Spring Semester Starts Here.

 

Hey guys, today marks my last first day of classes. Except, appropriately enough, I don't have Monday classes. #gradschool. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to end the longest break of my life (seriously, I haven't done anything since December 7.) Although, can I just say that this past weekend was the most perfect Cville weekend ever, and the best way to end the break with a bang? New friends, old friends, a little wine-tasting (twice), some Blue Ridge Parkway hiking (above) followed by a little Blue Mountain Brewery, and some Downton Abbey to top it off? Perfection.

Anyway. In light of the final stretch of school, which in turns makes me think about Making Big Life Decisions and words like Vocation, I wanted to share this passage by Kevin DeYoung that I like a lot (so much so that I wrote it in my journal once and rediscovered it this morning):

"God doesn't care where you go to school or where you live or what job you take...

God certainly cares about these decisions insofar as her cares for us and every detail 

of our lives. But in another sense...these are not the most important issues in God's 

book. The most important issues for God are moral purity, theological fidelity,

 compassion, joy, our witness, faithfulness, hospitality, love, worship and faith.

...We should spend more time trying to figure out how to act justly, love mercy 

and walk humbly with God as a doctor or lawyer and less time worrying about 

whether God wants us to be a doctor or lawyer."

- from Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung

Happy Back-to-class day, everyone! (Well, everyone minus me.)

Scarlett & Gunnar

I watched Nashville online this past week, and I just am in love with the songs that Scarlett and Gunnar sing. They are so beautiful. Listen:

And I was sitting there thinking about how hauntingly beautiful they are, and so very Civil Wars-esque (RIP?), only to realize that the first song is originally by the Civil Wars. Of course. It's on their Live EP which you can download fo' free here.

Do you watch Nashville? Or, if not, what's your favorite show right now?

P.S. I am so glad that Lennon & Maisy are on the show! They are so talented.

Twenty Thirteen

Currently Listening To: Lights, Ellie Goulding

I hope that posting a New Year's post five days into the new year isn't indicative of what is to come this year. But, sadly, it probably is. I'm used to it by now though.

The thing about this year, though, is that it's the first one in a loooong time where I don't know where I'll be at the end of it, or even necessarily what I'll be doing. After May, when I'll graduate with a Masters in Secondary Education (holla), there are no guarantees or set-in-stone pictures in my head because I don't know what will happen. Sure, there are some dreams and questions, some fears and some excitement...but nothing solid. Right now the future is pure possibility.

So here we go, 2013. The year where I have to make big decisions and take big risks. Where I'll apply for jobs and go to interviews and might get rejected. Where I'll more likely than not move out of the town I've lived in for five years and settle somewhere new. Where I'll be out on my own as a grown-up (what?). It's gonna be a big year. Let's do this.

[image via Pinterest]