End-of-Summer Adventures & Dreams

 

 

It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over.  I’ve been in a bit of a dreamy place the last week or so, and in the midst of that, I put together two new moodboards that capture some of those thoughts and dreams.

The first one (above) is more end-of-summery, while the second one (below) is more in anticipation of fall and all that fall might bring.

Together they show a heart filled with plans for adventure, dreams  of making art, and taking risks for God.

I could write quite a bit about each image and what it means to me right now, but I think I’ll let the images speak for themselves.

 

(Image sources found here, here, here; “Seek the Unfamiliar” from Sseeko Designs; Lucky Bean Coffee from their FB page)

AN INSPIRED SEASON | The Joy of Everyday Adventures

Tuesday, July 21st. // Write about one of the best adventures you’ve had so far in this season.

I have a whole category about adventuring on the blog. I love it. And originally, when I thought about answering today’s prompt, I I thought I would talk about a recent adventure, something super current in this season of mine — or maybe one of the more exciting adventures I’ve lived like my trip to California, or doing my internship in New York City.

But then I was reminded of one day and one small adventure that just may have been the start of my love of everyday adventures, of exploring right where I am, and living in the present moment fully.

And that’s when I decided that’s the story I wanted to tell.

***

This story takes us all the way back to my college days. I can’t even remember what day of the week it was, but I do remember my journalism assignment was to go check out an art show opening and write about it.

So, I hopped in my car with my MapQuest directions (hello, pre-GPS days…), and I drove to a small town about 45 minutes to an hour away from my university. Some of the details of the day are fuzzy, so forgive me if I mix up their order, but I do remember finding the art show, wandering around the opening, and loving every second. I pored over the artwork and the descriptions of each,  took lots of notes, gathered inspiration, and began working out sentences in my head for the article I would later write. I remember being filled with energy (perhaps that is also when my love for  discovering art began…)

Instead of leaving after covering the art opening, I decided to explore the town. I remember wandering up and down the main street, ducking into an antique shop or two, eating at a local restaurant, while going over story notes, and then I think I may have even sampled the town’s local coffee shop. (I can’t imagine I’d have skipped out on that.) In fact, that may have happened on the way TO the opening. Who can be sure… ;)

It’s funny, because I had this adventure pre-iPhone, so I don’t have Instagram shots to capture the day. I can’t remember the name of the coffee shop, or the restaurant, or the antique shop. I can’t even remember clearly the art I saw that day, or who had created it.

I do remember how much that day inspired me, though, how it made me want to create more, explore more, experience more. It made me want to tell the stories of those experiences and discoveries, too. I couldn’t wait to share the stories of those artists, what had moved them to create and what those creations were sharing with me and with the world.

It’s funny to think now how little pieces of the woman I am today were being formed on that seemingly normal day back in college.

Looking back, I can also see how God has only furthered developed each of those pieces, and it’s pretty spectacular to think about. They may seem like tiny, insignificant details, but in God’s hands, they’ve become meaningful moments in the greater story, stepping stones in a creative journey.

I wish I knew where that story was and what I had written…maybe I can find it in my portfolio someday and revisit everything in more detail.

But for now, it’s enough remembering — even if it’s all a little fuzzy.

Even though so much time has passed, I’m still grateful I didn’t just do my assignment as quickly as possible. I’m grateful I lingered and explored and learned more about that little town. More than anything, though, I’m grateful I realized that day what a joy everyday adventures can be and how much there is to discover and appreciate right where we are, right where God’s placed us.

Because the truth is, even the little moments are leading us somewhere good.

::art source::

An Inspired Season | The Single Girl’s Bucket List

Today, I’m bringing you the third installment of the #AnInspiredSeason collaboration with Bailey of Brave Love!

Today’s topic: BUCKET LISTS! :)

Over the years, I have written bucket lists of all kinds (birthday bucket lists, dream bucket lists, holiday and seasonal bucket lists etc.), but this is the first time I am actually writing a Single Girl’s Bucket list.

And I could not be more excited to share it with you!

An Inspired Season is all about embracing and celebrating life RIGHT where you are… And singleness? Well, that’s a pretty big part of where I am these days, so why not have a bucket list specifically dedicated to the opportunities such a season provides? :)

I had a blast brainstorming these ideas! Dreaming up some new adventures that don’t require waiting for future seasons really helped me look forward with hope and appreciate right where God has me.

