#I don't know if i can bear to live through all 15 seasons again

[nag-mamahal]

I don't even follow Supernatural content anymore but my front page is flooded with Misha Collins (yet again!) Ik he's fruity but how many times does he have to come out of the closet as a heterosexual

[amuseoffyre]

Just had GO s2 on in the background while I was doing some craft and some percolating thoughts came out of the first Maggie and Nina exchange.

Nina: See anything you fancy? Maggie: Oh. Yes. Coffee. Nina: The usual, then? Don't tell me, it's in here. You're a skinny latte. Maggie: You remembered :) Nina: A lot of people in this head, and a lot of coffees, but I only remember the regulars.

Now bear with me on this mental ramble as I try and put these thoughts in order. I'll divide it into three points:

Mind-altering and memory muddles

There's a running motif through the whole season about memory and the loss thereof:

Gabriel removing his memory ("all the bits that make you you")

Crowley forgetting who Furfur was repeatedly

Aziraphale and Crowley's miracle basically casting confusion over the bookshop and muddling everyone's minds

the threat of erasure of memory and demotion (and am still sure Muriel is a previous demotee on account of the 37th level thing. 3s and 12s! Those are the recurring numbers in the book! 37 doesn't make sense! 36, yes! 37, no!)

putting memories somewhere else (Gabriel's fly but also Aziraphale's journals)

Coffee

As with the memory element, coffee is a running theme through the whole show as well.

Crowley chugging espressos like there's no tomorrow

Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death - "does anyone ever choose death?" asks the Metatron, when the answer is obvious

Coffee's symbolism in the final 15. Let me yell about the symbolism of Coffee = Crowley and all things mortal and living and human and earthly. OR DEATH. ("I have ingested things, you know")

The flavours in the Metatron's coffee order also having allegorical symbolism - almond branches in various parts of The Book are a reminder that God is Watching.

The human avatars of the angelic and divine

Initially when I started watching S2, I assumed the parallels between Maggie and Nina were obvious: Maggie, the sunshine one, is the Aziraphale, while Nina, the grumpy one, is the Crowley. But I was wrong.

Nina is the human avatar of Aziraphale.

Maggie: how can you think about that after all this? Nina: People need coffee, I sell coffee, it's my coffee shop.

Nina defines herself by the place she works, it is who she is and she does it because people need it (coffee), much like Aziraphale defines himself by the place he worked (Heaven), it's who he is (an angel) and he does it because people need it (goodness).

Likewise, when they go and tell Crowley off for the way he's interfered in their lives, Nina says she's just getting out of a messy relationship and isn't ready for something new yet (again, Aziraphale and Heaven vibes because that fully impacts every decision Aziraphale makes through S2) and if Maggie is around when she's ready, then maybe, they can try. ("If she's there" "I will be :) ")

And then we have Maggie, the Crowley avatar. Useless at saying what she wants to say, tries to express herself and her emotions with gestures and gifts, offers her company and time when Nina needs it, happy to help her despite the way Nina is wary of the kindness being shown.

By the end of the season, Nina is caught behind the bar of her coffee shop, working and serving ungrateful people, while Maggie is alone in her empty shop, asleep on her counter, paralleling Aziraphale going back to work in a place where he will run himself off his feet to do the right thing, while Crowley is left with an empty shop.

But now to spin back to the original quote from 2x01, it feels like all of these motifs are tying together and foreshadowing something, very possibly an Aziraphale who has lost his memory/had his memories stripped away.

Let me rewrite the lines with only a tiny couple of changes:

Aziraphale: See anything you fancy? Crowley: Oh. Ngk. Company? Aziraphale: The usual, then? Don't tell me, it's in here. You're the demon Crowley. Crowley: You remembered :) Aziraphale: A lot of angels in this head, and a lot of demons, but I only remember the regulars.

If I'm right, he remembers Crowley, but only the surface level like Nina remembers Maggie. Nothing about who they were to each other, nothing about what has happened. But have no fear, Muriel has the bookshop and the thousands and thousands of years of Aziraphale's memories bound up in text form.

Especially prescient since Muriel is given a book by the Metatron Crowley which is a novel where a man pieces together a story from documents that have been left behind. Schroedinger's journals will be making a return in S3, I have no doubt.

