Goodbye 2017

You didn't think I'd skip out on an end-of-year blog post, did you?

I don’t know about anyone else, but this was one of those years that flew by; and yet I can still remember every messy and beautiful moment.

I remember where I was (literally and figuratively) a year ago, writing a post (linked here) in my favorite coffee shop in the world in Tulsa, Oklahoma, greeting 2017 with hope and anticipation. I had little dreams of writing more and big dreams of becoming a better version of myself. A year ago there was a lot of grief over who I had become, but out of that place came a deeper thankfulness and understanding of the Lord’s grace and mercy.

This past year held so many adventures for me.

Single And Joyful: The Christmas Edition

I told myself I wasn't going to do it, but here I am.

I'm doing it anyways.

I'm writing another blog post on singleness.

And I'm not apologizing for it or for repeating what I've already written before in previous posts here and here, because I think we all need reminders of these truths now and then, ya know???

I'm writing this from a place of honesty and vulnerability, because I've been feelin' it lately. The loneliness. The self-pity. The doubt. The pressure. The dreaded question of "So, ya got a boyfriend yet?"

I don't know if there will ever be a time in singleness that the Enemy will not try and sneak in during this specific time of the year to try and steal our joy.

This time of year in which the world is magic. Everything is merry and bright and beautiful. The lights. The traditions. The gingerbread houses and Christmas trees. The parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow. This time of year in which our hearts seem to feel the most, which brings forth great opportunity to love, but also great heartache. 

Can I be real here? (Rhetorical question, because I'm gonna get real so sit down and buckle up, people)

You see, I think Satan knows the real reason for the season. And he knows that if he can get us looking inward at ourselves and everything we lack in the relationship department, he can steal some of the spotlight from the celebration of our beautiful Savior.

Get Your Hopes Up

"Don't get your hopes up."

I've begun preparing for the post-graduation realm by looking at jobs and preparing my resume, and while for the most part I have no idea what I'm doing, there are a few opportunities that can't help but stir excitement and passion in my spirit. But the more I get stuck in my head, the more overwhelming and intimidating the future appears; and I subconsciously prepare for the worst by whispering this phrase...

"Don't get your hopes up."

The other day, I was thinking about some friends of mine and how I wish they would commit to coming to church or lifegroup with me so that they could have just one encounter with Jesus that would begin to change their lives. I found myself discouraged and disappointed, thinking... 

"Don't get your hopes up." 

Sometimes I am lonely. I know the Lord is for me, and in Him I have all that I need. He has purposes and plans and dreams for me beyond what I can picture, yet I wonder if I will ever stop experiencing seasons of loneliness that settle around me like a thick, heavy cloud. In an attempt to ease my anxiety, I repeat over and over...

"Don't get your hopes up." 

I pray this doesn't sound like you; but if it does, you're not alone. And even if you never purposefully tell yourself this phrase, how many times do you subdue hope under the cover of realism? 

Something the Lord began to challenge was my belief in every part of His character, which meant believing He is the God of all hope (Romans 15:3). If I believe that He is a God of love and grace and mercy, peace, kindness, joy, forgiveness... then I must also believe that He is a God of hope, and that His desire is that we should practice and grow in this trait as much as the others. 

Keeping Austin Weird

Hey friends! 

The life adventures of Meag continue with a weekend trip to Austin, Texas! 

Me and four friends/roommates jumped in the car and roadtripped to Austin on Friday to see one of our favorite bands, Johnnyswim; then explore the city on Saturday.

Why Making Time Is Making A Difference

Everyone hates excuses, but the one I hate the most is "I'm just so busy."

And I write this because I am the worst about throwing around this phrase, when I really mean to say "My priorities and time management skills are out of line."

We all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week. Taylor Swift has 24 hours in a day. The President has 24 hours in a day. Jesus had 24 hours in a day.

And although I don't have those peoples' personal planners sitting in my lap right now, I'm betting they have more on their to-do list than I do; and somehow life is working for them.

When someone tells me they are busy, I already know that. My assumption is that time is of the highest value to everyone. My assumption is that you aren't just laying on your couch every day... you either have a job, school, clubs, events, most of the time: all of the above.