• See an outdoor movie this summer
• Sample the new vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream at Scoops
• Try purchasing my weekly bread from a local bakery as recommended in 100 Days of Real Food
• Eat brunch at Townhall (hello, sweet potato pancakes & crepe bar!!)
• Start making connections at craft shows and begin collaborating with local creative makers to help them tell the stories of their products and businesses
• Promote and share new collaboration idea above
• Cook with more veggies! Follow Real Food guidelines as much as possible
• Take a trip to Nashville this fall
• Explore the local restaurant scene with my sister (there’s a pizza place we are especially excited to try!)
• Attend a local mum festival this fall
• Clean out my art supplies and donate what I don’t need
• Attend the Cleveland Flea’s Sunday Market (what’s better than brunchy foods, crafty stuff, and antiques?!)
• Purchase a retro swimsuit from Rey Swimwear
• Invest in a large canvas or art print of this piece from Naptime Diaries
• Read books that challenge, teach, and inspire me
• Take a creative weekend of some kind — lots of creative and quiet time with Jesus
• Sample more of the gourmet mini donuts at Peace, Love, and Little Donuts (next up on the list: chocolate chip pancake and maple bacon)
• Paint my living room side tables with brightly colored chalk paint (coral + teal!)
• Take an art or writing class to expand my skill set and get inspired
• Spend a day at the beach
• Have a picnic
• Add to my Fiesta collection
• Visit the adorable new shop called Vintage Love that I just discovered
• Pick strawberries this summer and pumpkins/apples this fall

So, what’s on your bucket list these days?

(Don’t forget to hashtag #AnInspiredSeason when you share!!)

I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.

This post is dedicated to all those who find themselves in a season of quiet, question marks, and, at times, restless expectation. This post is especially dedicated to my single friends who are figuring out how to embrace where they are and live each and every moment to its fullest, trusting God to pave the path they are traveling.

A few days ago, I read an awesome page in Jesus Calling. The very first sentence was (in all caps); YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH.

Wow, did my heart need those words — more than I even realized!

And then this powerful reminder from Him followed: Listen more to me and less to your doubts. I’m leading you along the path I’ve designed just for YOU.

It can be so hard to keep our eyes on our own path. But when we compare, when we doubt, when we question, we are MISSING OUT on all God has for us right where we are.

Comparison cheats us of the opportunity to see and appreciate the adventure to be found in the dips and turns and twists of our own journey.

And when we doubt and fear and question, we are taking on burdens we are not meant to carry.

If we are following Him, we can trust that we are where we are meant to be. We can trust that He knows what today AND tomorrow holds, and that He is working to bring the best out of our current and future circumstances.

I’ll be honest, I have reached the point in my own season of singleness where really the only thing left to do is truly let go and let God.  I have listened to others’ success stories and tried what they’ve tried, I’ve read the articles, and I’ve prayed the prayers — all to no avail.

But I’m beginning to think that maybe I’m not meant to plan or pray or work my way out of this season. Maybe I’m meant to really look at it with new, grateful eyes that are free to see the possibilities it holds. Maybe I’m meant to embrace it with excitement and faithfulness and HOPE.

I used to fear that if I was too content or “successful” in my singleness that maybe God would decide to just leave me in it forever. It seems silly now to believe such a thing, but I have, time and time again. And tonight, I’ve realized that when I’m believing lies like that what I’m really doing is listening to my doubt more than I’m listening to God.

So, tonight, I’m ready to say goodbye to all of that doubt, and I’m ready to listen to what HE has to say about my season instead . I’m ready to fully surrender my hope for marriage to Him (trusting that in His perfect time and way He will lead me into whatever new season awaits).

I’m ready to turn my attention back to today — to the stack of books waiting to be read, the new paints that will soon brighten up a blank canvas, and the words that might find their way into a poem.

Today is right in front of me, exactly as He designed it, planned it, and purposed it. Today is right in front of me, and I choose to call it good. I’m ready to embrace it and make each of its moments count.

