Adventure time

Today is stunning.
Completely and utterly stunning.

It is around 4:30 pm and I am sitting on a cliff that looks like the tip off the boat Kate and Jack were standing on in the movie Titanic. ha! It is overlooking the entire ocean. It's beauty is insane. It's been around 77 degrees all day. Last night was quite the adventure, got in a car with four other people and just went. We had no plans, just would drive until we saw something cool or thought of something while we were driving to stop by and see. On the way, we hit up Starbucks to get some caffeine in our systems in case this ended up being a long night. We ended up at our first stop, a parking garage next to the airport. Spencer went and asked the guard to go to the bathroom and from there, we snuck in and ran to the top of the garage and could see THE BEST view of the city and the harbor. All the sudden we see lights heading towards us and then vooooom..a large plane is flying over our heads. Literally. The planes land right next to the garage, so cool. The planes look like they are going to hit you, they are so close. It is so cool to see a plane so close to you. They are so massive. I was probably just as pumped watching the planes fly over our heads as a little boy would be about winning all the levels of his first video game. ha!
We just sat there and watched one after another after another. It is so crazy to think about the exact precision of landing one after the other. They all come in packs and land within five minutes of the other. It is so cool. Eventually we got kicked out because a customer complained haha I'm such a hoodlum..let me tell ya. But hey...it was fun while it lasted.
Then we went to Balboa park and hopped on their amphitheater stage to perform some Destiny's Child "Say my Name", Aladdin, Spice Girls "Wannabe", Backstreet Boys "Larger than life" and Miranda Lambert's "Gunpowder and Lead". haha It was great. Kristin pulled out some great dance moves and we just had the time of our lives.
The night continued with walking up and down the streets, sharing stories and cracking up laughing.
Of course, McDonald's McFlurry's were up next, Reese's for this girl. We then decided to head to Jillian's and watch Perks of Being a Wallflower and our night ended around 3 am. It was such a chill night but so much fun all at the same time. Got to hang with new faces and just have fun being spontaneous, even if we did stay in the San Diego area.
I tell you what, some of my best memories are the ones where we just hopped in a car at midnight and drove to see someone or do something or just drive until we do. I live for those moments. When it is a random group and we just all decide to go on an adventure with no itinerary. We almost up and went to San Fran for the night. 8 hours. But it would have been such a blast. We decided last minute we wanted to sorta plan a weekend for that one though because we wanted to be able to stay the entire weekend if we went. So, that's next on our list.
This weekend has been full of new friendships and hilarious moments.
I am so blessed by the adventures God allows us to take part it. That's right, allows us. It's because of Him we are able to partake in the best ones around. I wrote in my journal the other day a quote from that book I've talked about on here before, called "Love Does". I think it hits home for this week.

It says: "I don't think the book of life is the full equation and I don't think that it is just a list of names either. I think this book of life is a book of lives, a book of stories. I bet it's about people traveling in the direction of Jesus, trying to follow Him. People like me, who've made lots of mistakes and mid course corrections. It's about people who stayed within the large circle of love and grace, staying on a long line pointing towards Him. And their names weren't in the book because of what they did or didn't do. They were there because of who God is and what he has done to draw a circle around them. After we cross the finish line in our lives, I see Heaven as an experience where God will be proud when we crossed that line and will say something similar to " Friend, it's been a long journey. Welcome Home".
 I think this quote hits home for me, OUR LIVES ARE AN ADVENTURE.
God wants us to have fun. He wants us to trust him, he realizes that sometimes we make mistakes and we take stupid paths but as long as we stay within his circle and always run toward him and are always striving for that, we will be okay. I see God as being one amazing God. One who loves us. One who is the author of our lives. Each written differently. Each having it's own tragedies but always ending in a beautiful story. This is why I live for those spontaneous adventures. I am living. REALLY living. No plan. I am just enjoying where I am at and trusting that whatever lies ahead of me, will be worth while and God has control. I'll just sit, and relax in my passenger seat and be excited for what's up next.

 

Performing "Say my Name"

& yes...Spencer knew all the words haha

Dancing at the Amphitheather

Japanese Garden

Spence trying to climb and ride the horse haha

 

Happy Sunday. Hope everyone had an amazing weekend and hope that at some point this week, you can all just let go and trust God in a moment and be a part of your adventure :) It's worth it.

 

xoxo,

Lynds

I am going to be ______.

Time is just flying right on by.

I have to admit, the fact that it is already February, is scary. haha! I am literally graduating in exactly three months from tomorrow. AHH! I am about to be a big kid and I still do not have a job lined up yet or have any idea where I am living and that just scares the crap out of me. I have to admit though, living in California has really helped me gain a bit of perspective. Everyone here doesn't think as much as we do back home (obviously this doesn't apply to everyone). People here just do.

I come in contact with new people every single day. I feel like with every new person; I meet a business owner at the age of 20, 21, 22, someone who has traveled to a few different countries or has maybe even lived there, I have met someone who has big dreams and just doesn't second guess it. Or maybe they do but they still just DO it anyway.  I like to worry about all the logistics. All the but "what if this happens.." or " what about money?,  where am I going to live? what if it ends up not working out...etc?" Here that doesn't seem to chase them away from actually making what they want to happen...HAPPEN. I have two roommates that are moving to foreign countries after graduation. One to Europe and one to Australia then to Africa. Neither girls are scared. They want the adventure. One of them isn't going in with much plan. She is getting her visa, saving money this school year and summer, is going to find a job in Australia and live there for a year. She doesn't even care if she works in a coffee shop. It's the fact that she is living. She is experiencing. She is taking chances. She. is. doing.

