ENJOY…

Jeremiah 29:11 — “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

When I divorced, I wondered if I had wrecked my life. Not only had I disappointed my family, but I am a pastor. I am supposed to set an example for Christian living. How could people take me seriously as a spiritual leader? How could I preach about marriage or covenant when my marriage had failed?

But Jeremiah 29:11 promises that God has good plans for us. A curious detail in that vers has caught my attention. The scripture doesn’t say “plan”; it says “plans.” The word is plural. God has more than one plan. Perhaps God has a Plan A for us; but if we mess that up, God also has a Plan B. And if Plan B doesn’t work out, God has a Plan C. And so on.

I doubt that man of us are living Plan A. And people like me may be rapidly approaching the end of the alphabet. Many people feel they have made so many mistakes that if God ever had a plan for them, it must be spoiled. But god does not give up on us. God has more than one way to give us hope and a future. Not only does God have more than one plan; God is at work to fulfill those plans.

I’ve never noticed that about Jeremiah 29:11 before, and that’s definitely one of my “life verses” that I’ve really held on to throughout my world travels and life decisions. So maybe, just maybe, you can relate to this little story and gain some peace in whatever situation or circumstance that you’re finding yourself in right now.

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa

According to sopastrike.com, the three most definitive articles on SOPA and PIPA are Free Speech, Problems, and Security.

So allow me to step up on my soapbox for a minute. My question to Tebow-haters is this: WHY? Is it his inconsistent quarterbacking abilities? (probably not) Is it his outspoken faith? (possibly) Or is it the fact that he has given absolutely no reason at all to be hated, and that in itself drives people to hate him even more? {{ding ding ding}} I fully believe that the world is just waiting for Tim Tebow to slip and fall off his pedestal. Isn’t that front page news? A Penn State coach molesting young boys?…A top NBA basketball star getting a divorce?…A MLB homerun hitter being found guilty of taking illegal substances? The world doesn’t care about GOOD NEWS…especially not the kind Tebow proclames (AKA: Jesus Christ). The world wants to hear about how the mighty have fallen, and that’s exactly what it’s waiting for with bated breath in the case of Tim Tebow. What makes people angry is that he hasn’t stepped out of line at all…at least not yet. My charge to all the Tebow supporters (including myself): instead of constantly proclaiming your love for him, how about we pray that God gives him the strength to withstand temptation and continues to bless him as he uses this platform of NFL football to touch lives and impact the world for good?

Ok, I’m all Tebow-ed out.

P.S. Even Rick Reilly “believes” in Tim Tebow. Check out that interview and fall more in love.

2011 has been (by far) the most memorable year of my life. I spent New Years on an island scuba diving, taught in Bangkok, ate fish&chips in London, saw Stonehenge, met up with a friend in Paris, drank beer in Dublin, and made my way home to Tennessee. I moved to North Carolina to be with my amazing man, got a job teaching and coaching at a local middle school, and started my American way of life. I got cancer and came out with nothing but a few scars; I bought a dog and began learning what parenthood is like (haha); my family went crazy and a crisis of faith soon followed. Maybe Dickens had it right when he said, “it was the best of times and the worst of times.”

I’m declaring this new year to be a year of healing, health, and happiness. I know God’s got something sneaky up his sleeve, and I’m interested to see how my life plays out. I’m not gonna lie, though, I’m pretty skeptical and a little cynical in these early days of 2012. But you know what? I’m just gonna do ME, and let everything fall in its proper place. I’m still head over heels for the love of my life, my sweet dog is slowly learning to pee outside, and I’m getting used to the mountains of (seemingly) pointless paperwork at work.

So what happens when something just doesn’t turn out the way it’s “supposed” to? Well, for me the process usually resembles this: crying, ice cream, ESPN, more ice cream, whining, self-pity, and maybe a nap. After I wake up from my pity party nap, then I might get around to talking to God about what’s happening. What an awful series of events right? It’s like the one person in the driver’s seat (GOD) has to wait until I’m done feeling sorry for myself before I even give Him a chance to clue me in to what He’s up to!