I am ready to be and go and do exactly what He has planned for me in this beautiful and sometimes unexpected season, ready to live both with contentment and expectation (if I may borrow that phrase from the fabulous Lindsay Sherbondy).

And it’s true that I may not know where I’m going from here, or when or how I’ll get there…

But He does.

And I promise it won’t be boring.

Neither will today.

P.S. I snagged this post’s title from a piece of art in the new Messy Box from A Beautiful Mess.

Heart of the Word: Ephesians 1-2:13

My apologies for this late link-up, friends! It was quite a busy week, and I’m just now able to sit down and gather my thoughts. (Whew!) :)

How are you enjoying the Heart of the Word study so far? Have you linked up over on Rachel’s blog yet?

(Psst. If you haven’t joined us yet, and you’d like to, you can find out more about the study over at Bailey’s blog.)

Ephesians is one of my favorite books, and  I’m excited to see what new goodness the Lord will reveal to my heart through this study! 

In the last week, I’ve read through this first section a few times, both the NIV and Message translations, and I’ve been soaking in the familiar passages that have been highlighted and underlined many times.

One of my favorite verses in Ephesians is verse 2:10 (For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.)

I love the reminder that He’s already planned our path and that He created us with unique gifts and purposes to be used for His glory. It’s so incredibly humbling that God wants to partner with US! He could absolutely accomplish everything on His own, but He chooses to partner with us; He chooses to invite us to help Him build His Kingdom. I think that’s pretty incredible, don’t you? :)

I pray that on days when you’re hit with discouragement, doubt, or uncertainty, that you would be reminded of this truth, my friends. You were created to do good things through Christ, and God has already planned these in advance. Draw near to Him, seek Him, and trust that He will lead the way and equip you for whatever it is that He is calling you to today.

I look forward to hearing about the verses that have been speaking to you! (Remember that you can also connect with us on Instagram using the hashtags #heartoftheword and #heartofephesians.)

God’s Plan for You is Right on Time

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen this photo. It’s part of a new ‘lil collaboration I have going with one of my talented friends Kelsey of Pinegate Road. It’s my words + her lovely hand lettering. And while it’s not a fancy or complicated collaboration by any means, it’s giving me lots of fresh inspiration for new stories to write and tell. (You can follow this collaboration on Instagram using the hashtag #aptdnotes.)

You’re blessed when you stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by GOD.
You’re blessed when you follow His directions,
doing your best to find Him.  (‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‬ 1-2 MSG)

I’ve been thinking a lot about these verses lately and how it can be easy to take our eyes off the path God has for us. When I start comparing my story with others,’ I’m tempted to veer off course and write things the way I think they should go. I wrestle with God over timing, circumstances, and the way my current season stacks up against those around me.

It’s so easy to think someone else is living a better story than we are, isn’t it? Or that because our story doesn’t look as far along as theirs, something must be wrong with ours — or worse, with us.

But those thoughts are just lies that we believe.

And we don’t have to believe them.

God’s plan for us is right on time, and He will faithfully reveal each next step for us when the time is right.

The second part of those verses in Psalms does require action on our part, though. The writer of this Psalm is reminding us that we are blessed when we FOLLOW God and do our best to FIND Him. That means seeking Him in everything, asking Him for wisdom and guidance, and making Him a part of everything we do.

I find myself comparing more frequently and feeling the most dissatisfaction when I’m NOT seeking God regularly. And I think that’s because when I’m not seeking Him and listening for Him in all I do, I can’t clearly see the path He has marked out for me. Instead, I see the path that everyone else is on and what I think is missing or lacking in my life. I completely miss the opportunity to praise Him for what He’s doing in my life and what is unique and special about the story He has especially for me.

I am so thankful that we can find Him in every season, in every chapter — in both the joyful and the challenging moments of our lives.

And even though I sometimes wrestle with some of my current realities, I take comfort in knowing that when I seek Him, He will continue to reveal the road before me and lead me step by step.

