What a difference a year makes! Last year I lived in Madison, WI, in 410 Luedtke Slichter, I spent my time with lattes in coffeeshops poring over my dog-eared edition of the complete works of Shakespeare, and I rode my bike everywhere. I lived with a girl who loved dogs more than people and I ate quesadillas for dinner nearly every night. A year and 350 miles of distance later, while I still wonder if my new roommate loves dogs more than people, everything else is different. I live in Minnesota, I spend my time almost exclusively on campus with friends poring over the Bible as a textbook, every night I can look forward to eating some caf surprise or another with a loving group of people, and my feet are more than sufficent to get me where I need to go. (Except for McDonald's, we use Baby to go to McDonald's...)
Today, Sunday April 17th, 2011 is the one-year-versary of me deciding to transfer to MLC! Coming here has been by far the biggest decision I've ever made in my life, and it's a neat retrospective view 365 mere days later - and a true testament to how God operates for the best. I'm feeling reflective.
What was your life like exactly a year ago today?
On April 17th, 2010, I woke up early to go to a farmer's market in Madison with some dear friends. The night before I had talked seriously with a friend about transferring and he had me pretty darn convinced that staying in Madison was a far superior idea than transferring to MLC. I had hemmed and hawed and tossed and turned and spent most of the night of April 16th wide-eyed in bed, staring at my ceiling and hoping it would give me some answers.
In the morning, none had come. If you've never been to the Saturday morning farmer's market in Madison, you definitely should go sometime, especially in the spring. This particular spring morning was full of sunshine and promise, with tulips waving on the Capitol lawn and the air thick with the smell of cheese bread. After a quick stop at Starbucks on State to see NM and grab a soy chai latte, I met up with my friends and started perusing the berries and flowers and necklaces and vegetables and... the more I walked around, the more I thought to myself "Yeah! Katie, c'mon now, look where you get to go to school! Isn't this such a priviledge? Isn't this such a joy? If you were accepted here you're definitely supposed to go to school here; don't be delusional. He was right, stay in Madison."
The whole time, two of my friends were walking ahead of me and arguing amongst themselves about whether or not I should actually transfer schools. Their opposing viewpoints were the verbalized thought cycles I had been running cagedly through for 3 weeks since a TCW trip to Arizona where the idea to transfer originated; their words were like a heated ping pong tournament. Zing, zing, zing, zing, what to do? Stay or go? This decision was going to have major implications on nearly every aspect of my life - who my friends would be, what profession I would acquire for life, potentially my future husband - heavy stuff. That was one conflicted day at the farmer's market.
After awhile it was time to head back to Slichter and my daunting pile of afternoon homework, so I said goodbye and started the 35 minute walk back to my dorm. It was weird, but as I walked back I felt farewell in the air. I walked by all the old familiar spots - the Terrace, the piers where I would sit and journal, Helen C White Library, up and over Bascom, and finally a mosey down Observatory to the building I called "home" for two years. All these thoughts were still swirling, swirling, swirling, and I had never felt more confused in my whole entire life. When I got up to my room I found a rare situation - my roommate who almost perpetually was in the room was gone for the afternoon and I had some unexpected free alone time. I sat down and asked out loud, "I have to go, right? I'm supposed to go to MLC? Even though Madison is so great?"
Today, Sunday April 17th, 2011 is the one-year-versary of me deciding to transfer to MLC! Coming here has been by far the biggest decision I've ever made in my life, and it's a neat retrospective view 365 mere days later - and a true testament to how God operates for the best. I'm feeling reflective.
What was your life like exactly a year ago today?
On April 17th, 2010, I woke up early to go to a farmer's market in Madison with some dear friends. The night before I had talked seriously with a friend about transferring and he had me pretty darn convinced that staying in Madison was a far superior idea than transferring to MLC. I had hemmed and hawed and tossed and turned and spent most of the night of April 16th wide-eyed in bed, staring at my ceiling and hoping it would give me some answers.
In the morning, none had come. If you've never been to the Saturday morning farmer's market in Madison, you definitely should go sometime, especially in the spring. This particular spring morning was full of sunshine and promise, with tulips waving on the Capitol lawn and the air thick with the smell of cheese bread. After a quick stop at Starbucks on State to see NM and grab a soy chai latte, I met up with my friends and started perusing the berries and flowers and necklaces and vegetables and... the more I walked around, the more I thought to myself "Yeah! Katie, c'mon now, look where you get to go to school! Isn't this such a priviledge? Isn't this such a joy? If you were accepted here you're definitely supposed to go to school here; don't be delusional. He was right, stay in Madison."
