I love Chicago. I love Colorado. I love Washington D.C. I wish I could say that I loved Hawaii, Alaska, Greece, Italy, London, and Paris, but I can't...well not yet. I will someday love them. I guarantee you this. 

I love Oklahoma a little bit. It has been fairly good to me. I just think Oklahoma is still a little mixed up about the weather. It's fall now, not summer--fall. Oklahoma, pay attention!

I love the ocean, the mountains, and the pine trees. I love the Aspens and the snow. I love the city lights at night and the darkness of the forest. I love the world.

I hope the treasures of the world that are worth being discovered are found. 

"The scenery should never stay the same." -Jon McLaughlin

I agree.

In a new day with new challenges, I have to ask myself, "What is my purpose for today?" Is it to accomplish things? To make money? To help the world economy? Does it really need me anyway? No. No. 

Love others Michelle. Be Jesus to someone Michelle. Be a light, no matter how small, in a very dark world. 

"What does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul..."

Deuteronomy 10:12

...and then I realize, "Oh. I can do that." 

MY 7 THINGS

1. I've started writing a fictional book today. It's a good start. I figure that I have a few ideas, so I will write the beginning of five books, decide which is best, and then run with it. 

2. I don't know what it is about Fall, but it does something to me. It motivates me. It moves me to crave chill music and coffee. It screams, "bring me that hoodie"! Fall loves me and I love it. It's my middle name. Michelle Fall Meisner. It's true. I can't think of a better word. Doesn't it just rollllllllllll off the tongue like water? Falllllll. 

3. I saw new Sharpie pens at Walmart today. I want one. Of course, no one ever needs to buy pens, which Jonathan reminded me of. And he's right. With all the free ones floating around in the world, why buy one? I don't expect any men to understand this, but I think women know exactly what I'm talking about when I say, "Sometimes, you just new new office supplies." It's fresh ink to a writer. It's a new knife for a cook. It's an awesome new graphic for a designer. It's a pair of new shoes for that perfect outfit. Well, except that it's just a $2.79 pen. Well, okay, it's actually half that price because two come in a package. :)

4. Mini's huge. She's around five pounds now and getting big. Her newest nickname is Fatty, but she is actually quite the opposite. Oh Skinny Mini. (insert Jonathan's dog-kissy noises) Jonathan loves her, but he doesn't call her Fatty like me. He just calls her Wiener. She also answers to Shrimp, Lovebug, Devil, and No.

5. I love the song Disturbia. Can we bottle up the energy in that song and sell it in bottles? It is better than coffee. I'm telling you--take that free advice and run with it friends. Watch out, Rhianna's gonna get to you, and she'll have you addicted before you know it. 

6. If you don't buy a pumpkin, I'm calling you a fall-hater.

7. Dance. I promise that it will make your day brighter.

"...I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

2 Samuel 24:24

Thankfulness

Read 'til the end. The best parts alway come at the end...

You know what? To be completely honest with you, today started out as such a great day, and right now, even through I'm a little worried and slightly paranoid about our future, at five p.m., when I came home from work, it was still a great day. I tucked the hair behind my ears and sang all the way home to the beat of Tenth Avenue North, Chris Tomlin, and even a little, yes, I'm not lying friends, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Now that--that, made my evening. 

I made some hot spaghetti and talked to my husband about his dreams. I watched the dog bring not one, not two, but four socks out into the living room (we're still not sure where she keeps finding them). We have lived large, and we are so grateful. But right now, right at this moment, I am a little worried. Sure, life after college is fun. Grown-up life is a lot of responsibility and no one washes your socks for you anymore. In fact, no one does anything for you, unless you marry a sweet man, so I guess I got lucky there. But life. Life. It's just such an up and down thing. One day I feel like I have nothing to lose, and then literally the next day, I have nothing. We have nothing. I am poor friends. It's true, and I mean it. Going for your dreams doesn't make money at first. It's a slow start, and that's not true for a few select lucky ones, or perhaps even more than half, but for us, the cards didn't fall that way, and tonight, I look to the Lord, and I thank him for the special life that he has specially selected for me. I thank him for MY gifts and MY talents and I am in awe of his majesty! I THANK THANK THANK HIM for how bountiful and generous he has been to us. 

If it weren't for him, Jonathan and I wouldn't be as far as we are in life. We will never stop giving praise to the Lord Almighty. Because friends, He was, and is, and is to come. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I will never stop saying it for the rest of my life. He gives and he can take away. That's fine with me. His name shall be praised. He is my rock--my fortress, and he is my help in time of trouble. Rejoice with me, and never, never, never forget, what he has done for you. Have you thanked him today? 

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him." 

-Lamentations 3:22-24

::A few things I'm thankful for::

Love

Music

Colors

Imagination

Light

Stars in a night sky

Wisdom from our Grandparents

Disease, without which, we would have no chance to reach out to others

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-Ephesians 5:19-20

I'm so tired. The first day of work will do that to you I guess. Oh, how I love my J.O.B.

3 pairs of socks

2 pair of jeans

3 t-shirts

1 hat

1 rain jacket

1 sweatshirt

1 lined jacket

1 umbrella

1 pair of tennis shoes

1 pair of rainboots

1 tube of chap-stick

1 drivers license

1 turkey sandwich

1 ipod

1 cell phone

1 sleeping bag

1 foldable chair

2 trash bags

and sadly, only 2 arms to carry it all...

I'm sleeping out at Chick-fil-a tonight. Well noon until seven in the morning. Twelve inches of rain are expected to fall before morning, which classifies as a small flood in my book, all for some hot chicken? Yes! But, I guess spending time with good friends and a whole lot of laughs isn't going to be so tragic--just a little cold.