Thank You Jake Owen

Jake Owen has this song out called "The Journey of Your Life." In the song he lists out a bunch of things that we might need to get through our lives, ranging from a Bible to a good dog. At the end of the song, he offers some advice:

"And no matter what dream you're chasing / Never get above your raising / May the simple things be amazing / On the journey of your life."

I think this piece of advice is something that our generation / age group especially needs to hear. We have a tendency to always be thinking about the future, what we're doing tomorrow, what we're doing for spring break, what we're doing this summer, and what we're doing for the rest of our lives. 

Now, don't get me wrong, these ARE important things to think about, but they aren't things we should dwell on for too long. We've forgotten how to live in the moment.

How to look at the simple things and be amazed. And I'm not talking about a little screen with birds that are either angry or flappy. I'm talking about a leaf. A raindrop. A cookie. Living in awe can be such a beautiful thing. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Life is a journey, a road we all take. It's full of twists, turns, bumps, and maybe a few potholes. It's never perfect; but you learn from your past, and you learn from others. True friends make the ride so much more fun. And while they're on a different journey, they can still be a part of yours.

Most of the time, the road isn't marked with road signs. You may have no idea where you're going. And that's the part where trust makes all the difference. You see, I know who is directing my path. I don't just have Google maps, I brought the driver.

That being said, there is a second part to this verse. The part that talks about submitting to Him. Giving Him our all.

There's no definition, and there's no set standard. The act of surrender looks different for each person, and that's something that's between you and Him. But remember that He is faithful.

Look at the picture above. The road curves at the end, and you can't see any more of it. You have no clue where it's going (unless you've driven it before). Wouldn't it be great to know you were in the car with someone who knew not only where the road was going, but also the condition of the road ahead?

Unfortunately, I have to admit that there are times when I've reached over and grabbed the wheel when I thought I knew where I was going. And He lets me. Until I realize what I've done or come to a point where I run into something. Free will.

But there are other times when the road reaches a peak, and I get a glimpse of the next couple of miles. And there might be rolling hills or beautiful red desert rocks up ahead, or there might be a storm. 

It's all part of the beautiful adventure called life. Enjoy it. 




Don't forget to ... Embrace the small things. Live in the moment. Hop in the passenger seat. Take in the views. Keep your eyes on the road ahead.


Megan

I Don't Know / The Storm of the Year

"I don't know."

Can I just be honest? I generally don't like saying those words.

Sometimes it feels like I'm admitting defeat.

I tend to say "I'm not sure." I feel like it's a little less "harsh," for lack of better term. But it has the same effect.

I keeps me grounded. It keeps me humble.

No, I don't know everything. I like to try and come across as being intelligent, but let's face it. There is no way that I'm going to know the answer to every question asked of me over my lifetime. And that can be said the same of you who is reading. But it's part of learning.

Yes, it might hurt my ego in the moment, but sometimes it helps to just be honest. Here it is in the words of Derek Sivers:

"Being stupid means avoiding thinking by jumping to conclusions. Jumping to a conclusion is like quitting a game: you lose by default. That's why saying "I don't know" is usually smart, because it's refusing to jump to a conclusion."

Often times I might find myself in a place where I know part of the answer or think I know the answer. In those cases, it doesn't hurt to ask for more information. People love sharing what they know. And as I said earlier, it's part of learning.

So, in reality, the phrase "I don't know" might actually be one of the smartest things you could say.

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Life Update: Last week I said, "I think Georgia is confused." No, now I know Georgia is confused. Where else can you experience an ice storm, rain, earthquakes, and 70 degree weather in one week? 

I'm so glad to be back in the "normal" swing of things. Apparently they're predicting one more big storm around the end of February. Please, just no. 

Alright, so last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were pretty boring. Not gonna lie. I hung around the house, did some studying, cooked, and played a little in the snow/ice stuff.  We went back to class late on Friday, and my test ended up getting moved, so I turned in an assignment in one class and played Jeopardy in the other.

Snow and Ice View from the Porch

Afterwards, I had lunch with Laila at Chick-fil-A, packed up, and headed to Augusta. Oh. My. Goodness. Y'all. Augusta. I've used this phrase a lot to describe the city, but it really did look like a war zone. I've never seen so many fallen power lines, fallen trees, and destroyed things.

