Thoughts, Ideas, and my Future

I wonder how long it’s been since I have posted last?! Quite a while, anyway. I’ve had lots of things circling through my mind—thoughts of the future, of what I need to get done before my Grandparents come from the States for three weeks, of my schooling this year and in the future, of my writings...the list is endless.

I think quite a bit, even though I always seem to have some kind of sound around me—I love listening to audio stories, and have been listening to several lately. These include God’s Smuggler, by Brother Andrew and John and Elizabeth Sherrill, The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom, and several other short thirty-minute stories. I also enjoy listening to the Christian Radio, and usually listen to at least a little of that each day (unless I’m listening to the classical music I’ve downloaded into my computer!). That’s not mentioning my very talkative six brothers! :) Anyway...I’m kinda off on a rabbit trail.

One thing I've been learning is how to love the Creator of  these. 
They're hard, hard places to be in. But He knows better than I do what 
I need to grow.
Picture Credit: 'impending storms' by paul bica is licensed under CC BY 2.0

One of the biggest things I’ve been thinking about lately is my future. I’m a decade-and-four years old now, and I suddenly realised that about two weeks ago when we were starting school again—my second year of high school. At the time that I realised it, I was helping some wonderful Christian friends in a vineyard that they manage just a few kilometres up the road from where we live. They were asking Simon (second child down from me) what he wanted to do with his life, and he was telling how he wanted to be a carpenter or a farmer. They asked me, too, and the first thing that flashed into my mind was what I had thought of several years before—my dream of being a nurse. They encouraged me in it, and I guess that’s what really set my mind a-thinking.

But would I really be able to be a nurse? Of course, I know that there are risks involved in going to college. I’ve heard of people that have lost their faith going through college. But on the other hand, I would have a chance to be a witness for Christ in a place like that.

I’ve always enjoyed taking care of hurt and sick people, trying to make their lives better in any small way. I can really see myself excelling in a profession like that. It’s something I excel in (at least, Mum thinks so—I think her views of me are a little prejudiced, though!), and it would be a way I could support myself if I remained single all my life. If I didn’t, it would be good training to have as a mother or missionary!

So that’s one of the many things I’ve been pondering lately (and praying about—a lot!). Dad and Mum support me in it, and even if I don’t end up becoming a nurse, it does give me some purpose in life—I won’t be just waiting for something to happen this way, I’ll have something to work toward. If you could join me in praying about this, I would be very grateful. I’m still searching out the Lord’s will in this.

Before I can decide on a definite “yes” or “no”, I’d have to consider several things—such as, Where would I get the money for it? It costs about $6,000 for the initial training, not to mention at least $1,000 for books. Then you have living costs on top of that. Dad and Mum won’t be able to pay for it—they don’t have enough money anyway, and I’ll be the one using the degree, not them! Is it God’s will that I go? Before making any decision like this that will take away three years of my life, I need to be absolutely positive this is the Lord’s will. Would it be good for me to be away from my family like this? I really don’t know. If I did go, I’d probably leave home when I was 18 or 20. My youngest brother would be only about 4-6 years old then. Mum was married when her youngest brother was 6, and she hardly feels like she knows him any more. I’m sure that would be the same for me—would I be willing to sacrifice a relationship like that all for the sake of a career? What a sobering thought!

Sometimes it takes the rough roads to get us to the mountain-tops.
Picture: "Rhone Valley" by Christian Meichtry is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Besides thinking about nursing, I have thought of other things. I’ve been thinking about these up-’n-coming seven weeks when we’ll be absolutely packed full with busyness! At least it will be fun! Grandpas are coming near the end of this month, and will be staying for three weeks. Then we’ll have one week after they leave where we might have some other visitors from the States that will be spending a month here. At the end of that week, Mum, Simon, Elijah, the baby and I are all flying to the States for my aunt’s wedding, staying there three weeks, and coming back. Talk about whirlwind trips! :) Its gonna be absolutely heaps of fun, though. Before we go, I needed to make several things—four dresses (two for Mum, two for me); a slip and nightgown or two for myself (I had a flannel one that’s been cut out and waiting for me to take time to put it together ever since last winter!); two books of pictures Mum wants to take along; editing of another book of Mum’s journal over the past year; and several other things I can’t remember! So I was feeling pretty pressed for time, especially because I didn’t want to push things off until Grandpas are here because we’re taking time off from school then. I want to spend those precious few weeks with them! :)

I’ve also been thinking about my writings. I haven’t written a whole lot lately, but most of you (if not all!) know about the novel that I was writing. About a month ago, I was struggling along trying to get it all finished before our busy autumn started. Well—I got kinda burned out. So I decided to stop. Yup, you read that right! I badly needed a break—I had been trying to do it for three months then, and near the end I wasn’t getting anywhere. So I’ve stopped until the beginning of May, anyway—maybe longer than that, depending on how long it takes me to get back into the swing of school and everyday life again after we get back. I’m thinking about participating in NaNoWriMo again this year, though, and trying to decide if I want to try to work on this book again, or do another one (I have an idea for another book I could write, too).

"Writing words.." by Fabio is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Other than the novel, I’ve tried to get another Jewels of Jesus magazine out. I’d really, really like to get that done before we go, but its one of those things that I’m not sure if I’ll get it done. So far on my list of things I want to do, I have finished my slip and nightgown, cut out three of the four dresses (we had to shrink the material for one of them, so I couldn’t cut it out right away), sewn up one of them, and am planning to start working on the next one Monday. Basically, in the next week, I have three days to get three dresses made (unless I stay home from Christchurch one day that week; that will give me one day), two books finished, and another one edited. Grandpas are (Lord willing!) going to land in exactly six days, 21 hours. :) Okay, that might not be exact to the hour, but it’s pretty close. ;)

That’s only a small portion of the thousand things I’ve thought about recently. I certainly have enough to keep myself busy for a long time! Please don’t be surprised if I end up not posting for two months...I won’t want to go that long, but I might not have time to do it. We’ll see as time goes on. :)

I also wanted to share with you my favourite posts this week that I’ve come across. I really enjoyed them, and I’m sure you will, too:

Behind the Holiday

at Eden and Proverb

http://edenandproverb.blogspot.co.nz/2013/02/behind-holiday.html

“St. Valentines day is seen by many as a fun and romantic holiday, and thought to be in honour of a Christian martyr. But believe it or not, I've been doing my research and, it is actually a disguise of immoral, corrupt festival customs and sacrifice to pagan gods....” 

I found this one very interesting. Even though we’ve never celebrated Valentine’s day (besides saying, “Happy Valentines day!” or something like that), it really opened my eyes to seeing just why we don’t do it. If you’ll read it, you’ll know what I mean.

and...

Beautiful One

at Kindred Grace

http://kindredgrace.com/beautiful-one/

“My Beautiful One, 

“I saw you try to hide those tears yesterday. It wasn’t easy because you were sitting in a classroom, surrounded by your peers. What luck, you thought, that the girl next to you had just sprayed copious amounts of perfume and you could blame wet eyes on an allergic reaction.... You’re getting really good at hiding behind false pretenses.... But, I see behind the carefully crafted masks you wear from day to day....”

I absolutely loved this short letter from “Abba” to his “Beautiful One”--you and me. It’s so sad, but also so true. How I wish I could be more like Him. I saw myself so clearly in this letter. How great His Love is for us!

Alright, that will keep you going for quite a while. Have a wonderful week—or month, or however long it is until I post on here again! May God pour His blessings upon each and every one of you in the days ahead.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

With love, 

P.S. Thanks for praying for me!