400

Yesterday I realized I had reached 400 posts on this here blog of mine. Although I wish I had more time to write, I am thankful that I started this my senior year of college. Now don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with a list of 400 things about me or anything, but I thought I would share a list of 4 reasons why I write here: [Hint, if you click on the links that are different colors they will take you to a something I wrote about that topic]:

1. Just like under my heading, I write to "feel the wind on my face." So often in life we experience something that makes us question and wonder, or we experience something that makes us grieve or laugh… but we let that moment pass by. One of the main reasons I write is because I want to be able to really immerse myself in the things that happen to me, not just have a beautiful spring breeze wash over me and then forget about it. I want to capture what it feels like to miss a place, or the pain of caffeine addiction, or even the power of smell. I don't want a smell or feeling to pass by; I want to be reflective of what is happening around me, and in me. So, I write to feel the wind on my face.

2. I also write here to "remember the moments." I love remembering. I love to get lost in the patchwork of my past. To curl up with a mug of coffee and recall the things that have made me. Whether it is trying to picture my Grandma in English class, or the loss of someone I loved deeply [and here], or reminiscing about family vacations [and here], places that have made me- ME, or moments in teaching that have defined me and made me cry and laugh, I write to remember those moments.

3. I write to "feel the breath of God."It's pretty incredible how much life has been lived between 400 blog posts. It's pretty incredible how much I've had to grow and change and accept so many responsibilities since I first started typing in my dorm room my senior year. It's pretty incredible that all the while God has been right here with me, writing my story long before I ever touch a finger to the keyboard. For that reason I'm not linking up past stories I've written on this one because they way I look at it, they all are very full of the things of God. One of my favorite hymns says, "O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best! 'Tis an ocean vast of blessing, 'tis a haven sweet of rest. O the deep, deep love of Jesus, 'tis a heav'n of heav'ns to me; And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee." What sweet assurance that no matter where life leads, no matter what the next 400 blog posts may read, I have a Savior to follow; a Savior who is leading me-- and that is also worth writing about.

4. And last but not least, I write because of community. I once had a mentor tell me that if you don't have a group of people with whom you're living messy with, then you're not really living. Here is where I like to live messy. Where I can share how much I'm resisting change, or my fears, or about leaving things I love. I can write about growing up. This is a place where I can live messy with those of you who dare to read. So thank you for being on this journey with me, whether you leave comments or not [leave comments!], just knowing someone is reading this writing helps me keep writing for all of these reasons.

**And I will be gone for a bit…leaving on an Alaskan cruise tomorrow with my dear friend, Micah. I am greatly looking forward to it and will write all about it when I return!**