And this is normal. If someone were not doing one or more of these things, we would say that person is lazy or doesn't have their life together. This is the way it is in an American culture as fast-paced as ours.

But I think something we can do that will begin to transform our society a bit is to stop the glorification of "busy."

Pumpkin Patch Dreams

Hey friends!

Sorry I've been a bit MIA from the blog lately. Life has been moving pretty quickly for me.

Some updates:

I'm a senior this year graduating in May, hallelujah! My degree will be Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources. What am I doing post-graduation???? Don't ask me, because I don't know! It's fine, everything's fine.

As you have probably seen on my social media, I've been traveling quite a bit as well. So far I've gotten to visit Disney (again lol), Wisconsin, and Chicago; and it's only October! I'll be making my way to Austin, TX in a couple of weeks for a concert, with more exciting trips planned throughout the year.

I'm still involved in Chi Alpha Campus Ministries serving as a freshman girls' lifegroup leader. I couldn't be more thankful for the community the Lord has given me while in college. There is nothing like it; I've never met people with a more authentic love for God and for people than here. It is an honor to spend my time in college investing back into a ministry that has invested so much in me.

Last weekend, all of the freshman girls' lifegroups went to a local pumpkin patch together, and then back to my house to paint pumpkins/hang out together. It was so much fun spending time and getting to know the girls all in one place, and I can't wait to see how they grow with Jesus and with each other throughout the year.

I've been getting a lot of joy out of using cam cam lately, so check out these photos of the girls' sweet beautiful faces living it up in the pumpkin patch!

Twist & Shout: Chicago

Hey friends! 

Today I'm sharing some photos from a short day trip to Chicago! And by "some" photos, I mean A LOT. 

This past weekend was my dear friend Maggie's wedding in Appleton, Wisconsin. My friends Kennedy and Charles live in Michigan, so I flew in to Detroit, and we road tripped from there. On the way back to Kennedy's house, we had an extra day until mine and Olivia's flight back, so we stopped in Chicago for a few hours to see some of the sights! Lately I've been feeling a bit of the travel bug, so I jumped at the chance to see a city I've always wanted to visit. 

Olivia, Kennedy, Maggie, and I all roomed together on my first Disney College Program in the spring of 2016.

Our first stop was Navy Pier, right on Lake Michigan. 

T-Swift And The Problem With Hardened Hearts

I think the most cringe-worthy moment of 2017 was the moment I heard Taylor Swift's new song "Look What You Made Me Do." 

Okay, so hear me out. Tswift is my girllll, and her songs were the anthem to my teen angst; so I'm not going to sit here and bash her as a person or her new sound or how she's not the same, etc. Music artists change their sound/style all the time, and there's not much you can really do about it. Am I a "Teardrops On My Guitar" over "Blank Space" kind-of-girl? Yes, but irrelevant.

My concern here is for this twenty-seven year old girl's heart and the message she projects to people all over the world. 

Taylor Swift is probably one of the most (if not the most) well-known name in pop culture. This girl has had some crap happen to her, and she's done some crap to other people. Regardless of what's true or how I feel about her personally, her song gave me actual anxiety just by listening to the lyrics. She openly claims to write music from personal experience, so we know these words come from her heart. 

Here are some of the most concerning lyrics to me:

Beauty In The Broken

There are two types of people in the world...

There are those who cry out to God and profess their love and devotion in the hard times and times of need, but ignore Him when life is going pretty swell. 

Then there are those who turn and worship God when the blessings rain down, but bail when it gets tough. 

Neither of these places are good to be in. I'm not saying this is a constant attitude in your walk with God; just a tendency toward one end of the scale than the other. 

I'm in the second category.

With the realization that all good things come from above, it's easy to give praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when you feel #blessed. But when hard times come or things don't seem to be going your way, the presence of God is questioned in the midst of the mess. Suddenly it's easier to feel betrayed and frustrated at the lack of understanding in what is happening and why. 

I used to pray that the Lord would just zap away my pain in a matter of moments. I believed in faith in the power of Christ to bring healing in my brokenness. I wanted out of the painful season as soon as possible, and so that would be my prayer... God just wash away the pain, take me out of this now. 

