Life Full of Light

Because I am terrible at keeping up with my blog, I am going to start posting a few of my favorites from the week. It might be videos, songs, recipes or Bible verses. I’m hoping this will force me into the habit of blogging again. 

Now for this week’s favorites:

Favorite Book: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

If you enjoy The Office or The Mindy Project, you need to read this book. It is full of hilarious anecdotes from Mindy’s life that make me laugh harder than any book I’ve read. It is an easy read for those times that you just need a break from school and work and any woman in their 20s can totally relate to her feelings.  

Favorite Candle: Soy Rainwater Candle by VelasBonitas

My friend, Bonnie Norwood, is making candles out of her apartment in cute little mason jars. She has an Etsy account where she has been selling them to complete strangers. How cool is she? Check out her candles here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/velasbonitas

Favorite Song: Ben Howard - Old Pine (by BenHowardVEVO)

This song isn’t really new but it’s one of my favorites right now and the video is beautiful. 

-Kimmy

My favorite Christmas song, at the moment, is “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” I love the original version by Judy Garland in “Meet Me in St. Louis” but I also love the renditions by Michael Buble, Andrew Belle and of course, Frank Sinatra. 

The lyrics of the song are what brings me back again and again. It talks of light hearts and our troubles being miles away. Christmas is the time of year when the only thing I have to worry about is eating too many cookies or not finding the perfect Christmas gift for my Mom. There’s no homework, no deadlines or papers hanging over my head. I can relate to the feeling of freedom that is expressed in the lyrics and the wish of everyone to have the same stress-free holiday. 

This warm and fuzzy feeling is brought to a halt when I think of the people whose troubles aren’t out of sight. They may not know where their next meal is coming from, they don’t have a tree with gifts under it and maybe instead of a house, they have a tarp. Christmas is just one more day to muddle through. 

So, while I rejoice in the fact that my homework is non-existent and I have sweets galore, I cannot help but think of the people who are truly struggling around the world today. I hope and pray that one day soon they will be brought out of their situation and into a life filled with joy and peace. 

The one and only Jason Knight was kind enough to show me around his workshop while I was home for Thanksgiving. Jason is the only Master Bladesmith in South Carolina and one of about 100 living bladesmiths in the country. Watch the video above to hear how he decided to be a bladesmith and why he is passionate about it. 

Whenever I interview people or just talk to people about their stories, I try to take away something from that conversation that I can apply to my life. Jason told me that he knows making knives is his God-given gift so he should use it. I never would have thought of that as a gift but that’s so true. Any talent we have is a gift and we can certainly use it to glorify Him. Whether it be singing, writing or playing ping-pong- God calls us to use our talents for his kingdom. 

The people I’m most inspired by are those who chase after their daydreams and make them a reality. During my semester in Greece, I was able to watch as a dear friend realized her dreams of opening a bakery. Kelcey Simpson went to the bakery across the street around 4 a.m. every day to learn and develop relationships with the owners. 

The video above is a project that I created for my Multimedia Storytelling class which tells Kelcey’s story very briefly. She speaks about her passion for baking, her aspirations and the people who inspired her to live her dreams. 

One of my dreams is to share the stories of others, whether it be in the form of writing, video or photography. Thank you Kelcey for letting me use your passion to express mine. 

“We Will All Be Changed” by Seryn is one of my favorite songs right now. It really sums up my thoughts currently about my opportunities for the future and how they are out of my control.

An excerpt of the song is: 

“We can shape but can’t control
These possibilities to grow
Weeds amongst the push and pull
Waiting on the wind to take us”

I have realized that I can somewhat shape my life with the choices I make, but ultimately God controls my life. I’m just waiting on him to take me where he wants me. 

(Source: Spotify)

I was looking at a world map in a classroom one afternoon when Peter walked over and stood next to me. We looked at the map together and he asked me questions about places I had been. He pointed and said, “That’s where I want to go. Portugal.” I was taken aback by this because I guess, I didn’t expect a 14-year-old Kenyan boy to know very much about the world. I asked why and he said, “I want to learn Portugese.” To this I replied, “Of course.”

Yesterday, I read the monthly Made in the Streets newsletter and found out that Peter ran away from the MITS facility in Kamulu. One of the brightest, most motivated kids I’ve ever met ran away from an amazing opportunity to change his future. I don’t even know what to think about this. I don’t know what this means for him, why he chose this or if he’s even okay. I only know that I spent just a month there but this kid will always have a residency in my heart and in many others. He wrote notes to me, made crafts for me and opened his heart to me. He has one of those smiles that overflows with joy. 

I know that God has a plan for Peter but it’s hard to look through eternal lenses, instead of earthly lenses sometimes. His strength grows out of weakness. I’ve seen it in myself and I’ve seen in it the streets of Nairobi. So, there should be no doubt about this but it is so hard to say this when your heart is heavy. 

In a note he wrote me he said: “It might seem silly because you are going to gain nothing but just know you are doing this because God called you to. I will always pray for you.”

Thanks Peter, for reminding me that God is always calling me to live for him. And, I’m always praying for you too. 

Peter ran away from Made in the Streets. Missing Kenya and praying really hard today. (Taken with Instagram)

I have never been so happy to sleep in my own bed. This summer I have slept in 18 different beds, traveled through 7 states and 2 countries, spoke at 19 events and we raised a little over $7,000 for Made in the Streets. What an exhausting and rewarding adventure.  

I have a bad habit of wishing away my time; always wanting to fast-forward to the next week, month or stage of life. Living out of my suitcase and riding in the van day after day got real old. I tried to kick the habit by soaking up every minute of tabling, driving and speaking to churches. I lived by this mantra: “Don’t count the days. Make the days count.”  

At first, my team seemed really random but I grew to realize how God was using each of us on the tour. By the end of the summer, we were like an extremely awkward family. We drank tons of coffee, ate lots of frozen yogurt and had some sweet adventures along the way.

Here’s to an unforgettable summer. Thanks to all who made it possible!

I remember someone telling me that Africa gets inside your heart. I didn’t grasp what that meant a couple months ago but as the days go by, I’m beginning to feel it. It’s stuck in my heart. A good stuck. It’s like that scar on my wrist that I got while playing in my treehouse in Virginia. It’s always there. I see it but not everyone can, and no one knows what it felt like or even knows the story. It’s like a dear friend that you think about in quiet moments when you miss them. Or that one song you can listen to over and over and over without getting sick of it.

I never thought I would be one of those people that says really dramatic things about Africa but I guess I have become one. Kenya is just always in the front of my mind, taking up residence in my heart. The smiles, the drugs, the laughter, the pain. The good, the bad. It’s all there.