this morning on my drive to work i thought about the people i miss and how awesome it would be if, just for one day, every single person i love could all be in one room, all lined up, and i could go down the line and hug every single one of em and know what it's like not to miss anyone for a day.  i realize it's impractical to expect all of us to live in one giant house, and that there probably isn't a house in the world that's big enough, and this would not be effective in advancing the kingdom of God to have so many of His followers all clumped up together and everything... i'm just talkin one day, people. 

i love my new friends from iraq and i think about them all the time and want to be around them all the time, and talk to them about what they think and how they feel and how they do things and why.  but i think i'd freak them out.  haha.

one of these friends from iraq just came to america last week to join his family who came about a month ago, and he said one of the first things he did when he was here was take a two-hour walk, just because he could.  and he said he loved every second of it because of the freedom and he finally felt safe.  man.  if that doesn't put things into perspective.

i was just thinking.  if you've been feeling like a slacker in your relationship with God or just at life in general, you know, just down on yourself and bummy and sad, nothing gets me out of my own head and feeling lame like just looking around and thinking about/praying for other people.  it's hard to think about yourself and your lameness when your thoughts are being occupied by interceding on behalf of a friend or stranger who is hurting.  just a thought.  it usually gets me out of these funks.

i read this today and it really stuck out to me.  it both convicted and challenged me:
"you shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.  i am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of egypt.  open wide your mouth and i will fill it." psalm 81: 9&10
...do i, do we, dare to take our wants and desires that we've been putting on other gods to the God who tells us to open WIDE our mouths, and He will fill them?
..."if my people would but listen to me... you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock i would satisfy you." (v. 13, 16) man.  i can just hear God's longing and frustration here.  He's like, "if you only knew!!"  
so why is it often so hard for me to come?  i think it's because i assume what He has for me is carrots- you know, tastes okay and is better for me, but i really want brownies and carrots will never compare with the taste of brownies.  why do i assume this?  why do i put the ways He can satisfy me in a box that looks like a bag of carrots? hmm.  anyone else with me?  does that even make sense?

i don't know, i guess that's what's at the top of my mind right now.  also my parents are so good to me and i don't deserve them.  also i'm thinking about coral and how much i love her.  okay i'm done now.  ha.

happy wednesday!  go listen to this song that i already posted again.

& here's a picture of sidney and the prettiest flowers and the attractive bread man at the farmer's market.  haha. (i unintentionally got him in there, okay?)

because it's so fun and light, 
but also because it makes me excited to be in love someday and also i think of Jesus with the lyrics, too.  
it's a good one, folks.  especially in the sunshine today!

hello, friend!
here are a few pictures taken this summer that i forgot to share until my phone got so full i had to empty em.  they're all containing beautiful moments to me... ones i want to hold onto for a long time!

^ bethany and nicole in the sun.  guh.  what is better, honestly?!

^^ on july 10th, my dear dear buddy turned 23!  i love that human so much!  so beautiful to me is the thought that we've been dear friends for five years now! 

^ sid the not-so-little kid turned 17 on july 15th and our family celebrated at a lakeside restaurant.  everyone wins on a birthday, am i right?!  especially us, with that life in the fam! ^^^

^ my roommate alyssa and i went to the minneapolis farmers market on a saturday and grabbed coffee from my favorite coffee shop after.  took this cuz dunn bros is dope and because i love alyssa! ^

one night my aunt, cousins & i went to our favorite summer spot for apps and a little ice cream after.  that was one of my favorite nights of summer!

^ ohh dah fammm! ^

^ my sister (sometimes) never gets annoyed when i snap so many pics of her! ha.  but this was another favorite summer morning... sid & i got crepes to go and walked around the city a bit.  i sure do love minneapolis!

and also, to the right, i don't even care that the pic is fuzzy, my precious great aunt shirley was in town for a week and all felt right with the world.  I LOVE THAT WOMAN. ​^^

^^^ oh, yeah.  ANNA FREAKING REDOVICH IS ENGAGED!!!!!!!!  ENGAGED ENGAGED ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!  when she called me, that was the first time i cried about someone getting engaged.  ha.  i just love her so much!  that was like hearing my sister is engaged or something.  that woman is one of the most important people in my life and knows me better than most people, and to hear that she is getting MARRIED!?!  gahhhh.  makes me want to cry all over again haha.

