Tah-dah! It's my 100th post! So I said it would be about Texas. Therefore, it will be about Texas. But the Texas I know and my experiences of it. No, I've never gotten a speeding ticket there, nor have I driven from El Paso to the Louisiana border in one shot. But I've lived, laughed, and loved there. I'm proud to be from Texas and will always be. Yesterday on the radio I heard the song "God Blessed Texas." It's not really talking about the state. Well, it is, but in the way that Texas is a bit of heaven because of the women who live there, not so much the quality of the land or our educational system or anything that's really important in the grand scheme of things. It's a silly song, but it makes me grin.
Anyways, so to show you a bit of why I love Texas, you need to know my roots. Since I'm a big nerd, I'm going to do a timeline. Oh yeah, I'm cool.
July 24, 1981-Born in Bryan, Texas. Home of Texas A and M. Gig 'em Aggies!
November 12, 1984-My mother marries my stepfather in Texas. My older sister is 7, I'm 3, and Leanne is 2. We then move to Tuttle, Oklahoma where my sisters and I are enrolled in Marantha Christian Academy.
February 23, 1989-I give my heart and life to Jesus. We get along great.
Childhood ensues. We are brought up in a southern baptist church, private Christian school, and are in church every time the doors are open. We move back to Texas when I'm eleven or twelve.
We move to Monahans, Texas. My father teaches me to be an archer. He takes me on a few hunts. I compete in archery competitions. I love my bow, while my Leanne prefers shooting firearms as opposed to a bow. My dad also is my youth group leader for a while and teaches us the True Love Waits program.
Then we move to Odessa, Texas. We are there for seven months.
Then Big Spring, Texas. My sister and I become active with a youth group led by John and Wilma Doll. They are lovely.
August 1997-Big Spring, Texas. Parents enroll my sister and I into public school for the first time. Talk about culture shock. But it was a small school in Ackerly, Texas. 1A. Sands High School, home of the Mustangs, we played six man football and my father was a referee. My sister was a cheerleader, I was the smart one who helped you with your homework. Usually this turned into discussions of why she might or might not like you and could I help you get a date with her. High school. Sheesh.
August 1998-We are transferred to Forsan High School. Home of the Buffaloes. A 2A high school. I become Student Council President which doesn't help my coolness factor in high school. Sister is still a cheerleader and gets more beautiful as the days go by. My chemistry professor talks about going to college and getting a chemistry degree. I scoff and say there's no way I'm getting a chemistry degree. (Oh yeah, God loves doing that with me.)
May 2000-I graduate high school. I was one of 49 students, which was the largest class in school history. I graduated with honors and in the top 10% of my class. In the state of Texas, if you graduate in the top 10% you are guaranteed admission into any university in Texas. (Here was my chance to go to Texas A and M!)
Summer of 2000-Pray about going to a big university knowing that my priority is a Christian school, just not sure which one I'm supposed to go to. Receive my acceptance letter from Texas A and M.
Summer of 2000-Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas offers me a scholarship because of my ACT scores. They have a Presbyterian affiliation and 702 students.
August 2000-Start my freshman year at Schreiner. Come in as a chemistry major because my advisor said they needed science majors. I wasn't passionate about any of the majors, so I said why not and began the program. Turns out they are loosely religious and I consider this my bleak period of my walk with Him. There are few opportunities for Christian fellowship there.
Fall 2003-Spend my last semester of college in London. It had nothing to do with my degree plan, but Schreiner let my scholarship money cover it. Yay free trip to London! Visited Ireland and Scotland. I definitely encourage you to see the world. It gets smaller the more you see of it.
December 7, 2003-Graduate from Schreiner University. Yes, with a chemistry degree.
December 2003-Present. Follow the free rent and free food to my parent's home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Am told to jump in by God to a ministry I know little about. Parents disagree with my commitment and the decisions I make in reference to the Ring. Folks move back to Texas and I stay here. The Ring eventually becomes a church. The idea that I was brought here for this still bounces around in my head.
And that's my history. As for my future, I've got no idea. But He does, and I'm ok with it. In fact, I'm wondering where He's going with all this. Not in a freak out I've gotta know now way. More of a zen, I'm calm and accepting with wherever He wants to lead me way. My life has been amazing so far. I look forward to what He's going to do next.
3 comments:
I guess the world would seem a bit small if you've lived in Texas most of your life.
Awesome post, I love it when I get a different perspective on the lives of my friends. Thank you.
Just remind me to not make you angry, lest you go all Green Arrow on me.
Um.. your an angel too... but a few people sent me that text message and it was going to cost me about 10 cents everytime.. so I decided to just tell you that you are an angel! And your terrific.
Yeah, that was my first and final time to a fwd with a text message. I refuse to send them through my computer, much less my cell phone.
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