So, today, I am choosing to celebrate this particular part of the road I’m on, this part of my journey. I am choosing to look around at where I am with gratitude and with eyes that can see and appreciate beauty. And I am choosing to live with hope for what’s ahead, for all of the twists and turns and bends that I cannot yet see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Influence Conference Recap – Be Where You Are and Be All There

It’s been a few days since I returned from this year’s Influence Conference, and I’ve been processing through everything — the notes, the heart stuff, the “what’s nexts…”

To be honest, I arrived at this year’s conference feeling a little heavy…

When I went the previous year, I went with specific hopes and dreams to explore and specific prayers I wanted to pray. I had an eBook I was about to release to the world, and I was just bursting with excitement for all that was ahead.

I was in a quieter, much more tender place this year.

On the drive into Indy, my friend (and conference roomie!) Holly asked me if I had anything I was hoping to hear from God about (she remembered I went with questions and prayers the year before).

But I didn’t.

“I guess I just want to be a part of God doing something big,” I told her. “I just want to hear from Him.”

After the Black-and-White welcome party hosted by Mocha Club, I started  feeling lighter and more hopeful about all that was ahead. I still wasn’t sure what I hoped to learn or hear from God, but I was sure He would show up.

In my still-slightly tender and uncertain place, I had a hard time selecting the sessions I wanted to hear the next day (they ALL sounded so good)! ;) And as we began that first day of speakers and workshops, I found myself reading the tweets from the session I wasn’t in, feeling restless and like I was missing out.

But then, all of a sudden, I felt like I was finally hearing from God.

Be where you are and be all there.

Yes.

Be where you are and be all there.

And it wasn’t just about those sessions, it was about life in general. It was about continuing to embrace my current season and live it fully and creatively (exactly the topic I had explored in the eBook I wrote the previous year).

Later, in Lara Casey’s session, I stood up in front of a room full of more than a hundred women and gave voice to one of my deepest fears. As other women stood up to share their own, walls and tears came down, and I felt God continue to work something out in my heart.

And even though I was at a blogging conference, He wasn’t speaking to me about how to blog better, create more, or find more followers online…He was speaking to me about my life in general and how I’m living it for Him. He was asking me to trust Him more, surrender more, and make even more space for Him to move.

Lara asked us to answer this fill-in-the blank statement: My life is too short not to______. 

During her session, I made notes, but it wasn’t until a few days later that this phrase stuck with me: “My life is too short not to love the story God has for me.”

It’s such a simple statement but it says SO MUCH.

My life is too short to wait for someday.

My life is too short not to live with purpose — right here, right now.

My life is too short not to pray boldly and with big belief.

My life is too short not to believe that God can do the impossible.

My life is too short not to pay attention to all God is doing.

And my life is too short not to share it…

    

This year’s conference was so much different than last year’s, but in the best of ways.

I did leave with new creative ideas and dreams to explore, but I also left with a deeper desire to truly trust God with my story and a hopefulness about all He is capable of doing in my life and in the lives of others.

He’s written all of our stories differently, and there’s goodness and purpose in that. 

And while He may not give us an outline about what comes next, He has gone before us, and He promises to lead the way in love.

* * *

Before I wrap this up, because I just can’t resist, I’ll leave you with this picture from my departing brunch at Cafe Patachou. (Honestly, that needs to be a Sunday Influence tradition from here on out…) WOW, that waffle was amazing! I’m STILL thinking about it! ;)

If you’d like to learn more about the conference, feel free to email me. I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, if you’re wondering if you’d like to attend. (You can also check out this fun video recap from The Busy Budgeting Mama. And, yep, that IS me dancing around at minute 3:34.) ;)

 

You Make Me Want to Be Brave

Because it’s been fear that ties me down to everything,

But it’s been love, your love, that cuts the strings…

Friends, for years I have blogged about my hopes to meet and marry my best friend. I have shared with a hopeful heart about my prayers and my journey, but if I’m honest, there have been so.many.times I’ve been scared to really believe God can make that hope a reality — and more importantly, that He will. I tiptoe around it, saying someday prayers and trying not to sound too assured, or even get my hopes up too, too much, because God is God, and we can’t really KNOW what He’ll do in our lives, right?

Well, yes…

* …BUT… *

I don’t want to live with such a fragile faith.

I want to live with a faith that FULLY believes in God and His plan for my life. I want to live with a faith that isn’t afraid to say I believe God can do the seemingly impossible, a faith that trusts that all of the no’s and closed doors have been leading me to a part of my story I couldn’t have imagined on my own, even if I tried (and let me honestly tell you that I’ve tried plenty). ;)

I want to live with a faith that is bigger than my fear, bigger than my doubt, and bigger than every bit of my unbelief.

