10 Ways to Have a Productive, Memorable, Scrapbook Worthy Summer

There are few things more exciting than the beginning of summer, when there’s a promise of things to come, and an exciting sense of fresh starts in the air, and every school student lets out a sigh of relief, because it’s finally time to just rest. Summer is like an entire season of Sabbath, where we get a break before another school year starts again. It’s so easy though, to find yourself at the end of summer, exhausted and drained, realizing you wasted the entire season lying on the couch, binging Boy Meets World (okay, that might just be a me thing 😂). Which is why I figured I’d write this post, not just to help you guys make the most of your summers, but also to help myself.

I’ll definitely be referencing this post throughout the summer (:

---

1. Dedicate Your Summer to The Lord

I can’t stress how important this is when it comes to planning your summer. It’s so easy to forget that this season is His, for Him to use for His glory. We can get so caught up in the excitement of planning, that we lose sight of what’s really important about this season (and all seasons, really!)

My favorite way to keep myself reminded that my life is not my own is to leave a little calligraphy note on my wall for myself to see all summer. I still need to make this note though 😂

2. Make a “Curriculum Plan”

I don’t know about you, but I personally feel extremely out of wack if I don’t have a stable list of assignments for every day, whether that’s during the school year or summer. I also have a list of things I want to teach myself outside of school, which is where my DIY “summer school” comes in. I’ve planned out 6 subjects for myself: Writing, Literature, Art, ASL, Business, and Nonfiction. I’ve modeled the curriculum plan after various homeschool curriculum plans, to best set myself up for success.

I’ve already planned out my work for Writing, Literature, and Nonfiction. For Writing, each week I’ll be writing for 4 hours and studying the writing craft for 4 hours. For Literature, I’ll be reading 4 classic novels, each one over the course of 3 weeks. The books I’ll be reading are Pride & Prejudice, A Tale of Two Cities, Jane Eyre, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And for Nonfiction, I’ll be reading Mere Christianity, The Hiding Place, The Screwtape Letters, and A Chance to Die, each also over the course of 3 weeks.

For my remaining 3 subjects, I haven’t decided on definitive assignments yet. For Art, I think I’ll be studying art basics through YouTube, and will also be doing as many art projects as I feel like. For ASL, I’ll likely just practice my ASL daily, using YouTube to learn new signs. And for Business, I’ll just be focusing on getting my Etsy shop started. I’ve had this as my goal for the last few years, and I’m really hoping this is the year when I’ll finally start my business.

Here’s a link to my template! 🙃

3. Create an Exciting Bucket List

Every summer, I make a bucket list, and every summer I fail to complete it. This summer I’m hoping to change that though. I want to have an exciting and memorable summer, and a bucket list is a big part of that. Some things on my summer bucket list are to make some new IRL friends, have a sunrise picnic, do something really impulsive (ie: sing broadway songs in the grocery store), go to the boardwalk (I’m terrified for this one, seeing as I have severe sensory issues), go see The Little Mermaid in theatres, see my friend in a local production of The Little Mermaid, visit a water park, and try out the paperclip challenge (in which you trade a paperclip for something else, and trade that something else for something else, and so on).

I highly recommend making a YA novel worthy bucket list (:

4. Find a Job or Volunteer Position (or Both!)

Taking advantage of all your free time in summer to help someone else or make some money is one of the smartest choices you can make, both for your future and for your wallet. I’ve already applied for multiple jobs near me, including at Starbucks, Old Navy, and multiple other random businesses. Along with that, I’ve signed up to volunteer as an STM at Joni & Friends family retreat, and I’ve applied to help out at a horseback riding program for kids with disabilities.

If you’re under 16, and can’t get hired for a job/volunteer position, I’d recommend trying out starting your own business. (:

5. Make a Plan to Stay Off of Devices as Much as Possible

There’s something about summer that just encourages everyone to be glued to their devices (myself included). After the initial charm of summer has worn off, there’s just yucky sticky heat and boredom to last for days. It’s hard to resist the urge to be online all day.