But over time, the Lord has taught me something so incredibly sweet about His character in the midst of pain.

Two Years

Hey friends!

This month is a very special month for the blog because it has been two whole years since my first post (linked here)!

I first started writing as an outlet to share the life and times of Meaghan Mercy, but also to share what the Lord had been teaching me in hopes that He would use my experiences to speak to others. In the past two years, my blog has gone through some changes in content, some absence and inconsistency, and even a change in name (RIP Meaghan Unscripted). 

But as mentioned in previous posts, my vision for this blog found in the About Me tab still stands. That this space would always make room for authenticity, and that authenticity could always be found at the heart of every post.

I've learned a few things along the way... about myself, about the Lord, and about partnering in writing with Him.

Goodbye Summer

Hi friends!

For the first time in 2017, I've missed posting for a while on my dear lil blog. I had been doing pretty well on consistent posts though, right? The month of July has just flown by!

I won't use the excuse of busy-ness, but I really have been running this past month. When I'm not working, I'm spending every waking moment with my roommates taking pics and doing other fun stuff in Florida. And if I'm not doing one of those two things, I'm sleeping/conserving energy for our next adventure. All the while, little blog thoughts are floating in and out; but when I sit down to write, the stillness catches up with me, and I just feel instantly tired.

But just some things I wanted to share with you before the summer ends...

Chick-fil-A + Disney

Hey friends.

This will probably be my favorite photoshoot of all time, simply because it features all my favorite things in one shoot.

Friends. Chick-fil-A. Disney.

It all started with my roommate Kelly and I's extreme obsession with Chick-fil-A.

'Ohana

'Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. 

If you don't know where that quote is from, we can't be friends. Just kidding. It's Lilo & Stitch for those of you who don't have your lives together.

One of my favorite restaurants at Disney is 'Ohana's, which is located at the Polynesian Resort. For breakfast, it's a family style character meal. Characters include Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, and Stitch! Cast members receive their discount here as well. 

It's rare for all six roommates to be in the same place at the same time, so I'm glad we were all able to make plans together. Here's some photos from around the resort and our breakfast!

Breakfast + Old Key West

This post is about that time I thought Disney's Old Key West Resort was wild west themed, instead of tropical beach themed. I guess I subconsciously deleted "Key" from the title?? That being said, I was in for a surprise when my roommates' and I showed up for our breakfast reservation at Olivia's Cafe. Olivia's is an American style cafe located at the resort (also, cast members get their discount here!).

Here's some photos of my roommates and I around the resort, featuring beautiful pastel walls and staircases. Reb and Kelly are my Jersey-wannabe-Southern girls, so we bond over Chacos, Kendra Scott, and the SEC (slowly incorporating "geaux tigz" into their vocabulary!!!).

Hands That Pull

Something I would like to practice boldness in is speaking life and affirmation over others.

I was on the phone with my friend Brooke the other day, and we were both feeling pretty down and discouraged about a few things. But discouraged is not how I left our conversation. After sharing some of the burdens I had been feeling, Brooke was quick to encourage me and speak truth over who I am and remind me of the promises of God that would be fulfilled to me.

It wasn't just a pat on the back or half-hearted complement to try and boost my spirits... she was so quick to affirm my identity as a Christ follower, while also dissipating any lies that told me that the Lord wouldn't come through for me.

Our conversation pushed me to seek more of the Lord even in discouragement. So I thought to myself, when have I ever given such a truth and faith-filled response to discouragement? When have I jumped at the chance to affirm all the good I see in someone? I want to be more like Brooke in this way.

Friends + Flowers

Hi friends!

Today I'm sharing some photos from our trip to Epcot's Flower & Garden festival last week. Luckily we received access to the parks just a few days before the festival ended, so naturally we had to go as soon as possible to soak up all the wonderful foods and photo opportunities.

I can't be the person who takes a bunch of food photos yet, so enjoy pics of my pretty roomies for now. Just know I had the violet lemonade, which was delicious as always; Sarah had a sparkling wine with pomegranate from France and spring rolls from China; and Mekaila had chicken and rice from China. All the kiosks had the same foods as last year, so I didn't feel the need to try everything again (also, ya girl had been unemployed for a couple weeks so ya know... gotta save the moneys).

