concerts, comfort, & college

yes, what do these 3 C's have to do with one another? let me tell you as it is more than just my love for literary alliteration. These are just a few things in my stream of consciousness this evening...
concerts
tonight entailed a last minute quick decision (at 7:45 when it started at 8:00 in Grand Rapids) to change out of the pjs and into a hoodie and my puffy vest. And I am so glad we did because we headed to Calvin to check out Eric Peters who did not disappoint. Head to his site to hear him and if you only listen to one song, I would encourage "save something for grace". My favorite lyrics of the evening perhaps:

save something for grace
she’s raising the sky
save something for faith
there’s hope still in her eyes
save something for grace

we live as though mercy were frail
and forgiveness merely a tale

I also loved the song "chrome" from his newest release that speaks the story of a bicycle left behind in a commuter lot that was without it's wheels and rusted out and how it longed to be made chrome again. redemption.

comfort
I am realizing more and more again how much more I feel like me in flats than heels, in long sleeve tees than business suits. I love dressing up for work but when I am engaging in life and conversations over coffee, you find me at my happiest and at home in my ballet flats and my Chicago half-marathon tee with the hole in the arm. And no, Ryan, it is NOT time to throw that tee away.

college
This month marks 5 years since I left my time as a student at Taylor. I got a bit nostalgic in my own mind tonight sitting in the coffee shop at Calvin for the concert. Actually, more than that, the emotion if I truly seek to place it is grateful.

Now that I have been further out of college for more years than I was there, I still cannot believe how gracious God was with giving me the opportunities to encounter Him in the midst of what could have felt like religion, to experience true community with friends, to love on those freshman (probably one of the most impactful decisions I made on campus to spend junior year as a PA), and to share endless evenings over breadsticks at Handy Andy, in the D.C., and in the Student Union much like the one we were in tonight.