At the beginning of last year I told God that I was ready for a change. I was getting restless in Dallas after having lived here for 5 years now. Rather than waiting to see whether change was in the Lord's plans I started researching housing and schools in Nashville because I thought I was going to move there after the school year ended. I always thought it was a cool city and figured I could move out on my own just like my friend Lauren did the previous year.
Then right after Christmas I met a great guy and fell hard and fast. He was potentially moving to Maryland in the summer and all of a sudden I began to think, "God is going to give me change by me moving to Maryland and possibly even getting married!" I was ecstatic with the possibility...its amazing how the girl mind can get completely out of control if you let it. However, that was not to be either!
During that time I made the comment to a friend that if we ever sold my dad's house my portion of the sale would be enough for me to live off of for an entire year without working. The next day Aunt Pam called and said we sold the house!
I slowly began to think about the logistics and financial implications of taking a full year off from teaching. I talked to Cobb about it and some other friends, but I'm not sure many of them took me seriously...I'm not sure I was even taking myself seriously. I remember telling Debo too and thinking she would shoot it down as irresponsible, but she had the opposite response. She was excited and thought it was a great idea! I kept saying, "It's so not me though! I'm Miss Responsible who always has enough money in her account, gets the highest cancer insurance just in case, and doesn't quit her job in a bad economy!"
I had also started seeing a counselor again and was talking to her about it. I told her my options for the next year...
1. Keep teaching 1st grade
2. Pursue assistant principal jobs
3. Take the year off
She told me that it sounded like I had already made up my mind because when I talked about taking the year off my voice changed, I sat up straighter, and even my eyes changed. I kept saying again how it just wasn't me to do something like this. She then reminded me how not a few minutes earlier I'd made the comment that the hardest part about losing dad was how now I feel like a completely different person in this same world, but not knowing how to function as this new person. She said, "So maybe this is part of the new you!"
I went home and talked to Cobb about it and her words were, "I knew this is what you were going to do from the minute you first starting talking about it!" I think it was right there in that moment sitting in the smallest room imaginable in our rent house that I decided I was going to take the next year off. She then started talking about how in Old Testament times every 7 years they would take a Year of Jubilee. The next thing I know I'm hearing the phrase "Year of Jubilee" several different places and it was what my mom was learning about in her devotional at that time as well. When I researched it I learned that the year was supposed to mean "rest and freedom"...and that's what I'm praying for this next year!
So I've now quit my job and am officially unemployed! AHHH!!! My plans for the next year is to take some time to relax and really enjoy life. I want to spend time with friends and family without all the responsibilities and stresses of teaching. I want to travel for fun and see parts of the country and world that I've never seen before. I want to go on mission trips that deal with orphanages or children in need. I want to pursue things that I'm passionate about in hopes that the Lord help me to see what He has next for me!
The year started with me asking God for a change in my life. I had an idea of what I wanted that to look like all throughout the year, but like always God had a different idea. I love the way that He gave me exactly what I asked for in one of the most unusual and creative ways and in a way that is far better than any of the other ways I had imagined!
So many people keep asking me what I'll do when the year is over. My answer...I HAVE NO IDEA!! The planner in me wants to know so badly, but I know that this year has to do with learning to trust the Lord and what He has for me. I'm excited and a little nervous to see what will come from this year, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be!
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