Sarah and I compiled a bucket list of photo spots/walls, which I'll be sharing throughout the summer! Some of the pictures in this post are exclusive to the festival, but most you can find year round.

Things I Love: May

For me, the two busiest months of the year are May and August... when school ends and then a new year begins. This year was no different. May absolutely flew by, but I have quite a few things to share with you in this month's edition of TIL (I just made that up... we'll see if it sticks ??).

He Remains

These days I find myself extremely thankful that the Lord stays the same, but doesn't always stay in the same place. That He moves. He goes with us physically to new and far off places; and He goes with us spiritually through new seasons of life, while He remains the same God yesterday, today, and forever.

I feel like this is a subject I've written on before, and maybe I have... but it's a truth that I never want to be lost on any of us.

One of the things in life that I think can hurt us the most is when a person changes. I'm not talking about changes from a drug dealer to... well, not a drug dealer? I'm talking about the kind of changes that we would say are negative; like when we feel a person changes who they are or becomes a worse version of themselves. These changes burn us. They break our trust.

There's a number of reasons why people change. Maybe because of new places or people or circumstances. At least those are all the things I know have changed me, both negatively and positively. Being yourself can be a hard thing.

So I think that's why I'm so in awe of a God who has remained Himself for so long. I read about the God of the Old and New Testament, and I see the same God who is with me today. Through places across the world, people across the world, and circumstances across time, His character hasn't so much as flinched.

He remains the same.

He simply remains.

Creating With Confidence

Hey friends.

Let me start by saying this is literally the 7th draft of a post I've been trying to write for a while now. See, it's been a good bit since I've written the type of thing I love to write... the stuff that's real and raw and relatable.

So what's been holding me back?

I could say it's busy-ness. Finals week was insane. I moved out of my apartment in Baton Rouge, back home to Lake Charles, only to move out again in a couple of weeks to Orlando (!!!!<- that's me panicking).

I could say it's writer's block. Whatever that means. Secretly I think writer's block is just an excuse for something deeper holding us back from writing what we want to write. Everyone has something to say; it's just figuring out how we want to say it.

For me, that "something" that's been holding me back lately is fear.

Things I Love: April

The month of April went by so quickly for me! One minute I was packing for Ireland, and the next I'm packing to move out of my apartment in BR. Time goes by fast my friends... this semester was a blur.

That being said, I feel like I don't have a lot to add to this month's list of favorites, but here they are:

Ireland, Pt. 3: The Mountains + Team

Here is Part 3 of the trip, featuring our "tourist-y" day in the mountains plus a few team photos of my faves. Thanks for reading!

THE MOUNTAINS

Ireland, Pt. 2: The Streets + Campus

At first I was going to do day by day summaries, but I realized I couldn't remember what pictures I took on what days and that it would be slightly confusing to read... so I just split it up into four different categories that covered the trip. This post features the architectural beauty of Ireland through the streets, buildings, and college campuses.

Literally, there's so many pictures, so just prepare yourself. You are truly a faithful follower if you make it to the end of this post.

THE STREETS

Ireland, Pt. 1: The Mission

Over spring break, I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip with Chi Alpha to Dublin, Ireland!

I took so many pictures, and we did so much every day that I'll have to split up our adventure into several posts. So grab a cup of coffee for a few minutes and get ready for gorgeous scenery and and some words on what God is doing in Ireland.

A Place At The Table

"You don't have to fight for a place at the table."

Such a simple phrase, but a beautiful reminder that there is no partiality with God.

You know that feeling when someone forgets to invite you somewhere? Or when you're meeting friends at a restaurant and you get to the table, and no one saved you a seat? It's awkward and uncomfortable and makes you wonder in the back of your head why no one thought of you.

I think sometimes it can feel like we have to fight to earn a place or even just stay in someone's life. And because we as humans are flawed, people can leave us broken, hurt, and feeling like we're not enough.

