I love stuff!

What I mean by that is that as I've grown older, I've proven to have an addictive personality.
Not in the sense that people are addicted to my personally... though I don't see why they shouldn't be, because I'm fabulous ;)

(Just kidding. I'm actually pretty awkward most of the time. But I'm okay with that now!)

What I mean is that when I get into something, I reeeeeally get into it.

Sixth grade - I read the Lord of the Rings series for the first time.
Average person's response - "My, what an artful example of literature! I will keep these on my shelf, return to them, and introduce them to my children one day."
My response - "My, what an artful example of literature! I will memorize the maps! I will know the rivers! I will make a grey cape! I will wear the One Ring for the remainder of my middle school days! I will read encyclopedias and biographies pertaining to Tolkien! I will not be outdone in LOTR trivia! I will write horrendous fan fiction, in which I am shallowly masked as the main love interest!"

Oops :)
But although my reaction might have been a little... extreme, shall we say? I stand by my love for the series.

Same thing with Harry Potter in highschool, except in this case, I was joined in my adoration by my best friends, Cassie and Tyler. Ps, you can view Cassie's new blog, filled with delightful gluten-free recipes Here: http://gfsoutherncomfort.blogspot.com/
I knitted them both scarves of their respective houses. (Gryffindor and Hufflepuff).
We all dressed up for the movie premieres. (Although really, that's perfectly normal.)
I still drive my car with one bumper sticker proudly displayed - "Harry for President".

(Ps, I have a confession - I refrained from voting in our local elections the other day. I couldn't decide who to vote for, because I don't really care for any of our candidates. They resorted this year, I think more than I can ever remember, to some pretty ridiculous mud-slinging, so I didn't want to show support for any of them. What you do think about that in light of our responsibility as citizens? Is it better to practice our privelege of voting even if we don't really support the candidate, or should we refrain. I suppose I could have done a write-in, but I've been so busy with school I haven't kept adequate track of the political goings-on at home.)

I'm also a holiday fanatic.
I started singing loudly along to christmas carols in the car at least three weeks ago.
Over fall break, I got to see Colton. (Hurray! I really miss him terribly when we're not together.) He offered be DJ priveleges, which always makes me a little nervous as his taste in music is much more seasoned than my own, but I happily switched on a song from the Sufjan Stevens Christmas Album. It wasn't even that Christmas-y! I think I chose something like "Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella". He said, What??? It's not even Halloween yet! and immediately revoked my DJ priveleges. (I later chose White Winter Hymnal by the Fleet Foxes, which I viewed as a Christmas song sneak attack, since that's not technically a carol, but I still associate it with the season. How crafty of me!)
Like I said in my last post, I lump all the fall-winter holidays into one big holiday. I think it's perfectly acceptable to play christmas carols at the beginning of october, because it's almost halloween, which means it's almost thanksgiving, which means it's basically christmas. I feel warm, and happy, and loved during the holidays. I love the bite in the air, the crackle of fires, and the smell of the season (which, to me, is a warm smell of cinnamon, cookies, fir trees, orangey spices, and a little smoke. And preferably something roasting in the oven.)

I just love the feeling of being excited, and being involved in something. For me, it really applies to everything... I want to show an earnestness, and a passion for whatever is important to me... My studies in Biblical texts, my relationships with Colton, my friends, and my family (although I fail alot... I need to become a better girlfriend, friend and family member. We can always grow in our love. And I think that's what's special about love, as opposed to most other things in life... it really doesn't have any limits or boundaries.)

One thing that is different about people, as opposed to book series and holidays, is that people keep on surprising you. After a few years of Lord of the Rings fanaticism, I let my love for it temper. It was so familiar to me, and still a close friend, but that crazy fire couldn't last forever. Likewise, the holidays are only here for a season, and then they're gone. You can enjoy them while they last, but you can't hold onto them forever. It's the same with our lives here - they're only a season. So I want to have that fire during my life, and get as much enjoyment out of it as I can. But the thing that will last beyond my mortal years is my relationship with the Lord and with other people. What can we do to love the Lord and our neighbors better? I think it's in the little things. Just like me learning the names of the rivers in Lothlorien, we can seek to learn the tiny details of the identities of the people around us. People are so complex and ever-changing... I ran out of rivers to learn, but it takes a lifetime to really know someone. Even moreso with God - A million lifetimes of communion would not be enough to truly know Him, because of the barriers we have created between our existence and His. But I am thankful, in this moment, for that mystery, because it means I will keep on seeking Him, longing to know more of who He is, what He has done for His people, and why I am included in this unthinkable cosmic plan. Our fanaticism for Him does not have to be tempered! It can stretch on forever, because He stretches on forever.

And that gives me comfort,
and that excitement that I love so much.