Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Assignment

I had so much fun with last week's assignment from Mama's Losin' It, so I decided to do another one this week!

If you could rearrange three things about your life what would they be?

I am going to contradict myself in answering this question. I believe everything happens for a reason. There is reasoning behind my cookie cutter answer.We can go back really far with my answer..to the "beginning of time." However, I will start with the event that first "changed" my life. The death of my father. I think about him every single day, and do not believe that time heals everything. Time allows you the chance to learn to deal with death. It never gets easier, and there is no specific mourning time. If my Father didn't die at his young age, my mom would have never remarried my 'stepdad' (dad from here on out.) My family was very very poor, happy, but poor as dirt. My dad was more financially stable. If it were not for that, I would have never been able to go to a private school for my highschool years. If I had never gone to the private school, I never would have met Lauren, who was my best friend throughout those years. We decided to go check out a college together, Liberty University, during their "college for a weekend." If I hadn't gone to check the school out, I would not have applied there. Attending Liberty gave me the opportunity to move to DC. If I had not gone to DC I would have never gotten a job there. I was lucky enough to get a job from the internship I completed. If I had not accepted that job, I never would have met David. If I never met David I don't think I would marry anyone else. My life would not be as complete. I would not laugh as much if it were not for him.

Although I have been through a lot of ups and downs and left out a lot of information, I can still see how everything is intertwined in getting me to where I am today.

What are some instances that you recognize how you would not be where you are today without them? (I understand it could be a long answer..it's okay—I have the time to read it!)

18 comments:

Whitney said...

As I read your post about "if this had not have happened, then this...", I couldn't help but be reminded of the Sovereignty of God. Amazing. I am so glad you have the perspective that you do.

Whitney said...

PS - I didn't know you went to Liberty. I have some friends there!

Kristina P. said...

Probably my parent's divorce. It sucked at the time, but it was for the best and it made me a stronger person, and frankly, a better wife.

Inspired Kara said...

This is such a great outlook on life! I feel the same way, I wouldn't really change anything.

I just take the crap and the good stuff that happens, learn from it and find contentment.

love this post.

katylinvw said...

mine are pretty similar. i was all set to go to performing arts school in california when my uncle surprised me by offering to pay my way to Bible college in iowa (a month before school started). so i completely changed my plans, went to Bible college and ended up meeting my wonderful husband, moving to Iowa permanently, and having a life that has completely defied all of my expectations for myself - you're absolutely right - everything happens for a reason! :) great post!

Diane said...

First, I have to tell you I laughed so hard at the post below this one... your husband is a great sport (and adorable!). I liked your question... my 3 BIG things would be: my parents moving us from the UK to the US when I was young... my daughter's birth... my divorce... those things shaped me in untold ways (ways I'm still realizing).

Amy McMean said...

I often think about my life like that. had we moved when i was young I never would have meant my best friend, never meant her counsin who introduced me to another very close friend who introduced me to a guy I have fond memories of. I might have gone to a different college, never meant my friend from Buffalo, never become part of her in-laws family, and would never have a place to turn to when i'm lonely. Weird how one tiny thing could completely change your whole life.

Jennifer Owens said...

Isn't it amazing when we can look back and see how the things that happened long ago led us to where we are.

My parents divorced when I was 16 and I took it incredibly hard. My mom started drinking and then died when I was 18. After high school I only went to college for a year and a half because my bf was murdered. THat was another tragic loss for me to get over. For a lot of my young adult life I lived this crazy lifestyle just trying to get away from the pain. And one day God literally plucked me out of it and I met my husband the next day. I don't think I would have ever given him the chance if I wouldn't have been with a million jerks up to that point. But, I probably would have never met him had my parents never divorced or my boyfriend died or any of the other tragic things that have happened. My husband is the greatest gift God has ever given to me and my life would be lacking so much without him. I couldn't imagine my life with anyone else. I guess if I had to endure so much crap to find the man of my dreams, maybe in the end, it was worth it.

I'm not sure there's much I'd "rearrange" either. God's plan really is perfect and sovereign, even when I don't understand.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and provoking some of my own.

Weeksie50 said...

I love this post..
and I agree.. even though some of the things we have to go through SUCK... they make us who we are today..

just a girl... said...