Now God really does work in mysterious ways. He’s got His own gameplan, and His timing is perfect…even if it doesn’t align with our own. Life is precious, and we can’t afford to waste what little time we have left on this Earth fooling ourselves into thinking we’re the one’s running this joint. We’ve gotta surrender our plans to God, and be good stewards of what He has already given us. We have to take care of what we’ve been given…be it people and relationships, our bodies, our finances, our jobs. It’s all about doing the best you can in every possible way and in every possible circumstance.

So no more of that feeling sorry for yourself. No more of that complaining about how bad your job sucks. And no more of those unhealthy habits that might come back and bite you in the butt later on in life. Life is NOW. I’m really focusing on living in the present and making the most of every opportunity. Oh hmm…isn’t that a Bible verse? (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

That’s all I got. Go with it.

I’m out. //cwalk.

✔  North Carolina residence? CHECK.

✔  North Carolina drivers license? CHECK.

✔  North Carolina license plate? CHECK.

✔  North Carolina life? DOUBLE CHECK.

Well, I’m finally moved in and settling down in the great city of Hickory, North Carolina. It’s pretty much a combination of Cleveland and East Brainerd, and I live on the equivalent of Gunbarrel Road. It’s a great location, really, and my apartment is conveniently right across the street from Eric’s, an impressive improvement from across the world! So after being here for about a month, I’ve taken care of all my “living in a new state” issues, and I’ve decided that I absolutely hate being an adult. It’s just too much trouble! I’d much rather be back in Cleveland, going to class, and hanging out at the intramural softball field every night. Now THAT was the good life. But time marches on, and you can’t just tell life to stop and let you catch up.

So, after my 6-month summer break, I start working tomorrow. Teacha Christin is no more…I must be called Coach Walker now. I refuse to be called “Ms.” because it makes me feel old, and I most certainly am NOT old. I’m excited about teaching 7th grade science and math, though. I know my grandmother is sitting up in Heaven, proud of me and getting ready to laugh at me figure out how to teach these kids. She was a 7th grade science teacher, too, and that makes me miss her even more than I already do because I’d love to tap into her knowledge and wisdom right about now. I feel lost and confused, already dreading working as a teacher in America, but I know it’s going to be a day-by-day process. I’m trying to focus on the positives, because the negatives can be overwhelming; and I know that if I just do my job and be myself, everything will fall into place. I have no doubt that God opened this door for me (after lots of prayer!), and He’ll continue to guide my steps. I really do miss Thailand. I miss my friends, and I miss my students. These American kids have some BIG shoes to fill, because my Thai kiddos stole my heart.

Things with Eric are going well. We’re still getting used to living in the same city (finally!), and it’s nothing like the Skype relationship we grew accustomed to when I was in Thailand, but I can’t help but fall more in love with that boy every single day. He has the most unique and quirky ways of making me smile. :)

So life in Hickory is growing on me. I can tell I’m going to like it here, once I start working, going to church, and making friends. I’ve only been here a month, and despite the innumerable hours I’ve spent sitting on my couch watching Grey’s Anatomy (while Eric is at work), I feel like I’ve accomplished a heck of a lot. I feel like a grown up…and that’s weird.

I’m out. //cwalk.