I think there ended up being over 128,000 people without power, 255 broken poles, 1,745 spans of wire down, and thousands of snapped trees and broken limbs causing countless damage to houses, fences, and power lines. And even as I type this, there are still people there going on their 7th day without power! Here's a collage:

Some of the Ice Storm Damage in Augusta, GA

I came back to Athens on Sunday after experiencing the ice, 60 degree weather, and 2 earthquakes. That first earthquake was something else. It was so weird because we heard it before we actually felt the shaking! We then spent the next hour laughing at all the Facebook statuses...And my favourite picture:

It was kind of funny because on my way to Augusta, I got behind an army of around 50 Alabama power trucks, but on my way back I passed around 20 North Carolina power trucks. I spent Sunday night studying...fun stuff.

Yesterday was a bit back to normal. I had class and took my test. My mom and sister came back to Athens, and we went hiking up in Tallulah Gorge. The weather was beautiful, but those hundreds of stairs were something else. Let me tell you.

At the Gorge Bottom

And again, it's another Tuesday morning, and I'm about to go get some lunch and head to class and work.

Enjoy the warm weather (for now)!

Megan

Video of the Week: Alan Andersen's 5 Minute Footage of Middle Schoolers Falling On Ice

Perks of Having Fluffy / A Trip to Music City

I thought I'd do something a bit different this week. Last semester, I gave a speech on some of the benefits of having a dog. I didn't get to cover the obvious things like companionship and exercise, but I hope you get to learn something:
(Note: I also left off references.)

Introduction

“Man’s best friend.” How many times have you heard this phrase to describe our four-legged canine friends? But have you ever really taken the time to consider the benefits that a dog may offer? The simple act of petting a dog can lead to internal health benefits for humans.

In order to help you understand this action on a deeper level, I’m going to take you on a journey – a journey through your own body. I’ll start with the physical action of actually petting a dog, follow this nerve stimulus to its effects in the brain, and explain certain effects that these impulses have on the human body.

From the Finger’s First Touch up to the Brain

Upon first touch with the dog, nerve receptors in your finger respond/react.These nerve receptors are a part of the somatosensory system. These receptors send a nerve impulse (synapse) and create a pathway up to the brain.

The domino effect – one impulse after another to create this pathway to the brain from the finger. Each neuron must receive and pass this impulse; the action potential must be high enough for the impulse to actually reach the brain.

When in the Brain…

The immune system trigger: Scientific studies conducted at Wilkes University suggest that the simple action of petting a dog can lead to a boost in the immune system by increasing antibodies/immunoglobulins.

Nervous system responses: Dopamine (neurotransmitter in the brain) and Serotonin (neurotransmitter, in brain for primary functions but mostly found in the GI tract) are both released as a result of this movement and stimulation. This also leads to the release of oxytocin (neurotransmitter in the brain; from the pituitary gland).

So what’s a neurotransmitter? It’s like a highway in our brain that helps transport information from one place to another.

So now that we know the cause, what’s the effect?

            Does touching really make us healthier? Well, As mentioned above, this pet of the dog can lead to an increase in antibodies/immunoglobulins. These two items help build up and strengthen the immune system.

Other studies suggest that the presence of or action of petting a dog may also lead to an increase in levels of dopamine and serotonin in the nervous system. There is use in ADHD therapy because this condition tends to be associated with low dopamine levels. Both neurotransmitters are needed for human behaviors like mood, appetite, cognition, motivation, learning, attention, etc.

Scientists have also studied an increase in oxytocin levels as a result of animal petting. Oxytocin has been found to be related to bonding, maternal instincts, and increasing trust / reducing fear (in the brain, but also has other uses throughout the body).

Conclusion

Now you can see that the touch of a dog leads to the development of a pathway from the finger to the brain. The brain then responds by releasing certain neurotransmitters which act as highways for information. Once the information is relayed, ultimately beneficial effects can be seen in the body.

Therefore, as a result of this phenomenon, dogs are beneficial to use in therapy settings, e.g. children with ADHD and nursing homes.

So next time you lean down to pet the family pet or the neighbor’s dog, think about this process going on inside of your body as a result of that simple touch of the finger to the fur of the dog.

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Life Update: I think Georgia is confused. Today and tomorrow are snow days once more, all in one winter season! What is this madness? 

Last Tuesday I had class and work, as usual, before coming home and crashing on my bed / studying for my tests later in the week. Pretty much for the remainder of the week, Wednesday and Thursday, my time was spent studying and getting pumped for a weekend in Nashville.

Then Friday, aka: my 21st birthday, came. I had 2 tests and a quiz, and then Laila and I loaded up the car and made a beeline for Music City. (Literately, we didn't realize that there was an hour time change, so we were rushing for the Opry.) We enjoyed a wonderful night at the Grand Ole Opry, complete with a lineup of artists like Dierks Bentley, Josh Wilson, Steve Wariner, The Henningsens, and so many more. And I can't forget Eddie.

