10 Things to be Remembered For

List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

1. My sense of humor. I am a quirky girl at times and my sense of humor is borderline immature. However if you truly know me, you know I love to laugh and joke around. I love telling funny stories about the things that happen to me on a daily basis and I love to be snarky - if the timing is appropriate. Regardless, I think some people do not realize that I have a great sense of humor - and I'd hope that they'd have an opportunity to appreciate it and remember me for it.
2. My love of education. By education - I mean my love of teaching and growing as a learner. I feel so blessed to do the job that I do - teaching students with disabilities. I have wanted to do this job for so long [since I was in elementary school] and it's such a privilege and an honor to have the opportunity to touch the lives of these children everyday. My passion for teaching - and growing as a learner - is evident in how I speak about my kids and my work ethic. This is not a job that I take lightly, and I hope children look back one day and remember their teacher - Miss H - and the love I gave them, the lessons I taught them and the impact I made on them.
3. My smile. It sounds silly - but I have been told that I have a smile that lights up the room. I'd like to think of this as being approachable and friendly - and that's something worth remembering if you ask me :)
4. My positive attitude. I am a positive person 98% of the time. Okay ... so maybe I have exaggerated the truth. I'd say I am positive 90% of the time. I have my ups and downs ... and my OFF days, but for the most part, I look at the glass have full. Life is too short to focus on all of the negatives in life, and I use this energy to attack my battles in life full force.
5. My love of family. I come from a HUGE family. My dad is one of twelve kids and my mother is one of five. My dad's family lives down south in North Carolina - so we do not get to see everyone very often. However when we do travel down there, it's literally a reunion. I am always so overjoyed to spend time with fellow H's! There is always lots of food, conversation, dancing and contests. It makes me so proud to be a member of this family and to reconnect with my cousins and aunts/uncles. My mother's family lives locally - maybe ten or fifteen minutes apart. Growing up, we all went to the same church and would attend my grandparent's house after service for a big Sunday lunch. We celebrate every holiday together - whether it be the 4th of July, Christmas, Thanksgiving or someones birthday. When I am not with the entire family on either side, I am frequently visiting my parent's house to have heart to heart conversations with my parents or to catch up with my younger sister and brother. Family is everything to me and I hope to have a big family of my own one day - and to instill these same values into my children.
6. My love of photos. Back in the day, my digital camera was ALWAYS glued to my hand. I'd develop the photos and put them in frames and/or scrapbooks. Today, my iPhone is my best friend. I LOVE the camera on the phone and that I can immediately edit photos with instagram and then upload photos to twitter, facebook and shutterfly! I may be obnoxious when it comes time to photographs - but a picture is worth a thousands words :o)
7. My love of being outdoors. I LOVE the outdoors - especially on a beautiful day. Sit me by the ocean waves on a beach or by the campfire in the forest ... and I am content. It is then that I feel complete. I love hiking and and having a picnic outdoors in the fresh air.
8. My commitment and loyalty to my friends. I am shy by nature and so it takes me a while to truly let people into my heart/life. However, once you are in - YOU'RE IN! There will be nothing that I will not do for you in the time of need. Your company and friendship will be treasured to the tenth degree. Although this is a strength, it is also a weakness. I have the HARDEST time letting people go - it hurts me to no end when relationships end (whether romantic or friend). But I'd like to think this shows how much I love others and how loyal I am to someone I consider a friend.
9. My love of Zumba [and dancing.] If I could be ANYTHING (or anyone) for a day - I'd hope to be either a Zumba dance instructor OR a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. I love to dance and shake my booty. I love being energetic and pumping to the beat. For sure - this is something that I WILL no doubt be remembered for.
10. Myself. There is no other Chriss Marie - like me - out there. I have many wonderful qualities about me, and some not so good ones. But I am who I am ... and I try to be the best me that I can be everyday. I'd like to think my friends, family, coworkers, etc love me for exactly who I am. And that's something worth remembering me for.

20 Random Things About Me

List 20 random facts about yourself.

