ethoughts weekly- Issue 147

Feb 3, 2007

Looking in the Backpack

This week I made a very important and life-changing decision. I decided to enroll in graduate school. This wasn’t a choice I thought I’d make a year ago. The thought wasn’t even there at that point. Sure, I had thought about getting my Masters degree, but I never felt sure what should be the focus of my studies. The high cost of education didn’t warrant furthering my education for merely scholarship alone. That’s all changed now.

Since this past September, I’ve been impressed with a kind of call on my life, a call which includes formal education. I will be studying theology at Evangelical School of Theology, starting with just one or two classes in the summer, and then continuing on in as wise a way as possible. It’s a heady program of 56 credits, (most Masters programs are about 36 credits,) and it will take a good deal of time and money. But, ultimately I know I will be enriched by the experience, it will greatly inform my writing, and it will foster other new opportunities in my life. I can’t always say this in my life, but this time, I can say, I believe this is what God wants me to do for the time being.

I think you, my readers, will benefit too. I have this full-fledged “book reporting” tendency. I read something, study something, or learn something, and I’m thrilled to share it. I joy in sharing insights I’ve gained. I even feel responsible to do so. I like creating dialogue about many interesting and important topics too. So, in a way, you will be coming with me as I study. I’d really like you to journey with me, and I promise, no homework. Okay, I can’t promise that, because I hope you have plenty of moments after reading ethoughts weekly to reflect on your own life, and make changes if necessary. But, I won’t flunk you, is that fair? (Don’t be offended, that was supposed to be funny.)

I was given an extremely detailed survey to complete for my literary agent this past week. There may have been 300 questions in the 11 page document. I didn’t count, because I would have gotten discouraged. There were all kinds of in depth questions to find out where I’ve been, where I am, and where I want to go. Some people cringe at the mere thought of this. I was a bit intimidated at first. Chip wanted me to help him to help me. (The old “help me help you” deal. His job depends on it I suppose.)

Since I tend to think about these types of things a lot, and I had already been deeply considering my life and direction as of late, it only took me a mere four or five hours to complete it. I wonder, do of you stop to consider all these things sometimes, even going as far to write them down? Maybe it’s time to do that. Would you take this ethoughts as a friendly challenge to do just that?

I think taking an inventory of the interior of our lives is never wasted time. If anything, it is like taking an inventory of our backpack before a long hike. If we don’t know what we’ve already packed, what we should remove, and what we need to add to our pack, we’ll waste a lot of time and energy on the trek compensating for it. Ever heard that old adage, “If you fail to plan, you pan to fail”? My dad used to tell me that annoying maxim, and it took me a while to forgive him. But, there’s a good kernel of wisdom there, like it or not. Another one comes to mind, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll reach it.” Wow. These things just spring up like weeds don’t they? All these pushy proverbs, where will it end?

But on a more serious note, really think about it, where do you see yourself in 1 year? And --Who will you be?

What one thing would you like to accomplish in 3 years? By what path will you get there?

And why not dream big and ask, “What are my top three “big, blue sky dreams”?

Let’s look into our backpacks this week, and decide a few important things about the next leg of our journey. I’d appreciate your thoughts and prayers too. Journeys, like the one I will do, are never easy. Your journey won’t be easy either. We shouldn’t expect them to be. I do pray God will bless your “next leg”.

Have a great week.

Lisa DeLay

©2007