Rainy days are my favorite.

It's been raining off and on all day. Sometimes it's pouring and seems like I'm going to need a boat to go anywhere. Other times it's a light drizzle, the kind that makes you want to lift your face to the sky and let the soft rainfall lightly caress your face. Either way, it made me yearn for Disneyland. Some of my best Disneyland memories are covered in rain. Rain seems to cause people to stay away from Dland, which makes it the perfect time to go in my opinion. The Park is deserted and quiet and the lines are so short you can walk on to almost every ride, except Space Mountain which seems to keep its allure in any weather.

My favorite rainy day memory at Disneyland was when we went for my birthday one year. I was turning anywhere from 18-21, I think. We saw Lion King on stage at the Pantages, stayed in a hotel one night and went to Disneyland during that trip but not in that particular order. I do remember, however, that it rained the whole time we were at Disneyland. My most vivid memory that day is of riding California Screamin' with Jon. I have no idea where my parents or Micah were when Jon and I had this brilliant idea to ride a roller coaster in the pouring rain. What I do remember is how much fun we had as we went flying along getting soaked as the raindrops pelted us in the face. It was awesome. Then I remember getting off the ride and running to the bathroom where I attempted to wring out as much water as I could from my clothes and tried to dry off using paper towels and air dryers, which did not prove very effective. And the whole time I was laughing. I remember running around Disneyland that day sopping wet and having the best day ever. For me, on that particular day, it was the Happiest Place on Earth.

I like to take vacations.

I like to take vacations. I'm not talking about taking off to New York City or London for a couple weeks, though I enjoy taking those types of vacations every once in a while, especially when it is to a place I have never been. The type of vacations I'm referring to are the short day-long vacations from life that I seem to need in order to maintain my sanity. As an introvert, I am energized by substantial amounts of time alone. Time to relax away from social interaction. I have discovered though that I need less time by myself than I thought. I used to think that for every few hours I spent socializing I needed another hour to recover. That is not the case now. It seems kinda ridiculous that I used to be so drained by being with people. I still need time to myself just not boatloads of it. However, I do have to say that my four day vacation over Thanksgiving break was very nice. I wasn't completely cut off from human interaction, but I was pretty close for at least a day, and I definitely enjoyed my time just hanging out at home.

My ultimate introvert vacation would be to rent a cottage on the outskirts of a quaint Irish village with just my dog Jack and I in residence. I would spend my days roaming the wilds of the Irish countryside or exploring the cute Irish village and listening to the fascinating locals or writing in a journal while gazing across the beauty of the landscape or curling up with a mug of hot cocoa and a good book by the crackling fire with my dog asleep by my side. That would be a slice of heaven for me.

My Thankful List.

On Sunday, we were asked to think of five things we were thankful for. Well, I have a problem with only choosing five. I have six on my list. It's not very complicated, and it took me all of five seconds to name them: Dad, Mom, Micah, Jon, Kathy, and Amelie. They are the things I am most grateful for any and every day of the year. I probably don't let them know that nearly enough, but they make my life better and make me a better person by being a part of my life.

My dad is my mentor - the person I look to for guidance in my life. He is the wisest man I know, whether we are talking about God and the Bible or people and relationships. Dad is the one who challenges me spiritually and intellectually, always laughs at my jokes, and is the best example of a godly man and husband bar none. Dad is the one person who understands me best.

My mom is my best friend - the person I talk to about anything. She is also the one who teaches me how to do just about anything from making green bean casserole to planning a budget to making a house a home. Mom pushes me to be more in so many ways like coming out of my shell and letting the world see the real me. She is always there to listen and makes everything fun, even shopping.

Micah is an inspiration to me as a follower of Jesus. He lives out his faith in a way that is true and honest and real. He is also so stinkin' talented that it's ridiculous yet he remains humble and wants to use the talents and abilities God has given him for His glory. Micah is also goofy and hilarious and fun-loving and just plain fun to hang out with.

Jon is super intelligent and sharp and witty and sees the world in a way that is completely different from everyone else. He is his own person and comfortable with that. He is real and refuses to conform to anyone else's standards. Jon defies definition. He also loves deeply and loyally. There is a depth to his character and a maturity with which he approaches his responsibilities that has grown in the last few years. He has also taken steps to include me in his life the last few years and that means the world to me that someone as awesome and popular as Jon would want to spend time with me.

Kathy is the person who has made the biggest impact on my life the last few years. She is one of the strongest people I know and her strength is an inspiration. She wants everyone to feel included and I have been no exception. She has become more than a friend, more than just a relative to me. She is the sister I never had. She is the sister I can giggle and act silly with but can also have serious talks and even cry with. Kathy may not always understand introverted me, but she has always loved me just as I am.