At the Grand Ole Opry

Saturday was jam-packed with adventuring around the city. We walked Broadway in the snow before taking a tour of the city and surroundings. We visited the capitol, saw the Parthenon, went to the American Pickers store, creeped on Taylor Swift's apartment, and had a lot of fun. After the tour, we walked around downtown for a few hours, popping in and out of stores and taking hundreds of pictures. We even toured the Ryman and found time to eat some lunch.

The Capitol with the City in the Background

The Bridge View

Trying Our Hand at this Music Business

Touring the Ryman

Around 3:30ish, we went back to the hotel to rest up for the night and download pictures and what-not. Around 6, we headed back out on the town. We headed down the street to the Wildhorse Saloon for dinner and line dancing. We managed to stay there for over 4 hours; we enjoyed some amazing fried pickles, took pictures with horses, learned over 10 new line dances, and had a great time! It was probably one of the most fun nights I've had in a while.

Wildhorse Saloon

Afterwards, we headed back down "Honky Tonk Highway," as it's most famously called. I got some yummy Tiramisu gelato, and we also got some free ,freshly-made praline! We eventually headed back to the hotel for a few hours of sleep. We drove back to Athens on Sunday, taking our time and even stopping to play with some puppies and bunnies. Just cause.

I spent Sunday night unpacking and going through pictures (and still doing line dances in my head). Monday. It was back to the real world. I had class, got all my things back from Friday (which were good, in case you were wondering), had DT, went to dance, had a test review, and attended a meeting before coming home and sleeping.

I found out that class had been cancelled for today in my meeting, so I slept til around noon today. Much needed. I'll be heading to work in a few hours, and I have some stuff I need to study and work on for class. So I guess that's what I'll be doing for today and tomorrow, since we don't have class tomorrow either! Well, here's to 2 more snow days this year. (And for seeing snow for 3 weeks in a row...wow...)

Bundle Up!

Megan

Video of the Week: Sam Tsui - "Let It Go / Let Her Go - Mashup"

50 Questions Tag & SNOW!?

I've never tried one of these tags before, so I figured I'd give it a try. Here we go!

