Why I do Theatre

Here is a video that my Voice and Diction professor showed us of one of the most influential people in theatre, Patsy Rodenburg, articulating the reason why she (and so many actors including myself) do theatre.

Why I do Theatre

He knows the way Home

The other night my YoungLife small group met and watched a Rob Bell video from 2001 together.  I had remembered watching some of his stuff back in the day but that's about it.  In this particular video, Rob describes a time where he took his baby son on a hike and held him in a "backpack" type carrier on his back.  As they were about to hit the half way point to turn back, it started to rain.  Rob turned and covered his son with a hood but did not see that his son had taken the hood off quickly after and was exposed to the storm.  It began to pour as well as thunder and lightening and the baby's whimper soon turned into a shrieking cry.  After a few moments, Rob took his son into his arms and held him close to his chest.  He whispered in his ear,"It's okay, I love you and I know the way" the rest of the hike.  After they made it back to the house, Rob says that although it may have scared his son to death, it was one of the most intimate moments he can remember having.  

This struck me so hard because I think of that poor baby screaming for bloody murder.  That storm was the only "reality" he knew at the time.  He did not know that everything was going to be okay and that his dad knew the way home, he only knew that the rain was pouring and he didn't like it.  

How many times do I scream out to God because my world is shaking all around me?  I find that it is in those moments I lean on Him most and in those dark times I am the most lost and pathetic.  I have no idea where I am going or when the rain will stop.  I simply fall on my knees to God.  I know I should do this even in the easy times and I have been learning and practicing such reliance, but I never realized that just as Rob Bell said the storm in the hike was an intimate time with his son, so are our storms an intimate time with God.  Think of it from the Father's perspective.  It is in those times we draw near to Him and He holds us close.  He knows the way even when we think the thunder and lightening will never stop.  He is constantly telling us "I love you, just trust me." I have never had a time that God did not pull me through the rain so why do I always crumble?  With this perspective, however, I rejoice in my crumbling because I rest in Gods tight grip and am being gently carried the rest of the way. If the baby hadn't screamed his dad would have never known he was afraid?  It was when he cried out to his father that he was taken out of the carrier and held in his arms.  So when the rain is pouring down and you can't see past the storm, just remember that everything is going to be okay because... He knows the way home.

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." Deuteronomy 33:27

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." Isaiah 43:1-3


"Rain" by Rob Bell

Springy-Spring-SPRING!

What is it about spring time that seems to awaken the soul?  It is as if a light switch clicks on and motivates everyone to do something.  People start working out more and eating healthier; others set new goals and challenge themselves.  It's different from New Years resolutions because in the spring time I feel like people have an end result in mind.  For example, girls typically begin to work out more because summer is coming soon and bathing suit weather (duh!) And guys begin to work out more because well, I don't know but I am sure there's a good reason close to why girls do hah. What do you find yourself doing once springtime arrives?  To kick off the new season, my friend and I went and set up his hammock in Centennial Park.  They have the best magnolia trees for it! We climbed up and jumped in the hammock only to relax for a moment until we started to smell a little scent of a different kind of grass.... if you know what I mean... haha I leaned over and sure enough some crazy hippies were having a good time right underneath our hammock! 

I love Nashville. 

      Anyways, I just wanted to point out the funny differences that arise in people when spring time comes around.  Love floats in the air and romances begin to bud - I cannot tell you how many lovey dovey couples have been popping up around Belmont's campus the past few weeks.  It's like cupid came down and shot everyone square in the forehead! 

I love springtime.  

It puts me in the best mood! Flowers / Sun / Birds / Green grass

It's amazing how many students come out from hiding and lay on the lawn in the middle of campus when the sun is out. I walked out one afternoon and literally could barely spot an open patch of grass. The slack-lining, hammocking, sun bathing, music playing, poetry reading and just simple chillaxing is the perfect way to make me want to skip class - too bad I am terrified of skipping.  Not because I will get in trouble but simply because I cannot bring myself to not go to class? What is wrong with me, right? I don't know my friend... I don't know.

I hope you are enjoying the freshness of spring and taking in every moment of this beautiful weather.  I got to spend the evening on the porch of a coffee shop and just felt at peace, like I could see the light at the end of the tunnel- winter is gone and the sun is out woohoo! 

GO

I am feeling somewhat landlocked.  I have been looking back at pictures from trips past as well as others who have been visiting other countries and I am envious nonetheless. When will I be able to travel again?  Lord willing it will be soon.  It is an itch that I cannot deny - wanting to travel all over the world.  I hope to study abroad one semester and thinking about which place I would like to go is extremely difficult.  I have not been able to stay for such an extended time in one place and I think I have become accustomed to that way of travel, so choosing one place to remain for a number of months is daunting to me!  I find myself wanting to stay away from a place with heavy tourist populations, but then I realize that I should not count a place out simply because it is wonderful to many others as well!  I have plenty of time to research more and figure it out, but I just woke up with such a desire to go and be somewhere else.  It is not that I am unhappy with my current location, but simply because I just want to see all of God's world! Give me a plane ticket! Let's go! 

True Life: I'm Addicted to Frozen Yogurt

Saying I enjoy frozen yogurt is an under statement.  I thought it was a friendly little crush at first but I have realized that my love for original tart with strawberries and a hint of brownie is more than just a fling.  When did this rise of self serve frozen yogurt shops begin?  I don't know, but I'm on board with it!