The whole time, two of my friends were walking ahead of me and arguing amongst themselves about whether or not I should actually transfer schools. Their opposing viewpoints were the verbalized thought cycles I had been running cagedly through for 3 weeks since a TCW trip to Arizona where the idea to transfer originated; their words were like a heated ping pong tournament. Zing, zing, zing, zing, what to do? Stay or go? This decision was going to have major implications on nearly every aspect of my life - who my friends would be, what profession I would acquire for life, potentially my future husband - heavy stuff. That was one conflicted day at the farmer's market.
After awhile it was time to head back to Slichter and my daunting pile of afternoon homework, so I said goodbye and started the 35 minute walk back to my dorm. It was weird, but as I walked back I felt farewell in the air. I walked by all the old familiar spots - the Terrace, the piers where I would sit and journal, Helen C White Library, up and over Bascom, and finally a mosey down Observatory to the building I called "home" for two years. All these thoughts were still swirling, swirling, swirling, and I had never felt more confused in my whole entire life. When I got up to my room I found a rare situation - my roommate who almost perpetually was in the room was gone for the afternoon and I had some unexpected free alone time. I sat down and asked out loud, "I have to go, right? I'm supposed to go to MLC? Even though Madison is so great?"
No answer; I wasn't even sure of whom or what I was inquiring of. I stood up and asked again, "I have to go to MLC, right?" I started pacing and pacing around our minature carpet.
Pacing.
Pacing.
I finally sat down and said some kind of prayer like "God, this is in your hands, I just am so confused that I really clearly need You to tell me what to do. Tell me what to do, please!" With that I opened my eyes and there on our end table was a piece of paper that was blank and simply said "Yes!" I think it was a memo urging me to vote "Yes!" for Madison's "Big Red Go Green!" campaign or something, but all I saw was "Yes!" and I can't explain it, but I knew right then and there that I had to go to MLC and I would kick myself forever if I didn't. I think that's the feeling I'm going to be looking for someday when I'm contemplating who I should marry: They say when you know, you know, and some day I want to be as sure about my future husband as I was about my decision to come to MLC. I've never had such a feeling of utter knowing-ness; God answered my prayer and made my decision really clear for me.
One year later, I still believe with all the wisdom within me that moving to MLC was the right thing. Every day I wake up excited at the prospect of teaching someday - this choice helped me discover what my true passion in life is. While I miss my friends in Madison terribly, God's led me to awesome people at MLC that I perhaps never would have been fortunate enough to meet this side of heaven, and I know already I always will be grateful for the impact they've had on my life. MC's finally taught me how to assert myself; she's given me some backbone and moreover, she's been a continual source of joy in my life here. CS has taught me about relationships, NW has taught me indirectly how to continually care for someone and love life for what it is, MH has opened my eyes to what genuine kindness is, JH showed me how to be a friend in all circumstances, and DP has taught me more about how to be patient and more about myself than I could have ever expected. One year later, I'm overwhelmed by how blessed I am to have met all of them - and we'd all still be strangers if I was still at Madison. God certainly has a plan!
The musical Rent's hit song "Season's of Love" says, "How do you measure, measure a year? In daylight? In sunsets? In midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches? In miles? In laughter, in strife?" Hah it's a tad cliche, but it's stuck in my head as I'm writing this. I don't know appropriate benchmarks for assessing the success of individual decisions because the sad fact is, humans are shortsighted. Blighted. We can't see past Friday night to quote Brad Paisley, and we're so cemented in the here-and-now that we don't stop enough to appreciate or try to understand how God is working out His will in our lives for His glory and our good. It's just so crazy to look back on past decisions and try and untangle the webs we weave, to analyze and see how little choices like where to go on spring break freshman year or weighty decisions like what profession to take up can have on the entire course of your life. I think that's called the Butterfly Effect if I'm not mistaken? (Which is also the name that movie I still have to see...) It's all way over my head.
