One of the questions I love the most is, “What do you recommend?”. Answers usually vary anywhere from tv show & song recs to profound and wise life advice. Just a fun question that lets you take note of the good stuff around ya. If someone were to ask me what I would recommend for the month of October here’s what I would say:
-bald caps as the foundation for your Halloween costume HA
-the “grassy” spot in front of Chuy’s (if ya know, YOU KNOW)
- starting your week with clean sheets
-the Tilt-a-whirl ride at the state fair
-Jello for dessert at roundtable
-always having the Hokas either on your feet or in your car (never know when you might have a chance for a good, solo stroll)
-sending pictures of your Halloween costume(s) to your host family
-the pumpkin cream cheese muffins from Whole Foods (Robin keeps buying them and I’m OBSESSED)
-Taylor Swift (literally any era)
-party hats
-concerts with your host sis-ILY RISA!!!
- 7th grade girls; they’re SO funny and silly and teach me more about the Lord every time I’m with them
-snapping a pic of the fall leaves when the light hits ‘em just right
-playing the whisper challenge game with the funniest people you know (shoutout to my right hand squirrels, this is the nickname me and my fellow ladies have dubbed ourselves as #cityofOaks)
-Generous Justice by Timothy Keller
-sitting at Sola (coffee shop here in Raleigh!) on the perfect CRISP! fall afternoon
-eating lunch outside whenever you can
-going for a walk with your prayer partner
-stay and play after mentoring at Neighbor to Neighbor
-friends who share their Gushers™ with you, even when you never finish the reading for Old Testament
-bonding over celebs with your boss (especially when she used to teach Zumba in the early 2000s and both of you have a soft spot for Pitbull)
I could go on and on, but I’m gonna stop here. October felt really weird at times, and the fact that I’m living in Raleigh for the next year hit me kinda hard this past month. Safe to say that the “honeymoon” phase of Fellows has ended. But I thought that naming the good in the midst of the weird and hard would be grounding and encouraging for my soul. If you made it this far, I hope reading this pushes you to do the same!
“Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.” Psalm 34:8 MSG
With joy and in Christ always,
Kassie Starnes
THE TILT-A-WHIRL!!! Best thing the NC state fair has to offer.
Lauren and I at the ~grassy~ spot.
Bald cap squirrels HAHA
Me and my middle school FRIENDS!!!
Playing jump rope @ Neighbor to Neighbor!