Well. I’ve finally arrived as a blogger. I keep telling people that 2 people read my blog. And one of you has told on me… Ok, so apparently, more than 2 of you actually read this. Not sure why… I see this as my “playground” to voice my thoughts and process.
And I have been called out.
Well, not too bad. But, I received a voice mail from someone who heard I was “less than happy” on my blog. Wow. Cool. A little controversy! And I’ve been thinking all evening about how or even if I should respond publicly. But, what a great opportunity to process some more! So, I’ll write, and we’ll see if I actually push the “publish” button.
So, what’s so controversial, you ask? My “grow up” post from a couple of days ago. Yep. (Insert a dash of sarcasm here) Big controversy. Unfortunately, going down this path lends me to the proverbial “back in my day” language. So, here we go…
Maybe I should skip to the chase. Basically what I meant to say was, you have your whole life ahead to grow up! YOU ARE IN COLLEGE! I’m not saying you shouldn’t think about your future at all. You should. And maybe I was different. I think I was.
I was, what I call, “married to the band”. I was in a band (Life Forever which laster changed our name to the LF Band) for a long time. 3 of us grew up together, living in the same town, same church since we were 2 and 3. The drummer’s family moved into our town when I was in 6th or 7th grade. And thus, a band was formed. And we stayed together. For 14 or so years. All through college. Yes, I studied. I had a major. So did the others. But, we weren’t thinking about “starting a life” after we graduated. We were thinking recording, tours, tshirts, lights/sound ROCK N ROLL! All these things weren’t/aren’t necessarily a thought process that many college students encounter.
Maybe I WAS different.
Perhaps you say you’re busy? Yeah, right…
I am the King of “busy” and college was certainly no exception. I rarely do this sort of thing, but, wanna get a taste of my senior year? I double dog dare you… Not sure where to start. Ok, I was a music major. Which meant we had these 1 hour course which required 2-3 hours of study/practice each day. And I think I was taking about 17 credit hours each semester. I remember avoiding Judy Harder in the early days of my senior year. It was the year for Fiddler on the Roof and they hadn’t yet found their Tevye. She finally cornered me. She won. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Committees you ask? Ok, VP of STUCO which made me President of Student Activities Board. Also student rep on the Student Development Committee. And classes? Even though I was a music major, I didn’t want to take the “simple” science classes. So, I took College Physics my senior year (thanks Allen!). I was in choir and band (lots of rehearsals and performances). And I did relatively well, graduating with a 3.39625 GPA (missed that $@#&! yellow “honors” cord by a measly .00375!). Oh, and guess what senior year meant as a music major? Senior Recital. There goes 3-4 hours of practicing each day for weekly lessons I took in Wichita (thus another 3-4 hours each week). Am I missing anything?I did my and my roommate’s laundry every Saturday morning. Oh, and I was still in that band, though a bit on hiatus during my senior year, we were gearing up for great adventures… And dating. Whenever I could find time.
And I’d do it all again if I could. I guess what makes me the most “less than happy” and really the point of all this is this… I know you have to think about your whole life ahead, but, these 4+ years of your life are some of the best. Why try to rush it by having to be “all grown up”? College, especially Tabor, taught me a great deal about being and becoming a leader. It taught me about responsibility and about having to count on others. And about having to count on myself. It taught me how to be “grown up” but in an environment and with experiences where I didn’t actually have to be “all grown up.” Those things, all that busy-ness. It was IN those things that I learned how to be grown up. Those WERE the things that taught me. NOT doing them would have lessened my actual education! In many ways, I’d go back in a heartbeat. I have 2 recurring dreams all the time. And “Tabor” is one of them (the other being tornados).
My charge, my call to you, you who probably will never hear these words, is, embrace who you are where you are. Not for the past. Not for the future. I was a part of a Junior High youth event several years ago, and the speaker talked to the students about Psalm 23 and focused on the “green pastures” part. Her charge to them, which spoke to me at the time and continues to do so and now me to you is, God makes you to “lie down in green pastures”. Sure, the grass looks greener on the other side. But, God has you right here, right now. Not for you. Not for others. But, for Him. Embrace where God has you, and “make the most of every opportunity.” Time flies by way too fast.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. 5:8-20.
Have I have finally arrived? I’m still walking this journey.
