Seasons

Spring. Flower blossoms begin to bloom, tiny dots of pink and white show on the tops of tree bows. Birds chirp happily, the sunlight basks everything in a mellow yellow. The air smells fresh, the breeze is a mild cool breath, everything seems to dazzle a bit. I think of the sound of a baseball bat, the smell of freshly mowed lawn, the sound of crickets by the creek, the tranquility of perfect warm, glowing sunshine. Footsteps are lighter, fashions are cuter, freckles are darker. In the springtime, new things seem suddenly possible. Maybe you'll finally kiss that boy, today you'll go for that run around the track, you'll make a fabulous meal, or do something crazy with your girlfriends. Spring is the artistic season. The season of paint brushes and poems and piano movements and, my personal favorite, roses.

Summer. The smell of chlorine and sunscreen comes to mind. You walk outside and feel like a cookie being popped into a warm oven. Oh how I long for those lazy days of summer. Ice tea and lemonade, lounging by water, hikes down creeks, long primrose twilights. Summer nights are my favorite. What seems to have wilted during the day become revitalized with the peaceful calm of the setting sun. The stars are especially breathtaking. When I imagine summer, I see campfires with smores,endless card games, candles, the hum of fans, movie nights, smoothies and ice cream. In the summer, you can feel your whole self recharge. You can dream of exotic vacations with palm trees and an aqua ocean with smooth white beaches. Summer is the adventurous season. The season of hiking, camping, swimming, boating, and, my favorite, traveling.

Autumn. Just the name itself speaks of mystery, intrigue, beauty, artistry. Leaves turn into brilliant shades of emerald, burgundy, orange, and gold. The whole world seems turned into a fairy world. Fogs roll in, bewitching the world with its secrecy. The rain begins to replenish the green earth, causing unfurled umbrellas and frolicking in puddles. Stormy clouds make the house seem cozy and the grey sky seems eerie in a fascinating, magical way. Blankets, socks, and scarfs come back into use. I think of the smell of wood burning, the rain pattering, the teapot whistling. Autumn is the romantic season. The season of intimacy, of friendship, of reflection, of beauty, of, my favorite, reading.

Winter. There is a gentle hush, the soft downy flakes of snow, the wild stormy nights, the taste of rich dark hot chocolate. Twinkle lights begin to introduce the Christmas season. Christmas. Excitement, cheer, joy, decorations, memories. The world seems bare and stark and grey, yet it is beautiful in its melancholy. If the snow comes, it covers everything in pure white and the world is transformed into a wonderland of magic. The nip of the crystal cold air leaves an invigorating energy. Snow men, the smell of a heater, woolen caps, the soft silence of snow covered terrain. I think of chocolate, the aromatic smell of pine trees, the tinkle of ornaments, the vibrant green color against the white of snow, the aroma of fresh baked cookies, the soft crunch of boots on snow, the twinkling of clear icicles in the shallow sunlight. Winter is the season of memories. The season of following age old traditions, of being cozy, of playing the same games in the snow, of being together as a family.

My Article for the Point Magazine

The presence of God stretches over any boundary, and His powerful hand reaches across the expansions of the globe. Even in the Sin City of Las Vegas, Tamryn Fyvie, Will Anderson, and Matt Draper, three Journalism students from Biola, saw God move in a way that forever changed their lives. For a class trip, the three students were in a Las Vegas housing community going door to door interviewing its residents about the effects of the economic recession on the neighborhood. Knocking on a particular door, they were greeted by an Indian man, Rajan Abraham, who had just moved to Vegas from India in order to become a missionary by starting a church. He struck up a conversation with Tamryn, Will, and Matt and invited them into his home. “I had the impression that he was very Spirit- led,” Tamryn reflects. Abraham continued to share his inspirational experiences as a pastor in India, about how he had seen the Lord heal and convert thousands.
Before the journalism team had to leave, he asked to pray over them. As the four bowed their heads, Rajan began to pray specifically into each of the three students’ lives. He brought before the Lord individual needs that they had not expressed to him, but had shared amongst themselves along the drive. All three felt the presence of the Holy Spirit throughout the room, and found themselves moved to tears. Abraham prayed passionately for certain hardships and for the futures of these young men and women. “It was very affirming to me, and strengthened me in certain ways,” says Matt, for he felt the presence of God and His active power moving in his life. Will, a Biola senior, was inspired by Rajan’s prayer for his future as a man of God. “God has been continuing to work through this, this experience has bled over into a lot of other things in my life,” he recounts. Abraham’s insight into their personal struggles was such immense encouragement to them, for it demonstrated God’s active presence. The prayers of Rajan Abraham and the powerful work of God did not just stop with the lives of the three Biola students. 
 As they left the house, Tamryn, moved by Abraham’s demonstration of faith and a growing belief in the healing power of prayer, asked if he would pray for her 5 year old cousin. Christopher VonBiljon lives in South Africa, and suffers from a fatal cell disease. He had been growing progressively worse over the last four months, even after a bout of chemotherapy; he wasn’t expected to live much longer. The Indian pastor promised to pray as the Journalism team left his home. The next morning, Tamryn received an email from her aunt in South Africa with the news that Christopher’s newest biopsy had come back miraculously clean. He had been healed through the power of prayer. Tamryn was overjoyed for her small cousin, who had suffered for much of his short life. “God is so good, and He really does move,” she said.
Looking back, the students all agreed that it was clear that the “Lord had led them directly to Rajan.” Their experience in the suburban home of Las Vegas affected each of their lives, “It’s more than just a story, It’s a challenge,” said Will. All three were inspired to live outside the boundaries of normal faith. Matt agreed, “It helped me to embrace what I need to be doing.” Trusting God’s presence can change a heart, and having faith in His power can move mountains, or, in this case, travel to the other side of the globe. God is a God that is outside of the pages of the Bible, outside of the Biola community, outside of the borders of California, and even outside the United States. He heals, He speaks, and He can inspire faith, just as Will, Matt, and Tamryn experienced personally.