Amelie is the one I look forward to getting to know. She is the long-awaited fulfillment of a dream for Jon and Kat. I remember celebrating every completed step in this adoption process so far. I remember praying and crying and waiting with/for Jon and Kat for that day, that someday in the future we were waiting for. And then little Amelie arrived. When I first held her in my arms, I remember thinking that 'someday' had finally come. I cannot believe I love someone so much even though we live so far apart and I am watching her grow up in pictures and videos. Amelie is the one who will grow up calling me Auntie Heather, and I can't wait till she starts school and I can really shine as an Auntie.

So, this Thanksgiving, I am truly thankful for the wonderful family God has blessed me with, and I pray I always remember to count them as my blessings every day.

I'm still learning to share.

I consistently find myself thinking about an event/thought/idea to post to Facebook or Twitter but realize that hours and even days have passed from when that event/thought/idea originally took place and it would be silly and irrelevant to post it now. I wonder why that is? I think I am a fairly intelligent person. I’m not a slow thinker or processor. Not saying I’m on the level with my brother Jon who put most mere mortals to shame with how quickly his brain processes information and makes connections, but I know I process at least at an average speed. So, why does this always happen to me? 

For example, my car battery died Sunday morning. After service, Dad and I got it started again after rolling it out of the garage which took some figuring out since it took us awhile to get my automatic gears into neutral when they remained locked in place with no battery power to turn the car to “on.” All is well now, but that event would be worthy of a quick post to the online world. It’s an interesting anecdote with a happy ending. Then why did it not even occur to me to type up a quick note about it until today?

Here’s my theory: I am not normally an open person when it comes to the details of my life. For so long, I did not share my life with anyone except my family. Everyone else just saw the surface and not the undercurrents that made up the rest of me. I was a very private person. I still am to a degree. The introverted aspect of my personality advises me to keep things to myself. Growing up with parents and a name that everyone knew also influenced me into being more internally focused. However, I have learned that this type of behavior is not beneficial for me when it comes to the relationships I have with people or the lack thereof. Everyday I try to be more open with those I come in contact with, but it is a process. I have to remind myself daily, hourly to share what I’m thinking and feeling. Otherwise, how are people ever going to know who I am? How will they ever come to the realization that I’m pretty awesome if I never let them see the real me?  (These questions are merely rhetorical and merely serve to drive home my point.) 

Thus, I talk to people and join online communities like Facebook and begin conversations with strangers and write in a blog and share myself with the world at large, so that I might be known.

I write stories in my head.

I write stories in my head all day long. Not long novels. More like short stories or vignettes. I look at a person, a stranger, and based on my own observations, craft a story about their life. I very much doubt any of it is true, but this seems to be how my brain is wired. I have a good imagination which I put to good use with this quirk of mine. I think my love of books and reading may have influenced this habit of storymaking. Or maybe the reverse is true. Either way, chicken or egg, it all boils down to the fact that I love stories. I don't think I could ever actually write a novel and really have no desire to do so.

I see pictures, scenes if you will, rather than words in my mind. It is more like watching a short film than anything. Maybe I should become a screenwriter and put this hobby of mine to good use. I'll write the script, Dad can direct, Kathy can star in it, Jon will be my DP (Director of Photography), Micah can write the musical score, and Mom can help keep track of all the details. Of course, the Risinger family is way too multi-talented to be boxed in to one area of the moviemaking process. We would all overlap and help with pretty much every aspect, but these will be their main duties.

What was I talking about again? Right, stories. I think of life as having all those story structure elements: characters, setting, rising action, falling action, conflict, and resolution. God's story has all of those elements and so much more. The thing is I want to be a part of God's story. I want my story to be wrapped up in the Ultimate Story. I want my life story to impact the world because I am part of God's story. I'm ready for the next chapter. I'm ready for whatever comes: action, character development, conflict, relationships, plot twists. What's next, Author of Life?

Harry Potter taught me a lesson.

Tonight I went to the movies to see the latest Harry Potter film with Micah and our friend Lana. We found three seats at the end of a row about five rows back in the stadium seating section. I happened to sit next to a rather large gentlemen who, very soon after I sat down, asked me if I was going to fill out the survey everyone was being given when they walked into the theater. This began an on-again-off-again conversation while we waited for the movie to begin. After the movie ended, he asked me what I was going to write down on my survey regarding my opinion of the movie, and I said "It was freakin' awesome." He agreed. I said it was nice sitting next to him this evening, and he said "Same here." He then said we would probably never see each other again, but his name was Blake by the way. I told him my name, and then we went our separate ways.

