SNOW Excited!

I'm snow excited because I still haven't had a full week of school since Christmas break. This also happened last year, and I remember just relishing the relaxation that a short week brings. Even though it's not a vacation per say, there's just something about an extra day off that can bring such excitement and giddiness to our lives. Nevermind my sometimes unhealthy love affair with snow!

I'm snow excited because Ryan is getting me a Nook for my birthday/Valentine's day! Last week at school, our journalism teacher weighed my purse because the students are writing an article on heavy backpacks. My purse weighed twelve (12!) pounds, and I then discovered I had three (3!) books in it. I can't wait to get it, for that reason and many, many others. Duh.

I'm snow excited because Ryan and I have had such a blast hanging out with our friends lately. The closer it gets, the more saddened I am that we're moving. I'm already concocting plans for quality time post-move. It will still be so much fun. After all, I'm no newbie to long distance relationships! In fact, I cannot even express how thankful I am every single day that I get to be with Ryan every single day rather than a few days every couple of weeks. Thank God.

I'm snow excited because Ryan and I are still going strong with our plan to read the Bible in a year. We are definitely enjoying it, even though some nights I complain about the selection being boring. The plan we're following goes in chronological order, so we won't be in the New Testament for quite
             a
                while.                     

I'm also snow excited because I got an A on my first test for one of my classes. Some of the students who are almost finished with the program said this particular class was their hardest. As said in last post, all I feel like I've done lately is work, but it pays off. I'm usually private about things like this because I feel some innate need to be "modest," but I've worked for it. Someone shared this quote with me this week:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. -Marianne Williamson

The bolded part especially caught my attention because this is something Ryan and I have discussed extensively. For example, when I got my Jetta, I didn't want to drive it to his church because I felt bad for the people who couldn't afford new cars. Any time I've gotten an award for anything, I've kept it mostly to myself because I don't want attention for it from other people. I often feel embarrassed--more like guilty--if someone goes nuts over my outfit or shoes in front of certain people because I don't want the attention like that. To put it plainly--I often "play small." Not to say I'm going to start boasting about everything, but this at least gives me a new perspective. It's fine to be modest, but my feelings are wrong. Trying to be so "modest" about things actually makes me seem more selfish, I'm realizing.  Who am I to say other people will "shrink" themselves just because I'm shining at the moment? That's actually quite disgustingly selfish. I can't believe I ever thought I had that kind of power over anyone. 

I know I ramble, but I'm snow excited to live my life.  :)