Dear Reader,
I do not know where you are, where you've been, or where you're going.
I do not know if your path has been smooth; surrounded on both sides by wisping wheat fields and the smell of summer grass, the sun warm on your back, with only the occasional hill to climb at your leisure.
I do not know if your path has been rocky and barren; jagged cliffs rising above you as you drag yourself over the rough terrain, staring at yet another mountain you do not have the strength to climb.
I do not know if your path has been confusing; intersections with no signs or trail markers to give you the slightest clue of where you've been, or where your feet should fall next.
I do not know if your path has been lonely; a barren wasteland or a darkened forest that seems to swallow your spirit and block out the love of others, leaving you feeling utterly alone.
I do know that you are not alone.
Like you, I am a traveler. And though we are not called to travel the same path, I want to encourage you in your journey through life--encourage you to remember that, in your darkest and most suffocating moments, there is Someone--your Rock--who is always seeking and searching for you in the darkness, promising you firm ground on which to stand when all else falls away.
In this notebook, I've recorded the quotes, quips, and words of wisdom that I've picked up along the way and want to pass on to you. Some will make you laugh, others will make you cry, and some should simply make you think. All, however, are meant to inspire you and give you the refreshing perspective you need to take another step today. Because that's what life is about--the journey. You don't take a journey by immediately teleporting to your final destination. You take a journey by taking a first step--a first step that will lead to a destination unimaginable, as long as you take it.
And when taking that next step seems all but impossible, remember this final thing:
God's love is greater than the paths He has called us to walk.
And that, my friend, is what makes the journey worthwhile.
Godspeed.
Whitney
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Sunday, October 6, 2013
The Power of the PSL
I'd like to think of myself as a coffee connoisseur, but for the sake of sounding humble, you can call me a coffee snob. And I go crazy for this time of year. Why?
Pumpkin spice lattes.
If the current season is fall and you reside in the great United States of America, you, no doubt, have seen at least one coffee shop promote this coffee as the must-drink of the next few months. Every coffee shop and even fast food restaurant has come up with some variation of the seasonal beverage--and I've tried most. Some are much too cloyingly sweet, so half of the drink (can you even call it a drink if it has the viscosity of maple syrup? Yuck.) gets poured down the drain. Some PSLs have been grievously mishandled by an impostor barista who is obviously unaware that it is possible to burn coffee--a fairly normal occurrence in my coffee-ordering adventures that just makes me sad. But I live for the perfect PSL: really well-prepared, rich espresso (which is NOT pronounced "ex-presso", by the way. Gosh.) mixed with just the right amount of frothy milk, with a taste that can't help but remind you of falling leaves and all the wonderful things about the season: pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, allspice. It's like an oversized man-sweater for your mouth. I've been drinking pumpkin spice lattes for years and I would be thrilled if a coffee place (I'm looking at you, Starbucks) would cater to my every whim and keep them on the menu year-round. Yes, you could say I've fallen in love with the PSL.
But lately, I've discovered that the pumpkin spice latte has a much closer connection to my heart that I had ever realized (Is this sounding creepy? Sorry. Just hear me out.). Because this fall, as I've gone to Starbucks to celebrate the season, I've fallen in love over the PSL.
Here at college, I've found people who love coffee just as much as I do. And as I've explored the local coffee bars with one person, each time ordering my beloved fall concoction, I've noticed that my trips have become less and less about the coffee I love so much and more and more about the person ordering coffee right next to me. Stories shared over my frothy espresso and his fresh-brewed exotic blend have made these times so enjoyable and genuinely the best parts of my week. I look forward to these "coffee breaks" for so much more than the coffee. It's like the PSL has infected my whole lifestyle; now I understand why the coffee shop has become such a integral part of American society. I get the connection over coffee, and I crave it just as much as I crave my beloved sweetly-spiced lattes.
So I salute thee, PSL. I've loved you and you've shown me love in return. You're my weakness, and I hope that you--and him--are a much cherished part of the brisk nights to come. Stay beautiful, my friend.
Because you are love, and love is a beautiful thing.
Pumpkin spice lattes.
If the current season is fall and you reside in the great United States of America, you, no doubt, have seen at least one coffee shop promote this coffee as the must-drink of the next few months. Every coffee shop and even fast food restaurant has come up with some variation of the seasonal beverage--and I've tried most. Some are much too cloyingly sweet, so half of the drink (can you even call it a drink if it has the viscosity of maple syrup? Yuck.) gets poured down the drain. Some PSLs have been grievously mishandled by an impostor barista who is obviously unaware that it is possible to burn coffee--a fairly normal occurrence in my coffee-ordering adventures that just makes me sad. But I live for the perfect PSL: really well-prepared, rich espresso (which is NOT pronounced "ex-presso", by the way. Gosh.) mixed with just the right amount of frothy milk, with a taste that can't help but remind you of falling leaves and all the wonderful things about the season: pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, allspice. It's like an oversized man-sweater for your mouth. I've been drinking pumpkin spice lattes for years and I would be thrilled if a coffee place (I'm looking at you, Starbucks) would cater to my every whim and keep them on the menu year-round. Yes, you could say I've fallen in love with the PSL.
But lately, I've discovered that the pumpkin spice latte has a much closer connection to my heart that I had ever realized (Is this sounding creepy? Sorry. Just hear me out.). Because this fall, as I've gone to Starbucks to celebrate the season, I've fallen in love over the PSL.
Here at college, I've found people who love coffee just as much as I do. And as I've explored the local coffee bars with one person, each time ordering my beloved fall concoction, I've noticed that my trips have become less and less about the coffee I love so much and more and more about the person ordering coffee right next to me. Stories shared over my frothy espresso and his fresh-brewed exotic blend have made these times so enjoyable and genuinely the best parts of my week. I look forward to these "coffee breaks" for so much more than the coffee. It's like the PSL has infected my whole lifestyle; now I understand why the coffee shop has become such a integral part of American society. I get the connection over coffee, and I crave it just as much as I crave my beloved sweetly-spiced lattes.
So I salute thee, PSL. I've loved you and you've shown me love in return. You're my weakness, and I hope that you--and him--are a much cherished part of the brisk nights to come. Stay beautiful, my friend.
Because you are love, and love is a beautiful thing.
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