Here's to Us.

I woke up this morning with a to-do list about five miles long, a to-do list so extensive that even if I found the motivation to attack it with every ounce of my being, I'm not sure if would even finish. And anyway, who really wants to sit down and bust through five or more consecutive hours of mind-numbingly boring work? Umm.. I'd rather watch Netflix.

I'm blogging today not to fulfill some responsibility, or to check something off my list (since it's been two months since my last post, I think it's safe to say that that ship sailed a long time ago), but because I needed to. I needed to connect with you guys.

They say that social media doesn't really connect us to people-- it makes us feel connected, while we isolate. On a surface level, that's something I agree with: simply scrolling through feeds and liking different posts doesn't constitute as human interaction. But blogging is different. Blogging lets us express who we are, sometimes even down to the recesses of our souls, and lets connect with other people who go through the same things.

At least, that's what it does for me.

My word for 2015 is connect. I was deciding between connect and trust, but connect came to me first, and I'm told it's better to choose the "wrong" word than not choosing one at all.

Connecting is important. Because people need people. And... I guess today, I just want to take another step forward in making it a forever-part of my lifestyle.

So here's to connecting. Here's to loving our neighbors as ourselves. Here's to rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. Here's to fighting for what is beautiful, and never forgetting to share what we find with each other. Here's to family canoe trips and sunny days and shared memories.

Here's to you, me, and we. Here's to us.

xoxo,

Ireland

thursday.

Remember this: behind the skinny actress with the Oscar win; behind the joke you think is stupid; behind the girl with reputation that is falling apart in public; behind the tears of the girl being bullied and the harsh words of the mean girl who bullies her; behind the woman at the Food Lion who scans the cereal and the man sitting in the Oval Office—behind all of those images that people craft for themselves, there is a person, seen by God, created in his image, and longing to be loved and accepted. Just like you. No matter what their reputation, no matter what image they so desperately want to show you, there is a person. Don’t forget to see them.

--Emily P. Freeman, Graceful

I'm back from my unannounced, self-imposed blogging hiatus, and wanted to share this beautiful excerpt from one of my favorite books with you. Hope you have a beautiful Thursday.


xoxo,

Ireland

Popular Culture

I find it saddening that so many celebrities today are exploiting their bodies and acting as if it's cool.

These people are at the forefront of popular culture.

They have enormous influence.
 
And they're wasting it.

The Light In His Smile (All of It)

 

In case you missed the piece I wrote on my brother this week, I have posted both of the links (for Part 1 and 2) below.

Part 1
Part 2

Also, I wanted to thank you guys for your wonderful, warm comments in response to these last two posts. They mean so much to me.

xoxo,
Ireland
 

The Light In His Smile: Part 2 (Personal Reflections)

Did you catch Part 1 of the piece I wrote on my little brother? If not, click here before you continue reading.

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It hurts me to know that someday, someone will break Jeffrey’s heart. Someday, his life will fall apart, and he won’t know how to put it back together. Someday, I’ll pass him in the hallway between our two bedrooms and notice that the light in his smile has grown dim.

When that happens, I will remember his first day of kindergarten, and I will hug that memory around my soul. I will know that while his light may grow dim from time to time, it will never be extinguished. One day, it will come back in a beautiful, blazing fury, marked by the newfound maturity that comes from knowing great loss. His scars will remind him of what he has been through, but they will never define him. They can’t.

In my fourteen years of life, one of the most important things I have learned is that we are a broken people. We face extreme heartache and make haunting mistakes… but we are not defined by our past. Life is more than a series of meaningless events, and even the most difficult things we face can be used to make us stronger.

I believe that everyone has grand potential within them, and I trust that Jeffrey will make good use of his. Sometimes I look at him, see my younger self, and become afraid for both of us. But then I remember that no matter how hard life gets, we will always have each other.

And for now…

That’s enough.

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My brother means the world to me, and I know I would sacrifice for him if I needed to. Is there someone in your life with whom you share that kind of bond? That should be our goal as Christians, anyway, to lay down our lives for our friends. I have a longlonglong way to go, but I think I'm getting closer.

Think about it, and if you wouldn't mind sharing, I would love to hear from you!

xoxo,
Ireland


*Some details (names, etc.) have been changes for privacy purposes.

The Light In His Smile: Part 1 (Personal Reflections)

The following is Part 1 of 2 of a piece that I wrote about my little brother. His birthday is this week, so this is in honor of him.

