The other night I was sitting in my chair, in my living room, looking around and was struck with the realization that this is my life. This is not what I thought 24 was going to look like, and that is ok!
When I was younger I loved to read L.M Montgomery and in her novels about Emily, her heroine wrote a letter to herself, from 12 to 24 (or some ages close to that). That made me think about what I would have written to myself, imagining myself doing.
I would have included something about the kids (obviously by 24 I would have been a mother several times over because I was destined to marry my high school sweetheart!). I am sure I also would have asked several questions about my amazing career. Lets see, when I was 12 I would have been in the 6th grade. I believe those were my Marine Biology years - I was going to spend my life devoted to Orca Whales. Besides being an amazing mother and getting all A's in college!
Instead, I am living in Ekalaka, Montana. Since I didn't even know this town existed until just over 2 years ago this wasn't my plan when I was 12. Also, I'm not quite sure where exactly my high school sweetheart went to high school, but it definitely wasn't Hillcrest! My job is not quite the same as living on an ocean, working with whales, but it is so much better. I could have spent my life working with animals that didn't know I existed, but instead, God in His Mercy, is allowing me to serve at a place where I get to have an impact on lives for eternity. What an overwhelming privilege!
So looking back, did I think about things like scrubbing down the toilet and doing never ending laundry? Did I imagine vacumming and sweeping and shoveling the sidewalk? Did I imagine having to fix the internet and pray that Satan would leave my technology alone? Did I imagine crying with people as they mourned the loss of a loved one? Did I imagine telling a mother that her daughter was not a pleasure to have in my cabin? Did I imagine crying myself to sleep some nights because of the overwhelmingness of life? Did I imagine living by myself? Well, no.
But I also didn't imagine working with AWANA and getting to know the sweetest kids in Ekalaka. I didn't imagine getting the privilege of getting to know 50 college students who came to Trail's End to serve God. I didn't imagine spending six weeks of my summer counseling girls and loving it! I didn't imagine getting the privilege of relying fully on God for my support and source of income and getting to see Him provide! I didn't imagine how He would use this time to strengthen my relationships with those that I love back home and to bring new ones in. I didn't imagine how much I have changed and been impacted by these glorious events that I could never have thought or dreamed up.
When I was younger I loved to read L.M Montgomery and in her novels about Emily, her heroine wrote a letter to herself, from 12 to 24 (or some ages close to that). That made me think about what I would have written to myself, imagining myself doing.
I would have included something about the kids (obviously by 24 I would have been a mother several times over because I was destined to marry my high school sweetheart!). I am sure I also would have asked several questions about my amazing career. Lets see, when I was 12 I would have been in the 6th grade. I believe those were my Marine Biology years - I was going to spend my life devoted to Orca Whales. Besides being an amazing mother and getting all A's in college!
Instead, I am living in Ekalaka, Montana. Since I didn't even know this town existed until just over 2 years ago this wasn't my plan when I was 12. Also, I'm not quite sure where exactly my high school sweetheart went to high school, but it definitely wasn't Hillcrest! My job is not quite the same as living on an ocean, working with whales, but it is so much better. I could have spent my life working with animals that didn't know I existed, but instead, God in His Mercy, is allowing me to serve at a place where I get to have an impact on lives for eternity. What an overwhelming privilege!
So looking back, did I think about things like scrubbing down the toilet and doing never ending laundry? Did I imagine vacumming and sweeping and shoveling the sidewalk? Did I imagine having to fix the internet and pray that Satan would leave my technology alone? Did I imagine crying with people as they mourned the loss of a loved one? Did I imagine telling a mother that her daughter was not a pleasure to have in my cabin? Did I imagine crying myself to sleep some nights because of the overwhelmingness of life? Did I imagine living by myself? Well, no.
But I also didn't imagine working with AWANA and getting to know the sweetest kids in Ekalaka. I didn't imagine getting the privilege of getting to know 50 college students who came to Trail's End to serve God. I didn't imagine spending six weeks of my summer counseling girls and loving it! I didn't imagine getting the privilege of relying fully on God for my support and source of income and getting to see Him provide! I didn't imagine how He would use this time to strengthen my relationships with those that I love back home and to bring new ones in. I didn't imagine how much I have changed and been impacted by these glorious events that I could never have thought or dreamed up.
So yes, this is my life. Lucky lucky girl that I am!
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