Those of you who knew me two years ago would agree with me on this statement: The story I just retold would never have happened because I would not have had a conversation with a complete stranger all by myself. This story is an example of how far I have come in growing as a social human being. I am not near as scared or apprehensive about conversing with people. I am much more brave about interacting with others because I see it as investing in something that lasts: relationships. No matter how brief or how long that relationship, that connection may last, you never know the impact you may have on that person or the impact the other person may have on you. So, thank you, Blake, my new Harry Potter friend. You made an impact on my life. I hope I made a positive impact on yours.

My subconscious likes to hum.

I have hummed tunes under my breath for as long as I can remember. I asked my parents if I hummed as a little girl, and they said, "Oh yeah, you did! To the point of it being an annoyance." I can't seem to help it, though. There is always music playing in my head. It could be a song I heard in passing or a random song my brain picked out from the catalog I have been steadily adding to for the past 20 years or so. Whenever there is a quiet moment, the notes and melody come floating to the forefront of my mind and the humming begins. Sometimes softly and at times, not so softly, as my family can attest to, I'm sure. I guess I can blame my parents for this habit as music has always been a major factor in my life. It is interesting that, though I love music and I constantly have music playing whether I'm at home or work or in the car, I have never pursued it as a talent. I am the least musically talented Risinger in my family, in my opinion. I do not play an instrument. I don't create music or lyrics. My voice is nice but nothing spectacular. However, that has never detracted from my appreciation for the beauty and art that is music. I love the intricacies, the dynamics, the words, the feelings that powerful, meaningful music can provoke in me. I feel closest to God through song. I think that is why I hum. I love music, and I love God, and the two are so intertwined in my heart and soul that I cannot help but break out into a little humming now and then.

Fall is my new favorite season.

Did you all know that leaves change color during the season we call Fall? They do not simply turn brown and fall to the ground in the matter of a few days. In parts of the country where people experience actual weather, the leaves turn these beautiful, rich, autumny colors. It's crazy!! I drove across the bridge that crosses Lake Lanier and just stared awe-struck at the contrast of silver-gray waters, trees in glorious fall colors, and the bright blue sky above. I never realized how starved I was for nature, for the magnificent beauty of God's creation, until I lived in the midst of it. The question of the reason/purpose behind this natural phenomenon entered my mind, and I admit I am curious regarding the scientific significance behind the changing colors of the leaves, but I think knowing might somehow diminish the awesomeness of what I am currently experiencing. Maybe the reason should simply be that God loves beautiful things and He is Creator, and he wants to share the beauty of His creation with us. I cannot help but gaze around me every day this season in awe and wonder at what God has created. Wow...

My mom is awesome.

My mom is awesome for so many reasons. I think the best word to describe Mom is VIBRANT. There is so much life and energy that flows out of her and into the world around her that it makes me tired sometimes just thinking about all she accomplishes. My mom is so grounded in who she is and who she bases her identity on. This quality draws people to her. That and that fact that she is so much fun to be with! You never know what might happen on an adventure with Mom. She is so full of surprises. I think that is one of the reasons I grew up loving surprises. Some days I would come home from school and the furniture in my room would be rearranged or there would be a new book sitting on my bed or she would be  trying out a new recipe for dinner. There is always much fun and laughter to be had when Mom is around.

My mom is the person in my life who challenges me. She challenges me to be more open, to be more loving, to climb out of my introverted self and interact with the world. She challenges me to share myself with others, to go on adventures and not overthink the ramifications of my every action, to take chances. She challenges me to be better than I am. I love my mom, deeply, and I admire and respect the woman of God she is. I want to be like her when I grow up. I wouldn't mind looking as young and pretty either :)

Happy Birthday, Mama!

My brother has inspired me to do this.

Ever since my younger brother Jon began his own writing/photography project, I cannot stop the flow of thoughts in my head. My brain keeps crafting different concepts for blog posts all day long, so I thought: why not start my own project? I know it's a little late for me to start a blog, but I never have been what you'd call a trendsetter. I'm the one who steps back and considers a decision before I act. However, I feel like I have so many thoughts and ideas and metaphors and philosophical questions and stories running through my brain all day of which I probably share less than 5%. So, this is my way of finally cracking open my brain and letting a few of those "thinks" out into the world.

I used to be scared to do so. Scared of what people would think of what I had to say, but I have realized that the only opinion I should truly care about is God's. As long as I please Him and bring Him glory, that's all that really matters. That's not to say that I will not carefully consider what I do decide to post for all to see. There's still too much of the pastor's kid mentality and my own semi-reserved nature ingrained me to do that, but I can speak truth and still be tactful. Suffice it to say, the simple truth of the matter is I really don't care how many people actually end up reading my posts. This project of mine is more for my benefit, for me to have a creative, literary outlet for my thoughts, feelings and ideas. So, if you happen to be reading my words, then welcome to my world!