finals week.

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
-Matthew 6:31-34

I worry. A lot.

About all the wrong things, too. Not that I think there are "right" things to worry about... but most of the things I worry about are material. They do not last outside of this world. Things like grades, items I've misplaced, but mostly grades. God has blessed me so much in that I don't need to worry about what to eat, what to drink, what to wear... but I worry about so much more.
And then there are the other things I worry about. My relationships with people. My future. Am I loving people the way God has called me to? Am I headed in the right direction?

But God has me in the palm of His hand. He is holding me tight and He won't let go. As a friend said to me, He loves me mega ultra much ^_^ I just need to trust Him more.


so why do I worry?
why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need
Your love is strong.

learning to appreciate nature.

I was thinking yesterday.
(always dangerous, I know.)

But what if we are taking everything, literally everything we are not constantly thanking God for, for granted?
Often, I attribute everything that leaves me in awe to God.
But what about the things that don't generally strike me as amazing? That I don't usually notice?
Little things, like the way a branch finally lets its last leaf flutter towards the frosty dirt below.
Like the way the color of the sunlight changes between each season.

These things are beautiful.
They are good. They are perfect. They are God's creation, and as far as I can tell, are unmarred by humanity.
According to James 1:17, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
These are gifts.
They are gifts!
And I am ungrateful.
God has been teaching me so much about how beautiful this world is through the gift of photography. Photography has taught me to look at the world in different ways - to notice the way the light and shadows fall, to pay attention to my surroundings, to look for beauty in things that would be ignored by most or even classified as ugly.
And through these changes in myself, I am able to see God a little more clearly.