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Monday, April 4, 2011

Life Happens



It's been a really long time since I have written anything on my blog! I'm excited to share all the new things that have been happening in my life. I truly cherish the times that I get to spend processing things, but life has taken a turn into busyness. Hopefully I can catch you up in one post.

The month of March FLEW by like a flock of angry birds. No need to beware the ides of March because March brought about such wonderful things and people.

My bff from home, Raelene, visited the same weekend that my friend Owen came out with his family to play a show here in Indy. Here's a lovely picture from the weekend of Owen, Jillian, me and, Raelene (courtesy of Jillian!):


Even though the time we got to spend all together was pretty short, it was still such a blessing to be able to be with such lovely people. It was a weekend filled with friends, music, haircuts, frisbee, and Starbucks--all very good things.

My good friend Bryant also visited that same week, and we met up with a bunch of friends for pizza at Greek's (mmm). I was so glad to get to hang out with him a bit. We don't get to see each other too often since he is now working on his Masters/Doctorate at Notre Dame. Sad that I don't get to see him, but also very proud of him for all the hard work he is doing! I'm going to have Dr. Bryant as my friend pretty soon! :)

Toward the end of the month, I had another wonderful weekend with a visit from my mom-- we played board games, went out to eat, hung out with friends, went to Borders, made cookies, went grocery shopping and made meals (always the best with such a good cook), and went to see Amos Lee in concert. All in all it was very relaxing and rejuvenating.

Check out Amos's music if you don't know it-- he's a truly influential musician and philanthropist. I loved hearing how his songs are often inspired by the stories of people he comes in contact with through this organization in Philly he works for called Artists on Call. Through this program, he goes to people who are in hospitals or hospice and cannot get out to see live music. A lot of the stories he told were real tear-jerkers, and you could see the compassion he has and the deep desire to love people and connect to them through his music.


Also during the month of March, I started working a new job! I have been substitute teaching since January, and in February I landed a 3-week substitute position in an elementary school doing reading and math intervention with the kids. It was nice to have the security of a three week position because as a sub I had been working, on average, a day and a half every week. During my time subbing there, though, I received a call to interview for a music teaching maternity leave that I had applied for in a different district. In the interview they informed me that the teacher had already been out for a month and that they wanted me to start right away, so I left in the middle of the 3-week position in order to jump right into a music classroom. My experience as an interventionalist served me well also because this music teacher also had some of those same duties. I was able to be hired full time instead of just the half-time music position!

I have already spent many hours planning and learning about my new job and new school, and I am on Spring Break this week so I will be spending additional hours doing more of the same. Even though it is hard work, my colleagues are all very friendly and helpful, and my principal is very understanding, letting me ease myself into the work load. I am blessed to know that I will be making about 4 times as much as I was making as a sporadic substitute teacher. I am finally able to save up some money and maybe not have to rely on my parents for any of my expenses! I am very grateful for everything my parents have done for me to be able to stay in Indy and look for jobs, but being financially independent is definitely a priority.

During this fun-filled month, I also found out that I would be working as a YMCA Day Camp Counselor for the summer! This will be my fourth summer working in this position but my first summer working as a counselor in Indy! I am SUPER excited-- the branch I am working with is huge, and it seems to be very well organized and progressive in its commitment to the camp programs. I think it will be a sweet summer. Also, I am really grateful that I will be working over the summer on top of landing this job for the rest of the school year!

Despite all of this providential provision in my life (for which I am extremely grateful), a significant element of uncertainty still exists. I do not know anything what is going to happen after the summer. My lease will be up in July, and I don't know where I will be living after July 31st. I do not have a job lined up for after camp is over. I have applied for music teaching jobs in Indy for next year, but I don't yet know if I will able to stay in Indy. I could go anywhere in the world if some opportunity presented itself and required me to do so. If I don't have a job in Indy, I cannot really justify staying here. If I do not have another roommate for next school year, I cannot financially justify staying in my apartment.

It is a bit stressful realizing that I only have a few months before I am supposed to have these things figured out. I trust that they will work out somehow, but not knowing what to prepare for and how to prepare myself is unnerving. There are many possibilities of what could happen, but those possibilities are not narrowed down to a point of focus. I don't know what the possibilities are, necessarily, so I don't know where to begin searching and applying myself outside of what obvious opportunities I have already been seeking.

Then there's this dreamer side of me who wants to pursue making my own music. I don't even know what to do with that or how it fits into any part of my future or present life. I have a hard time wanting to really step out in that dream because I have seen a few of my friends take that step, and it has led to some pretty crazy life changes taking place. I am often fearful of taking big risks like that, but if the Lord wills that dream to manifest, I just might start thinking about how it could.


All in all, my life is one I do not have much control over, and I am glad for that because my Father brings me great joy through that relinquishing of power and blesses the things I participate in and the people I interact with. I know that he is faithful, and I know that my next step will be made clear to me at the right timing. Faith is feeling secure in the unknown, and I will continue to practice having faith like that.

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