A Tie-Dyed Thanksgiving

Can you recall the exact moment(s) you learned a lesson that changed the way you viewed/lived the rest of your life? This was one of those moments for me:

As I was cleaning the kitchen windows yesterday morning, I noticed a familiar stain on the windowsill from several years ago...TIE-DYE! The memory is as clear as daylight! I distinctly remember Colby and I drenching our t-shirts in hopes of perfecting the final outcome. Unfortunately, we failed to think everything through. When it was time to remove the plastic wrap, we quickly realized we should've wrapped the shirts more in order to trap the excess liquid. There, on the wooden windowsill, was a blue and black waffle-sized stain. However, that wasn't the worst part. We feared having to break the bad news to my mom...I mean, who wouldn't? Thankfully, we had worked up the courage to do so by the time Mom got home from work. We blurted out everything and then held our breath as we waited for her reply. To my surprise, my mom laughed and said a sentence that changed my life forever: "Kristin, honeybun! There are WAY worse things in life than a tie-dye stain on my kitchen windowsill!" It was in that moment I realized that there truly are worse things in life! Here's what I'm getting at:

No matter what the situation - whether you lost your job, a loved one, are struggling financially, etc. - there is always, ALWAYS something to be grateful for! Maybe you're struggling to make ends meet, but you've got a roof over your head. Maybe you lost your job, but you had a teacher who taught you how to persevere, despite the difficulties, until you get back on your feet again. Maybe you don't understand God's plan for your life, but you know Jesus as your Savior and because of that, you're able to trust the Lord and His plan, even if you can't see what He's doing right now. 

No matter how you're spending this Thanksgiving day, I pray that you write down everything you have to be thankful for. If you can't think of anything, I have one for you: "I woke up this morning and have breath in my lungs." May you know that, like the stained windowsill in the Koonce kitchen, there are worse things in life. May you "seek the sunshine" and find joy in the midst of your suffering. May you be grateful for the trials and tribulations you are facing, because it is through the darkest times God is shaping us to become more like CHRIST! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! God bless you all.

I thought I'd share my Transformation Tuesday picture with you. As you can see, I've always taken my "Pilgrim Pride" seriously! Once a pilgrim, always a pilgrim! 



This is a repost from last Thanksgiving so you'll know why I was dressed as a pilgrim in the above photo! I just hopped off the Mayflower and wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from those of us at Plymouth Rock! I pray for safe travels and full bellies, and that we're reminded how truly blessed we are to simply be ALIVE! As you count your blessings, remember that despite the upsets, God remains faithful and He is good to us! "Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day!" As you count your blessings, know that if you're reading this, I will be including each of you when I count mine! God Bless, y'all! "Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever." Psalm 106:1

Thoughts and Theories

This post doesn't have a point...or does it? I'm not sure, but something I AM sure of is that my mind has been all over the place lately! I can't stop thinking about life, both now and after graduation. This post is long and unorganized, but I needed to write. I needed to think. I needed to share my thoughts and theories on what's been going on inside my head!

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine asked, "You're a senior in college! Are you sad?" Without a moment's hesitation, I blurted out, "NO! I'm not sad at all!" Ever since that moment, I've been thinking about my dreams and how excited I am to enter the next chapter of my life! I'm not sad about graduating. I'll miss this place, these people, my family and friends...but I feel high as a kite when I think about running (figuratively speaking, of course) full force towards my dreams! I GET FIRED UP! Why? Here's my theory:

1) With hard work, dedication, and passion, I believe anything is possible! We are fully capable of achieving even the BIGGEST of dreams, if we are willing to go wherever the Lord leads us! My favorite hymn is Here I Am, Lord and its chorus says, "Here I am, Lord! Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night! I will go, Lord, if you lead me! I will hold your people in my heart!" Every time I hear that song, my eyes flood with tears! I'm ready and willing to see what's out there and discover not only what the world has to offer me, but what I have to offer the world! Are you?

2) I went to Scripture Haven yesterday! It's a store in the mall, like Mardel or Lifeway for those of you back home, and try as I might, I was unable to walk away empty-handed. I came out with a daily inspirational calendar called You're Made for a God-Sized Dream and a book (from the clearance section, of course) called Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus! YAHOO! For those of you that know me, you know a) how much I loathe shopping and b) how stingy I am when it comes to spending money! In other words, this "Goodwill Gal" hasn't been this happy about a purchase in quite some time! I'm only a few pages in, but here are a few inspiring quotes to spark your interest:

"Somehow we all know that to play it safe is to lose the game."
"Yes, you can choose to play it safe, you can choose to settle for less, but never forget this: You were born to live a great adventure; You were created with a divine destiny; You are called to fulfill a great mission. You were designed for a unique purpose. Now you are called to live it out."
"When you seize divine moments, you investigate an atomic reaction. You become a human catalyst creating a divine impact. The result can even be earthshaking."
"God calls us to give our lives for something greater than ourselves. The path is thick with mystery, danger, and the unknown. The quest is to live the life God created you to experience. The journey begins right now-in this moment. And whatever you do, don't underestimate what you may find."

I don't want to lose the game. I don't want to play it safe. I don't want to settle or put God in a box. If I go down, I'm going down swinging!

3) I believe happiness is a choice and we decide every day whether we will walk with a chip on our shoulder or a smile on our face. Our present circumstances do not define our happiness! WE do! Our circumstances will change, but Christ never will! As Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." This point doesn't necessarily relate to the two above, but it's been on my heart lately so I thought I'd share it, too!

Conclusion: I have no idea what God has in store for my life but what I do know is that the desires of my heart and the things I'm passionate about will one day play into the big scheme of things! The more I read His word and the books/quotes he's placed in my path, the more excited I am for what is to come! However, I will continue staying focused on what is. When the time comes, I'll get on my feet and go! Until then, I'll do my best to "seize the power of every moment" here at Texas A&M. I know God has me exactly where he wants me and I will continue giving it all I've got! I don't want to miss a single thing!

COMPASS by Lady Antebellum

I've recently become obsessed with the song Compass by Lady Antebellum. The song has been out for quite some time now but I seem to always be behind on what's "hot" and what's not. If you haven't heard this song, I encourage you to stop what you're doing and listen to it because the lyrics speak volumes:

So let your heart, sweetheart, 

Be your compass when you're lost 

And you should follow it wherever it may go

When it's all said and done 

You can walk instead of run

'Cause no matter what you'll never be alone

You'll never be alone

This song makes me think about the future and how foreign post-grad life is to me. It will be unfamiliar, outside of my comfort zone, and ultimately terrifying. It will be challenging, a testament of my faith, and humbling. However, as I hum the chorus aloud to myself, the fear slowly begins to fade away and I find myself even more determined to follow my dreams and the desires of my heart because, just as a compass always points north, I believe your heart will always lead you in the right direction and get you to wherever it is you're going.

This song also makes me think about my hometown and everyone who has played a role in shaping me into the person I am today, individuals who have encouraged me to "DREAM BIG" and "TAKE THE WORLD BY STORM" as I discover God's purpose for my life. I know that no matter where this life takes me, even if I'm miles from home, I'll never be alone. There will always be people who love me, believe in me, and want what's best for me. I think it's important to know where we're headed, but I also think it's important to remember where we come from and the people who helped us along the way, the people who will be there to remind us who we are if ever we forget.

COMPASS CONCLUSION: Follow your heart wherever it leads you because it somehow already knows the way! Figure out what you want in life and do whatever it takes to get there, but always remember the people who helped get you to where you are as you make your way to where you want to be! Above all else, know that there are people who love you and believe in you!