Sunday, May 25, 2008

the not-so-distant future

Disclaimer: I have written about most of this before, but it's what I've been thinking about. So, tough.

Usually when thinking about my future, I think about it in terms of jobs. What do I want to be when I grow up? The next thought is always one of confusion. Of not knowing which love to pursue - cooking or writing? Cooking and writing? Maybe neither? I always decide not to decide, and am left in the same place. Marketing. Blech.

But a couple of things have happened recently that have taken some pressure off. While at a memorial service for a dear friend's mother last week, I was so moved by the things her children and friends had to say about her. She loved the Lord, her family, and her community. She cherished scripture and prayer. She gave of herself without second thought and touched countless lives. I wondered if I would live a life like that. If people would be able to say about me when I died that I had lived a life of devotion to my Savior, my family, and my friends. Heavy conviction came upon my heart at that service, and stirred a deeper desire for Jesus.

Twice this weekend I have had conversations with friends, dreaming about the future. When asked what my life would look like at forty, the only things I could think of that I really, desperately wanted to be doing were living a life pleasing to the Lord, being a good helpmate to a husband, raising godly children, and being actively involved in loving a community - both a community of believers and my neighbors. To have and run a home where my husband and children flourish, where my friends and neighbors are always welcome to enter, share a meal, and share their lives. To love and minister to the poor, and use our resources wisely and not live in extravagance. Career isn't really a factor for me. Does this mean that I have no passions, no dreams? No. I would love to be a writer, to own a restaurant, to be a photographer, to be a caterer. And I very well may be. But I don't want to do anything that would hinder care for a family. I believe that God wants me to marry. Actually, I believe that He is calling me to that. And I pray that it happens soon. In the mean time, I plan to pursue something. What, I'm not sure. But it will happen. Maybe it's old-fashioned, but I just don't feel the pressure to have a successful career.

And I don't think there is any shame in that.

9 comments:

Elisa M said...

beautiful

Angie Davis said...

nope. no shame.

Amy said...

I completely understand. I remember being 18 and flipping through those stupid "Career Choices" catalogs from the community college and going, "wait a second... wife and mother aren't in here."

mcclure adoption said...

aaaaaaaaye-
-men.

seriously. i struggle with that balance all the time and like su said, it's hard for me to consistently see my life as a calling. all i can think about right now is prov. 31. cliche i know, but true. and that's what i want to do.

susan said...

If I ever see the Prov. 31 woman, I will prolly beat her up. Or at least want to. She's most likely a ninja princess or something too.

Anonymous said...

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/report_women_increasingly_choosing

A funny slant on this.

Anonymous said...

My bad. The link didn't come through all the way. Click here.

Natalie said...

Came here by way of Susan's blog. This is absolutely beautiful. I grew up hearing college, career, work, save money, then maybe have kids. I don't know if my mom ever found her calling. I know she didn't seem to at peace about much. Anyway, I hit college thinking I was going to be the ulti career girl and go for a professorship. Wham I met a guy, and all my homeschool kid upbringing started kicking in majorly. I started thinking more about raising kids and less about grading freshman essays for the rest of my life. Grad school bombed, and here I sit trying to figure out how to be be a wife waiting to be mom because no one ever told me it was anything worth pursuing. You have your head on straight. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Anonymous said...

Your post makes me feel more normal. I hit thirty a year ago and actually when asked what my goals were for the next ten years I just didn't know. I think I felt it all depended on who I met and where life took me. Not the educated, career girl thing to say.

More and more I am thinking I'd like to be a version of that woman you described in the post. Possibly working or volunteering at church and making a home. I'm bit a sick of the career stuff and have accomplished a lot of what I want to already anyway (to varying degrees). Maybe a I need new goals, but I can't help but think my priorities are going to change and that's ok.