1. I am the oldest born child in my family.
2. I enjoy reading other's blogs in my spare time.
3. I am a special education teacher.
4. I am 24 years old.
5. I am a LEO.
6. I am bored to tears right now - as Hurricane Sandy wrecks continues her wrath.
7. I have a birth mark located on one of my butt cheeks haha.
8. I LOVE taking photos. 
9. I wish I was more crafty (and had patience for it) because I'd totally scrap book. 
10. My newest passion is hiking in new locations.
11. I am a reality TV junkie. Real Housewives. Jersey Shore. Teen Mom. Are some of my fav shows.
12. My biggest fear is being alone for the rest of my life. I often feel like I will NEVER meet the one I am supposed to spend eternity with.
13. I am a bit of a control freak - I've learned this lately ... I HAVE to be in control or else I panic/stress out/spazz.
14. I LOVE chocolate ... and my love for it may be unhealthy.
15. I am a bit of a perfectionist. 
16. I love love love helping others! 
17. I am pidgeon toed .. and kind of self conscious about it. 
18. I think I have an undiagnosed speech impediment ... 
19. I stutter when I get nervous. 
20. I tend to exaggerate the truth - because I am dramatic O:)

I am so grateful that the power remains on in my building. I have been watching hurricane Sandy coverage ALL DAY and it's absolutely shocking to see the footage of what's going on up North. Maryland has been hit pretty hard - but all of my friends and family continue to be safe at this moment. I am praying for all of those who are currently without power, experiencing flooding or who have been evacuated from their homes. I also pray that this monster storm is over soon - I think the East Coast has been battered up enough.

Halloween 2012

So grateful that I had a blessed weekend. On Friday, I joined up with Stacy and Robyn for happy hour at Clyde's. We talked - okay vented - mostly about work, but it was so nice to catch up with those two. I truly value their friendship and the perspective they give me on different subjects. The three of us are all so different ... however we really have open and honest conversations about everything. And it's a blessing to have two friends - who are not only a reflection of me in regards to color - but who can give me honest feedback on subjects that mater most to me. We sat at the table in Clyde's for hours and I hope we continue to meet at least one Friday a month to pow wow.

On Saturday, I ventured off to Baltimore to meet up with my college buddies. We had a fabulous time celebrating Halloween. Some of the girls and I decided to have drink themed costumes this year. We all looked super sexy and took some great snapshots of us dressed in our finest. We had such a large group and we bar hopped at the Power Plant Live! downtown. Amazingly, I only spent about $50 for the ENTIRE night (that included three plates of sushi at an expensive restaurant and lots of drinks). There were tons of Halloween specials and I even received a couple of free drinks! It's truly tradition to celebrate Halloween with these people, and each year continues to be even better than the last.

Here's a look at my Halloween Costumes through the years:

Freshman Year of College (October 2006)

Sophomore Year of College (October 2007)

Junior Year of College (October 2008)

Senior Year of College (October 2009)

First Year of Teaching (October 2010)

Second Year of Teaching (October 2011)

This Year :)

This years costume theme: Drinks! 

I had the absolute best time! And to make things even great, I just found out that MCPS has cancelled school for Monday and Tuesday in preparation for Hurricane Sandy. While I am excited for two extra days off, I am concerned about whether or not my apartment building will have power for the next couple of days. My tough decision of the hour is: Stay at my parent's house for the next couple of days OR stay at my place ALL ALONE. The storm is supposed to get really bad from 8am tomorrow until 8pm Tuesday. So I will have to make my decision sooner than later. 

In all seriousness ... I hope everyone stays safe and has stocked up on batteries, food and the like! I need to head to Target myself to stock up on a couple of things ... but I hope everyone had a GREAT Halloween weekend!  

Photo Magic

Check out my girlfriend Jackie's new blog! She is a NEW DC Metro Area Make Up Artist and has just launched her website. A bunch of fabulous ladies and myself supported Jackie as she created a portfolio of looks she has created. Another lovely lady, Brittany at Sweet Bee Photography, took snap shots of us to capture the look.

Jackie did a PHENOMENAL job and I will be calling her to do make-up for my wedding day ... whenever that time finds me. Check out a before and after shot below ... what wonders a little make-up and a fab make-up artist can do!

