fall.

I used to hate the fall. "Fall only means that winter is coming." - I would claim - "It just means colder temperatures and everything dulls and dies. Summer forever!" Throughout my college years I stood by this notion firmly. As my friends all cozied up and enjoyed the new brisk air coming through, I sulked and prepared for what seemed to me "the worst".

I used to hate the fall. Until I moved to country where seasons don't change and it really does feel like  summer forever. Nowadays autumn is one of the seasons that makes me the most homesick. I miss the changing colors, the not sweating every time you step outside, the flannel and scarves, the chill in the air. I miss the wrapping up in a blanket and bonfires and apple picking and fair food and ALL THE PUMPKIN SPICE. And the boots. Oh, how I miss the boots.

But this missing of the fall season goes so much deeper then just the frills that come along with it. I think on another level, my heart longs to see the physical proof that there can be beauty in brokenness. Because in reality when fall hits and temperatures drops, a lot of live things around us begin to die. The leaves changing and dropping from the trees really does signify that winter is coming. That darkness is upon us. That brokenness is all around.

But yet, somehow it's just so beautiful. There is always thankfulness in the brokenness. So really what I think I miss most about the fall is the healing that always awaited me there. That amidst the red and yellow and orange leaves falling, I was somehow falling more in love with Jesus. That as I wrapped that blanket around my shoulders, the Spirit of comfort would wrap itself around my heart. That as I drew close to hot cups of coffee and big, blazing bonfires to warm my fingers and toes, my heart was somehow drawn closer to Him to warm the colder places of my soul.

There's something to be said about the changing of seasons. Each one brings its own ups and downs and curveballs and joys - but autumn and all of it's healing { and let's be honest, all of it's pumpkin too } is one that I will continually miss the most.

FUN-tober.

So September was hard. I'll spare you the details but it was just one of those overwhelming, culture shock, transitioning months that felt like it was never going to end. But it did (because hard seasons are just that...only a season) and when the calendar turned to the first of October, I literally felt like a new person. I've said this before but turning over that last page of a month in my planner is literally one of my favorite things. To me it says a fresh start, untrodden adventures, different joys, new tears. So this time, when October came around...I made a decision. October will be a fun month. Every day, I will do something fun/joy giving/smile worthy. FUN-tober, I dubbed it (much  to the dismay of my best friend who claimed I could have taken it in a much "cooler" direction). But anyways, it turns out FUN-tober really was just that...fun! I may not have completed the task of a fun thing every day of the month but it was filled with enough fun things to fulfill it's new nickname.

So here you go, my friends: FUN-tober in a glance (and in no particular order) ...

flipagram.

I'm really into this app on my iPhone right now - it's called "Flipagram" and you basically make a picture slideshow of anything you want. You can add music and text, change the velocity and number of pictures, ect ect. Anyways, apparently it's allllll the rage with the youngin's right now so I decided to check it out for myself. And I cannot. stop. making. flipagrams. So here you go, for your viewing pleasure.

The first one is a "flipagram" highlighting our first Young Life club { night of mayhem for the sake of  high schoolers learning about Jesus } of the year and the second one is all the girls in Cabin Time { campaigners/Bible study/coffee break/laugh til you cry time/eat yummy treats } this past week. We had twelve girls come out to drink { delicious, amazing, life-changing } coffee and hear about this { extraordinary, amazing, life-changing } Jesus. 

giving thanks.

Thanksgiving. It's always been a favorite of mine. And by favorite, I mean the absolute best holiday out there. I think I originally claimed it as my favorite because it just seemed forsaken - like other holidays get so watered down by all the hallmark hoopla and no one really cared about Thanksgiving. (Leave it to me to show compassion for a day of the year…) But honestly, it bothered me that everyone made such a big deal about other holidays and forgot about sweet ole simple Thanksgiving.

Now, more then ever, I enjoy this day more then any other day of the year. Because this idea of giving thanks has become a way of life  - a way of survival even. This giving thanks, even in the hard, to receive joy. This opening of hands daily to receive the grace gifts God showers on me. This praying for open eyes and open heart to fully see. To fully live.

"Joy is the realest reality, the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given: joy." writes Ann Voskamp, on her ever lingering search for joy.

