Pick Up the Pen

I graduated from college with a very practical degree.  But, it was hard work getting there.  Like all freshman at my university, I was a "premed" major.  Ha.  I ended up embracing all the college had to offer.  I tried on almost every single major.  Not just considered my options.  Nope.  I officially declared and redeclared my major 8 times between my freshman and sophomore years.  The counselor knew me by name.  She'd say, "You again?  What is it this time?" Every time I told her this was "the one".  For sure.  I wouldn't be back, I'd tell her.  I can still smell the office and see her red curly head. When I finally declared for the final time, I decided to double major and get an add on certification, which essentially was like adding a minor.  In the end I still couldn't narrow down just one.

There were so many choices.  Some not so great.  Some really fun ones. I'd worked so hard in high school getting into my college.  And then, God gave me the pen and allowed me to start writing!  I wrote for the school newspaper, was involved with Spanish organizations, volunteered, you name it.  Seize the day.  I was seizing, meeting new people I love to this day, and falling in love with Jesus.

I graduated.  I stayed in the area.  Same area I grew up in. I had several friends question my decision, "Don't you want to get away, experience something new?  Why stay?"  I had no reason to go.  And all the reason to stay was my handsome boyfriend turned husband:).  I started teaching at a public school. We got married.  I went back to school while working. We had kids.  I stayed home and recently started teaching my own kids via homeschool.  My days are filled with emptying the dishwasher, washing clothes, making meals, Targeting, and driving my minivan.  And I teach. (But that's just a means to an end to play with my kids. That may not hugely count:).

What I love about God- he is dedicated to making the ordinary person extraordinary.  He delights in taking our boring ole lives and breathing new life into them.  He wants us to pick up the pen and start writing.  He whispers through Scripture, "Where you are is not all there is.  Come with me. You may experience new life.  To its fullest!  I'll make you realize you're just playing in mud puddles.  I have a vast ocean at my beckoning call.  Come on now.  Are you in this?  All in? You read I'm good.  I am! You know only I can satisfy. Pick up the pen."

There is an ever present opposing force not allowing or wanting beautiful things to happen.  Am I being courageous to write something better?  Am I embracing whimsy and allowing my story to give way to character?  Do I refuse to pick up the pen. Choose to sulk at it.  Blame others?  Am I trusting the Great Writer of stories?  Am I taking my beautifully messy self, sitting at the drawing table and allowing God to use me?  Picking up the pen is a choice.  And you are able to rewrite your story.  Be courageous and write something better.  Jesus gave us that option.  It's a grace gift.  Do I turn Him down?

My expectations are low these days. Tomorrow I will wake up with kids to feed, laundry, and the dishwasher.  But there are stories in everything and in my everyday life I'm blown away at how extraordinary the ordinary becomes. God is at work. Am I picking up my pen to allow him to write?