Just a few thoughts for the day...

1) Jesus is on his throne. 

I think that we all sometimes forget this. I have had this idea of my life being a book stuck in my head for the past few days. I have heard that so many times, but it hit home the past few weeks. My life is part of such a bigger story but I am constantly thinking about one individual page. I think of hardships, struggles, blessings, moments, and feel like my world is falling apart or that my world is perfect and it is never going to fall apart. I tend to forget that I am looking at ONE page of my story. Throughout my book, my story, the plot is going to change, there are going to be different characters coming and going, there are going to be ups and downs. Through all of that though, Jesus is on his throne. He doesn't see individual pages, he sees the entire story...who I am going to become, how different characters are going to affect me, where I am going, what I am going to be doing, on and on. He is on his throne. He knows. All I can do is trust. He knows what he is doing and how the individual page that I tend to solely look at is apart of such a greater, more beautiful story than I could ever imagine. 

2) The most extraordinary moments happen on the most ordinary days. 

Think about that for a second. Think about every GREAT moment that you have ever had, or every terrible, moment you have had when you feel like the world is crashing down all around you. Did those moments happen on some incredible day that was planned, or did they happen on an ordinary day? Yes, some extraordinary moments can happen on extraordinary days, but for the most part, they happen on ordinary days. 

I remember, very specifically, the day I found out I was moving to Tennessee. It was such a beautiful day. I remember being so happy that day, having no worries in the world as a little 7th grader, an ordinary day. And then Mom and Dad call Jake and I into the kitchen for a family meeting, which were not uncommon in the Apelt house. In one moment, my life changed, we were moving. At that moment, in my little 7th grade mind, I was looking at one page of my life and I thought the world was going to end. I could not imagine the bigger picture. But looking back, that moment on that ordinary day turned out to be extraordinary. I moved to TN, found the greatest friends I could ever ask for, grew so much closer to Jesus, ended up at a school I never would have attended, and found out what I want to do with my life all from that one extraordinary moment on what seemed like an ordinary day! 

3) Laughter is good for the soul. 

I feel like that is pretty self explanatory, but just to clarify, get some of your closest friends together and have fun. Laugh until you cry or until your stomach hurts. It is probably one of my favorite feelings in the world. 

 

This is my favorite "laughing" picture. It was not planned at all. This is simple, pure, laughter. Yes, it is like 3 years old, but I remember being upset about something on this day. I don't remember what I was upset about. And then I started laughing. It was freeing and GOOD FOR THE SOUL. So I dare you to try it, laugh more. Stop stressing about school or grades or the future or the unknown and take a second out of your day to laugh!