've checked myself into the psych ward for sure if it did. HALLUCINATIONS!)


These are just a SLIM amount of the things that made me go "you know? My life is pretty awesome right now". So take some time, especially when you're feeling super stressed and overwhelmed (or even when you're having one of those meh days) and think of all the little things that went well in the past couple of days. Focus on those, and see how much your attitude brightens.

That's it for now!
Alaina :)