That being said, it’s so good for you to get off your devices. Go outside, snuggle with your dog, hang out with your friends. Get off those devices.

(Also, completely random and off topic, but have you drank any water in the last hour? And have you gotten up and stretched in the last two hours? If not, please get off this blog post and take care of yourself. 💛)

6. Go on Little Adventures Around Your Town

I know, I know, you know your town like the back of your hand, and there’s nothing fun about pretending to be a tourist. You’re probably rolling your eyes at this point and preparing to scroll down to my next piece of advice. Please don’t! Trust me, you can have plenty of fun wherever you live. I know that for me personally, I’m planning to bike around town this summer, mostly to the library and the park. Go search for hidden spots, explore the downtown part of your town, visit your local town history museum. I guarantee you, you’ll have fun (:

7. Find a New Hobby

For me at least, there’s nothing more fun than a new hobby. I love learning new things, and I absolutely adore getting into new hobbies. Over the last 16 years, I’ve had too many hobbies to count; some of the most memorable ones were coding, writing (hah that’s still my hobby XP), art, bracelet making, and horseback riding.

So please!! Do yourself a favor and try out a new hobby. For almost any hobby, you can buy supplies for super cheap off of Amazon.

8. Intentionally Spend Time with Your Family

In the summer, everyone’s always so excited to spend time with their friends. Not so much with their family. Which breaks my heart, if we’re being honest. I wish more teenagers were aware of the amount of privilege they have to be able to spend time with their family. You won’t always have time to hang out with your family, and, you might not always have the chance to be with them. Make spending time with them an intention. Trust me, you won’t regret it. 💛

(That being said, if you have a toxic/abusive family, please distance yourself from them. Your emotional and physical safety matter.)

9. Buy a Cheap Camera and Document Your Summer on It

Alright, I know this one is all over TikTok, so I won’t spend much time explaining. Just buy a cheap camera (I found this one on Shein for $10), and take as many photos and videos of your summer as you can. It’s so fun (:

10. Take a Class at Your Local Community College

For those of you who want more than just DIY summer school, I’d recommend taking a class at your local community college, or even at a college that is far away from you but offers classes online. High school students generally get to take these courses for free, and these courses typically count for a whole year of a school subject. Highly recommend (:

Thank you so so much for reading this mess of a post 😅 If you enjoyed this, please consider leaving a like, a comment, and subscribing for similar content.

What are you planning to do this summer? Are you excited for summer? Let me know in the comments!

---

Ad Gloriam Dei // For the glory of God.

5 Habits You Need To Implement Into Your Life

Over the last few years, I’ve learned just how important habits are. When used for good, they can be so powerful and life changing. But when used for bad, well, they can become dangerous. Bad habits (ie: swearing, staying up late, etc) are easier to develop than good habits (ie: waking up early, reading your bible regularly, etc), and are also harder to break than good habits. It’s so easy to break a rhythm that’s for your good. It’s much harder to break a bad habit. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way. Currently trying to break my cussing habit, and it’s harder than it seems. I’m also trying to develop a habit of waking up early to spend time with God, and let me tell you, that’s been almost impossible.

That being said, here’s a list of 5 habits I’m trying to implement into my life. I hope you guys find these helpful. 💛 Please remember to start slow, and be kind to yourself when you mess up, because I can guarantee you, you will mess up. You’re only human, not a superhero. It’s okay if you mess up. Just remember to get back up again after messing up, k? Every day is a fresh start. 💛

Putting a Glass of Water Next to Your Bed

Friends, your body needs this so badly. Especially if you’re the sort of person who forgets to drink water throughout the day. It’s so important to start your day with a few sips of water (please don’t chug the water, that will only upset your stomach). Plus, keeping a glass of water next to my bed helps me to remember to drink water throughout the day. Whatever I don’t drink in the early morning, I try to drink later in the day.

