the one where my life took a turn
Tuesday, September 10:Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.
I have so many! I read a few of the Blogtember blogs today and really wanted to to this writing task. So I sat down and made myself a bulleted list of my goose bumpy times in my life. You know the BIG ONES that changed me forever! Of course, my 2004 wreck, my cancer diagnosis, Devin's cancer diagnosis, birthing babies, marriage, etc. ALL those came to mind. Lord...I'm a walking soap opera just reading my list! And honestly, I don't like to dwell to much on any one thing too long. Life is too short and there's always more around the corner. And besides, I'm much more interested in everyone's elses stories. I love listening to people's life stories! This is probably why I read so many dang blogs! HELLO! I've got a feedly list from hell. Not even kidding. Life is so dang interesting and in each and every story, you can hear and see how God works and moves through his people. I don't think folks give him near enough credit.
So, I have a story where ALL the credit is due HIM. ALL OF IT.
Okay, many of you will think I'm completely crazy when I write about this. Heck, when I do talk about it or think about, I think I'm crazy too. LOL And I'm sure many of you will be surprised and think I would choose another topic, afterall, SOAP OPERA. Remember? But here we go. Peeling back the layers to our spiritual onions and getting real.
It was early spring, 1987. We had just back from Christmas break and I was in my my sophomore year of college at Tahlequah, OK. I had no idea what I was doing in life. HELLO! My kids now are so much more mature than I was at that age. I was a total rookie when it came to life and how you should be living it. Remember that personality test that said "easily influenced by others"? That was me. I was a PARTY MONSTER! Don't get me wrong, I was a RESPONSIBLE PARTY MONSTER, I mean I didn't flunk out or anything, but I wasn't exactly making wise dating decisions and I was just basically rolling through life having fun.
My sister went to Tahlequah, so I just felt I needed to follow her. I had OSU in mind, but an ex-boyfriend was supposed to go there and naive me thought I would run into him. HELLO! STUPID blonde girl. OSU? That would have been cool. But that wasn't the path I was on. So, anyway, I'm at NSU in Tahlequah, studying Elementary Education because I had to pick a major. Do you wanna hear how I chose my major? Yeah, in less then 10 seconds, I picked that one because my bestie, Tiffany, chose it. I didn't even give it much thought, did I?
I dated a lot of frogs. TONS of frogs. Many good guys, many bad guys, but I wasn't very smart about the dating game. I didn't really think through my choices, I just picked them for looks, or for their charm, or and yes, this is very shallow, but HELLO! It was the 80's, their car. There I admitted that I chose who to date based on what we would drive to the date in. Golly...
I partied a TON in college. I mean a TON. I planned my school and work schedule around the parties. I totally did! And I was at a party when I met my future hubby. I was at a house party or beer bust as we called them, at Mike and Marlin's place and with my girlfriend's when I spotted the "new guy" on campus who had just transfered from Ranger Jr. College. He was a football player and they are NEVER on my radar because they don't have enough free time for girlfriends. But I'm serious when I type this, God spoke to me when I locked eyes with him across the room and spoke the following words to my heart.
He's a good one.
He had never spoken to me before. NEVER. I mean, I read the bible and prayed a time or two, and I knew he was looking out for me, but I had never heard his voice SPEAK English words that were so real and clear that I couldn't ignore them. I just couldn't. I knew I needed to meet this guy and go talk to him, even though he would NEVER have been someone I would have dated back then. I was compelled to walk in his direction and say "hi".
Crazy or not, it worked.
Thank you, God.
Love does,
Kristin