Priorities

Good grief Charlie Brown! It is hard to set priorities sometimes!

My dear husband is struggling through a college course in order to push himself further in his career, provide for our family, and prove to himself that his potential is farther reaching than he has achieved so far. I whole heartedly agree, but at the same time, I want him to check himself. Compromises must be made.

When I set out to get my degree in January of 1995, I was completely ready to be a nurse. I tried to get through Anatomy and Physiology, and failed. Twice. I was the single mom of one child, and could not wrap my mind around all of that memorization while I was trying to figure out potty training, welfare applications, and trying not to eat very much. I pushed on and tried again. I couldn't get through it. I changed my major. Like... 2 times. I tried nursing again after another failed marriage, this time with 3 beauties in tow, and failed. Finally, I dropped my quite impressive transcript on the table in front of a dear advisor, and asked with as much grace as I could muster, "What can I get out of here with the fastest?" Enter-sociology. I graduated 10 years later with my Bachelor's of Science degree in Sociology with a minor in Women's Studies. I loved those classes and it was a compromise that was very easy to make. When I got out in December of 2005, could I find a sociology or women's studies job? NO WAY, but I did get to where my Father had designed for me all along, teaching.

My beautiful then fiance' asked the loaded question, "If you could do anything, what would you do?" I thought for only a few moments... "I would teach 7th grade social studies." "Then why are you not doing that?" He replied incredulously. Within 6 months of that statement, I was seeking a teaching position with my alternative certification begun and 3 years to complete it, but I could teach!!! I landed an amazingly hard first year, and fell head over heels with a career. A CAREER!!! I could not believe I was in a real job.

Of course, I want this epiphany kind of joy for everyone. It is hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that there are so many beautiful and precious people slaving along in jobs that they dread going to every day. It seems so logical to me... if we are all strategically designed parts of the Body of Christ, we should each have a specific calling, and if we did what we were supposed to do, wouldn't we all have the jobs we were designed to have and be happy as larks? I know... Utopic and far fetched in this day in age of such anger, such abuse, such loveless streets around us. How awesomely, desperately sad.

If you are reading my post right now, sit in the quiet calm of the cool (if you can find it) of the day, search your heart and have the courage to ask yourself, "If I could do ANYTHING, what would it be?" It may not be a career, it may be eat macaroni and cheese for dinner, it may be take a quiet bath with candles, it may be sing a child to sleep, it might be wish on a star. Then again, it might be get the heck out of dodge and ride my bike down to the creek and jump in!

Whatever it is, find the place where you feel most like yourself and listen to the still quiet voice of the Lord that loves you. He wants to give you shade underneath His amazing protection, He wants to trade our complicated ever-so-rushed-yoke for His yoke that is easy and light.

Listen.... Listen....

Be blessed.