The Princess and the Pea.
I always thought that this fairy tale was a ridiculous story. Being one to sleep through anything, I never understood how one little pea could be such a bother to the girl, especially through the countless mattresses. As children can be quite literal, I remember thinking that finding a way to climb to the top of those mattresses would be the painful and annoying part.
Today, I thought about the Princess and the Pea in a slightly more abstract context:
Everything can be 'right'. You're a guest in a castle, you're dressed in a lovely night gown, you're blessed with beautiful features, you're about to meet your handsome prince...
but one little thing can make you sleepless, can make you miserable...can take away your happiness.
For the princess, it was the agonizing pea. For the rest of us, it could be anything. It could be failure in a given area. It could be a fight with your mom, or a physical ailment. It could be losing your friend.
And no matter how much you try to cushion the hurt, you can still feel it...all the way through the dozens of mattresses. Everything else might be perfect, but It's still there. And you can't sleep.
What do you do with these "peas"? We certainly have control over many aspects of our lives, but perhaps the pea represents a domain you have no control over? Then what? Do I never sleep again? Do I remain bruised and miserable forever, because I can't fix it?
The apostle Paul had a "pea". Actually, he had a thorn....here's an exerpt of his letter to the Corinthians:
"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
God sometimes choses to keep those troubling situations in our lives, because in our weakness, God's strength to sustain us is made clear. When we are weak, we realize God's incredible strength in our lives.
So maybe those peas aren't such a bad thing after all? Character building peas, I suppose.
I'm not as good as Paul, because I'm not delighting in my thorns and peas. I have yet to truly appreciate them as things that prove the power of God.
But, working towards that point, I believe that God can do mighty things...he did in the past and he can again. And I pray that he uses this time of pain and weakness to prove that He is a strong and powerful redeemer.
And, because this is the mattress I've been given, I'll keep sleeping on that pea.
The Cruel Realization
When you're young, everyone is nice. Every neighbor child is your friend. Oh, they might be mean once in a while, but really, deep down, they're nice, good people.
The mail man is nice, the lady at the grocery store is nice, the man on the street...
Everyone is good, when you're young.
As you grow older, you see "nice" people do "bad" things. It's a devastating thing: to see the pedestals, on which you placed the people in your life, come crashing down. Suddenly they aren't so good. Their smiles aren't so pure and wise. You're older now, but you desperately cling to the thought that perhaps they don't know that they did wrong. Maybe they're just oblivious to the pain they're causing?
Some are.
But then, that thing they did? They do it again. Or something worse. And this time you realize that they KNEW what they were doing. They deliberately chose it. They did what they wanted, regardless of it being wrong.
This is a hard blow. One that still gets me...
I know people choose to do bad things, but part of me still holds so tightly to the pure and stainless image of mankind. I want to see everyone as "good". I want to believe that no one would purposely hurt another.
But people do.
The false hope turns into disappointment, because I will be let down.
The disappointment turns into shame, for I too, am human. These are my brothers and sisters!
The shame turns into anger, for don't we all have a choice?
The anger turns to helplessness. Because I can't MAKE anyone choose goodness.
The helplessness makes me turn to God...for only in Him can we choose righteousness. In our own strength, we're dirty, sinful, wrong. But in God we can find healing and life.
Lord Jesus, help us. We need You so desperately!
The mail man is nice, the lady at the grocery store is nice, the man on the street...
Everyone is good, when you're young.
As you grow older, you see "nice" people do "bad" things. It's a devastating thing: to see the pedestals, on which you placed the people in your life, come crashing down. Suddenly they aren't so good. Their smiles aren't so pure and wise. You're older now, but you desperately cling to the thought that perhaps they don't know that they did wrong. Maybe they're just oblivious to the pain they're causing?
Some are.
But then, that thing they did? They do it again. Or something worse. And this time you realize that they KNEW what they were doing. They deliberately chose it. They did what they wanted, regardless of it being wrong.
This is a hard blow. One that still gets me...
I know people choose to do bad things, but part of me still holds so tightly to the pure and stainless image of mankind. I want to see everyone as "good". I want to believe that no one would purposely hurt another.
But people do.
The false hope turns into disappointment, because I will be let down.
The disappointment turns into shame, for I too, am human. These are my brothers and sisters!
The shame turns into anger, for don't we all have a choice?
The anger turns to helplessness. Because I can't MAKE anyone choose goodness.
The helplessness makes me turn to God...for only in Him can we choose righteousness. In our own strength, we're dirty, sinful, wrong. But in God we can find healing and life.
Lord Jesus, help us. We need You so desperately!
Spring Break!
Two years ago, a certain girl couldn't wait for spring break to be over, so she could get back to school.
That certain girl no longer exists...an older, wiser one is in her stead...and good heavens, if only Spring Break could last forever!
Andrew took this past week off, so we could have a mid-semester vacation. We went to South Haven for a couple days and stayed a really cute bed and breakfast, called 'Martha's Vineyard'. South Haven is quiet this time of year, as is Saugatuck, but we enjoyed the peace and quiet very much!
The week went slowly, thank the Lord, and it was so refreshing to do absolutely nothing for a while. Of course, we visited my family a couple times (we went to see 'Blind Side' on Friday-- excellent movie!!!) and went on walks, and watched a few movies.