Proof is there in His Word as well:

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, "Take it; it is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them and they all drank from it.

- Mark 14:22-23

The thankfulness is there, even on the eve of His wretched yet grace giving death on the cross. Even in His darkest hours, giving thanks was a priority.

So it's no wonder Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (5:18).

And again in Ephesians, we are "giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (5:20).

Thankfulness has become like a breath of fresh air to me and when I harden my heart to it, I harden my heart to true joy and true life. So this Thanksgiving, I got to celebrate this hard revelation that God has so sweetly pressed to my heart. Though my family was missed terribly, it was still a day spent with friends, games, Spanish, English, worship, gratefulness, laughing, running, rain, sunshine, cowboy boots, sunsets…and of course, delicious food. All. Day. Long.

thankful: these two for getting me up at the crack of down to run a 6k Turkey Trot.

thankful: the aftermath of a 50 person Thanksgiving meal.

thankful: celebrating cross culturally.

thankful: years worth of leaves where people have written their  thankfulness. 

thankful: hours of games and playing and laughing outside.

thankful: more leave of thankfulness.

 thankful: these two goons and how much put up with me and make me laugh.

thankful: these girls and the community they have become.

 thankful: sunset over mountains and city.

thankful: these crazies and their inability to take a normal picture.

(above point made.)

 thankful: friends who let me eat their leftovers and have Thanksgiving #2.

fall.

Today, fall came to Costa Rica (kind of).

It started out with homemade cinnamon rolls...

...and some time spent on this porch...

...enjoying this view - not exactly the leave changing colors scene but beautiful none the less...

...and this pup enjoying the sun...

... then pumpkin muffins and coffee came next...

...followed by some outside playing...

...and trampoline jumping...

...and swingset swinging... 

...and laughing and smiling...

...with white chicken chili for lunch...

...as we snuggled up in our "fall" clothes...

...and played cards the rest of the afternoon...

...and when I finally returned home, I celebrated National Coffee Day, the fall way - Pumpkin Spice Latte (sent by my amazing parents)...

Needless to say, it was wonderful, fall filled day with friends!

Falling into Rainy Season...

Rainy season is in full swing here in Costa Rica. So while you all in the States are pulling out your boots, scarves and flannel while sipping on apple cider or a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks (a personal favorite of mine) in preparation for the fall - I am pulling out the rain boots, rain jacket and umbrella and hoping to make it home from school before the downpour begins! While rainy season technically began back in May, certainly has gotten progressively worse as the days go on. But it's part of life down here so we make it work. :)

This summer was spent studying (lots of) Spanish, youth group meetings, time with friends, learning more about the culture and many hours laughing with my host family. In December I will be in Nicaragua officially - so while I am looking forward to this, I am also excited about another 4 months spent in the beautiful country of Costa Rica!

Thanks to all the ways you support me on this journey - prayerfully or financially. It is such an encouragement to me and I pray that the Lord is blessing you by being a part of His journey for me! Thank you a thousand times over!

(click to enlarge)

fall.

Here are a few happenings from the last fall season I'll have in the states for a while...

1. Got to visit my future home, Nicaragua, for a Central America International Schools Retreat...

 Tried to beach it up, but the sun decided not to join us.

 Everyone on the retreat from Nica to Costa Rica to Dominican Republic to Michigan to the Carolinas

 Got to see my sweet Em, who lives in the DR...

...and hang out with my future YL team!

2. One of my best friends got engaged...

3. Got to go the North Carolina mountains with from friends from college...

4. Spent time with two dear friends on a road trip to Duke, where one of them is on staff with CRU...

5. Spent Christmas at the beach with the fam...

 Sibling love...

6. And finally went to New Staff training for Young Life in St. Augustine, Florida (although, we rarely got to see the sun while there because we were in class all day!)...

 Loved getting to hang with these ladies as well

 The few minutes we got outside were still beautiful

International Staff hanging out with the YL president. Denny Rydberg

All in all, I'd say it was a pretty great last fall/winter! And now...on to Costa Rica for language school in February!! It's FINALLY HAPPENING!! More details to come on my departure date :)