Adding lemon juice, fruit, or even a little bit of sugar can also help motivate you to drink more. Just don’t leave flavored water out for longer than 4 hours 😉

Making Your Bed First Thing in the Morning

Due to my health issues, making my bed when I first wake up isn’t always the easiest thing, but I’ve found that it can be so helpful for getting my mind into the right mindset after I wake up. Obviously, I wouldn’t recommend this if it’s too much for you physically– as my health has gotten worse over the last few months, I’ve learned just how exhausting even simple tasks like making your bed can be.

If you can make your bed though, please do it. 💛

Reading the Bible at Least Once a Day

I’ve found that reading my bible, especially in the early morning, is so helpful for my soul. When I leave my room, I’m immediately hit with a thousand different worldviews, and it’s so hard to discern which ones are God-honoring and which aren’t, especially if I haven’t spent time in God’s Word first.

I also like to, when I have the energy, read a few Psalms right before bed. This is especially good if I haven’t gotten in any time with the Lord earlier in the day. Plus, it helps set my mind on all that is true, lovely, and pure (Philippians 4:8-9). Something about the Psalms soothes my intrusive thoughts– not perfectly, but just enough that I can fall back asleep.

Cleaning Your Room Daily

I’ve always had a tendency to have a messy room. When I was about 12-ish, my room was so bad that I couldn’t see the floor 😂 I can’t find a photo of my room at it’s worst, but I did find this photo that shows just how bad it was at its’ best 😂 

Anyways though, the point of that highly disturbing example *shudders* is to show that cleaning your room is extremely important. Whenever my room gets messy like that (usually when I’m depressed), my brain feels super messy and foggy and confused. Keeping my room clean helps my brain to feel better, and also helps keep me productive and motivated (: Let me know in the comments if you guys want a room tour (I promise my room is a lot prettier now than it was when I was in middle school 😂)

Working Out at Least Once a Week

This is definitely harder, especially if you have a chronic or mental illness, or are neurodivergent. Finding energy to workout is really hard for me (due to low executive functioning and very low energy), but I always feel so much better when I make the time to. Even sometimes just a short walk with Sushi counts as a workout– I like to double these as prayer walks when my attention span is feeling up for that.

My personal favorite workout YouTuber is Callie Jardine (:

Thank you so so much for reading this post, friends! 💛 I’m incredibly thankful to have you guys reading my posts– it always makes me smile (: I hope you were able to find some good inspiration for living a healthier lifestyle.

Friendly reminder that it’s okay if you have days (or even weeks) where you can’t maintain any healthy habits. I completely get it. Please be gentle with yourself. 💛

---

If you enjoyed this post, please consider giving it a like, a comment, and follow me for similar content! Ily all so much 💛

What habits are you working on making a part of your routine? Let me know in the comments!

What God taught me through the story of Israel and their kings

“No! But there shall be a king over us, that we may be like the other nations.” – 1 Samuel 8:19-20

I was eleven years old, and out of the blue, I was suddenly “in love”, struck with foreign feelings that felt stronger than anything I’d ever experienced before. I was convinced that he was The One, and I spent hours everyday daydreaming about our future together (despite the fact that we’d had a grand total of maybe 3 interactions.) 

But then something unexpected happened.

I moved on, to yet another guy who I thought was The One.

For the last five or so years, I’ve fallen in and out of “love” (I put quotation marks because, if we’re being honest, most of these boys were just temporary infatuations 😂), and everytime I found a new guy, I’ve thought he was The One. I’ve prayed nonstop for a boyfriend, and watched from the sidelines as my friends entered relationships. I’ve gotten mad, wondered if God loved my friends more than me, and coveted the kind of love that I read about in books.

I’ve even gone as far as throwing myself into meaningless relationships (well, I’m not sure if they count as actual relationships) that only last for a few weeks. Each one of these left me drained, and like a vulture, at the end of each of these, I scavenged for a new guy, desperate to feel loved. I’ve told countless guys I liked them, only to be told they didn’t feel the same way. I’ve looked for fulfillment in girls too– those led to less rejections, but more heartbreak, as I watched myself break God’s heart with every new girl I moved on to.