Last night, Andrew and I MADE ourselves go bowling with a couple of our friends...we both felt too lazy to go out, but we were so glad we did! Andrew, it turns out, is a decent bowler...and I, it turns out, am not. ;)
Now, tomorrow's Monday. I have a project to finish before Tuesday, two journals to write before Thursday, a musical to practice for before the performances this weekend, a funeral to attend, a form to fill out for student teaching, a presentation to put togethere, excuses to find for my trumpet teacher...etc.
It's the last half of the semester, and it's gonna fly!
I do have a couple fun ideas for my trumpet recital next fall. I think the theme will be 'A Few of My Favorite Things'. :)
Life is good, whether busy or not...and God is always faithful.
Love and liquid soap (in Leah style),
~Briana
That certain girl no longer exists...an older, wiser one is in her stead...and good heavens, if only Spring Break could last forever!
Andrew took this past week off, so we could have a mid-semester vacation. We went to South Haven for a couple days and stayed a really cute bed and breakfast, called 'Martha's Vineyard'. South Haven is quiet this time of year, as is Saugatuck, but we enjoyed the peace and quiet very much!
The week went slowly, thank the Lord, and it was so refreshing to do absolutely nothing for a while. Of course, we visited my family a couple times (we went to see 'Blind Side' on Friday-- excellent movie!!!) and went on walks, and watched a few movies.
Last night, Andrew and I MADE ourselves go bowling with a couple of our friends...we both felt too lazy to go out, but we were so glad we did! Andrew, it turns out, is a decent bowler...and I, it turns out, am not. ;)
Now, tomorrow's Monday. I have a project to finish before Tuesday, two journals to write before Thursday, a musical to practice for before the performances this weekend, a funeral to attend, a form to fill out for student teaching, a presentation to put togethere, excuses to find for my trumpet teacher...etc.
It's the last half of the semester, and it's gonna fly!
I do have a couple fun ideas for my trumpet recital next fall. I think the theme will be 'A Few of My Favorite Things'. :)
Life is good, whether busy or not...and God is always faithful.
Love and liquid soap (in Leah style),
~Briana
Mostly pictures - People I like and love :)
Too close! Zoom out! lol 
Zachary, his guitar and adoring fans.
J and Iz :)
My sister, Ivey and "my baby", Alexandra.
Amber! Such a smile.
I can't believe how old these girls are getting! Cassidy and Moriah. :)
How cute can you get? I love Sophie.
I look...really strange in this picture. But at least it's a picture of me and my mum. :) 
Andrew, playing his sweet guitar (he's getting really good at it!!!)
Ivey and Mollie chillin' on my bed.
The two of us...I wonder if Andrew's capable of taking non-goofy pictures?
Nope.
There are 5 Gazillion other things I could be doing right now...
But here I am...
When I got married to Andrew, I had to get used to his "early to bed, early to rise" routine. I grew accustom to going to bed around 10...and I often got tired around 9pm because we got up so early.
But now, with Andrew working 2nd shift, my old habit of staying up till midnight has quickly reemerged.
The problem is that the LAST thing I want to do at 10pm is read articles or write papers. I know as a college student I'm not entitled to any free time...but I always feel like evenings should be a time to rest and regroup. Ergo, this weblog.
Today Andrew came to convocation with me and helped write an arrangement for 'My Jesus I Love Thee' for brass quintet. I'm really enjoying my orchestration and arranging class because of its hands on application. It's even better with Andrew helping me out. :)
We went home and ate lunch...and went our separate ways. For him: work. For me: taking a piano lesson, two hours of band, more arranging, and giving two piano lessons at the Roarks.
Somehow TOMORROW is sneaking up on me, and it's the worst kind of tomorrow. It's a TUESDAY. ugh. I HATE Tuesdays. I especially hate this tuesday because I have a trumpet lesson and I haven't practiced for it (not that I haven't played...I just haven't played what he assigned to me.)
But this too, shall pass. Soon it'll be Friday and my spring break will have started! Friday's not too far away, right? Of course right! (Yente, anyone?)
Blessings,
~Briana
When I got married to Andrew, I had to get used to his "early to bed, early to rise" routine. I grew accustom to going to bed around 10...and I often got tired around 9pm because we got up so early.
But now, with Andrew working 2nd shift, my old habit of staying up till midnight has quickly reemerged.
The problem is that the LAST thing I want to do at 10pm is read articles or write papers. I know as a college student I'm not entitled to any free time...but I always feel like evenings should be a time to rest and regroup. Ergo, this weblog.
Today Andrew came to convocation with me and helped write an arrangement for 'My Jesus I Love Thee' for brass quintet. I'm really enjoying my orchestration and arranging class because of its hands on application. It's even better with Andrew helping me out. :)
We went home and ate lunch...and went our separate ways. For him: work. For me: taking a piano lesson, two hours of band, more arranging, and giving two piano lessons at the Roarks.
Somehow TOMORROW is sneaking up on me, and it's the worst kind of tomorrow. It's a TUESDAY. ugh. I HATE Tuesdays. I especially hate this tuesday because I have a trumpet lesson and I haven't practiced for it (not that I haven't played...I just haven't played what he assigned to me.)
But this too, shall pass. Soon it'll be Friday and my spring break will have started! Friday's not too far away, right? Of course right! (Yente, anyone?)
Blessings,
~Briana