[moomoorare]

Okay guesses for what the next season will be called are always hilarious. I gotta take a shot at it too.

Here's my guesses:

- Spare life

Each session you can give your best buddy an extra life, but you'll lose all saturation so you better have food. It's a very secretive series where it's revealed all the hearts were either given to Pearl, who asks them so nicely. To Jimmy the most pathetic guy in the series who BEGS for them. Or Scar, who scams them out of their pockets with a new mechanic called "Trick Track Truck", at least that's what he calls it.

The mechanic is actually useful because the one who gains the most will be brought back to life to fight with the last remaining player.

Jimmy still loses but comes second to last. Gem wins because I want her to.

- One life

Hate this title, great because it confuses people even more with the numbering scheme. Anyways it's actually a murder mystery dinner they all have to solve. They can't really solve anything because they keep killing each other. That doesn't matter because actually they have like 15 lives, also there's a bomb. No one wins. Kidding!!! Skizz wins cus he was the one faking being shot at the murder mystery party he sat up.

-False Life.

Because I want False to be added. That's it. 🥰

-Cub Life

Or Cub. Who's a literal bear that stalks them and makes increasingly crazy ass machines to fuck with them. Also they're all A/B/O coded.

- Zombie Life

Everyone has to run from Cleo who gets massive w's and can kill them all with a stick. They actually start a cult or church for her, ran by Scar, Bdubs and Etho. Grian too bc he's always into that shit. And Gem and Pearl, because I'd like that. Cleo wins again because the others all kill themselves. Also she accidentally kills Bdubs at the start of the season after he says Yuri time for the fifth time she hangs out with the Girrlss.

-One Life for Life

the one who survives the longest has gotta then live through the season like an hardcore world, alone. It sounds sad, but actually all the dead are haunting them. Weait, oh yeah that's sad. Anyways, they win a jackpot of one million netherite scarps and nothing else. So they can say they're rich.

- Grian Life

they all look like Grian, there's two squads of either fish and bird, but they all look like him. Absolutely useless information that changes nothing.

Tagnames are not shown, theyre all numbered Grian1 through Grian17. Grian isn't even number Grian1.

They have one life. The point isn't even surviving because actually you can respawn. It's kinda like Among Us. There's an impostor and that'll be mumbo. He still loses.

- Dumb ways to die-Life

completely breaks the way it's been titled for years and they all gotta find the stupidest fucking ways to die. If you die to a creeper or fall damage you gain a life. You start with three. Goofiest ass wins this season. Fuck lore-heads.

-Run for your Life

they give /op to one player. They all don't know who. It changes each session, three times. The goal is for the all powerful god to die at least one time, but it has to be at someone else's hand, since they can't naturally die, it's a new mechanic. They can absolutely fuck with people but cannot directly kill them.

- Fuck Life

they all um. no. Well they say "fuuuck life!!!" And immediately try to die faster than anyone else to have the saddest ending. First to die is Jimmy. Poor Jimmy. Somehow he's brought back to life. He still dies right after.

That's just my thoughts after having woken up at 4 pm and going to bed at 5 am. Yeuh

...

So what do you think it'll be? What are your ideas for the next season?

[lemon-inferno]

Reborn Rich episode 15 ✔️

I KNOW I said that I wasn't gonna post about episode 15 separately, but I couldn't help myself after watching it. Mostly because of the ending.

So this is a bit of a brain fuck, but let's attempt to put it in words starting with Hyun Woo's perspective. Hyun Woo kills Do Jun. But as Do Jun said, everything that happened in his past (Hyun Woo) life, will undoubtedly happen again. You can't change the outcome in the end. That means that even if Hyun Woo kills Do Jun, in any universe/life, he will undoubtedly reach the point where he gets killed and is reborn as Do Jun again. Which means that this will keep happening, because the show has not introduced a version of events where the outcome can be influenced and changed (yet, it may happen in the next episode, I think it will anyways). So if we run with the theory that you cannot change the outcome, it means Hyun Woo and Do Jun are stuck in a loop where Hyun Woo constantly kills Do Jun, who is actually Hyun Woo from the previous loop and bears all his memories. WHICH LEADS TO THE QUESTION: Who was first, the chicken or the egg? Obviously there is no Do Jun, if this loop keeps happening we can't really assume it had a strat or that it will have an end. So did Do Jun really exist born AS Do Jun himself and not carrying someone else's memories?