BeforeAfter

Where Do I See Myself?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

• 5 Years: In five years, I see myself as a 8th year teacher in MCPS. By this time, I will have graduated with a master's degree in Educational Leadership. I would hope to have met the man of my dreams, and be married. We would own a house somewhere in MC, have a pup and maybe a baby on the way. I would have a clearer sense of who I am and I would be okay with it.
• 10 Years: In ten years, I would love to be a stay at home mom raising my three or four (or five) children.  For those wondering - I want a large family. I envision myself driving children to soccer practice, girl scouts and other various extracurricular activities. I would have a baby on my hip, and my hand over the stove (baking and cooking treats and meals) when the kids were at schools and/or extracurricular activities.
• 15 Years: In ten years, I see myself as a supervisor of some sort in an education system. It has been my dream - currently - to advise and/or supervise staff in the special education department. At this point, I would want to be out of the classroom and putting my master's degree to good use. I would be 39 years old by this point ... so perhaps I would be preparing for my over the hill celebrations as well haha! 

Thirty Questions Challenge

If I were to be real with myself ... it's going to take me AGES to work through this list. However, my goal will be to work on the 30 questions below whenever I have free time or need something new to blog about. 
Here is the list of the 30 Questions:   

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.

2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.

3. Describe your relationship with your parents.

4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.

5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?

6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?

7. What is your dream job, and why?

8. What are 5 passions you have?

9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.

10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.

11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.

12. Describe a typical day in your current life.

13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.

14. Describe 5 strengths you have.

15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?

17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?

22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.

24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.

25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?

26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?

27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?

28. What is your love language?

29. What do you think people misunderstand most about you?

30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

If you are reading my blog, and you have a blog of your own - then I encourage you to do the same too! 

My Weekend in Pictures, Pt II

Feeling so peaceful and blessed. Thankful for the opportunities and experiences God has given me this weekend. Hopeful that I do not forget these moments and how I felt during them.

My Weekend in Pictures

I have had a blessed weekend so far. I am truly grateful, after the rough week I had a week ago. I praise God for the opportunity to do new things and to reconnect with people in my life.

Here's a peak into what I've been up to:

A Friend that Sharpens

Another message that touched my heart. 

I think this is why I have struggled the past week or two. I yearn for an accountability partner type of friendship ... and I am having trouble accepting that I have been entertaining a shallow pool of friendships - and that perhaps, God has removed some of these individuals from my life. 

The message below - however - gives me new hope that I will find deeper relationships with other women. And that I will find friendships in women who will "love me where I am and get me to a higher place of living." 

“Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose]” (Proverbs 27:17, AMP). 

Whether it’s over a steaming mug of dark roasted coffee, a frilly lunch served at the local sushi restaurant, or a power walk in the wee hours of the morning, my accountability partner and I meet regularly to speak into each other’s lives.  We trust each other.  We challenge one another.  I’m a better woman because she’s my friend – because she speaks with honesty and courage – because she is for me – because she turns my heart toward God and His ways. 

As much as I love girlfriend time – and I truly do love girlfriend time – there’s a depth to this particular friendship that flows to the core of who I am.  I often feel uncommonly exposed during our conversations.  Vulnerable, yet safe.  She gets in my grill about my priorities, marriage, mothering, ministry, and faith matters ... and I welcome it.  I need it.   

We all need friends. We need people in our lives that will love us where we are and help us get to a place of higher living. We need friends that will hold us accountable to God's standards - friends that sharpen us.

The Bible makes a compelling point about this type of friendship. “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose].” (Proverbs 27:17, AMP) 

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Biblesays of this principle: “We are cautioned to take heed whom we converse with.  And directed to have in view, in conversation, to make one another wiser and better.”

Take time to consider your friendships today.  Do you have any friends who sharpen you and challenge your “worthy purpose”?  Who make you wiser and better?  Is there anyone in your life who asks you tough questions, shares godly truths, and confronts you when you need confronted?  If so, thank God for her.  Purpose to connect with her regularly, grant her permission to continue to speak into your life, and ask that she give you permission to do the same.

Are you that friend to anyone?  Do you long to have deeper friendships?  If you find yourself in a wide pool of shallow friendships, I’d encourage you to pray about it.  Pray that God would bring meaningful friendships to your life and that He would teach you what it looks like to be a good friend.

Sharon, Mary and I delight to come along side of you each day as your Girlfriends In God – to spur you on and encourage you towards Christ, but we could never replace the real-life friendships God intends for you to have. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NIV)

When we have a friend that sharpens and we become a friend that sharpens, our lives are enriched.  Think about what our churches, our neighborhoods, our marriages, our work places, and our lives would look like if we all had this type of friend in our lives. Helen Keller said it beautifully: "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."