I want to live with a faith that continues to believe and pray about my hope for marrying my best friend — until God tells me to do otherwise.

And so, that is the faith I am choosing to embrace tonight, the faith that is fueling this blog post, the faith that will give me joy and hope and confidence, as I get ready to celebrate another birthday and continue to follow God on this unique adventure of mine.

I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

I have set my heart on your laws.

I hold fast to your statutes, Lord;

Do not let me be put to shame.


I run in the path of your commands,
    

for you have broadened my understanding.

The other morning, as I read these verses in Psalms, I was reminded of how much I want my love story to be God’s doing and not my own. I am confident that my decision to wait for God’s choice is the right choice for me. And while that doesn’t always make sense to everyone — and it’s certainly not always easy to do — I have chosen to be faithful and trust in Him.

But faithful and trusting doesn’t mean timid.

So, as of tonight, I am going to stop saying someday prayers from a place of fragile faith.

I’m going to stop tiptoeing around my hopes.

I’m going to hold them with open, trusting hands — and with confident, brave belief  — that God will take them, with love and with purpose, and weave them into something more beautiful than I could have ever dreamed.

 

*Lyrics from the song Brave by Nichole Nordeman

Learning to Let Go

Sometimes, life feels like a lesson in letting go, an adventure in not knowing.

Lately, I’d say that’s especially true for me when it comes to dating and my hope for marriage. As I watch life change and unfold for those around me, it’s hard not to wonder what’s going on in my own story. It’s hard to be patient and hard not to feel stuck.

I love what Megan Gilger had to say about patience over at The Fresh Exchange: I begin to wonder if I am doing something wrong, or if I haven’t tried hard enough, when in truth I try to remember it simply isn’t my time yet. The time will come, and it will come just when it should. When I think about the weight of what I am waiting for, I begin to realize that I still need this time here in this weightless freedom in order to prepare for what will come.

So good, right? (Definitely read the whole post, here.)

As many of you know, I’ve been praying to meet and marry my best friend for years, so I can definitely relate to wondering if I’m doing something wrong, or not trying hard enough when it comes to meeting and dating said best friend.

But the lesson God has been teaching me lately is that sometimes, we really do need to just let go and be open to life as it unfolds.

Because letting go allows us to more fully live right where we are. It sets us free from trying to control what we were never meant to control in the first place. Letting go is a brave yes to following God and the plan He has for our life.

Oh, but sometimes it’s a hard yes to say, isn’t it?

I am a go-getter. I dream, set goals, make a plan, and then start marching toward those goals and dreams. But I’m realizing that doesn’t really work in dating. Sure, I can do all I can to be ready to begin that next chapter, but there’s not much I can do to actually get that chapter started.

I have to let go.

I have to wait for God.

And I’m learning.

Little by little, I am letting go of the expectations I have around this area of my life and the way I think things should go. I’m learning to ask God what He wants for me now, in this season, and I’m learning to trust Him with what will unfold in the next one.

And while some might view letting go as giving up, I’ve found it to be the opposite.

Letting go brings me hope, and it strengthens me in the waiting.

As I keep saying a brave yes to letting go and following God, I’m learning to be thankful for my own unique adventure of not knowing. And I’m grateful, so grateful, that God holds every bit of that adventure in His creative, loving, and faithful hands.

 

::image::

20 Things Every Girl Should Do in Her 20s

Now that I am officially in my 30s (31 next month — eeeep!!), I’ve been reflecting quite a bit about all I learned and experienced in my 20s. And while I’m sure plenty of lists like this one already exist, I wanted to create my own based on the things I learned. So, if you’re a 20-something, I hope you find some inspiration in this list, and if you’re a 30, or 40+-something, and you have a list for that season of life, I’d love to hear it! :)

20 Things Every Girl Should Do in Her 20s

1. Take a course or class on a subject that interests you (post-college). Pick something that helps you explore who you are and what you love (it doesn’t have to have anything to do with your career, so don’t feel limited by that). I took a collage art class shortly after graduating (something I had started to develop an interest in, but really knew nothing about), and as a writer and an editor, it was fun to explore the visual side of things!