Of course, this theory falls through if in the next episode Do Jun manages to change the outcome and survive (again, I feel like this is a very likely scenario because otherwise it makes no sense that they are stuck in a loop, because it's really only one person then). However, the sole reason Do Jun started this journey to take over Soonyang was to take revenge for Hyun Woo's death. But we saw Do Jun, after having taken over Soonyang, having doubts about what his real goal was by the time he took over. His mind and heart were moved by his grandfather and in the end, I belive, the path he walked was for his grandfather.

I only wish we saw more of Do Jun's parents in this show though. I wish they showed us how growing up with a different family and growing to love them had an effect on him too. We can see tiny bits here and there, and we can see that Do Jun sincerely loves them. I do understand that from the moment he woke up in the car with them he already had the mind of a 40yo, but still, he spent another lifetime with them. It would've had an impact on him, an important one imo, and I wish we could've seen it. But anyways.

Yeah, the Hyun Woo kills Do Jun bit is very wacky. I lowkey wish Do Jun doesn't survive so the loop can reset. Or rather, I want to see if it will, because if Do Jun dies again it should natrually reset. I'm interested in that. Probably more so than a happy ending where Do Jun surivives and lives the rest of his days peacefully. I just think the loop is a very interesting material to work with. Imagine if they did reset it and in a fictional season 2 Do Jun and Hyun Woo meet earlier and Do Jun tries to convince Hyun Woo that's it's actually... well him. And they work together to stop the loop and change their inevitable fate. How cool would that be?

That being said, I don't think it will happen. I just like to imagine it.

Anyways, that's all I have from this episode. Well, there is more, but I don't want to break my word. I want to keep it for the last post after I've seen episode 16.

Honestly though, Hyun Woo and Do Jun working together in a time loop. Double the Joong Ki.

[creatememorieswithme]

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

—John 15:5

Testimony

I remember the time I was living for the world. I was thirsty for secular achievement because I needed validation from the people around me. Then I thought to myself, "Is this it? After achieving this, what's the next big thing?" After fifteen seconds of praise from other people, I felt empty. As the popular song by Adele said, "Should I give up? Or should I just keep chasing pavements? Even if it leads nowhere." It did feel like I was chasing pavements that led up to nowhere. Being praised for achievements felt good for a couple of minutes, but that's it. It did not feel fulfilling. It felt like buying a new dress that fished for compliments, but after taking it off, I'm back to being naked, and I end up buying more clothing to fish up compliments, and then I take off the clothes again. It feels so drying and superficial; hence, I wasn't fulfilled. When I came to know who Jesus really was during an encounter, it changed me. I didn't need to prove myself to others anymore just to seek validation. My whole existence was validated through Christ after that encounter. I realized that I wasn't fulfilled by my achievements because I did not bore fruit. The praise that I got from those achievements felt dry because that's all there is—fifteen seconds of fame and I'm back to grinding and believing in my flawed self to attain yet another achievement. Where is the fruit there? If anything, all I got from it was anxiety attacks to perform better. You achieve something, and people praise you for a little while. You make a small mistake, and they paint you as a bad guy for the longest time. But having an encounter with Christ was different—whether you achieve something or make a mistake, it doesn't matter, He has saved you and He is always there for you. Whatever season you are facing, He is going to be with you. No longer I was chasing pavements that led to nowhere, I was walking the path He made for me with Him. He also made me feel like I did not need to outperform my previous performance just to get validation from Him. He is the vine that quenched my thirst. I don't need to seek validation anymore because He already achieved everything for me which gave meaning to my life. And when I realized that, I bore fruit. Before, I was afraid to "fail". Now, failure is just part of my journey with Christ and the most important thing is that I am walking with Him. Without Him, I can never get out of that toxic mindset and I'll be stuck paranoid and anxious. Without Him, I can do nothing, but being His branch gave fruits in my life that made me full and satisfied.

