Gracie Girl Blog

I think there is something to be said about why good days are good days. There are the best days, the weddings, the trips, the self realizations. There are the worst days, the deaths, the heartbreak, the dissappointment. But what about all the days in between? There are way too many in between days for those days to all just be mundane.

I’ve realized once again how school affects everything, now that I am back in school. Honestly, it’s not school itself that is bad. Some classes might be, but overall you are learning. So learning is good, but it’s what school causes and takes up that makes me (and I’m assuming at least a few other people) question if it’s all worth it.

School isn’t just work in class. It means homework, constant work. If you don’t have homework you should be studying or reading or something else “productive.” The problem with this? There’s barely time to do anything else. I’m not complaining about how I don’t have time to watch Netflix or be on my phone. I don’t have time to paint, to draw, to run, to play guitar, to write, to create. I need these outlets, and when I don’t have them, I begin to feel miserable.

Lack of sleep is a problem I have yet to figure out how to fix. It’s not the issue of “I need to watch TV so I’ll just stay up later.” It’s the issue of “I need at least some time for myself so  I’m going to make that time.”Something I do do everyday is journal. It just helps me release my feelings and windown at the end of the day. That’s often the only time I have for myself on a daily basis. I usually get 7ish hours of sleep, sometimes less and usually no more than 8. I honestly WANT to sleep. It’s such a huge factor in overall health, but somehow when school starts, priorities shift and tiredness just becomes the norm.

So what if we challenged the mundane? What would that look like? How would that change our outlook on life?

At my place in my life right now, I need to accept school for what it is. A time sucker and draining, but neccesary. I’m searching for some sort of balance that will make it all seem less like a burden and more like a joy. I want my inbetween days to be good ones.

I had a good in-between day the other day. What made it good was the little things that ended up feeling like big things. First, two of my new Young Life leaders were greeting people at the front of the school and they brought me Starbucks! Just to be nice! (these are college students who decided to wake up early to greet a bunch of grumpy highschoolers simply because they want to share God’s love. Man am I thankful for people like this in my life.) More important than the coffee was the 2 huge hugs I got before school. Then in study hall we watched Cars, a movie I had forgotten I love so much. Almost like watching memories right before my eyes with “Life is a Highway” playing in the background.

Yesterday wasn’t perfect, but it was a good day just because of 2 little things. I’m sure we can all find at LEAST 2 good things in everyday. 

I also think a big part of making days good is routine. I love to have a routine. I feel uncentered when I don’t have one. It’s funny, because when the good big things happen, it’s great except often it breaks your routine (for example, vacations). And sometimes in the midst of those really great days, I miss the normal routine. Yet when I’m home, I complain.

I am now in the process of creating solid, good, morning and night routines. It’s super hard to control what goes on during the day, but I think how you start your day and how you end it is really important. This is still new to me, but I’m trying things like tea to help my fall asleep, maybe worship music in the morning. Who knows what will feel good. I’m hoping God will show me.

My prayer is that me, and other people, especially teenagers, can start to learn how to make the in between days good and be thankful for them. I want to see mornings as an opprotunity, and Mondays too. I want to stop wishing things were different, and start changing my attitude. I want to live everyday the Lord has given me like it’s my last.

I don’t want to just watch the days pass, I want to live my life.