Sunday, January 29, 2012

Rich Young Ruler? Over-rated.

Today, I was in church, like I always am on Sunday mornings, unless I'm sick, and I was listening to the sermon about the rich, young ruler. And it struck me a little different. I've heard the story a million times, but this time I heard something else. The preacher talked about how when this guy who had everything came up to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to follow Him. After the ten commandments, Jesus tells this man to sell everything he posesses. The preacher said that he was sure that as this guy was walking away, he was slumped in grief. That he was thinking, "That's the one thing I can't do." Of course, Jesus then goes on to say how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. It was then that it struck me. I don't want to be a rich young ruler. I would rather have just enough to take care of everything and be humble and content with what I have, than have everything I could have ever dreamed about dreaming about wanting and never be content or worse, lose my soul.

I grew up in a family that had plenty. I was never left wanting. Sure, I didn't think of us as rich, but others did. Now that I live on my own and know what it's like to have to pay bills and wonder if there is going to be enough for everything, I realize that we had it good. My parents and sister still do. But I also realized, I don't want to just be scraping by, but I also don't want to feel like I have more money than I could possibly do anything with. There's a happy medium in there, and I'm determined to find it.

If I do become a best-selling author someday and I am earning bundles and bundles of money, I'm going to find a good use for it. And it's not going to be on some big house or a cooler car or nicer clothes, ect. It's going to go to someone else who needs it more than I do. Who has kids that need new clothes or someone who might be a little short on money to pay the bills and feed themselves that month. I am determined to live in a house just big enough and be content with the blessing God sends my way. Never do I want to be a rich, young ruler.

Keep on keeping on,

Elisabeth

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

A New Chapter

Right at this very moment, I am 38,999 feet in the air. That's right. I'm on a plane. With WiFi. How cool is that?! It costed me $5, but it's worth it! Ha ha! Anyway, I am on my way back to Dallas after being in Vancouver and packing my things for five days. Six months I've been in Vancouver, Washington, and I look back and see how much I have grown.

When I got to Vancouver, I had just finished my first year of college. I was taking a step out on my own and, quite to my parents dismay, not going back to school and moving what seems like a bazillion miles away. It was a scary step. I had no car, hardly any money, and no job. But I knew I would be with family, and I hadn't seen my cousin, Ry in over a year. I was with my ex and honestly, on an emotional roller coaster that went hand in hand with that. In three words, I was young. It's funny to look back and see who I was then and who I am now. The change isn't drastic, and it happened little by little, but there is a big change.

Because of my time working at Vancouver Pizza Company and being pretty much out on my own, I found myself. Sure, I still am finding more and more of myself everyday, but I gained clarity in areas that I would never have found had I not left Dallas. (Or at least it would have taken me a very long time if I did.) I have become more solid in my faith and find myself closer to God. I have become more outgoing and more outspoken. I'm no longer the girl who hardly talks and strays away from people. I still have to warm up to people, but I don't just stand in a corner and sew my lips shut. I found myself greeting customers that walked in the door, occasionally seating people, taking food out to tables, and handing customers the pizza they ordered to-go. I goofed around with my fellow co-workers, while diligently doing my job of course, and learned to come up with joking, witty remarks to whatever got thrown at me jokingly. I also became more clear in what I wanted in my future husband. Sure, Eharmony helped with that, but so did my experiences. Eharmony just matched me up with the wonderful man I am with today. Though if it hadn't been for God, we wouldn't have found each other. Nor would any of this have happened. God gets ALL the credit. It is through Him that I get my strength.

It's crazy to look back and see how much I have changed and grown. And I know that I will say the same thing six months from now about who I am today that I am saying about who I was six months ago. And so-on and so-on.

I will start my new job tomorrow at my mom's law firm. I am extremely nervous, but I know that I can do it because God has opened this door and lead me to this decision as he did with the decision to move to Vancouver. He has a plan and I place my trust in Him. I am going to miss my family in Washington dearly, in fact, I already do. But I know I will see them again and I am so grateful for the time that I had with them. I love them all very much.

On a side note, what's really crazy is to think about my future. In five months and five days I will turn 20! I won't be a teen anymore! What's even crazier is that I could be married in three years and by eight years there is a possibility that I could have kids! I'd be 28! (Well, in eight years five months and five days.) It's just crazy! And before anyone gets any wild, crazy ideas, no I do not know when I am getting married or anything else. The possibility of that happening is just there. Ha ha ha! But I mean, if you think about it, it really is just there. I'd be 22. ANYWAY, I'm going off on a tangent about that.. ha ha! The thing is, I don't feel old. I don't feel like in eight years I could possibly be pregnant or have kids. It's just freaky. But those will be chapters of my life to be written later, when the time comes. :)

And so a chapter has ended and a new chapter begins.

Keep on keeping on.

Elisabeth