Plans vs. Reality

So I got up this morning, sauntered over to Ree’s Blog and this post challenged me to do my own comparison.

 

When I was young and a prophet about my own life, I knew exactly how it would play out.  I’d finish my two years in AIM (Adventures in Missions) with the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock Texas after a year or three in a nice place like Switzerland or other English speaking European country, and then I’d be off to Harding University for a teaching degree.

 

I’d live in a small cottage, yellow, with a big oak tree in the front yard.  I’d have a Collie named Scones and during my summer break from teaching English grammar and literature to middle graders (oh yeah, I was brilliant wasn’t I?) I’d write books and travel.

 

My dreams were, of course, slightly flexible but no matter what, I wasn’t getting married and I was NOT having children.  And God laughed.

 

I had my first child before I turned 18, was married at 18, and had my last (at present anyway) child at age 34.  I do live in that small cottage but the tree in my front yard is dead and my dog is a mutt named Sergeant.  I am a teacher at our cottage school but I discovered very early that I despise teaching.  I do it because I love my children.  I do write between teaching the kids and marinating chicken, however.

 

My goals and desires for my married life were much more accurate or at least fulfilled to some degree.  I bought this book right after we were married.

 

 

I remember little about this book but I do remember it asking me to choose two areas to “major in” as a Christian homemaker.  I chose child training and sewing and I’d say the two things I’m most known for being passionate about are child training and sewing.  Had I been forced to choose a third, I know I’d have chosen writing.  I debated between sewing and writing and I finally chose sewing because it seemed so much more “homemakery”. 

 

I’d like to emphasize that I DO NOT regret my life.  My goals were those of a girl who knew what SHE wanted for her life but who also neglected to ask the Lord what HE wanted for her life.  Had I gone to the Word and studied the lives of Biblical women, the instructions to women in general, and prayed for wisdom for MY life, I might (and probably would have) come to a very different plan for my life.

 

I’m just so glad that I was so wrong.  I can’t imagine what a lonely life I’d chosen for myself.  I would have become even more selfish than I already was. I would have missed out on a wonderful life with a wonderful man like Kevin and my children- and my bestekid!  None would be here right now.

 

I love it when I’m wrong and God is right!