Dear God, Thank You for friendships. You know the people in my life and the needs of my heart.  Please help me to grow as a woman in my ability to pour into the lives of my friends.  Help my heart be open to godly, constructive feedback that a friend might speak to me, and give me the capacity to love my friends as You love them. 

-Girlfriends in God

You Are Enough

He's an on time God. I needed to hear this message:

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” - (1 Corinthians 3:16).

I’m not _____________ enough. You can fill that blank in with smart, talented, gifted, spiritual, or any number of positive attributes. But the root source of each one of those lies is “I’m notgood enough.” It is one of the enemy’s favorite weapons and he uses it to keep God’s children in bondage to feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy. The bottom line is, the enemy wants you to believe that you are “not enough.” Period.  But you are enough. You are enough and have been equipped by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do everything that God has called you to do.

It seems the message of “I’m not good enough to earn my way to heaven on my own,” has been transformed into I’m not good enough… period. God created man and woman and said, “It is good.” We are so valuable to God that He gave His only Son to restore our brokenness.

To be honest, I could have been the poster child for the lie, “I’m not good enough.”  If feeling inadequate was an Olympic event, I would have been on the Corn Flakes box. It was the undercurrent of my entire existence until I finally realized who I was in Christ. Bible teacher Beth Moore said, “In the dead of the night when insecurities crawl on us like fleas, all of us have terrifying bouts of insecurity and panics of insignificance. Our human natures pitifully fall to the temptation to pull out the tape measure and gauge ourselves against people who seem more gifted and anointed by God.” That was me.

Many women are living in silent defeat, comparing themselves to other women who are living in secret defeat. I’m not a good mother. I’m not a good wife. I’m not a good Christian. I’m not a good witness. I’m not a good housekeeper. I’m not a good decorator.  I’m not a good cook.  I’m not a good….  Women are caught in a cycle of the “I’m not good enoughs.” One by one the petals fall from the beautiful flower God created us to be. Like ticker tape, our fragmented pieces of confidence litter the streets like the Macy’s parade passing by.

Unfortunately, I wasted many precious years held captive by the enemy’s lies before I held up my chained hands to God and said, “I’m ready for you to set me free.”

Consider this:
Jacob was a liar.
Moses was a stutterer.
Gideon was a coward.
David was an adulterer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
Esther was an orphan.
Balaam’s donkey was…well, a donkey.

And yet God used each one of them to impact His kingdom. 

God doesn’t call us because we are particularly gifted or talented. He uses us because we are obedient and dependent on Him. He doesn’t call the qualified – He qualifies the called.

The truth is, if you have experienced new birth in Christ, when God looks at you, He sees Jesus.  And friend, Jesus is good enough.

- Girlfriends in God

A Football Filled Weekend!

Always a great time hanging out with my college buddies! Had a blessed and fun filled weekend with Kitty, Al & the boys! Looking forward to Halloween Weekend ... The fun will continue :)

Merry Christmas?

More photos from our shoot! Can you say ... Christmas gifts!? Haha

photo shoot - sneak peak

September 2012 - Harris Siblings

Christina - 24. Tony - 16. Michelle - 21.

Me - 24 Years Old - September 2012

THE BEST THING EVER

A old friend and former college buddy sent me an email tonight that was incredible! It was the EXACT thing I needed to read to remind myself to put things into perspective ... that I can restore peace and happiness in my life. And that the storms in life will not weigh me down forever. The email was as follows below: 

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. 

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. 

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.' 

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed.. 

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else---the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

What a powerful lesson. "The sand is everything else - the small stuff." My life will still be full with my family, my health, my favorite passions ... my dearest friends. But if I spent all my time and energy on the small things in life, then I would never have any room for the things that are important to me. It is still INCREDIBLE to me, how God works. No doubt, there was a reason why that email landed in my mailbox. And I am glad that it did. Here's to yet another day of trying to set my priorities straight ... to the things that really matter.

Get A Grip Girl

I had an interesting day today. I cried a lot. Prayed a lot. Did self-talk a lot and Reflected a lot. I am at the beginning of my journey to find myself again - to become comfortable in my own skin, under these new and unfamiliar circumstances. I messaged one of my friends today for advice ... in a moment that I felt so frustrated and low. 