I read through my middle school journals now, and laugh. I have entire notebooks filled up with rambles about boys, boys that only stayed on my radar for a fragment of a moment. 

A few weeks ago, I was praying to God about a guy, and the prayer turned into more of a tantrum, and before I knew it, my heart was stomping it’s feet like some kind of bratty toddler, and I was almost mad at God. How could He give everyone fulfillment except for me?

It was then that I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit. The story of Israel searching for a king when their true King was right in front of them crossed my mind, and instantly I felt convicted. 

I’ve prayed countless times, “Lord, so-and-so has a boyfriend. why don’t i?”, just like I’m sure Israel said, “Lord, that country over there has a king. why don’t we?” 

I was Israel, and a boyfriend was my king.

And God? God is supposed to be my fulfillment. Yet, everytime He reminded me of that, I’ve shaken my head and insisted that I want a human to fulfill me. Just like Israel did.

Things have started making sense. The Lord has, over the years, given me my fair share of “kings:, and none of the fulfilled me. None of them left me with that magic feeling that books promised me. And just like Israel, none satisfied me. I kept moving on, trying to find The One.

And on that night, a few weeks ago, I felt God whispering to my heart that only He could be The One. Only He could fulfill me. Nothing else could bring me this contentment, this satisfaction.

He was my King, but I wanted to look everywhere but in Him.

This world will have its fair share of “kings”, but none will truly ever give me what I look for. It is only when I raise my eyes heavenward that I find what I search for.

What about you? Where have you been looking for fulfillment? Can you relate? Let me know in the comments ❤

Ad Gloriam Dei.

What They Don’t Tell You About Grief

Please keep in mind that this might not be the most…organized and sensical post. My brain’s a bit muddled, and I’m processing recent events as I write this. 

While we were opening presents on Christmas day, we reached the 24 hour anniversary of my Nana’s death. 24 hours. 

How was that even possible?

As I’m writing this, it’s been four days since her death. Five days since we got the dreaded phone call, telling us that she had been rushed to the hospital. 

I’ve lived my whole life in fear of recieving a phone call like that. For the past few years, everytime my mom’s phone rang, I would worry that someone would be on the other end saying that some horrible event had occurred. 

And five days ago, that fear came true.

It’s only been a few days, but it feels like an eternity since all that happened; since my dad assured me that everything would be fine, since I saw my mom cry in a way I’ve never seen, since I promised the Lord that if He spared my Nana that I would spend more time with her, since my dad started showing signs of worry.

I’ve experienced grief before, but never like this. I’ve never known the excruciating pain of losing someone close to you.

I’ve grown up reading books with protagonists who are grieving. I’ve held my friend’s hands while they lost various loved ones. I’ve even been to a funeral or two. But none of those prepared me for this.

I always thought grief felt like sadness. But now I know that it feels much more like boredom, like emptiness, like…grief. The word grief describes the feeling far better than any other words ever could.

In books, grief always leads characters onto magical journeys. It always has a certain…whimsy to it. But, friends, grief isn’t whimsical. It isn’t fun. It isn’t dramatic. 

Grief sucks.

My Nana was a huge fan of my blog when she was alive. She would always read my newest posts and tell me how much she liked them. She….I keep thinking that she’s gonna read this post, and that…that’s really hard.

I’m trying to believe that God is good, but it’s so hard. This whole thing hurts.

I miss you, Nana.

a chaotic mess of monday inspiration

*all photos (except the header image) are taken from pinterest. i don’t own them.

hello, friends! i hope you’re all doing well ❤ how’s your week going so far?

i don’t know about you guys, but i’ve been feeling like i’m trapped in a rut lately. it’s been rough, and has been messing with my mental health severely. my autism and adhd make it so easy to fall into executive dysfunction, and i just…yeah. so, with this post, i’m attempting to take back control and enter back into blooming.

this post is inspired by aria’s first light, my muse posts (:

---

i’m praying that this post was helpful for all of you *hugs* i’m sorry that my posts have been a bit scattered lately…. mental health has been difficult.

let me know how i may pray for all of you in the comments <33