Summer Recap

     Growing up my siblings would always talk about crazy things that they would do with their friends when they were younger. It never mattered how long ago that the events took place. All that mattered is that they happened and they made such an impact on my siblings that to this day they have not forgotten those stories. I guess you could say that I was always jealous of them, of the memories that they held in their mind which could be replayed over and over again at any given moment. By the time that I was a senior I accepted that nothing that great would ever happen to me. I was convinced that I was going to be stuck in the same empty house with no memories to hang up on the wall. But then out of the blue, this summer came around the corner.

        I guess it all started on the car ride to Wednesday night for the first time. I turned off the radio and silently prayed to God that I would meet some friends who were irrevocably in love with Christ. It's funny how the Lord answers prayers, because that night I met four of my best friends: Amethyst, David, Dacie and Remington. I could go on for pages about why and how each one of these people mean so much to me. But the list of friends that God has blessed me with this summer does not stop there. Throughout these hot months I've come to know some of, if not the best people I've ever met. Each one an open book from which I've learned a little something about life from. So here are six things I've learned from others this summer that have undoubtedly changed my life.

1. Don't Be Afraid To Tell People You Love Them.

     One night my friends and I were all saying goodbye to each other when Remi told everyone individually that she loved them, including myself. I hadn't known Remington that long, so this made me think. I came to the conclusion that everyone deserves to be told that they're loved. Everybody should know that there is someone out there who genuinely does care about their well being. You never know how long a person will remain in your life, so you might as well make them feel important. 

2. Be Genuine.

     David and I talked about this one quite often, and honestly I learned more from our conversations this summer than I had from any class that I'd taken in the past years of my life. The ability to be genuine with other people, even those who you have just met, opens so many doors. Being raw and real not only with your peers, but with yourself allows you to see the world in a completely different light. It lets you evaluate who you really are and gives you the chance to clean out all of those skeletons  that you've locked in your closet. The cool thing about this one though, is that once you're honest with yourself, you can be honest with the Lord, and that alone can refresh and rejuvenate your walk with Christ.

3. Be Spontaneous. 

     Dacie, David and I's last second trip to the Grand Canyon really solidified this one for me. Along with setting off multiple dry ice bombs off in public, getting up early to watch the sunrise, TP'ing people's houses, climbing on top of Starbucks, hiding from cops, and getting on top of the roof to look at the stars. The more spontaneous we were, the more my boredom seemed to disappear. Before I knew it, my days of being bored were over. I became more and more happy to the point where I could wake up with the world completely against me, and still have a grin across my face just thinking about the night before. 

4. People Are Always Watching.

     It may not seem like it, but there is always someone watching how you act. I had to learn this the hard way when I hung out with one of my friends named Jason after church this summer. He brought a couple of things to my attention that I'd never really thought to be important before. There are few people that I have respect for, and this kid is definitely one of them. Whether or not he knows it, he's helped refine me for the better, and reminded me that as a Christian I'm still setting an example for those around me. This whole experience has made me realize just how blessed I am to be friends with such great people.

5. Never Deem Your Dreams As Unattainable.

     I used to have this image in my mind as a young kid that I was going to go to New Zealand. But whenever I brought it up to someone else, they would never believe me that I would go. I gave up on that dream until this summer. Now I have about 1/4 of the money saved up that I need for the trip. Rekindling this old dream has forced me to reevaluate my priorities and understand that even after all of these years, my dream is still attainable. 

6. Be Positive.

     Recently, there have been some difficult decisions and tremendous amounts of stressed placed on my shoulders. At first I was so confused and had no idea how to handle even the slightest of the situations at hand. It wasn't until I read Proverbs 3:5-8, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." that I really started to understand where Christ was leading me.. Towards Him. Everything that I had been going through, all of the pain that I had endured that week was for a reason. I believe that reason was to confide in Christ. By not only realizing that I needed to be closer to Christ, but actually pursuing a positive attitude, I was able to smile in the midst of the storm. 

     So in a nutshell, I have learned that every day is a new adventure filled with chances to show people that they're important and to have a good attitude while doing just that. This summer, has legitimately been the best of my life so far. I owe it all to Christ and the friends He has so generously blessed me with. I now have those memories in my mind that I will never cease to remember when I'm older. For that reason alone, I have an unending gratitude to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of Him, my life has been enriched in ways that I had never thought possible.