I have been to quite a few different ones recently with all sorts of names like Gracie Bleu, Yogurt Mountain, Local Culture, YaYa's, Yogi's and of course my favorite... Sweet Cece's
But that's just in Nashville, Memphis, Starkville and Oxford! Who know's how many yogurt places there actually are in the world?!

Now the first step is admitting you are addicted and so here it goes people: 

I AM ADDICTED TO FROZEN YOGURT 

I have been to three grand openings of Sweet Cece's just for the free yogurt.... 

I have had it atleast once a day for an entire week and actually had it for lunch and dinner a couple weekends ago... 

I have multiple punch cards and even others know what I get before I have to tell them

You understand my predicament now... I. AM. HOOKED.

...I guess it's not as bad as some other things that I could be addicted to so that makes it ok, right?

Here are just a few examples of my new love affair: 

"Home is wherever I'm with you"

It's weird coming back to Memphis.  It feels like home yet so does my little dorm room back in Nashville.  I have missed the familiar places here and never thought I would ever get to the day that I could look around and be okay with not living here permanently.  Before I went to college and even through my first semester I was bound and determined to call Memphis my only "home." I just knew that anywhere else I went would be fun for a while but never as comfortable as the real place I grew up.  Of course, the place you lived the majority of your life will always hold some significance but to tell you the truth, it doesn't have such a tight hold on me now.  I have finally been away for long enough to experience other things and call them familiar - and I now understand that "home" does not always have to be a place but also people.  I think I have been fine away for so long because my family has come to visit and it's being with them that makes me feel at home more so than being in Memphis.  I never distinguished it before! Home is not specifically a location.

I love trying new things, but once I find something I like - I am hooked and don't want anything else.  I also hold dearly things with sentimental value.  I am not a hoarder, but borderline too attached to some particular items.  For example, the Elmo doll my dad got me when I was a baby still sits on my bed and to this day I think it would be the first item I'd grab if the house was burning down.  It pains me to think of losing it and I almost did once when I was little at a restaurant and my parents had to call the manager and get it back.  That little guy has been through dozens of pets, pre-k classes, car rides and so on.  In other words, because I have been through so much with it, I can't imagine leaving it behind.  That is true with so many things like specific places here in Memphis.  I have had such wonderful experiences as well as hard times here that I wanted to hold onto them forever because it's what felt most comfortable.  It was my safe place.

Thank goodness my parents refused to let me stay in Memphis for college because I would have never left!  I would have quietly made my own little bubble and not let anything or anyone else that would try to change my ways in.  Locked and secure would my world have been and I would have loved it.  But I am a firm believer in God's roadblocks and sweeping me off to Nashville was one of them.  No matter how hard I kicked and screamed He did not let me have my way.

Going off to college seemed fun to talk about but once the day came I was terrified.  I had to do what? Make a new life?  No, thank you. I didn't want to be challenged.  I was perfectly fine with my life as it was,  peaceful and with my family. Leaving felt like something had been ripped from me and I felt like every goodbye was the end of the world until one day it all changed.  I swear it was not one particular thing or moment, but I do remember realizing that I had not been back to Memphis in over 7 weeks and it did not bother me.  I was excited to go back but I was not miserable.  I had made a new home.

My new home is a place that I feel more than blessed to be.  I have never been surrounded by more talented and passionate people in my life.  When I look around we all seem to be working towards something.  I was telling a friend this the other day that I do not feel like anyone close to me is just floating through life.  They are all passionate about different things and going hard after them in their own way.  Each person is authentic and not too concerned about what others are thinking of them.  We are all so different and it makes me happy.  Yeah, we have a middle ground that we all kind of meet on but each person is so quirky that it'd be hard to all be the same - and SO boring!  Uniqueness is beautiful and a lot less competitive hah When I walk out my door I feel at ease because I don't feel the need to prove myself but rather just be myself.  It's easy to do that when others are doing it, too.  Instead of looking around to see who's at the same pace as me I look forward to the finish and enjoy what God's got planned just for me. 

Coco Chanel

So my sister got a new cat named Coco
(yes... as in Coco Chanel) 

and she is absolutely precious.  However, this new addition has really cramped my cat, Baby's, style.  Every time Coco comes around Baby hisses and does this weird vacuum sounding noise, but Coco doesn't really understand and just lays there wondering why Baby is in such a bad mood.
Coco is so chill. She just hangs out - it's awesome.  

I have come to the realization that I love everything baby.  Baby cats, baby dogs, baby pigs, human babies ... I mean they are just so freaking cute. (Except farrots...I'll never understand those things) 

I just love the curiosity in babies eyes and the excitement they feel with everything going on around them. They have such pure joy/love that you can't help but want to love them back.  Their innocence is something that attracts us all because they haven't seen anything but the good. They are never in a rush and have the greatest imaginations.  They are dependent.  Full of wonder.  

I want to be more like babies.  

. \p
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                                                    ^Coco says hey...

It’s incredible to think of how many people there are in this world.  

Living, breathing, smiling, thinking

How small I am compared to it all.

And how little my problems turn out to be.

Our days are numbered.
But He knows the count

Grab Hope while you can

and Love 'til you run out