Things I Love: March

Every once in a while, my favorite blogs will post lists of things they're watching/reading/doing, along with their reviews. I don't know why they're my favorite kind of posts, but I always appreciate them for providing real life recommendations from a trusted, respectable source. It keeps me updated on movies or books worth investing in, products that make life easier, etc.

So welcome to my first edition of things I love as of recent.

Summer Adventures

SURPRISE.

It turns out my time at the Happiest Place On Earth isn't over yet... I'll be returning to Orlando this summer to participate in the Disney College Program: Summer Alumni edition!

And just when you thought my Disney obsession was fading out.

Writing With Vision

Summer 2016 at Rosemary Beach

Hey friends.

Lately I've been brainstorming ways to spice up my blog life. This led me to think about... what even is this blog? What's my vision here?

They tell you to pick a certain niche for your blog; whether it be food, fashion, DIY, travel, etc. I look back at my first few posts over a year and a half ago, and I would say I started out as a lifestyle blog. Then my posts began to dive deeper and deeper into my personal life, and now I feel like the blog is an angsty college-girl's version of tumblr.

See, I love fashion. I love adventures. I love photography. I love life. I love Jesus. How do I incorporate all of those things into a blog that's worth reading?

Let's Get Down To Business

Well it's been two and a half years, and I can finally say that I like my major. I may even venture to say I love it.

For those unaware, I am a business major concentrating in entrepreneurship; and I notoriously hate school. I hate spending hours in class and taking notes.

And I hate studying. 

When people would ask me about my major and if I liked it, until now my honest answer would have been that I was not all that fond of it. My classes were boring. They weren't extraordinarily difficult, but it wasn't like I was a brilliant shining star of business either. Accounting and economics are kind of hard to get passionate about. 

I began to envy my friends who were genuinely in love with their major. I could see it in the way they talked about their classes and professors with such excitement. They actually enjoyed going to class... a foreign concept to me???

They were passionate about what they were doing. Art majors were passionate about creating. Journalism majors were passionate about writing and news. Science majors were passionate about living things and green stuff. Engineering majors, though difficult in course work, were passionate bout math and loved all the things I will never fully appreciate. 

So why didn't I just switch majors?

Single & Fulfilled: A Paradox

I never want to feel bad about being single.

That goes for whatever age I am… whether I’m twenty going on twenty-one or forty going on forty-one.

I say that because I think there’s an unhealthy stigma associated with singleness. If you’re single, it’s just a waiting game until you can achieve the nirvana that is a relationship. If you’re single, there’s a reason you’re single. If you’re single, don’t worry… you just haven’t found the “one” yet. If you’re single, please carry around this unnecessary pressure because you aren't getting any younger amiright?

I was raised to avoid dating in high school, because I believe the purpose of dating is for marriage. Naturally I wasn’t ready to get married in high school, so it probably wasn’t a good idea to date then. And I’m truly thankful for that mindset because personally it sure saved me a lot of heartache. I was waiting til college (because that’s where true adulthood lies…).

So I entered college as a freshman, prepared to meet my future husband and date and then get married after graduation. Freshman year came and went, and wow that pesky future husband hadn’t shown up yet. Sophomore year… still forever alone. And here I am, a junior in college, and the horizon for dating is quite empty.

I went into college with an expectation of finally getting a relationship. I had been a good Christian girl, sort-of patiently awaiting my time. And when that expectation wasn’t met, I found disappointment, frustration, and a good portion of self-doubt.

Let The Good Times Roll

Last weekend we spent another day in our favorite adventure city - New Orleans.

The Social Media Experiment

Hi friends.

I've decided to do a social media fast/experiment of at least one week (maybe longer, we'll see!). I'll be deleting all social media apps from my phone, which include Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

I've done certain social media fasts before, but I got the idea to keep an updated journal of the experience from my friend, Kayla's, post here. I've deleted my apps before, usually so I can have fewer distractions when studying for a big test; but I'm sectioning off a week specifically for a couple of reasons.

I have a deep appreciation for social media. I think it's great. I love being connected to people I might not have a chance to connect with very often in real life. I love having an easy way to see at least a piece of my friends' lives. So often I am inspired by what I see on social media.