Prayer Merciful Father in heaven, I speak to the Spirit of Truth that You've given me. You knew me while I was in my mother's womb. You knew that I was going to be bound in chains. I was questioning You a lot and I was impatient. Little did I know that You had plans for me. The enemy thought he had me, but Jesus said, "You are mine." I was so lost, looking for directions, not knowing that Jesus, The Only Way, was there beside me all along and He had never forsaken me. He called me because You called me. I thought, "I guess that's all there is to life, huh?" But you proved me wrong. There's more to life than there is because Jesus is life Himself. I was dead, but now I am alive. I used to laugh at Christians saying those things, but it's true—Jesus gives life because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I pray that others who only know Him by name would get to really, really know Him—have an encounter with Him and have a relationship with Him—because I couldn't imagine life without Him anymore. It's not even about fear-mongering people about the punishment of hell—it's about missing out on living life to the fullest because they don't know who Jesus really is. I used to fear death before I knew who Jesus really was, but now my greatest fear is eternal separation from Him. Now that I walk with Him, I don't want to be left behind. I want to keep on walking with Him for eternity. I used to cry tears of anxiety and depression, but now, I cry tears of joy I couldn't fully explain—tears of peace that I never knew that it's possible. I thought tears were only meant for sadness, but the tears I have right now are a banner of victory and freedom through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You. That's all I could ever give—my gratitude. No longer do I need to achieve things to please others; my life is dedicated now to worship and give thanks to You because You have done everything—and it is finished. Amen.

[lindajenni]

jan 8

if we're still here

"then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight." luke 24:31 more and more i heard preachers i respect making that statement everyday.  they, and i, expect a little vanishing of our own to be happening soon.  those who are awake cannot help but know the season we are in and how near His coming is.  (i feel it with every breath i take.)  while it is considered a "blessed hope" to many, others should be trembling in fear.  instead, they are running aimlessly around, seeking only "fixes" for their pleasures and agreement with their sin.  "let them alone.  they are blind leaders of the blind.  and if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." matt 15:14 it's funny in a way.  while they claim to be "woke," they are actually asleep at the wheel.  i used to have an uncle that constantly fell asleep while driving.  (driving can be tedious - much like our times of watching.)  for the life of me, i don't know why he never crashed and burned - the grace of God surely stretched to the limits. without doubt, these are hard times we are living through.  but the saints of God have endured such times as these before.  "but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  we are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." 2 cor 4:7-10 but there are none here by mistake. we were all called to this time and purpose.  these times - these trials, they are all set for the glory of God.  just think, of all that were ever born, and many desired to see these times, we are the chosen ones to witness the closing of this age and then to join all for the glorious wedding feast. is your heart longing for Jesus to return?  are you looking for Him?  i am.  the coming of Jesus is really the only hope for this world. and when will that be?  i don’t know.  it may be in the morning when the clouds break open with sunlight and shadows of night recede from the sky.  it may be at noon when the world is hustling and bustling.  it may be at dusk when the birds are singing their evening song.  or at midnight, when the stars will dim by the blaze of glory when He descends from the heavenlies.  i only know that it will be - and that, right soon! what joy fills my heart!  does it fill yours as well to think of that moment?  are you ready? "when you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.  yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure.  do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before." jos 3:3-4 friends, our High Priest, Jesus, entered the waters two thousand years ago now.  we know now the way we must go and it is time for us to cross over; cross from mortal to immortal, from corruptible to incorruptible, from flesh to spirit.  and i'm feeling a twinkle in my eye.  no, we have not gone this way before, but oh what a trip it will be! look up into the skies today and think about His return.  can you hear the sound of a trumpet blowing and the voice of the angels announcing His appearing?  this same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, "will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." john 14:3  it's rapture time indeed! but, "if we're still here," i'll see you again tomorrow.

[minti-tales]

I posted 118 times in 2022

That's 118 more posts than 2021!