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As I walk into Bellamy Elementary on my brother Jeffrey’s first "real" day of school, I smile, knowing that the next six years of his life will be more special than he knows. The hallways are enchanted with the glittery optimism of first-time students, and for one fleeting moment, I am five years old again. The world is new and exciting and beautiful, and there is nothing anyone can do to break me. Life is uncomplicated, the right thing is obvious, and loving others is easy. I’m not afraid of getting hurt, because I’ve never been hurt before.

When I come back to reality, I turn and see Jeffrey trailing behind me with our dad. I watch as he marvels at a pair of clownfish in a fish tank, and I smile when he finds his name on a bulletin board next to Room 111. Being at Bellamy reminds me how much I love the blatant joy and unaffectedness of little children. Their innocence is sacred, and I never want that to be taken away from my brother.

Jeffrey is my only sibling, and I am nine years older than him. Sometimes we bicker, sometimes we fight, and sometimes he drives me crazy, but I love him. He is an incredibly special, joyous human being, and his outlook on life is so refreshing. Many people fail to appreciate the simple mindsets of little children; if adults handled issues with half as much transparency, I think the world would be much better off for it.

We turn left and end up inside a nicely sized classroom with colorful posters on the wall. I listen to the soft chatter of his new classmates and look around for his new teacher, Mrs. Hooper. She shows us where to find his morning work and he sits down next to a boy named Carlos.

I watch Jeffrey unpack his bag, and staring me in the face is the fact that someday, my little brother won’t be so little anymore. Today he is starting kindergarten, but one day he will be graduating. I am a junior in high school, and when I look back on my life, I see a rollercoaster of ups and downs. It’s scary to think that before long, my little brother is going to be facing the same issues that I do.

As I give Jeffrey a last hug and kiss goodbye, I drink in the innocence and beauty of the children that surround me. I regret not making every second of my childhood count.  I pray that God will take care of my little brother, the brother that means so much to me, and then I slip out of the classroom with my dad.
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Come back Tuesday for the second part of this story! :) As always, I love hearing your thoughts in the comments.

xoxo,
Ireland


Disclaimer: Some details (names, etc.) have been changes for privacy purposes.

Thoughts on Strong.

A right sidekick

I have been involved in martial arts on-and-off for the last several years, and so far, it has not transformed me into a supremely disciplined, indefatigable version of my former self. In fact, sometimes I get to class and barely have the willpower to stand and say our pledges. But somehow, there hasn’t been a class yet where I had to bow out. There are times when I think I just can't do it, but I know deep inside (sometimes, I have to dig deeper than others) that I am not as fragile as I feel.

My first time using a bo staff



Sparring with my instructor

 

My New Blue Belt

 

I am strong. Not because I don’t have weaknesses, but because God is alive in me, and I have everything I need to pull from in Him.

I don’t want to be the kind of person who gives up when something bad happens. Because bad things will happen. Anyone can keep going when life is flowing smoothly… but what about when it’s not?

 

I cannot count the times I have failed to put forth my best in difficult situations, but I keep going. I keep trying. I keep seeking, even if I'm only inching my way forward. My progress is slower than I would like it to be, but sometimes I just have to relax and let it go.

 

I am not perfect. But I believe in a God who is. In Him I am strong, and through Him I am getting stronger.

 

Instead of letting my problems overtake me today, I am going to try to lean into God a little more, because He is all the strength that I need.

 

He's all that you need too. And that's a promise.

 

Love,

Ireland

 

 

 

Thoughts on Cozy.

Today I was reading one of my favorite blogs (written by Nancy Rue) and she posed several questions about the "longing to belong" and what "cozy" looks like. Here is my response.

 Cozy is my family gathered around a wood-burning fireplace. Listening to my favorite music. Rereading the Lily books. Dancing while my dad plays guitar. Beautiful clothes that don't get in the way while I'm doing things. Seeing the beach for the first time in six months. Conversation that flows like water.

It is an inner warmth that comes from feeling close to love. It is a clear conscience, a new slate, a tingly feeling that starts in your soul and spreads all the way throughout your body. It is letting God be God and being who you were truly made to be. It is honest but safe. It is belonging. It is unaffected and there is not mask to cover it up. Cozy.

I don't feel cozy all that often. But there are moments, here and there, a few seconds where I laugh and forget about my problems or I embrace the exquisiteness of God a little bit more. Mostly it feels like a process, like I'm getting closer to it but I'm not quite there yet.
 