My Favorite Fictional Character, Anne of Green Gables

Jonah Day. Depths of despair. Kindred Spirits. Lake of Shining Water. Cordelia. Redheaded Snippet. Avonlea.
If it were possible to find a soul mate in a fictional character, Anne would be mine. I have never related with anyone the way I relate to her. Reading about her in the books by L.M. Montgomery is like reading a window into my soul. Anne is a skinny and freckled with red curls. She is a bookworm who is infatuated with nature, with beauty, with light, with thought, and most of all, with imagination. She loves to read, she loves school, she likes to work hard at whatever she sets her mind to. She's ambitious and headstrong and incredibly stubborn. She ends up marrying her best friend, Gilbert, who used to be her worst enemy. She always loves her bosom friend, Diana, who she is ever faithful to. She loves hard, and devotedly. She is passionate and creative. For me, reading about her is like a breath of fresh spring air. She is always optimistic, always dreaming, always wandering through meadows of wild flowers. She loves her home, her family, her friends, her life. She sees the joy in everything, and uses her imagination when true beauty can't be found. And, my favorite part, she is a writer....she gets that dreamy look in her eyes as she is building new castles in the sky. Not many people need to express their imaginative and romantic temperament through writing, so I love it that she does. Anne delights in all the allure this world can offer.

Quotes from the Movie:

I'd like city life for a while, but I've come to the conclusion that I prefer the sound of the wind in the firs much more than the tinkling of crystal."

"I must learn to reflect a little before I rush headlong into disaster!"

"You know, we are rich, we have 19 years to our credit and we have wonderful imaginations. We should be as happy as queens. Look at this view, we couldn't enjoy it anymore if we had ropes of diamonds. I am perfectly content with my string of pearls. Matthew gave them to me with as much love as anyone. I am happy, Diana, and nothing will hold me back."

"Tomorrow is a fresh day, with no mistakes in it."

"Make a little room in your life for romance, Anne Girl. None of the degrees or scholarships in the world can replace it."

"I don't want sunbursts or marble halls. I just want you."

"I went looking for my ideals outside of myself until I discovered that it's not what the world holds for you, it's what you bring to it. The dreams that are dearest to my heart are right here."

How Many Shirts Can You Make With One Scarf?

Quotes from Lizzie

"To sit alone in the lamplight with a book spread out before you and hold intimate conversations with men and women of unseen generations--such is a pleasure beyond compare." -Yoshido Kenko

"I slept and dreamt that life was joy
I awoke and saw that life was service
I acted and behold, service was joy."
-Rabindranath Tagore

Near

His fingers are entwined
Tenderly holding mine
The soft rise of breathing
The sound of a heart beating
The comfort of strong arms
I cannot wander far
Stronghold, Father, King
I'm under the shadow of your wing.

"Happy is he, whose heart hath found the art
to turn his double pains into double praise" --George Herbert

Make Me Over

I've been silent instead of speaking up
Gave my advice instead of giving love
I've been unfair, faithless, and unkind
I've shut my eyes just so I would stay blind
It's not what I meant to do, cause I want to honor you

Make me over, make me new
Make me a mirror, a reflection of you
Take me all apart
Take me to your heart
And hold me closer
Jesus, make me over

Take away the part that whispers in the dark
Take the stone out of the middle of my heart
Hidden underneath all of my insecurities
Is the servant that you destined me to be
Day after precious day, I get in my own way

Make me over, make me new
Make me a mirror, a reflection of you
Take me all apart
Take me to your heart
And hold me closer
Sweet Savior, make me over

I am only here because of your majesty
I'm dust and clay on the wind
Wash me in the river of your sacrifice
Until I'm changed and purified

Take me all apart
Take me to your heart
And pull me closer
My Jesus, Make me over.
Make me over

--Natalie Grant