28 Things I've Learned This Past Year

My 28th birthday is a week away! It's hard to believe another year has already flown by--and also dragged on. 27 has had some hard moments, but it has been filled with lots of blessings and unexpected beauty.

To celebrate, here's 28 things I've learned over the last year:

1. I'm tired of being a Martha. I want to be a Mary. Who cares if the house is A MESS?! I want to sit at the feet of Jesus and be still. Then go out to dinner because Martha didn't make dinner and neither did I.

2. Stress is overrated. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Even the next hour will take care of itself. Stress less; live more in the moment.

3. Life is precious. Just a vapor. We're here one day and gone the next. I want to make the most of whatever days I have here.

4. Eat more veggies and fruits. Yes, I have fallen in love with fruit this past year. Apples. Bananas. Blueberries. Peaches. Jicama. Whatever. If it's fruit or Brussels sprouts, I'm so there.

5. Cook. All the time. Bake. Make that disgusting meatloaf your husband adores. And then slather it with gravy and mashed potatoes to choke it down.

6. When the world comes pounding on your front door, don't let it in. Don't let it steal your peace. Grab your loved ones and hold them close.

7. Find beauty in each day. Even the rough days. The days that break your heart and make you question God's goodness. Look. Look and you will find it. Because God is always good.

8. Be happy for people. Be excited about their accomplishments. Their good times. Their victories. Don't be petty. It only makes you look bad.

9. When your son pees on you while simultaneously barfing on you, don't freak out. Just go to the shower, turn it on, and let the warm water wash away the chunks from your shirt. And when your husband comes home and tells you how great you look with puke hair, just laugh it off.

10. Stay up late and get up early. Sleep deprivation is only for a season. You'll be surprised how much you can accomplish with only SIX hours of sleep a night for a year (or 14 months) straight. Girl, you've got this!

11. Drink more coffee. Try different flavors. Just avoid decaf. Especially right after having a baby. Make sure you DOUBLE CHECK the bag at the store before you take it home. Decaf can never be your friend. And it might ruin your marriage for a few weeks until you realize you bought decaffeinated life-saving elixir.

12. Sing a little louder in that church pew. Even if you are singing the wrong words and you're off key. Just sing anyway. It's church; people won't judge you out loud.

13. Find a quiet place to rest. Rest for five minutes or five weeks. Just find some time to shut the world out.

14. Take a break from the things that are overwhelming. If you need to give up a hobby so you can relax, quit. If you need to step back from responsibilities at church for a little while, that's O.K. If you need to tell someone "No" when you normally say "Yes", don't beat yourself up. It's only for a little while. You'll feel your feet return to the ground soon.

15. Anger is unnecessary. Feel what you need to, then let it go. Move forward. Don't let anger pull you away from those you love. Don't let it build walls. Don't let it fuel your pride. If you don't believe me, just reread #3.

16. Go on more leisurely walks. Don't rush so fast. Look up at the sky. Look down at the ground. Seriously. Look down sometimes. Change of perspective is good.

17. Admit it when you're wrong. Tell people. Apologize. In the wise words of one of my Pinterest pins: "When a person tells you that you hurt them, you don't get to decide that you didn't."

18. Make new friends. Invite them to coffee. There's always room for more people in your life. Even if it's only once every few months.

19. Go all out. For that birthday party. For the one you love. For yourself. For God. Just give it your all.

20. Keep your side of the fence clean, metaphorically speaking. We don't weed eat that often and so our side of the fence is usually half-mowed. Thankfully, we have very forgiving neighbors.

21. Spend more time with your neighbors. You live with these people. They probably know more about you than your parents do. I mean, I know every time my neighbors go on vacation. I know when they leave their garage door accidentally open. I know when they fight. It's O.K. Sometimes, we fight at our house, too.

22. Give up soda. Just walk away from it completely. Then discover sweet tea by accident and limit yourself to 3 sweet teas a week. Water, you'll always be my first love. But some days, I just need a sweet tea.

23. Your attitude will CHANGE EVERYTHING. Move a massive dirt pile with a shovel and a broken wheelbarrow JOYFULLY. While you're in the midst of that trial praising God and finding joy in the mundane, unfair, every days of life, people will unexpectedly show up to lend a hand. And you will absolutely love them for it. Joy is contagious. So is your attitude.

24. Pray for people. Stay up all night praying for them. You will be so exhausted the next morning, but you will find a peace that is unsurpassable. People need you. They need you to pray without ceasing sometimes. So, pray.

25. Treat yo'self. I have never in my life bought anything that I didn't need. Seriously, ask my husband. I do not treat myself to ANYTHING. Clothes? Nope. People give me clothes. Literally everything in my closet has been free. Yep, that's how I roll. This year though, I started treating myself. Coffee. Nail polish. Sandals. O.K. they were all under $5 a piece, but I kind of like treating myself to little gifts every once in a while. And you should, too.

26. Forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for being human sometimes. I don't always react well to things. But I love that I have a husband who just lets me be me. I can be petty and judgmental more often than I'd like and I can tell him how much I hate that about myself. And he will just grab my hand and squeeze. In that moment, I always remember how blessed I am. The pettiness just fades away.

27. Fall in love with someone who loves you completely...even after 8 years. That doesn't mean love is easy. That doesn't mean you won't have seasons where you'll look at each other and say, "We're broken in this area. Let's fix it together." Fix it and move on. Love is worth it.

28. Breathe. Take a deep breath. Then let it out. It's a good life. Even when it's dark, the sun never fails to rise every morning.