She said the following below: 

I get it everything around you is changing and you're having trouble making sense of everything. But at the end of the day you need to wake up and say, "I like Christina Harris" and acknowledge that you're happy with where you are and what you're doing in life. Because once you get to a certain age people are going to come and go. And that's okay. All of them serve a purpose in your life. What matters is that you're trying to make yourself a better person and you're doing what you enjoy. Everything else is just stuff. I just learned a very valuable lesson about saying, "No." And it has been liberating. Sometimes we have to go through things that suck or times where we don't feel ourselves in order to learn something. Isn't that what it's all about? Learning something new.    

Perhaps I need to really reflect on those words ... on what greater meaning they have when put together. I suppose the bottom line is this: I cannot control everything or everyone. Even if I do EVERYTHING right, things will still find a way to fall apart sometimes. I should not stress about anyone or anything that does not work out. There is no point in agonizing over it and having sleepless nights or emotional breakdowns.

I truly appreciate the advice my friend gave me. This journey will be by no means easy, but I am determined to get a grip. Would it be too much to say: I need to let go and let God? 

Quarter Life Crisis

The title of my blog is One Year to a Quarter Life Crisis. At one point in time, it was titled something entirely different. And to be honest, I could not tell you the former title if my life depended on it. What I do know is, I entitled my blog One Year to a Quarter Life Crisis because I am in fact ... ONE year away from my QUARTER year of life. Yes ... this time next year, I will be 25 years old. And if I did not know any better, I have been going through my quarter life crisis for the past year or two ... or maybe even three. 

Over the course of the last one or two or three years, I have began to realize many things about myself that I did not know and do not like. I feel insecure EVERY SINGLE DAY and in EVERY SINGLE WAY; and I am worried about where I will be in a few years ... because let's be real, what is this place I find myself in now? 

I have come to realize the SCARIEST thing one could possibly have the fortune of realizing: the friends I thought I was close to ... yeah, well I am not close to many of them anymore. I have also began to realize that some of those friends I have lost touch with, I have lost touch with because of something I have said or done in a moment of selfishness (and narrow mindedness <---- is that even a word?).  I am concerned that in two years, I will have NO friends - or rather, none that I can truly confide in or feel connected to anyway. 

My opinions have gotten stronger and I now have boundaries in my life, that define what is acceptable and what is not. Literally, one minute I am feeling secure. And in a heartbeat, I am feeling insecure. I cry myself to sleep many nights ... as I feel so alone, scared AND (to make matters worse) confused. I despise change with all my might and I find myself holding on to my past for dear life. Funny that my past, which was once so familiar and comforting, is now drifting further and further away. 

I muse everyday, why I have yet to meet someone decent enough. Why I continue to attract guys who I am simply not interested in. If my standards are too high, or the guys who are pursuing me are just not worth settling for. I go through the SAME song and dance (specifically known as emotions & questions) every single freaking day. Heck! I am terrified that I will NEVER find my way off this merry-go-round. Over and OVER and over ... these emotions and questions go around and around. 

I feel so embarrassed about all of this too! I feel like I cannot tell these fears and thoughts to my girlfriends, or else they will be annoyed or judge me. I worry about paying off my loans and having enough money to pay my bills. I worry about finding myself in a predicament where I have to move home again because I cannot afford living on my own. 

But like my blog subtitle states: We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this thing out. I have GOT to be experiencing my quarter life crisis. I am one year away, and I am already going through. And #1 question is - will these feelings, emotions and thoughts last forever? Will I figure this all out? Or will I live in misery for the rest of my life ... because I am having a life crisis? 

One. Year. To. A. Quarter. Life Crisis.

Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God. —Psalm 46:10

The Hebrew word for still means “to cease striving.” It’s the concept of putting your hands down and letting God intervene in your situation without your interference. This word picture is interesting, since we often use our hands to push things out of our way, to protect ourselves, or to strike back. When we drop our hands, it makes us feel defenseless and vulnerable—unless we can trust that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (v.1). 