The disillusionment of my homecoming was hard to come to terms with…I suppose I thought life would be perfect as soon as I got off the plane, but that was far from true. Funny enough, 4 hours is just as “long distance” as 24 hours when it comes to relationships. Eric and I had to get used to seeing each other on weekends and random times weeks apart, and that wasn’t fun, though I’m still thankful for weeks apart instead of months apart. The never-ending job hunt also haunted my mind and my heart for a while, and I began to understand exactly what so many recent college grads go through post-graduation. It’s hard to apply for job after job only to get rejected and ignored by companies. Granted, I was only looking for jobs in North Carolina, but from what I hear, Tennessee and Georgia arent’ in too good of shape either in this Recession. I actually caught myself thinking, “Oh my word…WHY did I give up a good job in Thailand to be unemployed in America?!?!” Of course I had my reasons, though. I prayed for God to open doors, and obviously I became discouraged and began to doubt, but like He always does, God showed up and showed off. I received a call from a small Christian school in Hickory, NC one day asking me to come in for an interview. Evidently, it’s a rarity for there to be an open position, but it was specifically for middle school math and science so that had my name written all over it. The funny thing is, this school didn’t even have my resume; I had only called a few weeks prior and left a voicemail saying I needed a job and I was certified for math/science 4-8. It sure felt good to be the pursued, rather than the pursuer in this rat race for employment! So I went in for the interview, and after a few weeks of waiting on everything to work out, I can now officially say that I’m the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math and science teacher at Tri-City Christian School in Hickory, NC! (AND I’ll be helping out with the high school girls basketball team, too!) Praise the Lord! He gets all the glory on this one because I have no doubt that He opened this door for me, and I’m walking through it. It will be hard on my friends and family in Tennessee, no doubt, because now that everyone’s used to me being “home”…I’m packing up and leaving again. But, it feels good to be going out “on my own” again and starting a life in NC. Plus, 4 hours really is easier to handle than 24 when it comes to taking trips home to visit. (Not to mention, it’s a whoooole lot cheaper than a $1500 flight!) So, life seems to be spinning in fast motion, and I’m packing my boxes and bags up to make the big move. I’m nervous about moving and starting a new job, but I know God’s ordering my steps and preparing the way. (Jeremiah 29:11) I’ve just gotta keep trusting that He knows what’s best for me, and He’s gonna hold my hand along the way.

I am a completely different person now, having people step into and out of my life over this past year. I’ve forgiven and forgotten past hurts, while anxiously looking forward to a future with endless possibilities and smiles. I’m excited to be closer to Eric, but sad about being a little farther from my family and friends. It’s the whole gamut of emotions building up again, preparing for change, but I can tell I’m getting better at handling the proverbial “life changing” events better with each passing one. I’m growing up…the real world is hard…but bring it on. This new red head is ready to take on the world…again.

One thing I am thankful for…is getting to celebrate holidays with those I love again. I’ve really taken advantage of spending time with my parents and close friends since I’ve been home. I’ve been on several dates to Waffle House with my Daddy, and I’ve eaten way too much ice cream and cookies while watching movies with my Madre. I’ve learned how to hit a golfball (thank you Eric), and I’ve danced to countless Vacation Bible School songs for 2 weeks straight. I’ve snuggled with my dog, Chloe, and read more books than I can remember. I’ve witnessed the unbelievable wrath of Mother Nature through the seemingly constant tornado watches and warnings in my area, and volunteered to help out those who weren’t as fortunate as me. I’ve eaten every possible form of fast food, and taken full advantage of my mother’s amazing breakfast-cooking skills. All that to say, it feels SO good to be home. 

My first impression of France was tragically flawed. It’s a sad story that begins with the fact that I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt while carrying around 100lbs worth of luggage in a land where fashion is god and English signs are nowhere to be found. Hello Paris. Of course it also didn’t help that my internal GPS had a serious malfunction and I ended up completely ruining my Notre Dame rendezvous with Alyssa; that left me in frustrated tears. I found myself siting at a cute little French café feeling sorry for myself and struggling not to cuss out my snob of a garçon while stuffing my face with a LARGE ice cream, LARGE crêpe, and LARGE coke because heaven forbid I use my credit card for LESS than 25 Euros (about $35). So, that was my happy first experience in Paris…and eventually I found Notre Dame and Alyssa.

But upon reflection, I have to look at the positives. I’m not alone anymore, in a cold and dreary hostel having to cuddle with my purse every night! I have an unbelievably warm bed, my own shower, a secure place to put my stuff, and a FRIEND! I’m stoked about exploring Paris with Alyssa, and loving the fact that I have someone to talk to about familiar things like Lee, Epsilon, and America!

I’ve come to the conclusion that this whole independent traveling thing sounds good in theory, but in practice, I don’t believe I’m a fan at all. Now don’t get me wrong, I am indeed enjoying myself and I feel like the most independent, free person in the world. But though I’m having an unbelievable time, I can’t help but acknowledge that somewhere deep down inside of me is a faint hint of a shadow that longs for companionship along the way. I think that’s why I’m so excited to be here with Alyssa, because I’m tired of only having Skeeter to share this amazing adventure with! So here’s to an amazing weekend in Paris, France…

I’m out. //Cwalk.

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