But I'd like to see how much more time I have in my day and how much more productive I can be with that time. You don't realize how much of your day is spent playing on your phone until you count how many times you pick it up, only to realize you can't do anything but use it to call and text people (wow, a phone used as a phone ???).

I also believe fasting from social media will give me more opportunity to hear the Lord speak. Sometimes I think we beg for God to speak to us, yet we fill our lives with voices from everyone but Him. Of course God still reveals Himself in the noisiness of busy lives... but how much more could we receive in giving Him the quiet?

I'll still be logging on to Facebook via desktop, mainly because that doesn't really suck up my time as much as the apps do. I'll also have Facebook Messenger in case anyone needs to reach me that way. This post will be updated daily, just to keep all of my updates together and organized. Thanks for following along!

This Provincial Life

"Adventure is out there!" - Up

I like Beauty and the Beast, but honestly it's not my favorite Disney movie.

But lately I've been feeling a lot like Belle, in that I too want adventure in the great wide somewhere. (So much so that I bought this shirt!)

That's something I've been craving a lot lately (perhaps partially out of discontentment); but also just craving something new and out of the ordinary. I'd love to travel more. I'd love to meet new people and hear new stories. I'd love to learn more.

So I think something I'll be challenging myself to do this semester is to create my own adventure.

It can be something as small as visiting a coffee shop I've never been to or doing my quiet time downtown at the levy.

I'm pretty boring, so even watching a movie I've never seen before is an adventure for me.

If I'm feeling really adventurous, New Orleans is but an hour away.

Last weekend, Allie, Kire', Kendall, and I took a day trip to NOLA; and it was such a fun day full of things I'd never done before in a city I barely know.

Puzzle Pieces

I always forget how much I love spring time at LSU.

Maybe that's because I've only had one spring to love so far.

It is the first day of school for the spring semester. I'm sitting outside in the courtyard of the business college, eating a ham and cheese sandwich and drinking a juice box while fighting the wind on its insistence that I eat my own hair for lunch, and I am content.

I struggled a lot last semester with contentment, and I've decided I will not struggle with that this semester.

I've been fretting a lot about what I want to do when I graduate, and even what I want to do this summer. Or rather what I feel like the Lord wants me to do. If it's not on my mind, I'm trying my hardest to keep it from being on my mind; which actually means it's inherently on my mind!!!! And even without knowing what I will be doing in the future, I've wanted to hurry up and be there because logically if I'm doing what I'm doing, then I'll be past the whole process of worrying about what I'll be doing.

Yeah, that all made sense.

But in taking a quiet moment with the Lord this morning, He just asked that I wouldn't fret so much about something that is so far in the future that I forget to take advantage of today.

Hi, 2017

Hi, 2017.

I'm excited to meet you, as so many are.

I'm aware that we are already a whole 48 hours in to the new year, so that makes me a little late on posting my New Year's thoughts; but I hope my non-conformity/writing slack won't discredit me.

I'd like to say I don't fall prey to the idea that everything up until January 1, 2017 doesn't matter anymore and the whole "new year, new me" quips; but I do. I do fall prey. I don't think I can help it! There's a full 365 days ahead of me that I can do whatever I want with, and I never truly appreciated that until now. We tend to remember events in our lives by the year, and it's exciting to think that 2017 remains unblemished. There's something so thrilling about "new-ness." Something officially clean of whatever has happened in the past, and the fact that we can claim this year as our own.

But as beautiful as you are my new friend, 2016 was kind to me; and you have big shoes to fill.

A year ago, I was entering 2016 with anticipation and anxiety; for I would be spending exactly half of the year in a place of complete unfamiliarity. But what an adventurous half it turned out to be.

2016 gave me people. It gave me people from Australia and New Zealand and South Korea and all over the U.S. I love those people. I wish I could take every person's hands into my own and communicate how much their friendship is treasured... but I can't because that's literally so many people, and also that's weird.

I'll always look back on this year with a smile, but I won't say it didn't come without heartbreak.

The winter break has given me a lot of time to think, and my conclusion is that somewhere along the way, I lost myself.