Breakfast Blog

I've never written a blog, or probably anything at all for that matter, while eating Toaster Strudels until now.

The thing is, almost a year ago on my birthday, I wrote about turning 20, and since today is my last day of being 20, I woke up with the strange sensation that I needed to close the year the same way I started it.

Speaking of birthdays, today is my next-door neighbor's 90th birthday. How impressive is that! I think he's finally getting old, too; he just mowed his lawn for the last time a few weeks ago.

So, I know you're all dying to discover where I'm at in life and how I'm feeling right now as I plunge deeper into my early 20's. Let me tell you!

I've been thinking about my future. That never really stopped happening, of course, but I'm getting closer to becoming a real grown-up with a real college diploma and a real job, so the matter is becoming more pressing.

My immediate future includes finishing the last few bites of my toaster strudel, finishing this blog post, and taking a shower to wash my hair for the first time in a week. After that I'm not really sure what I'll do. Boy, I love summer vacation! Maybe I'll go on an adventure!

Speaking of adventures, something that has been on my mind a lot is my own personal little adventure. I've been slowly working my way through Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, which I highly, highly recommend to anyone not 100% satisfied with the material life of modern civilization, anyone that's felt drawn to the wilderness even once in their life. It's not a book for everyone; I know some people that hate it, but I know more people that love it as much as I do. While reading it, I've been trying to read several other novels at a much faster pace, but Into the Wild I want to digest slowly. I mark my place in the book with a pencil and frequently use it to underline things I like. Once again, I love summer vacation and the fact that I have the time to do this.

Into the Wild inspires me to explore this beautiful planet God has made. It's a true story, essentially a biography, about a guy called Chris, not much older than me, who cuts off all contact with the world he's always known and explores North America (mostly the western states) with little money and provisions. He ultimately died in the Alaskan wilderness, but that's not really the point. The point is that we can choose our lives; we don't have to be boxed up! We can experience God and live freely and unreservedly in communion with him. We don't need to cling to worldly possessions or money. We don't need to cling to a secure future or a plan beyond today. Such prospects thrill and inspire me! That's why I'm headed to Alaska in a few weeks, which brings me to...

My near future includes journeying to Juneau, the capital of the vast state of Alaska, where I will live with a group of other young folks. We'll get jobs and live relatively calmly, sharing the love of Jesus wherever we go (if you can consider that calm). Then, on the weekends, we will take off and go nuts-- not only will we be evangelizing with more intensity and intention, as well as doing service projects, we will go hiking and camping! I just ordered a big, externtal-frame backpack, so I know this is real life. I suppose we'll see glaciers and mountains and wildlife. People have asked if I'll see aurora borealis- I don't know!  I hope so! I know my trip will be somewhat structured, and I will be surrounded by a fantastic support group of other believers rather than off on my own, but I'm still traveling into unknown territory. And I know I will still have an adventure! So my plan is to be as adventurous as I dare.

My distant future is a bit foggy. Like I was saying, that's the beauty of it! Of course it is important that I plan for my career, but not knowing what will become of it is pretty wonderful, I suppose. I have thought about going back to camp for a time, or working for Second Nature Wilderness Therapy, but ultimately I want to end up at Mercy Ministries. And I want to get married sometime in this decade of my life, hopefully sooner than later, but I haven't found anyone that wants to marry me yet, and obviously that's another thing about my life that I can't control, so why worry? I also plan on producing some infants after said marriage occurs. That's it. That's my long-term life plan. Pretty solid, eh?

Of course, birthdays are not only about where we're going. It's about where we've been! Twenty has been a great year for me. You can read about the wonders of my fall semester at college here, or about my incredible trip to Jamaica here. I've made some absolutely incredible friends, done some amazing things, laughed a lot. I've grown and stretched as a person and in my relationship with Christ. I made or helped make dreads for two people, and given 3 people single dreads. I've taken great classes, explored who I am and what I want to be.

So there you go. Now you know my life. Onto the next chapter...


God bless.