62 posts created (53%)

56 posts reblogged (47%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@autumnslance

@hear-feel-think

@driftward

@biot08

@sabbactroll

I tagged 97 of my posts in 2022

Only 18% of my posts had no tags

#final fantasy 14 - 79 posts

#final fantasy xiv - 75 posts

#final fantasy oc - 69 posts

#rava viera - 29 posts

#queue'd - 24 posts

#minti wol - 22 posts

#dark knight - 22 posts

#ffxiv - 16 posts

#duskwight elezen - 12 posts

#final fantasy viera - 11 posts

Longest Tag: 48 characters

#i'm intimidated by the butt pounder of the opera

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Let resilience be associated with Sabbatine, this Warrior of Light, who perseveres. She nods in silent agreement on the eve of wargames with the cities of Eorzea, selected as the champion of Ishgard.

The common people of Ishgard sing through her guns. They stand shoulder to shoulder with the high-and-mighty knights of the Houses.

4 notes - Posted November 3, 2022

#4

I answered this as Minti. I was surprised to see that it picked her out pretty accurately!

Your Result:

corruption arc

so. you got worse. and i'm not entirely sure i can blame you for it. maybe it was in you all along, hidden and waiting, or maybe someone planted it in you and watched it grow. either way, it's there now and you hold it in your fist like a second heart - this blood, this hunger, this thrill of having teeth and using them. perhaps you are right to. you are a mirror for the hardness of the world, and a mirror that we could all stand to look in more often. it's hard to watch the bleeding bring about more blood, but it is undeniable that you are very good at wounding.

Got tagged by @yzeltia

Tagging @windup-dragoon

5 notes - Posted December 6, 2022

#3

Begin at the beginning.

Once upon a time, as many stories begin, there once lived a rava viera, a rabbit person, in the faraway land of Eorzea.

But she was not always a rabbit. Stories change. Fantasias change our Warriors of Light.

Bear with me.

....

A long-time World of Warcraft player, motivated by friends stuck in their homes due to COVID, decided to roll a character in Final Fantasy XIV, which is critically acclaimed, as anyone will tell you.

So did one Warrior's story began, after laughing at the angry voice lines, and adjusting the chest meter to max, and other character customization shenanigans. This elf would be a version of their troll, Sabbac.

And so, we must begin the story again.

....

Once upon a time, in the faraway land of Eorzea, a Duskwight Elezen stepped off a boat bound for the seaside city of Limsa Lominsa. She did not know that one day, she would become a rabbit. She was just a wide-eyed elf then, ready to begin her journey as an arcanist and full member of the Adventurer's Guild.

This was during Shadowbringers, before the Summoner reworkings in Endwalker.

She was not a hero yet. Leporidaezation was far off in the future.

6 notes - Posted October 26, 2022

#2

*whispers softly nearby*

Roe-vember.

Should Minti go back to being a FemRoe? Lemme know!

8 notes - Posted November 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

And Now We Say Good-Night

Inspired by a Discord conversation. Featuring @driftward's character, Zoissette; Y'shtola; Thancred; and Minti Chocolate. Sprouts beware, spoilers for Endwalker are over there!

"I don't know what to tell you, other than that she's been lying on the fainting couch for hours, not really moving."

Minti Chocolate, one of Gage Acquisitions' newer viera employees, nervously shifted her feet in front of the two guests. She wasn't accustomed to talking to the Warrior of Light's entourage, much less former members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Riff-raff off the street looking for a fight? Easy. She was a seasoned adventurer; taking out the local goons was like blowing her nose. However, neither adventuring school, nor her boss, could prepare her for a visit from two of Eorzea's greatest heroes. Two thought crossed her mind, staring at their black, wizened staff and shining gunblade: I'd be dead before I hit the ground. And: the cat's smaller than I imagined. Best not to say those things aloud.

"It would be fair not to make any assumptions yet, Miss Chocolate," said Thancred Waters, handsome hyur of Ul'dah who traded breaking hearts for gunblades. He turned to his shorter companion. "Though it is rather odd that she hasn't awoken yet. When would you say she arrived at the free company house?"

"Nine bells in the morning, two days ago," replied Minti, confidently. "She ate, changed out of her armor, and excused herself to the common area downstairs. She was snoring for a little bit, but now she's gone quiet and hasn't gotten up at all."

"I see," said Y'shtola Rhul, noted miqo'te black mage and one of the Warrior of Light's closest confidants. "You'll permit me to attend her?"