^^ paiger has been gone all summer and we're all telling her NEVER AGAIN.  kind of kidding (except not).  she had an amazing summer or whatever, but it was hard being away from her.

^^ pool day at aunt wendy's!

^^ these pics were taken last saturday at my mama's 50th birthday celebration!  we thought it would just be our grandparents and us, but when we got to the restaurant, mom's whole side was there!  all four of her siblings & their  spouses, all dressed up with gifts in their hands!  so neat!  i'm so glad they did that for her! ^^

^ monkeyin around with sid.  that girl is one of my best friends!  and she's my favorite person to be so goofy with. ^

^ mama turned 50 on monday, so my sisters and i drove up to duluth where she was staying with dad and surprised her at dinner.  she is the most special, extraordinary woman and i can't believe she's my mom.  if i could be half the person she is when i'm fifty! ^

i guess that's it for now!
​so thankful.  truly.

i found THIS in my blog archives from two years ago and i'm just going to leave it here and not tell you how many emotions i'm experiencing because of it or how honored i am that these people are in my life or how two years later their still the dearest, most precious or how that list has only grown in names and traits.  i'm not even going to tell you that. (;


ughhghhhghghghg.  FRIENDS.  i love you all so much.

...when dave (my sister's boyfriend) snapchatted me saying, "the little buddy comes home so soon!" about paige.  i just love how they call each other buddies! (:  it's my favorite.
...how my two very dear friends, taylor & justin, came all the way to the cities just to spend time with me.  they are relentless in showing me grace upon grace and loving like Jesus.  i can't believe they're my friends... i thought that about a million times friday night.
...this morning, deciding to go to second service just so i could sleep in a little in my cozy cozy room!  oh, it was so dreamy, you guys!  my gushy sheets and comforter and my jammies and the window was cracked a little making it kind of breezy and the shades were down so it was kind of dark but still pretty light!  oh baby makes me wanna crawl back in right now! haha
...steffany gretzinger's album, the undoing.  exactly what my heart wanted in the car today.
...the lyrics we sang in church this morning,
          rejoice, oh child of God,
          lift your eyes to see
          with every morning light
          again we are redeemed. mm!
...my momma!  she's been different lately, in the most stunning of ways, because of the time she spends with Jesus.  He's tangibly moving and growing in her heart.  it's actually the most wonderful thing.
...taking communion in church today.
...dad.  holland.  anna.  syd.  cassie.  coral.  becca.  ariel.  alyssa.  kassandra.  rose.  (<in no particular order, and far from a complete list)
...plain yogurt with honey and peanut butTER IN IT WITH FROZEN BERRIES ON TOP!! (sorry, i got excited halfway through writing that.)  it is so good, guys.
...friendship with sidney.
...thinkin about holland being baptized!  so beautiful.
...being forgiven and letting it go.
​
that's all i could think of for now, but there are so many more!

^^ me, when i got to sleep in this morning. haha.  i'm bout to make that same face when i crawl in tonight!  RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU LOVE SLEEP. ^^

my great aunt shirley (special, extraordinary lady) is in town and my parents hosted her and my grandparents for dinner (and me, technically, but it's hard for me to feel like a guest even though i don't live there).  for dessert they bought fancy gelato which kind of bummed me out because i've cut added sugar out of my diet since june.  but, let me tell you friends, the craving for ice cream and things like, um, gelato (what?!) are REAL.  i wasn't complaining or anything but dad knew it was a bummer for me that i couldn't join them, so while i was talking with shirley, he quickly whipped up whipped cream (like made it!  blended heavy whipping cream & vanilla) and put it on strawberries with a little mint leaf on top!  just for me!  he put it in front of me and it made me feel so cared for and considered!  i know you're probably wondering why i thought this little thing needed a whole post, and i don't know, but i am just extremely thankful for my dad.  he's the kind of person who does that.  him and my mom both are excellent examples to me of people who go out of their way to serve and consider.  it just meant a lot to me, that's all.  i can't believe he's my dad!