One word Childhood, although I wouldnt mine on anyone it has made me who I am today.

melissa ellen parker said...

this was a great post. i loved reading your recognition of God's plan. We have so much in common. I know you didn't tag me, but I'm going to do this too - and then you'll see!

I'm sorry that you lost your Dad. It's something I struggle with even thinking about everyday! We all cope as best we can though when life events happen. I'm glad you followed such a lovely path to happiness and laughter with that big muscle man you love soo much :)

Life isn't always good - but it always happens, huh :)

"J" said...

What a great post! I'm soooooooo sorry to hear about the loss of your dad! I'm such a daddy's girl I wouldn't know what to do....I don't even want to think about it!!!!

Okay, I'm going to get a little deep on you...3 1/2 years ago...I was with my ex....I had a tubal preg...it was bad! I was bleeding internally! I lost a tube! Even though that is soooooooooooooo bad because it was....I'm thankful today that I went through what I did! I'm happy to be where I am! I'm with a guy I grew up with! We road the BIG yellow bus to and from school together! If my ex boyfriend wouldn't have treated me like he did then I would still be with him! I thank GOD that I did NOT have a child with him! I see it now...I didn't see that then! He already had a little boy and he really wasn't even much of a dad to him! I'm so thankful everything happened the way it did - even though it was so painful and bad! I'm where I want to be in my life...or at least I can say I'm on the right path! I'm with my best friend! I love him! Maybe one day we will have kids of our own? Who knows!

The reason that I knew that my ex wasn't the right one is he wasn't there for me when I was going through the tubal pregnancy! The night I drove myself to the ER he was at a party with his friends! I'm not talking a 20 year old...he was 35! You would think he would have been there!!! It was just a sign! I think everything happens for a reason!!!!!


Go over and check out my post today! I'm sure you can give me some GREAT pointers!!!! =)

Insane Mama said...

If half the shit in my life didn't happen I wouldn't be who I am today. Oh, sorry can I cuss in here?

"J" said...

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww thanks for the comment Megan! I love it!

The BJ part had me rolling!!! lol

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KatBouska said...

We're soulmates. I could have written this post myself. I can't tell you how many times I've had this exact conversation with my sisters. Our lives would be so different. I FULLY believe everything happens for a reason. I miss my Dad TREMENDOUSLY, but I love my life today and I don't think I would go back and change a thing, even if given the opportunity.

I wrote a poem related to this topic...check it out if you want. It's in my sidebar underneath the "poems" column and I think it's titled "My Dad" or something like that.

Great post.

Unknown said...

I did the same question. It's tough sometimes to think what our lives would be if something had changed...but it does give the mind a good workout...Great post.

Mamarazzi said...

ya know i very much feel the same way. everything has a time and reason. i got married when i was 19 to a 31 yr old man who was very very very abusive towards me for 7 long years. it took me a long time to grow up and get out. i never thought i would find myself again. but i did. and then i married a really good man when i turned 30. he suffered from severe anxiety and had a mental breakdown. i would have stayed with him though it all. i loved him. i knew what a bad marriage looked like and i was determined to make this one work. he was in and out of the hospital for the majority of our very short 2 yr marriage. he finally insisted i deserved a better life than caring for him. it was devastating. i could not beleive that i was getting another divorce. then the heavens opened and delivered this wonderful man into my life and i have never been happier. we have been married for almost 3 yrs. he brought a daughter with him and now she is mine. she made me a mother for the first time in my life something i have always dreamed of being. sometimes i even forget that i didn't give birth to her. she and i are a match made in heaven. she needed a mom like me and i really needed a kid like her. i never flet like i could add a child to my other two marriages. i know now it is because there was a little girl who needed me and needed all of my attention. we hope to add to our family soon. but it if it never happens...i still don't regret the life i have led. i am who i am today because of the trials and lessons i have learned...and to be honest, i REALLY like me.

ok so thats a long answer. but you asked so...

also your question on my blog about good mail...Good Mail is something i send out once a month or so. if you are in let's exchange addresses. i consider ANY mail that is not a bill GOOD Mail. but people do get creative sending stuff....you can click on the good mail label at the end of my latest good mail post and it will take you to everything i have posted on that topic...just to familiarize yourself with it and decide if you wanna play! i am always looking for new Good Mail friends. my list has grown so much that hardly a week goes by that i don't get something....so fun!! you can also ask your readers if they want to play and start a good mail list of your own...awesome. just replay to the email on this comment and let me know!