Minti nodded. "Of course. If you'll come down the stairs to the common room? Mind the floor - the lizard is redecorating." She rolled her eyes. "Again." She rolled her eyes.

"The lizard?" asked Thancred as he descended the stairs.

"One of our company members. They're the resident decorator. They have an eye for perfection, which means that they're going to gut the floor and replace it with marble, or whispering stone, or that odd block Zoissette got from the Palace of the Dead. I could *swear* I've seen faces in it."

Thancred gave Y'shtola a bemused look before turning back to the viera. "Sounds like they're quite the character."

"They are!" Minti gestured over to the fainting couch, where an dark-haired elezen in a nightgown was sleeping peacefully. At least, they appeared to be peaceful. "And there's the princess herself. If you need anything, just call upstairs, someone will hear you. Probably."

With that, Minti went back up to the stairs and outside to the stables, where a naughty brown chocobo was doing their best to avoid a bath.

Y'shtola knelt down next to her friend and, with a gentle motion, brushed back stands of hair that'd fallen in front of their face. "These days have been rather hard on you, haven't they?" she said softly. "Our journey to the Thirteenth. Zero. The fiends. It's never easy being Her champion."

As far as the mage could tell, Zoissette's aether appeared as it should, changed though it had been since their first meeting. Nothing missing. No emptiness like that during the Final Days. "Your friends are worried about you, though. And, we need to go back to Radz-at-Han to discuss our findings with Nidhana. So don't think you can keep sleeping like Raha once did. You have work to do. We all do."

Before Y'shtola could get back up, Thancred was next to her with a blanket and hot stone. "I thought the 'princess' might appreciate a little extra comfort before she awakes. Tired herself out, has she?"

Y'shtola nodded. "Sleeping like a babe, our warrior of light. She'll wake soon, if she knows that we're waiting for her." She paused to drape the blanket over Zoissette, give a peck on the cheek, and a pat on the back. "Shall we go upstairs and sit? I'd like to see more of The Lizard's handiwork."

"If it'll help," said Thancred. "I could use some broadening of my Ul'dahn architectural knowledge."

"I didn't know you were such an appreciator."

"Neither did I. First time for everything, I suppose."

8 notes - Posted November 17, 2022

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[toallyouprincesses]

God Called Me A Pineapple.

Today, I’m going to share something God has been teaching me. If you don’t know, I went back to school last year, and I’m working towards my Master’s degree in teaching international languages. I know it sounds fancy but you see, I never wanted to go back to school. I’ve been (mostly) happy working from home as a web designer these past seven years. Who would have thought I would want to change careers? I never saw it coming, to suddenly have such a strong desire to go back to school and become an English teacher. Well, God is full of surprises. So, here I am, finding a way to roll through this season.

While registering for classes this semester, I said, “God, how am I going to do this?” Princesses, on top of school, I also have three jobs. I know that following Christ into the unknown takes a lot of faith, but it’s hard work too. My heart kept saying, “Lord, I know this is your will, but how can I do this, all these things you’ve asked of me?”

A few days after registration, God showed me a vision.

I saw a pineapple trying to roll along steep, rocky hills. It couldn’t get over them. The pineapple was too spiky, and the path was not easy. Then I saw a huge double-edged sword horizontally laying in the ground, half of it above ground and half of it under. Then I saw the pineapple begin to roll on this sword. As it rolled, the part of the sword that was sticking up above ground began to cut off the rough edges of the pineapple and make it smooth. Once this pineapple was spike-free and completely polished, it rolled off the sword and onto level ground and was able to roll forward, with ease and agility.

He said to me, “Daughter, you are this pineapple.“

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. – Proverbs 3:5-6

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” -Hebrews 4:12-13

First, let’s focus on the fact that God just called me a pineapple. (What happened to “princess”?) Second, on a deeper note, He began to speak to me and said if I gave Him the first part of my day, honor His Sabbath, and watch no TV all semester (this was Him cutting off all the edges of my pineapple life), He would help me do everything I need to do. He said through this process, He would make the rough paths smooth for me. He would give me favor, where I lack He would provide, and what was once challenging and difficult to understand would become easy. His request was that I would, in exchange, give Him the first moments of my day, spend one day per week without doing school work or working, and let go of watching TV. In other words, if I give Him my time before anything else, He would give me everything else.

