Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Entries from April 1, 2008 - May 1, 2008

Entries from April 1, 2008 - May 1, 2008

Wednesday
Apr162008

Too Much Future


So, we were visiting the college my daughter plans to attend this coming fall. I had driven for 3 hours, 146 miles. After attending some of the admissions seminars, I realized there is really no point to being on campus this weekend, except that my daughter and her friend love the place and wanted to be there. They had received free tickets for visiting the campus that weekend to a Casting Crowns concert. Other than that, the girls just wanted to hangout in a place they love. Lucky me.

However, fall class registrations were open, and since we had travel 3 hours, 146 miles, I thought something other than hanging out ought to be accomplished. My daughter could have registered on-line from home, 3 hours, and 146 miles (mostly two lane roads with 45 mile an hour speed limits) away, but since we were there, and something other than drinking very good coffee should be accomplished, and the computer lab was open, why not register now?

In we went. My daughter talked with the Dean of Admissions. He gave her a list of required courses. He informed her, if she wanted to complete a degree in education, these were the courses she had to take. We sat down at a terminal, and then she freaked. There was panic in her eyes. What if she didn’t want to be a teacher, what if she would prefer to work towards a business degree, how could she make these decisions, what if she hated her classes.

What if I make a mistake?

What am I supposed to do mom?

I think for the first time she realized that attending college was not an end in itself but a means to an end. She isn’t absolutely sure where she is heading, so how can she start.

We did have the list of requires courses. She had to take one education course. She wouldn’t be locked in, her future set in stone, her first semester freshman year. That truth wasn't any comfort right then.

She has too much future and no crystal ball to tell her, for good or ill, how her choices would turn out.

God is good. As she was freaking out, the computer system went down. The possibility for signing up for classes at that moment was gone. We could check back later to see if the system was up. Later, as it turns out, we would be waiting in line to try to get good seats at the concert. I’m so not crazy about the concept of general admission to events. Evidently, the priority was concert seats first, signing up for classes another time.

It was God’s grace the computer system went down just then. My daughter needed time to think and pray. Sunday, after traveling 3 hour and 146 miles to get home, she sat down at our computer and completed her class schedule in about 45 minutes.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1

Wednesday
Apr162008

Where The Spirit of The Lord is there is Liberty

Imagine being in a place where you are surrounded by 18 to 24 year olds. I know that to some of you this sounds like you are in hell, but hang with me for a minute. These kids (they look like kids to me) are all polite, helpful and engaged in accomplishing whatever purpose to which they were committed.

I was in this place for about 60 hours. I never heard a foul word (really, strange but true). I was bumped into several times, each bumper without fail politely said, “Excuse me.” The girl that backed into my car left a note of apology with all her contact information, insurance information and her parents phone number. There was some physical contact between couples, not a lot, and I never had to look away wishing the couple would just get a room out of public view.

My daughter, her friends, and I attended a sold out concert with general admission seating. The door opened late, and again…..polite, slightly anxious young people waited in line, no cursing, no swearing, no pushing, no threats of violence. Really weird.

We went to convocation, chapel to the older crowd. Attendance is mandatory: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. These kids have been going to convocation since August. Three times a week, mandatory. I was amazed. They acted as if they wanted to be there. They sang the worship songs as if they meant what they were singing. They actually listened to the speaker, cheering when he took the stage and cheering during his talk.

There is a sense of striving for excellence communicated from the dean, and from the professors, directly to the kids.

Imagine, this is a college campus and you daughter was going to be attending there next fall. I didn’t want her to go to this college. It is a “Christian University” and I though my creative, smart, hard working daughter would be stifled in such an environment.

I was wrong.

The university was well named. It is Liberty University, and it is in Lynchburg, Virginia .

Dorms open for incoming freshman August 13, 2008. My daughter can’t wait to go. For her sake, I can't wait either.

Tuesday
Apr152008

Daring To Try

I enjoy knitting. Felting is something new for me. The concept is a little strange. I spend time and money knitting something pretty and useful. Then I subject my project to a process that could destroy all my work, in order to make my project even prettier and even more useful. How like life!

My purse came out looking good. I learned how to make an I-cord handle, which is a cool knitting technique to know. I could probably leave the purse the way it is, except the yarn will stretch out of shape if I try to use it. If I don’t take the risk of felting it; my project will remain nothing more than a pretty dust catcher. It won’t become fully what it is meant to be.

Life is like that. Without some risks, we can’t become the women we are meant to be.

Do I take on that project at work? Do I marry this man? Can I rebuild my life after a major life shift?

If that bag is ever going to fulfill its purpose, I have to felt it. Felting involves sticking my completed bag into the washing machine and deliberating shrinking the fibers to form a stronger bond, uniquely beautiful fabric.

For some women risk comes easy. Not for me. First, I have to gather data. I buy books, I google information off the internet; a lot of printing is involved. I talk with those more experienced than I.

Than I have to think about the risk for a while, is it worth it, what if I fail, can I really succeed at this.

I’ve taken risks before. After all I have 4 children, 3 of whom drive. I am a woman who knows how to take risks.

As we age, we can grow more cautious, avoiding even minor risks to hold tightly to what we already have, like my knitted purse. Alternatively, we can grow adventurous, taking those minor risks that add sparkle and purpose to life: taking some college courses, traveling cross-county, volunteering to serve in a new capacity at church or in the community, learning a new skill just of the joy of learning something new, taking on that project at work. One of my many sisters parachuted from an airplane!

I will have to give the parachuting idea some more though; a lot of googling and printing will be involved.

Now I am going to felt that purse.

Monday
Apr142008

Order out of Chaos

I had a stomach bug the beginning of last week. Thursday, I left to visit the college my daughter will be attending in the fall. We arrived home yesterday. After a week of not containing chaos, the house is messy (there was coffee in the coffee pot when we arrived home on Sunday. All the coffee drinkers left town on Thursday. Fermenting coffee...gross), clothes are backing up into the laundry shoot. Vegetables which have not been seen at meals since I left must be cooked. For some reason the toilet seat is cracked. I'm not asking how that happened, I don't want to know. Buying a toilet seat in now on my ever growing list of "Errands That Must Be Run" Not to mention the homeschooler, who in all likely hood didn't school because mommy was out of town, has some creating order out of chaos to do also.

Blog planning and writing, that is for that other women who lives are under control.


Time to create order. Where to start ?

Start at the beginning. Worship and cleaning. Music blasting, my mind and soul free to worship God as my hands restore order to the world He has blessed me with.

Today is about creating order both internal and external. The rest can wait until tomorrow. Including finding out how the toilet seat was cracked.

Tuesday
Apr082008

Getting Over A Stomach Bug

I hope to be back on line by the end of the week.

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