I have a few friends who own businesses and when you get them talking about it, it is just pure excitement. They understand that they can fail. They get that it might not work out. The thing is, at least they tried. They had a vision, a dream, a mission whatever it might be, and did it. They didn't want to question "what if?" they wanted to see first. It's interesting to me because I have always seen myself that way yet, living here for a month, I realize I am not much of a "doer" as I may have thought. I let my fears and worries hold me back. But I did take one leap recently and that was coming to California, for my last semester of my senior year of college. I knew absolutely no one; it definitely scared me, terrified me really but I still did it. I have been reading a book called "Love Does" by Bob Goff. If you haven't read it before, I highly recommend it. He is a Christian lawyer who talks about how God's love does.
Who cares if you fail at things? You learned something along the way and AT LEAST you took that leap of faith. Just like God asks us to do with him. He just says, Lyndsie, I know giving everything up to me is scary, I get that, but I promise it will be worth your while. You might not know what is going to happen along the way. You won't have an itinerary to tell you what's next, what to prepare for but isn't that the exciting part? God wants us to enjoy life. Do what you love to do. Explore new hobbies, try them out, you fail. Oh well, you tried and now you know to try another one. Plus, I am sure you have some killer stories along the way. Being in California is teaching me to really think about what I want to do, and honestly sometimes the thought gives me anxiety haha! Because I don't know. There are sooooo many things I could see myself doing or wanting to tryout at some point in my life but feel like well man, I am not the best. I really enjoy it but so and so is better and I can't do it like them. It's like I talk myself out of it. It's crazy talk. God wants us to live a joyful life he states in Ecclesiastes 15.."so I commend the enjoyment of life....joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of their life God has given them under the sun". Life is way too short to not try. I had a friend I met here say to me, "Lyndsie, this is how it is going to go. You are going to go home, graduate, move back to San Diego, meet my friends, help start this boutique with them, rent the space and just go, then help lead worship here with me at church and just see how it goes." He acted like it was just so easy, the thing is, you knew he knew it wasn't but he would take the chance. He would just do. I wouldn't know until I try. Failing can be good for the soul. It helps you gain perspective.

These past four years of college have not been the easiest for me, I have learned so much about myself along the way, have made SOOO many incredible memories and met many incredible people. I can say I have been and am blessed to have what I have and have had. I was looking at old pictures from freshman year of college and MAN, time does sure fly. But, I have come a long way since then, so much has happened. I can't only imagine what is to come. All I do know is, that my future includes "doing and being". Being intentional with time, the Lord, my friends, family, others, work, etc. I am going to be....__________. Not sure yet but, God, I believe you have this under control, right? :) Still working on giving it all up. It's scary but I want to see what God has in store because I'm sure it's better than anything I could have ever imagined for myself. I know these past four years have. They have shaped me.

It's time for a throwback:
This was my first year at MVNU

First week of school with Em and Bec

Roommate love with WIFIFI haha

First night out with the girls to Polaris

The start of the piercing obsession for all of us. Em got her nosed pierced.

First lottery ticket with Rando. Won a dollar back haha!

Kels, Ali, Em and I

Halloween for the community. Dressed up as princesses to pass out to the kids at the dorm.

Halloween 2009

Dill and Kay came up to visit

New years at Morgan's

First new years in college

The endless basketball games we loved to go to

Girls night

Dress up like Cedarville, our rivals

More basketball games...

Celebrating Bec's 19th Birthday

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Karaoke Tuesday

Saw my first John Mayer concert :) :)

Celebrating Bri and Mike's birthday

First Block Party at the Vern

Karaoke night

hahhaa! Gotta love our random adventures with Nate, Travis and Ali

Last night out at OSU before the summer

Free tickets to the Paramore concerts thanks to the lovely Kayla and Caleb

Threw a surprise 21st birthday :)

Celebrate Mike's life

hahah one of the mannny pranks we pulled in Pioneer

O-H-I-O

The first time I met my new best friend Ang

Roomies

We scared off our Breakway girls

Tanning trip? haha yes we fit 8 people in a car

Hillbilly Bowling, freshman year

Alex's 21st birthday party

First picture after move in day

First week of school

 

Oh my...I have so many more photos. But that is enough for now. That was freshman year and now I am about to graduate again. I hope I don't look like Kim Kardashian  when she cries, on graduation day. haha!

 

p.s. Sorry for the long novel :)

 

Blessed today.

 

xoxo, Lynds

Kayaking with dolphins & birthdays stacked on birthdays

Decided to do it a bit differently today. Video blogging today. :)

 

HAPPPPPPPPY SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!!

So, I totally went all out and bled scarlett today. My roommates decided to against the rest of California and cheer on the Ravens. BOO. So, we totally fought it out with my megaphone and all. See:

 

 

I even went as far as to get a red hair extension. That is right. BLED SCARLET.

 

THEN Thursday night at midnight we waited and waited for Adilene to get home so we could surprise her for her birthday. We decorated the whole place and the bathroom, baked her a cake, bought rootbeer, watched Pitch Perfect and yeah, we finally got her to come back to us.

She was surprised. We scared here, by popping up from the floor. We had been laying on the floor for 30-40 minutes haha and had been practicing our beat boxing skills to perform a "happy birthday" song. SUCCESS.

 

 

I made a contract for myself. I HAVE to partake in everything. NO matter what. Which I already have been but still..made it official. haha

 Ending on that note. Night ya'll.

 

P.S . no pictures from kayaking :( which I am so upset about. I would have ruined my camera and phone. So..next time I am buying a water camera because its a blast and absolutely stunning.

 

xoxo,

Lynds