Abide Rhymes With Hide

He is teaching me that the only way I can do what He’s called me to do is through abiding in Him.

Note: Actually, He's taught me this plenty of times before. I'm just a silly little human that forgets, begins to think I'm strong and have it all together, until I realize I don't and need God. Again. :) Same lesson, new season. Also, I think it's cool that "abide" rhymes with "hide", because that's what abiding means - hiding/surrounding yourself with God.

Everything that God calls us to do is absolutely impossible on our own — that’s why it seems scary and daunting — but at the same time, it’s absolutely possible when we do it with God. He wants us to be one with Him. There’s no substitution or excuse that we can use to hide from Him, because He’ll pursue us until we are hidden in Him, and until then, we can do nothing.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” – John 15:4-11

This semester, I decided to try this out, like an “experiment”. I would do what God asked and see what would happen. I let Him adjust my life, cut away what He wanted, while I rolled along His sword, molding me into who He wants me to be. Princesses, He is faithful. I’ve been more joyful this semester; I feel at peace. There’s no resemblance of my stressed, almost-pulling-out-my-hair, self from last semester. Although, I must say the temptation to disobey is strong. I’ll say to God, “It’s been a long day, can I just watch one show?” (No.) Then when I know my homework is due Monday, but I promised God Sunday I would take to rest, to take out my book and start reading is so tempting. Though, you know what surprises me? Every time I refuse the enemy’s voice and say, “Lord, I don’t know how, but I believe you’ll make a way if I obey,” He absolutely comes through in the most insane ways.

A few weeks, my professor told us we needed to observe and co-tutor with someone in the writing center and write about our experience. Well, for two weeks, every time I went in there were no students. Then last Monday, my professor said he wanted us to have our observation notes ready by Wednesday to discuss what we had learned. I begged God to send a student to the center. Tuesday – no students. Wednesday, I went to the center a few hours before class, desperate. I heard God tell me to ask my friend if I could co-tutor with her if anyone came in. I did and then waited for two hours. ONE hour before my class, this girl walks in with an assignment. Someone else from my class jumped up and asked to tutor with my friend, but she said she already promised me I could sit with her. THANK YOU, JESUS! We had the best session, and sure I barely made it to class, but I made it and had all my notes ready for the discussion. God did it!

I don’t know what to say. I’m surprised by the love of God.

Who am I that God should care? I’m just some girl in the world, one in seven billion, studying to be an English teacher. There’s nothing that extraordinary about me, I’m average, a pineapple. Then, He comes and says He wants more time with me, to help me write my papers, to do my classes with me, to be the shoulder I can lean on. He wants to make me a better person. He wants to create with me. He wants me to rest in His arms. What kind of God is this that He would love us so intimately, so beautifully and patiently? I’m in awe. He loves us so much.

What Is God Saying to You?

Wherever you are, however your day looks, take a moment to stop and listen. God has something to say to you, and it’s probably not what you think. Be still. What is He is saying?

Are you tired, friend? Do you feel far from God? Have you been stressed and anxious these days? Do you need rest and peace? Come to the Father. Give Him your time, and He will give you what you need. Letting Him have the beginning of my day was His request of me, what is He requesting of you?

Father, I thank you for being good, for giving me this grace to grow with you. Thank you for asking for my time, for disciplining me, because I know that the fruit of this process will be worth the sacrifice. Nothing is more important than you. I say this with my mouth, but I want to show you with my actions. Father, bless these girls to walk in righteousness, to walk in a deeper understanding of your love for them. I thank you for creating each of them, precious and royal, formed in your hands. I ask that you continue to mold us, Lord. Help us to be more like you, Jesus. Take away anything that would hinder us from being near to you. Speak your truth to these princesses, and may they hear you with such absolute clarity. May we go into this world, shining bright, because we have first chosen to abide in You. We love you, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

With all my love, The Pineapple Princess

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?…. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 3But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6:26, 30-33

God Called Me A Pineapple. was originally published on To All You Princesses