Beautiful Things

Grass, Hammocks, Trees, Sweat, Contentment. Strangely, I smell like all of these things right now. This past week has been wonderful, or at least the weather has been. The load of schoolwork has been entirely too undesirable. The sky has been clear, and the sun has finally made an appearance for more than an afternoon. This weekend was especially nice since I was able to spend a good amount of time outside. Something I do not get the chance to do often enough. Today I was able to go outside after lunch, read for fun and spent the afternoon with some of the greatest friends you could ask for.
   Last night was Spring Formal. It was so much fun. The Museum was great, as usual. The dancing, fantastic. The people, out of this world. It was an awesome night overall.
   This weekend definitely made up for the two or three really late nights that I pulled this week. Hopefully this week will not be as stressful or lacking on the frontier of sleep. I don't end up well when that happens. But this weekend was fantastic. With only a test and a paper due this week, I think it should be a good week. Hopefully I can get through it without a hitch.
   In other news, I am missing home. I greatly miss my Cape Coral. I miss the people there. I do not know when I will be able to adventure down to my beloved Cape. That in and of itself is disconcerting, but I am at peace with it. I know that this is only one other thing that signifies this adventure we all call growing up. This summer I have applied to work here at Covenant on Grounds. This is bitter-sweet since it also signifies the first of potentially many summers away from home. I had a feeling that last summer would be my last in Cape Coral. It was not very comforting, having to leave my home not knowing when I would be able to return again, but that's life. That's growing up. Becoming an adult. All that Jazz.
   However, I feel a sense of acceptance. I am okay with not being home. I miss it, yes. So much. But I know this is just one of the ways that God is growing me. Just one more way He is chipping away the old self and making me into a more mature man. That in and of itself is comforting. It is so wonderful to think of God using this broken and useless person known as Tyler Scharf and making him into someone completely changed. Sure, sometimes that change is painful and unwanted but it's not up to me. 
   I have had the song 'Beautiful Things' by Gungor stuck in my head for a few days. It is so nice to know that He is making me new. Changing me into who He wants me to be. Changing me into someone that more resembles His Son. That. That is comforting, reassuring, wonderful, every positive adjective you can muster up.
 
  That brings peace.

  I love listening to Pastor Lauder's sermons on EPC's website. I love the analogy I heard today. He said in relating to Michelangelo's statue of David, he(Michelangelo)  is quoted as saying he chipped away everything that wasn't David. Pastor Lauder used the same analogy to say that God is chipping away everything in us that He does not see His son. What a comfort. I love that analogy. So, Lord. Chip away. Leave no trace behind of who I was before. 
Take it all.