2. Buy an original piece of art for your home (it doesn’t have to be expensive). There are so many options on Etsy, at local craft fairs, etc. The original paintings and illustrations I’ve added to my walls over the years are so special, because in most cases, I know a little bit about the artist who created them, and I love being able to support them in their craft.

3. Figure out if you’re an introvert or an extrovert and embrace how you best recharge. Once you discover how you most fully rest, you can make it a point to intentionally choose the kind of rest that most replenishes you.

4. Explore your faith, and get active in a church community. Ask questions, learn what your faith means to you, and embrace being a part of a faith-based community. Find people you can be vulnerable with, grow with, and learn with. I would say this is one of the most important things you will do in your twenties, because it sets a foundation you will rely on for years to come.

5. And as a second part to #4, find out what seeking the Lord looks like for you and make that a daily practice. (Is it rising early in the morning before work to read your Bible and pray? Or are evenings the best time for you to quiet your heart and listen?) Create a daily rhythm that naturally becomes a part of each and every day.

6. Learn what your spiritual gifts are and look for ways to use them to bless others. (Here’s a great quiz to help you determine what yours are, if you don’t already know!)

7.  Find a mentor, a counselor, or both…someone wise (and older than you) who can help you navigate some of the questions you’ll face in your twenties. Being mentored/counseled is one of the best and healthiest things you will do for yourself.

8. Live on your own. Rent a small studio, an apartment, a house with roommates… Learn to be comfortable on your own and discover all you’re capable of doing.

9. Read to discover…a favorite author, a new hobby, more about who you are… “We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become.” (U.K.LeGuin)

10.  Learn what your own unique style is when it comes to fashion, decor, etc. — and boldly embrace it! When I moved into my first apartment, I had no idea how I wanted to decorate. It was such a hodgepodge. My wardrobe was similar. I wore what I wore in college. But as I slowly started picking things I really loved (both for my home and my closet), a specific style started to emerge: bright colors and patterns, charm, whimsy, a little bit of a retro twist. You can even use Pinterest to help you track and discover your own unique preferences. Have fun with it!

11. And adding to the style post above, do something that’s a little out of your comfort zone, something that makes you feel brave and adventurous. (I tried purple highlights for a while…first lavender, then a deep plum. It was definitely out of my comfort zone, but it was fun for a while.) :)

12. Take yourself on a date...out to breakfast, coffee, to a movie, the park, etc. Don’t be afraid to experience life on your own.

13. Create a budget, save, and make your first “big-girl” purchase.…a car, a couch, whatever!

14. Give back to your parents, even if it’s just something small like treating them to dinner. It’s a special thing to be able to say thank you and return some of the love and support they’ve given over the years.

15. Make a plan to visit friends who have moved away post-college — and then make it happen. (My trip to California last summer is such a happy memory for me, and I’m glad I made time for the trip — both in my schedule and in my budget.)

16. Learn how to cook basic, healthy meals that work for you and your lifestyle. In college and my early twenties, I used to rely so much on frozen dinners, but as I’ve learned more about food and cooking over the years, I’ve found simple recipes that work for me. (A little tip: most grocery stores sell freshly marinated meat and fish in small portions right at the meat and fish counter. They are great for quick weeknight meals after a busy day at work!)

17. That said, every once in a while, treat yourself to a fancy dinner and dessert — just because.

18. Find new ways to enjoy some of your hobbies with others.  Join an intramural team, a cooking or book club, an art or writing group… This is an especially great way to get to know new people, if you moved to a new city for a job. (When I graduated from college and moved to a new city to start my first job, I joined a writing group that met weekly. That experience remains one of my favorites from that season of my life.)

19. Keep a journal and document life in your own beautiful way. Write or illustrate your hopes, your dreams, your prayers, your memories, what you’re thankful for…I love looking back through my journals and seeing God’s work in my life.

20. Make a list of hopes and dreams and/or a vision board for your life, but don’t be so tied down to your plans that you can’t experience the blessing of surprises and divine redirections. Seek God daily, asking Him to shape and direct all of the plans of your heart.

And remember, as Shauna Niequist wisely wrote… “There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming.”