snapshots

I semi-abandoned this blog for a bit in light of finals week last week. But since now I’m all done — no more school, no work.. my funemployment is really starting.

I’m a huge fan of google reader. Since getting married, I’ve added MoneySavingMom to my reader subscription. At first I was so overwhelmed by her posts — freebies, coupons, advice, etc… — that I didn’t bother reading a lot of it. Most of the days, I simply kept on pressing the space bar on my computer and just glanced through everything. I signed up for a few freebies (yay free samples in the mail!), and started clipping coupons (I never go shopping without googling for coupons first nowadays… hahah). Besides those “deals” she posts, she also does 1 post every week on “10 goals for this week”. It was an interesting idea, and since I’m totally obsessed with making lists and crossing them out (eek!), I thought it would be beneficial for me to make a “10 goals for this week”, too. On my list of goals for last week, besides cleaning the kitchen and bathroom (check and check! yay!), I also wanted to start back on reading Christian literature. Between John & I, we have several bookshelves full of books that neither of us have even touched! Shame on us.

I picked up Don’t Waste Your Life by Piper. I know I read parts of the book while I was in college, but I also know for a fact that I never finished reading this — does anyone else struggle with picking up books and not having the perseverance to finish reading them?

All to say, this came at such a wonderful time for me. I’ve been so fearful of moving away, away from our Lighthouse church family, away from what I know and what I’m familiar with for the last 5 years, away from living within walking distance to Trader Joe’s (yes, this actually does make me sad)… But perhaps one of my biggest fear is what do I do with my time while John’s in school?? It’s crazy. Should I apply to grad school — does God even want me to go, and if so, why have I been rejected everywhere despite my relatively high gpa/grades and crazy recommendations from professors/doctors alike?? Should I just work? Should I work part time? Full time? Should I just.. take care of random household things? Should I try to learn more about photography and maybe start a business? What should I do? I really do struggle with these questions, trying to think what would make me the happiest – is it the freedom of being in school? Or the prestige that comes with finishing school? Is it to have a 9-5 job so I can maybe have more free time?

Woahh. Please stop my mind from going down that path. Wrong perspective. Piper writes,

Why do I exist? Why am I here? To be happy? Or to glorify God?

We are made to glorify God, His words clearly states that. In the back of my mind, I knew.  {Isaiah 43:6-7} says,

Bring My sons from afar / And My daughters from the ends of the earth, Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made

What I didn’t realize, however, was that my happiness and seeking to glorify God is the same thing.. should be the same thing. All these times, I told myself that happiness and glorifying God must look different, that the road to finding happiness is a different path than glorifying God. But you know what? I was wrong. They two are the same — I find my happiness in glorifying Him.

God loves us best by giving us the best to enjoy forever, namely himself, for he is the best.