• Zero - Who was your last text from and what was it about? One of my best friends (Laila); Microbio (exciting stuff, I know).
• One - What/who is your icon from the past decade? Well, I was going for Jesus, but since I have to kind of restrain it to the past decade (I guess I could still go with my original answer, but...), I'd probably say someone like Steve Irwin.
• Two - Your relationship status? Single. 
• Three - Have you ever lost a close friend? I can't say I have.
• Four - What is your current mood? Content. Other than the fact I want to get rid of this cold.
• Five - What’s your brother(s)/sister(s)names? Lauren (But I honestly can't remember the last time I called her by that name...)
• Six - Where do you wish you were right now? Australia. But if you know me at all, you probably already knew that.
• Seven - Have a crazy side? Haha...yes.
• Eight - Ever had a near death experience? There have been a couple of times my life hath flashed before my eyes.
• Nine- Something you do a lot? Listen to music. 
• Ten - Angry at anyone? Nope. It's like holding a grudge - basically, the only person you're really hurting is yourself.
• Eleven - What’s stopping you from going for the person you like ? Well, unless I were to be able to move to Nashville and marry a certain country singer...
• Twelve - When was the last time you cried? Uhhhhhhh...I honestly can say I really don't remember. I think it was last summer when I was leaving Australia.
• Thirteen- What are you really good at ? I'd like to think I'm good at photography.
• Fourteen - What do you think about when you are falling asleep? Travel.
• Fifteen- What were you doing yesterday at 10pm? Don't judge, but I was heading to bed.
• Sixteen - Do you prefer light or dark hair on the opposite sex ? Light - dirty blonde. 
• Seventeen - Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Mia madre.
• Eighteen - What is/are your favorite band(s)? Oh goodness; I could spend FOREVER writing the answer to this question. Here are just a couple from various genres: Rascal Flatts, 30 Seconds to Mars, Parachute, Boyce Avenue, The Afters, Hedley, Hillsong, The Script...and that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.
• Nineteen - What are you doing right now? Clearly blogging. Duh. (And listening to music, of course.)
• Twenty - Who do you trust 100% right now? my sister & God
• Twenty one - Where did you get the shirt you are wearing? A 5K from last year.
• Twenty two - Heavy metal music? I can tolerate it to an extent. Like Bullet for my Valentine and the like. But don't give me more than 1-3 songs in a row or I might cry.
• Twenty three - Who Was the last person you hugged. My discipler.
• Twenty four- Is there anything you’re hiding from someone? Not necessarily on purpose. I just don't tend to be the type of person to open up very quickly with people. 
• Twenty five - Who are you thinking of right now? How much I hate that "Get Your Billion Back America" commercial.
• Twenty six - What should you be doing right now? Studying for my multiple tests over the next 3 days.
• Twenty seven - What are you listening to? Hillsong - "Your Name High" just finished, and now I'm jamming to some good ol' Parachute - "Forever and Always." It'll probably be Merle Haggard or Keith Urban in a second.
• Twenty eight - You need new jeans. Quick where do you go? JC Pennies
• Twenty nine - Who was the last person who yelled at you? Someone on the volleyball court.
• Thirty - Do you act differently around the person you like? Can't honestly answer this question...
• Thirty one - What is your eye colour? Brown.
• Thirty two - Who was the last person to make you laugh? Laila.
• Thirty three - Who was the last person to make you angry? Like angry, angry? I have no clue. I can't remember the last time I was actually angry...maybe annoyed.
• Thirty four - Hello Kitty or Dora? (c) None of the above.
• Thirty five - Is your hair naturally curly or straight? Straight.
• Thirty six - Hug anyone of opposite sex in past 24 hours? I don't think so, but it's not a rare occasion. 
• Thirty seven - One thing you want right now? Item: New camera lenses. Concept: Warmer weather. To Do: Take a road trip.
• Thirty eight - Will you fall in love in the next few months? Maybe? It depends. I don't settle, and I'm not afraid to let a guy know that.
• Thirty nine - What does the 5th text in your inbox say? "Tonight?"
• Forty - Are you worried about the future? Not really. It's all an adventure, right?
• Forty one - Are you happy with life right now? Yeah, I believe I am.
• Forty two - Are you currently jealous? Nah. Well...I am jealous of the people who have warmer weather right now; I'm not a fan of cold.
• Forty three – Who's your best guy friend? The cuz.
• Forty four - Do you forgive or forget? I honestly try to do both, but the forgetting part is harder. I guess it depends on what it is, and if it was something that would take a while to build trust back up.
• Forty five - What do you miss the most about elementary school? Recess. Nap time (even though that stopped after Kindergarten). And how easy it was.
• Forty six - Favorite Disney Channel show? I didn't have cable growing up, but I remember always watching The Suite Life of Zack and Cody when I would go over to my cousins' house.
• Forty seven – Who’s 3 of your best girl friends? Lauren, Grace, and Laila.
• Forty Eight - What are you looking forward to? A weekend road trip!
• Forty nine - Does anyone like you right now? idk
• Fifty- Lyrics to the song you’re listening to? "Our lives are made / In these small hours / These little wonders, / These twists and turns of fate / Time falls away, / But these small hours, / These small hours still remain." - Rob Thomas "Little Wonders"

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Life Update: Hope you enjoyed that little tag thing. It was actually kind of fun to fill out. Anyhow, last post I left you in suspense about the SNOW. AND IT CAME. IT REALLY CAME. My classes on Tuesday and Wednesday got cancelled. I still had to go in for work on Tuesday night, but it was actually kind of fun driving through the snow (except for the over the bridge part). I took a TON of pictures all over campus and around the house. Wednesday was full of sledding fun, building a snow man, and hanging out in the snow. It was so fun! (And even though Atlanta experienced a bit of a tragedy, it was amazing to hear some of the stories that came out of it.)

Snow on Campus!

M.J. and I in the Snow

Wednesday Fun in the Snow

Thursday consisted of getting back into the school grind / doing laundry from the snow days. I went to work and met Laila to do some homework and study for a quiz. This past weekend was super exciting - let me tell you. I studied genetics, worked on some microbio stuff, looked over lactation, and studied nutrition. Fun stuff. I also had work on Saturday, and went to a Super Bowl Party on Sunday night. 

Yesterday I had class all morning and then I had group DT and and Restoration dance practice in the afternoon. Rachel, Rachel, and I made a Barbs run for dinner, and then I headed off to my IMPACT meeting. 

So, yeah, now it's Tuesday. I just woke up. I have a runny nose (that better go away before this weekend!). And I'm about to go eat lunch and go to class and then work. Happy rainy Tuesday.

Ciao!

Megan

Video of the Week: Budweiser - "Puppy Love"