In the face of all of life’s circumstances, we can know the peace of trusting the presence and power of God in the midst of trouble as we wait patiently and prayerfully for His deliverance. So drop your hands, for God’s hands are busy on your behalf! —Joe Stowell

I had yet another rough day ... my thoughts and emotions are doing a number on me. I have been feeling so down and out about several things lately. I am worried that this is a foreshadow of the months to come. When it's colder and darker outside, the blues often rear their ugly head. I think that part of my difficulty is that I like to be in control of EVERYTHING. 

I have this idea in my mind of how I want things to fall into place. And currently, many of these *ideas* are not falling into place as I wish. Therefore, I become bent out of shape and frustrated. I read the above scripture yesterday, and it remained on my mind this evening. I need to find peace in knowing that God is my refuge and strength. I have been feeling "vulnerable" and "exposed" .. but I need to trust that God is here to help me fight my battles and find peace again :o).

Tomorrow is a new day - and I am going to treat it as such. Here's to fresh starts and new beginnings ... and to being still. 

Have Your Way

“Like a mighty storm, stir within my soul. Lord have Your way in me.”

- I Surrender - Hillsong

Timing

tim·ing  /ˈtīmiNG/  Noun

1. The choice, judgement, or control of when something should be done.
2. A particular point or period of time when something happens.

Perfect timing is rare - where humans are concerned. But HIS timing is always perfect. Think about these words for a moment. Timing. I believe there is a reason why God led me to read these words. I read this passage from Our Daily Bread earlier in the week, and thought what a powerful message. This morning I woke up, and the first thing I happened to stumble across - again - while checking emails was the passage above. TIMING. 

My past week was all about TIME. Every night I went to bed a a timely hour (11pm) so that I could get enough sleep. Every morning I woke up at a timely hour (6am) so that I could get ready for the day in a timely manner. I left my house on time - to arrive to school on time. While teaching small reading groups and pulling my students for math instruction, I closely monitored the time. At lunch and during planning, I was aware of the time. At the end of the school day, I would check the time to determine how long I had to plan for reading and then mathematics. At 6pm, I would leave the building to head home and keep an eye on the time as I cooked dinner, or watched television or did laundry. TIME. I can honestly say that my timing did not always work out in the manner at which I had hoped. I was late at least one of the days this week to work. There was a night that I went to bed later than usual to watch a television show. There was a time that I missed most of a meeting at work, because I had forgotten to look up at the time. Perfect timing is rare where humans are concerned. 

Can I tell you HOW MANY TIMES something occurred this week, that made me stop dead in my tracks and think, "Was that you God?" Whether it was the timely g chat message from a college roommate, or the unexpected visit from my best friend, or the surprise email from former co-workers about joining them for happy hour. Perfect timing is rare - where humans are concerned. But HIS timing is always perfect. So what am I to think when a friend tells me unexpectedly that she is pregnant (five weeks to be exact) and that she is considering terminating the pregnancy because the TIMING is not right. That she has to make her TIMELY decision before she reaches nine weeks. What am I to think? 

tim·ing: The choice of when something should be done

Perfect timing is RARE where humans are concerned. She made the choice to have sexual intercourse with her boyfriend without using ANY form of birth control. At least a month ago, she spoke of her desire to have children NOW. I have heard her say many TIMES that she wants to be a mom before the age of 25. I told her yesterday, "Be careful of what you wish for. You ask and you shall receive." I am so conflicted as to what to think or feel. I have always been pro choice, yet I held that viewpoint under the extreme belief that people who have abortions are rape victims. That these ladies should have the choice to choose whether or not they would like to keep the child. I truly never considered that women - who make the conscious choice to have sexual intercourse every day- should have the choice to terminate a pregnancy if they accidentally get pregnant and the TIMING is not perfect. 

I have no clue what my friend is going to do. For one thing, she has told far too many people that she is pregnant. For another, her boyfriend is extremely excited about the prospect of having a child. Either decision that she makes will have long lasting consequences on her life; and the length of time that these choices impact her life will be for eternity, of that I am sure. It is times like these that I wish she had a relationship with God. That I could tell her - although the timing is not perfect - perhaps God has a perfect plan and a purpose for this child's life. I wish that I could tell her, "All things work together for good to those . . . who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) I am not sure, however, that the concept of these words - the meaning behind them - would hold much weight for her. 

What I do know is: Perfect timing is rare - where humans are concerned. But HIS timing is always perfect. And all things work together for good to those, who are called according to his purpose.