Oh, how I long for coziness in relationships. To me that sounds close to perfection. I have a few friends that I catch glimpses of it with, and I don't appreciate it enough because I'm obsessed over wanting more. I'm moving in two weeks to a new city, and I'll be going to a public high school for the first time... I so want to meet some girls and guys that I can have close friendships with.
 
Because that is part of the essence of cozy. Closeness.

Feeling alone in a crowd is the opposite of cozy, which is basically how I felt in middle school. The loneliness was overwhelming and the not-wanting-to-live feeling was much too painful. I went into survival mode, and life was just so hard. I don't ever want to feel that way again. I have Jesus, and because of Him I am not alone, even when it feels that way. I want to hug that truth around the nakedness of my soul and believe it with every fiber of my being.

That is cozy. And that is unshakable. And that is what I want.

Next Stop... Wilmington

Happy August, everyone! As we roll into the last few weeks of summer break, I find myself surrounded by empty bookshelves, stacks and stacks of cardboard boxes, and overexposed beige walls. That's right, we're moving-- again! This time, though, our end destination (umm, that being Wilmington, NC) is only about an hour away. Much simpler than the 500-mile trek from Knoxville to Southport.

As my family transitions into the next phase of our life, this picture serves as a tribute to Flashback Friday. From left: my mom Karen, late grandfather Ed, uncle Carey, me, and my cousin Reise.

I love beautiful memories... but at the same time, I'm looking forward to making new ones.

What do you think is the hardest part about leaving home? What's the best?

xoxo,

Ireland

Stronger.

I have lost some of my shine in the whole growing-up process. Who hasn't? I am way more confused and skeptical than I used to be. My heart has been bruised. My confidence has been shaken. I have been so full of fear that for a while my life was more about getting through than living.

But there is this beautiful thing called healing. God is healing all my scars and making me stronger. He is restoring me. And while the hard times aren't fun, in the end God is going to make me more whole than I ever was.

He wants to do the same for you. He wants to make you stronger.

You just have to let him.


 

Perspective

If everyone on earth had access to nutritious food, clean water, and healthy living conditions, the world would be a drastically different place than it is now. We take these things for granted, but in reality they are luxuries. They are amazing blessings. And in addition to them, I know I for one have plenty of clothing, several different kinds of soaps, little tools made for the express purpose of cutting my nails.....


So, to those of my readers have access to all of life's necessities and many amenities as well, like I do, I just want us all to remember how blessed we are and to remember to appreciate what we have. The things we consider basic, other people may only dream of having.

I do not think it's wrong to like fashion, to buy pretty clothes and nice makeup,  etc. I think God has made all of us unique and placed us in different walks of life. Maybe so we will reach different people. There may be some of us who are called to sell everything we own and become missionaries in the streets of an impoverished city, and some of us may be called to enter the design world to reach the people at Paris Fashion Week.

A lot of what God wants us to do is black-and-white (don't use His name in vain) but some is not (this college would not be a healthy environment for me). My best advice would just be to direct you to God and take His advice for you... on everything, from how much time you put in your appearance to how much you spend on clothes... everything. And let me tell you, I do NOT have it figured out. I'm still not sure exactly how this applies to me. I just know it's the truth, and I believe it.

Let's keep all this in the forefront of our minds as we continue on this blogging journey together.

In love,
Ireland

It's A Fine Fine Life

From where I'm sitting, I can look out the window and admire the young white blossoms on one of the trees in our front yard. I haven't found any good trees to climb in North Carolina, but there are many beautiful ones. I saw a fancy waterfront house in downtown Southport last year that had a pink flowery tree on its lawn-- a tree so large that the flowers dripped down over your head when you were walking on the sidewalk. I picked one of the flowers and took a quick picture of it, but it was so much prettier in real life.

Have you ever driven down the interstate and just been amazed at how beautiful your surroundings are? I remember traveling through the mountains between Tennessee and North Carolina when I was younger, peering out of the backseat window and wondering why no one commented on how pretty it was. I figured I was weird for finding something lovely that perhaps no one else found special at all.

I know I seem obsessed with trees right now, but here's what I'm really saying: Isn't there something beautiful, right in front of you, right now, that you're taking for granted? Today, I challenge you to open your eyes and notice the beauty already present in your life. Thank God for it. Rejoice. We have it so good.

 xoxo,
Ireland

Title Credit: "It's A Fine Fine Life" by for King and Country

from the album Crave