Hello 2009

I just got done packing my boxes to bring back to North Dakota. I can’t believe 2009 is here! I have a few new years posts, but for now I’m going to unplug from my world of technology and enjoy being with my family. I hope you all had a happy new years!

My brother the… graduate?

 

 

My brother received his high school diploma last night. We were so proud of him! :) I can’t believe he’s done; it makes me feel so old. This made me think about graduating from college and how soon that may be. Although I’m a double major in English and psychology, I’m also thinking about having a minor in history and/or religious studies, which means that school may take longer than I expect (possibly a semester longer). This turns into a litany of questions. Should I chose one minor, even though some of those classes are cross listed? Should I just have a double major? Could I possibly try more summer classes, or will this be too expensive? Is it rational to get a double major with a double minor? I don’t know anyone who has done this, but I want to do this for some reason. Maybe it’s because I have so many interests and I will regret not pursuing all of them after I graduate. Is it more important for me to graduate “on time” or to get everything I want out of college? There are way to many options… I’ll let you know if I ever make a decision!

Family Lifestyles

I grew up in a divorced family and became apart of two, very different worlds. As with most kids in this situation, I lived with my mom and visited my dad on weekends. Sometimes it was hard to adjust to both lifestyles since they are completely different in terms of expectations, rules, etc., but I discovered the value of families whether they are in one place or the other.

 My mom, on one hand, taught me to live spontaneously. Since she is such an amazing artist, I asked her one day why she doesn’t paint for business. She said, “Well Jessie, wouldn’t that take the fun out of it?” This made sense. Why should we worry when we are trying to enjoy something? She did not want to plan life, which really challenged my “planning” nature. My mom helped me learn how to plan less and enjoy more.

Unlike Mom, my dad likes things planned way ahead of time. This is not a bad way to live; it’s just a different style. After years of weekend visits at Dad’s, I eventually moved there, where military standards set the rules of how to live. I had to pay attention to small details, like scheduling my chores on certain days. Living at my dad’s showed me the other extreme of a military lifestyle—helping me find a balance between enjoying and planning life. Dad felt comfortable in a structured environment, and it shows that we are a lot alike when it comes to everyday choices.

While living these two separate lives, I discovered that no matter how different families are, they share a common view. Both of my families helped me, supported me, and most of all, loved me. The similarities between them are much more lasting than their superficial differences. I’m trying to see my families from God’s point of view. How does He want me to view them? Why has He placed me in two homes? And what does that prepare me for?

 Working on seeing my life through God’s perspective,

 Jessica