March's Musings

So so so sorry I've neglected this blog! Here's what's happened: 18 units (8 of which are honors) + busyness + working on occasion + coordinating a week of orientation. Yikes. Needless to say, I've been rather busy reading and writing... (thankfully, there's a minimum amount of 'rithmetic.) I'm blogging on a wordpress blog hosted on the server here at school about entertainment for a class. It's been a lot of fun. Writing about entertainment is definitely a different experience.

Anyway, I've had some interesting thoughts lately. I spent a while tonight talking to my best friend. We've been friends since we were in preschool, and both grew up in the same small town. Although we are at completely different places (geographically, especially), we still love each other, have the same quirks, and want to know about the other's life.

We made a plan to hike a lot this summer. (Super exciting plan, by the way.) And as I thought about it, life back home is so incredibly different than life here. Here, life is busy and hectic and you never know what might happen. The weather is pleasant (and consistent), there are tons of new people to meet and get to know, and there's always something to do.

However, back in Blacksburg, life has a slower pace (blame it on the Southern attitude), and it's fairly predictable (especially in the summer: work and read for Torrey.) The weather in the summer is temperamental (with thunderstorms on the 4th of July), it's the same old people, and there's always nothing to do and rarely something worth doing.

So, in this comparison of my two different lives, I started thinking: what's the constant? What's different? Which is the Best Possible Life? (Yes, the capitalization was quite intentional.)

The constant: my relationships. With family. With God. With friends. My relationships may vary from place to place, but I find that when they're ground in God, He blesses that. I care deeply about people. I wear my heart on my sleeve; giving it to those I'm in relationship with. I never stop loving these people, even when I'm 2400 miles away.

The different: the settings, the discussions, the pace of life. I've come to appreciate both paces at their own time. My hectic school life causes me to appreciate the pace of life at home so much more. The discussions are varying.... at home, I'm much less likely to stay up til 2 am talking with my neighbor about God or life or boys. (Although if you'd like to chat it up, J.L., I'll do it.) I can't just run to the library at 11 pm. Life is more normal at home.

The Best Possible Life? A life where I'm living to the hilt every situation that I believe to be the will of God. (Thank you, Jim Elliot.) Whether that's at school, or at home, or wherever God ends up calling me, I know that His blessing remains constant through everything.

Stay tuned for thoughts on how my location plays into living to the hilt.