It'll All Come Together

My spring break started and ended with weddings. My mom and sisters hosted a bridal shower for me last Saturday and yesterday, the wedding season officially began with my friend, Cearrah's wedding.
I never thought the day would come when I felt more organized than Cearrah. I definitely never thought the day would come where I was the one helping Cearrah. Our friendship was built on Cearrah's caring for me during a rough patch my freshman year of college. Since then, we have been equals in our love of Harry Potter and books in general, with a friendship deeply rooted in fandoms, faith, and family.

Cearrah's wedding was firstly, and most importantly, a celebration of her and Tyler's vows and promises of forever. We celebrated their union. But it was not the most organized, nitpicked wedding I have ever been a part of. It was actually very scattered. And all Cearrah could say reassuringly was, "it will all come together".

"Do you have a plan for the tables?" her mom would ask. "No, but it'll come together once we're there." she would respond with an easy smile. "What about centerpieces? Do you have any particular ideas?" I ask, holding teapots and tulips in both hands. "Whatever you want to do, it'll come together." But right at one o'clock, as we settled in our seats so that Cearrah could walk to the front of the room, it had all come together. The cake and cupcakes looked great, the board games made great "centerpieces", and the guests were raving about the decorations. Because it had all come together.

I keep hearing how stressful weddings are. How busy that day is. How little time you actually get with the groom. I hear advice about delegating, about telling people exactly what I want. I spent five days of my spring break working my way through a lengthy list of wedding to-do's. I snapped at my fiance, who was just trying to help, and ranted to my maid of honor about how all I had wanted was a hot dog buffet line when we first got started. Saturday and Sunday with Cearrah really put me in my place. It'll all come together. It doesn't have to be perfect, because when it's all said and done, I get to say "I do" to Josh. Whether I have cloth or plastic tablecloths, at the end of the day, I'll be married to my best friend. Maybe I'm "more organized" than Cearrah, but she's doing it right, she's letting it come together and not stressing out about the details.

To all my brides out there, it'll all come together. We don't need to pull our hair out, we don't need to get upset. Do what you need to do to feel good about it, but don't lose sleep over the things you can't control. Order extra tablecloths if that makes you feel better. Make your centerpieces in advance. But remember, it'll all come together.

Tota tua.

Joy of the Holy Spirit

Wth finals weeks done and out of the way,  and no classes for a few weeks, posting uplifting things suddenly seems more possible. I don't have to read a case for at least two weeks, how great is that!

With Christmas a few days away, I wanted to just take a few seconds and ask how your Advent is going? Have you prepared for the Lord the way we talked about four short weeks ago?

I definitely made the effort to pick up my Bible more, and make more of an effort to apply it to each day. And I found myself in a more Christmasy spirit than I normally have. December held some intersting interactions for me, starting with attending a good friend's small, intimate wedding, where an ex (who hasn't been seen in years) would be. To say we ended ok good terms would be inaccurate at the least, and I was so anxious about it, after all,  the last thing I wanted was my personal nonsense to influence my friend's big day. So before I walked into the venue, I reflected on what I had read earlier that day, about the Lord's peace and about forgiveness, and I walked in.

Just like that, I felt the Holy Spirit fill me up. Suddenly, I was just joyful for the wedding I was about to attend, for the vocation and vows that were about to take place. And I felt more prepared for Christ's birth than I had in years.

This is what it means  to be prepared for His birthday, this is what it feels like to by joyful in Christ, I kept thinking.

We have five more days to find that joy- put yourself out there. Stop stressing about presents, holiday parties, and the over trivial things of the holidays and rejoice and be glad, because unto us will soon be born a Saviorc, Christ the King

Tota tua,

LeAnn