Joy in the Pain

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Lately life has been a bit crazy.  Not necessarily super busy – well yes that too – but what’s new right?  It is Christmastime.  But life has been emotionally crazy.  There have been so many highs and lows in the past month or so that my tear glands are standing at attention every minute of the day.  My family has gotten a lot of news lately.  Some very good news, and some very sad news.  Both cuing the tear glands. 

But why?  Lately, I’ve been asking myself, why is God tainting this good time in our life with a negative?  Is it to balance life out?  Is it so I won’t get “too happy?”  Is it because with every good things comes a bad? 

No.  None of those are the answer.  God has taught me a lot lately.  And one of those things that he is consistently reminding me of is simple.  His plan is better than mine.  And guess what smarty pants Nisey?  I’m not supposed to understand it.  Pure and simple.  I cannot comprehend the vastness of his love or the vastness of his Perfect Plan.  And would I want to even if I could?  I drive some more with my new job so I’m constantly jamming out to KLOVE and today the morning show was talking about God’s plan and us trying to take control and understand everything.  And then a caller asked the question,“But would you really want to know everything if you could?”  Boom.  Of course not.  That would take the surprise and the joy out of taking life as it comes. 

So here I go, still trusting that God is good and faithful.  And I don’t know why sometimes with the good comes some bad.  I won’t find that out until I get to Heaven I suppose.  But I think maybe it is to offer some light.  Maybe God uses the good so soften the bad.  Uses the good as a reminder of his love.  And ultimately induce gratefulness.  Of the good and bad of course.  Because without each and every experience in our lives, we would not be the people God called us to be.  We may not be in the relationships we’re supposed to be in.  We may not be able to love who we’re supposed to love.

So that was a lot of rambling today all to say the simple fact that God is good.  And ultimately we have nothing to fear with Him on our side.  Thanks for listening sweet friends – Happy Thursday!

AND PS - Thank you so much for all of the sweet birthday wishes!  I celebrated this past weekend at one of my   favorite restaurants with my parentals, sissy and bro-in-law.  So fun.  And Monday night my sweet hubby took me out to another one of my fav’s.  Perfect birthday.  And I’m feeling pretty good about 27.  I think it’s gonna be a good year…

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Happy Birthday to ME

Happy Birthday to ME!  

The big - whopping - 2-7!  It stings a little because now I would technically have to round up to 30.  But it's OK.  I'm embracing it.  Because life gets even sweeter as time goes on.  God is good.  

Eat some birthday cake for me!

Also – Today is the second post of our link-up series - Tis the Season of Gratitude.  Want to participate?  Copy and paste the button below on your Holiday Post and leave a comment below so we can come find you!!

Also - hop over and say hello to Sheila, Susan and Kelley!!

Kelley is posting today!! GO READ IT!

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Tis the Season for Gratitude: A monthly series dedicated to spreading a little bit of joy and gratitude around blogland.  A gentle reminder that a grateful heart is what this season is all about!  We hope you join us this month to help spread the Holiday cheer as we share stories, crafts, photos, and even a giveaway! :)

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Alexa from Southern Living, Our Way!

Happy Friday sweet friends!  Today I am so excited to introduce you to one of my newest blog friends - the beautiful Alexa from Southern Living, Our Way.  Alexa and I have swapped blogs today but the topic is the same - our love for my little town of Wilmington.  So enjoy Alexa and then head over to see my post later!
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Hi, Gratefully Inspired readers! I'm Alexa, the Southern girl behind the blog Southern Living, Our Way. I'm so excited to be swapping blogs with Denise today, sharing my memories about the beautiful little beach town she calls home ~ Wilmington, NC! 

Wilmington, or Wilmy as I will forever affectionately call it, holds massive real estate in my heart. You see, my husband and I met in that city and spent the first three years of our relationship frequenting the bars, relaxing on the beach, and sharing romantic dinners at spots only we locals knew about. Yes, even though I'm now living four hours away in land-locked Charlotte, I often still consider myself a Wilmington local!

I even found the real Coppertone baby while living there!

Glenn and I met the second night of my freshman year of college at UNC Wilmington, at a bar downtown filled with just-back-from-summer-break college kids. He'd only been in the city one semester, I'd only been there for one week. I was a Southern girl, born and raised, and he was from *tell me it ain't so* New Jersey. Only that magical seaside air could bring such opposites together and ensure they fall madly in love. Perhaps Wilmington's biggest draw for the youngins is that it's a true college town ~ and an amazing one at that. UNC Wilmington's motto is We live where you vacation. And it's so true. Class isn't until 2:00 p.m.? Wanna head to the beach for a few hours first? Then we day-drink and skip class... tsk tsk. 

See, even our dog knew how lucky she was to call Wilmy home!

But for those of us who were forced to eventually grow up {collective waaaah}, Wilmington offers so much more, a little of which I'd like to share with you today! First up, no matter how old you get, you must battle the college crowd at the "beach bars" on Thursday night ~ my husband will tout $3 Jager bombs to you; I prefer the simple awesomeness of drinking just steps from the beach!

Oh throwback college pictures, you make me want to crawl into a hole.

If you're classier than we were in college {and I won't even argue that you probably are}, I can't urge you enough to head to Downtown Wilmington for a classy-yet-fun night out. The best best best restaurant down that way is Circa 1922, a tapas restaurant and bar where you can listen to soft jazz music while gorging on 15 plates of food ~ it's tapas, so that's only like one regular plate, right?! After dinner, head over to a bar called Level 5, where, shocker!, you work out your calves walking up five flights of stairs to go get your drank on on a rooftop! The rooftop bar gives an amazing view of the Cape Fear River, but it's not like post-drinks you'll remember any of that business ;)

On the Cape Fear River, in front of the USS NC Battleship

A few Dub-town must-dos: * Breakfast at Causeway Café - Wrightsville Beach * Eat way too many Britt's Donuts - Carolina Beach * Ameri-Mex at Flaming Amy's Burrito Barn * Take a walk around UNCW's campus, because there's beauty everywhere you look * Explore downtown - there's tons of great funky shops if you just search hard enough * Drinks/night out at Banks Channel Pub & Grille - Wrightsville Beach  Perhaps the best thing about Wilmington is how evident it is that everyone who lives there truly loves being a resident. Whether you're just there for four years while you simultaneously make bad decisions and earn your degree, or you've retired at the beach after being land-locked for entirely too long, Wilmington will welcome you with open arms and an invitation to join in the fun! Wilmywood, you'll forever have my heart and I'm so blessed to have called you my home. And thank you, Gratefully Inspired readers, for letting me take over Denise's blog today! I hope you'll come visit me over at Southern Living, Our Way!

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