Tonight I rode a bus in America.

9 months ago, I NEVER would have thought riding a bus in Grand Rapids, Michigan would bring back incredibly vivid memories and feelings.

As I stood at the bus stop in front of Meijer on Alpine waiting for the number 9, that would take us right to the center of Grand Rapids I couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic. Waiting for buses was like my job not too long ago, and I rather disliked it...but my heart strings were still pulled a little bit.
The bus came, and I stepped inside of it, along with the two others that I was with... I held up my wrist to show that I was wearing a wrist band that got me on for 'free' for the duration of Art Prize, and I started walking towards the back of the bus to sit down. Men were sitting everywhere, and my first instinct was to look behind me to see if any older people were following me who would obviously get any open seats and then one of the men would get up and give me theirs, right? Oh, wait... I'm in America. "Just sit down"...I told myself. I thought that this was silent, but it actually came out of my mouth, embarrassingly enough. Then my friend turns and asks where we should sit... "In the back?" He asks... The very back row was empty. Everything inside of me is wondering why he would even suggest such a thing. "Don't you know the very back row is only for men?" This time it's actually only inside of my head, thank goodness. "Let's just sit." I'm actually starting to wonder if this was the most wonderful idea we've ever had. My brain is so confused, I can't even think straight. I sit down next to a lady, probably in her mid 40s and I carefully look straight ahead. My friend Stephanie sits in front of me, and my friend Ben stands up next to me, holding on. My brain is so thankful for at least that normalcy. (Men usually stand and the women sit... if a guy is with you, he usually stands beside you)
Someone pulls the string letting the driver know that they want off, and the speakers that tell everyone to wait and get off when he comes to a complete stop is in English (SHOCKER) and Stephanie is casually looking around at everyone on the bus, while also turning around talking to me. Not exactly proper bus etiquette...is that even a thing?...on the buses that I'm used to!
 I actually can not even handle the bus ride at this point.
And then...we get off, and I'm suddenly positive that I'm in America again. My muscles actually ached from being held so rigidly for the 10 maybe 15 min. that I was on that bus...

So here's to severely culture shocking almost 4 months after coming home..... Honestly the weirdest experience I've probably ever had.

Real happiness.

I'm often jealous of people who have bubbly personalities... and I often find myself trying to figure out why I can't just have the same attitude with life. I mean, I have my moments where I'm all giddy with happiness (probably most often in the fall, because it's my favorite) but more often than not I'm either being just plain embarrassing or I'm being utterly too involved with what my latest thought is. I then catch myself in this and once again wonder why I can't just have a cute smile on my face and giggle at the appropriate times and be happy about everything....

And then I realize that just because these girls are bubbly and adorable doesn't mean that they are happy. And even if they are, it doesn't mean that they are getting their happiness from where they should be.

Real happiness comes only from Christ. Real happiness comes through being grateful...extending hospitality...being forgiving.

Let's go so far as to say that at this point it shouldn't be called happiness anymore, it's called JOY.

Happiness gives the impression that if you have Christ and are doing all the right things, then you will be happy all of the time, and nothing can ever make you sad or angry....which just simply isn't true.

Joy on the other hand makes me think of eyes that shine with love, a heart that can be hurting but still show so much kindness....someone who is not 'happy' but chooses to be joyful anyway.

I feel like whenever we want to be 'always happy' like those 'other people'...we should choose to be continuously joyful in every aspect of our lives.

Stop to smell...or look...or taste.

I recently came upon a quote that made me stop and think not just about how wonderful our Creator is, but also how I spend my day in His creation...

God didn't have to give us cherry blossoms,

He didn't have to make apple trees and peach trees

burst into fragrance.

But God just loves to splurge.

He gives us all of this magnificence and then, as if that isn't enough...

He provides fruit from such extravagance.

-Lynn Austin

It just makes me wonder if I "stop to smell the roses" often enough....

Do I take time in my rather hurried mornings to look at the sunrise?

Am I so focused on driving home each night that I forget to thank Him for the day?

I have to be so careful not to be so busy that I can't fully enjoy just being alive. 

I can't be so full of thoughts that I can't be still and listen.

I can't be so ready to do busy work that I'm not doing what I've been called to do.