Anyway, today I was just feeling reflective and wanted to express my thanks to God and people at MLC and elsewhere that have effected my life. We're all part of a highly complicated adventure that thankfully, is far beyond our control. What a difference a year makes! After a long winter and lots of ups downs, I'm just feeling alive again. Maybe it's spring. Maybe it's contentment. Maybe it's God answering prayers. Whatever it is, I'm optimistic.
THIS SONG PERFECTLY SUMS UP EVERYTHING!!!! LITERALLY EVERYTHING! I hear ya, Sara Evans.
God's got plans. Aren't you excited to see what He has in store for you?
"Cast your bread upon the waters, and after many days you will find it again" -Ecclesiates 1:11
Also - HAPPY ONE YEAR TO MY BEST FRIENDS, SG AND BH!!!! What a year, hey?
Pacing.
Pacing.
I finally sat down and said some kind of prayer like "God, this is in your hands, I just am so confused that I really clearly need You to tell me what to do. Tell me what to do, please!" With that I opened my eyes and there on our end table was a piece of paper that was blank and simply said "Yes!" I think it was a memo urging me to vote "Yes!" for Madison's "Big Red Go Green!" campaign or something, but all I saw was "Yes!" and I can't explain it, but I knew right then and there that I had to go to MLC and I would kick myself forever if I didn't. I think that's the feeling I'm going to be looking for someday when I'm contemplating who I should marry: They say when you know, you know, and some day I want to be as sure about my future husband as I was about my decision to come to MLC. I've never had such a feeling of utter knowing-ness; God answered my prayer and made my decision really clear for me.
One year later, I still believe with all the wisdom within me that moving to MLC was the right thing. Every day I wake up excited at the prospect of teaching someday - this choice helped me discover what my true passion in life is. While I miss my friends in Madison terribly, God's led me to awesome people at MLC that I perhaps never would have been fortunate enough to meet this side of heaven, and I know already I always will be grateful for the impact they've had on my life. MC's finally taught me how to assert myself; she's given me some backbone and moreover, she's been a continual source of joy in my life here. CS has taught me about relationships, NW has taught me indirectly how to continually care for someone and love life for what it is, MH has opened my eyes to what genuine kindness is, JH showed me how to be a friend in all circumstances, and DP has taught me more about how to be patient and more about myself than I could have ever expected. One year later, I'm overwhelmed by how blessed I am to have met all of them - and we'd all still be strangers if I was still at Madison. God certainly has a plan!
The musical Rent's hit song "Season's of Love" says, "How do you measure, measure a year? In daylight? In sunsets? In midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches? In miles? In laughter, in strife?" Hah it's a tad cliche, but it's stuck in my head as I'm writing this. I don't know appropriate benchmarks for assessing the success of individual decisions because the sad fact is, humans are shortsighted. Blighted. We can't see past Friday night to quote Brad Paisley, and we're so cemented in the here-and-now that we don't stop enough to appreciate or try to understand how God is working out His will in our lives for His glory and our good. It's just so crazy to look back on past decisions and try and untangle the webs we weave, to analyze and see how little choices like where to go on spring break freshman year or weighty decisions like what profession to take up can have on the entire course of your life. I think that's called the Butterfly Effect if I'm not mistaken? (Which is also the name that movie I still have to see...) It's all way over my head.
Anyway, today I was just feeling reflective and wanted to express my thanks to God and people at MLC and elsewhere that have effected my life. We're all part of a highly complicated adventure that thankfully, is far beyond our control. What a difference a year makes! After a long winter and lots of ups downs, I'm just feeling alive again. Maybe it's spring. Maybe it's contentment. Maybe it's God answering prayers. Whatever it is, I'm optimistic.
THIS SONG PERFECTLY SUMS UP EVERYTHING!!!! LITERALLY EVERYTHING! I hear ya, Sara Evans.
God's got plans. Aren't you excited to see what He has in store for you?
"Cast your bread upon the waters, and after many days you will find it again" -Ecclesiates 1:11
Also - HAPPY ONE YEAR TO MY BEST FRIENDS, SG AND BH!!!! What a year, hey?
I'm glad you're happy with the decision you've made, Katie. It's been fun to watch this all play out from a distance.
ReplyDeleteKatie, I LIVED off of Carson's veggie quesadillas that year. I am not exaggerating.
ReplyDeleteBlake why did we never eat quesadillas together?
ReplyDelete