The End, Conclusion, Wrapping Up, Finale.

Today is kind of a big deal in my little life. Today is my last day being employed at Liberty University. I know it's really not that big of a deal... but being the over-dramatic person I am, it is a big deal. I am happy to say I have found a job and I am more than confident I will love it! I cannot wait to join Virginia Eye Clinic and HIS Ministry. I will help manage most of the marketing and public relations for VEC and I will be conducting public relations, event coordinating and networking with HIS Ministry. In all honesty, I have no idea what all that practicality looks like- but I can say, I am thrilled to be joining the team and so thankful the Lord has provided me with a wonderful job!
  
I start on Monday.

I am not walking. But my roomie let me borrow her stuff! :]

Those of you who know me, are most likely thinking- wait, I'm sorry, WHAT? You're staying in Lynchburg? And my answer to your question is, yes, for now! I can say the Lord has truly been working on my heart this year and through many unexpected turn of events- here, in little Lynchburg, I will stay.

I do have a few fears about staying here:

1. Developing a Southern accent. When I go home, to the North, I would greatly appreciate it if you could continue to make fun of me and bring to my attention any type of southern drawl I may have developed. [But please stop making fun of my love of Sweet Tea. It's really good. okay?]

2. My driving skills. While I have lived here my skills have been declining. I am so frightened that I will continue developing bad driving habits and start yielding before I get on the highway and I will never drive with my lights on.

3. I will view the grocery store as a leisure activity. You Northerners know Wal-Mart/Kroger are not the places to catch up with an old friend, talk on your cell phone, or go to just 'hang out.' The people here do not really think of the grocery store the same way we do. I have caught myself a few times lollygagging near the baking section!!

As long as I am aware of these issues and deliberately try to work at them, I think I'll be okay.

So, this is it. This is what the end of college feels like. [Again, humor me, I am dramatic] My friend Ashleigh Brooks and I LOVED the show Gilmore Girls. We watched the last season together around my sophomore year of college. In the last episode, Rory is graduating and Logan purposes [she says no, which I still think is stupid of her] and then she says goodbye to her town and becomes a traveling journalist. My sister was Graduating college around that time and I vividly remember her saying, "Guys, this is sad! This is like my life right now!" [Two Things: I have no idea why I remember her comment. And how the HECK did Ashleigh and I get Blythe to watch Gilmore Girls??!!  She will probably be mad that I confessed that in my blog.] Now I can understand her statement, while this is all very exciting, it is sad.  As I am leaving a really wonderful chapter of my life, I am so ecstatic to begin a new one.

When I packed up my apartment I started the Seasons 8, 9 and 10 of friends... I really, really, really believe that is the best way to end something.

So as I sit here at my desk until 3:00 pm today, I will enjoy my last day and day dream of what is ahead, I’m convinced it is going to be amazing.

A couple nights ago, I found myself stressing out and second guessing all my decisions that have brought me to this point [It was after I watch the last episodes of friends- Rachel second guessed herself! It got me thinking…] I literally stumbled upon this comfort. [I thought I was reading Colossians the whole time…and then I was like, wait, this is isn’t Colossians] but I’m sure glad I found this when I did:

Happy life changes to everyone!! Enjoy them.

I start things. But, today I finished!

I am not a finisher. In fact, I am the opposite, I am a starter. I love thinking of awesome ideas and thinking of creative ways to do them, and then I get excited about them, and then I start them! But then, after I start my 'brillant' idea, a lot of the time, I realize the idea probably wasn't that awesome to begin with, and it is much harder then I thought it would be, so I stop. Not finish, stop. 

I write, every morning. I have to. (I have many thoughts, so sometimes writing them down actually makes my mind stop and think a little more in depth about them.) And this morning I finished my summer journal!  I finished! YAY! I went back and read my first entry and then I finished my last. I started on May 30th and I finished September 19th. I finished. Yay. There is something about finishing a journal and finishing reading a book that just makes me feel super accomplished. 

The one aspect of writing I love the most, is seeing how my life has changed over a time period of one journal. I can honestly say, my life has taken a drastic shift from May 30th to September 19. I can gladly say finishing this journal is an encouragement to me because this 'journal of my life' is over. I will never have to experience that time of my life again. But through the pages I can see the knowledge and wisdom I have acquired through those times. I've kept a journal since 2nd grade, and let me tell you, it is so funny to go back and read about things I worried over in elementary school, especially in comparison to now. I can only imagine I will be saying the same thing about my college journals a few years down the road.

Anyway, I guess I am just writing to let you know, I think you should journal. And I'll share my last thoughts in my journal with you...

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3: 13-14.

I think this verse is a great start for my next 'journal life' and really, every day. Happy Monday, now go finish something!