Anan's (not-so) Randomness!
No quotation marks... We wouldn't want to seem too uppity, now would we?
Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Growing up is such a pain. I mean there were the growing pains back when I was phisically growing UP... But now there's things like a job and stuff. What's really annoying is that most of my friends are either two year older or younger than me. So some of them are in college and are busy all the time (most likely with *real* people etc. and not just a computer screen) and some of them are even more carefree than me and have almost no commitments.
One ornery part of me wants to be over and done with homeschool and go out of state for a nice fibertastic college (*not* collage) education. The less ornery and considerably more agreeable part of me wants to stay in town forever and never leave my family, church, and local friends. At this point the ornery side bursts in and says "Tough! They'll just have to live without you 'cuz you want to ESCAPE!!!!" Ahem. That isn't entirely true. <sigh>
Some of my older than me pals forget that I'm only 16 (*only*? I never thought I would say such things back when I was 7). Last fall they had already decided which college I was going to and that I would be rooming with Heidi Mae... I had to burst their bubble and remind them that I'm two years younger than her.
Dearest Maggie is going to be staying in South Bend and attending Bethel so there's no hope of her eventually joining me wherever I go. (Yes, I've ruled out Bethel.) That just stinks.
Now I need to go practice organ and such because I'm stinkin' commited to playing some of the service on Sunday. I don't mind playing... It's being commited to something that irks me. Does that even make sense? Oh well.
Comments:
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 10:15 am by Rachel D
Yeah, I feel like that a lot... when I was younger I wanted to be older, and now that I'm older and have so many responsibilities I want to be younger again. Oh well. You can't have everything.
And your friends want you to go to Bethany? That's where I want to go... it really would end up being a MH college that way. :p I actually got accepted there just the other day, hooray for me! It would be totally fun if you could come...
and hee hee, you said fibertastic. 
Fun times.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 11:25 am by Anan
Yeah, I feel like that a lot... when I was younger I wanted to be older, and now that I'm older and have so many responsibilities I want to be younger again. Oh well. You can't have everything.
And your friends want you to go to Bethany? That's where I want to go... it really would end up being a MH college that way. :p I actually got accepted there just the other day, hooray for me! It would be totally fun if you could come...
and hee hee, you said fibertastic. Fun times.
Back then they all wanted to go to Hillsdale. Now it's just Kennedy there all alone.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 12:42 pm by Mrs. E.
Come over here and go to school with Lid. You can be organ majors together at someplace like Capital or College of Wooster ( good confessional church there) and hang here on weekends. Our chores, our noisy kids and our chaos will make you feel right at home. : P
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 12:57 pm by Anan
Come over here and go to school with Lid. You can be organ majors together at someplace like Capital or College of Wooster ( good confessional church there) and hang here on weekends. Our chores, our noisy kids and our chaos will make you feel right at home. : P
Wow... You *really* want to steal me away don't you? :p ::looks up College of Wooster::
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 4:24 pm by Nat
You can perhaps take solace in the fact that there seem to be people left and right who are eager to steal you away.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 4:27 pm by Gifford
College and the few years after will be the most enjoyable and carefree time of your life, especially if you take advantage of it. If I were in your shoes I would lean toward the "escape." Look at schools in unusual places. Think even more unconventionally: travel; work or volunteer in something unusual but rewarding. You could also do those things right after college too, before you settle down again.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 6:14 pm by Anan
You can perhaps take solace in the fact that there seem to be people left and right who are eager to steal you away.
::evil grin:: I already do. Yes, I'm mean. Just as Nickolai.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 6:36 pm by Magsplat
Thank you Anan, now i'm carefree and have almost no commitments. Oh wait... you're right. Haha.
But did you know i'm going to see if two certain stores within walking distance take people of my age for jobs? It's legal, it's just that on non-school days i can work up to eight hours, and on school days up to three. On non-school weeks i can work up to forty hours. School weeks, i can work up to eighteen. I'm allowed to work from seven AM to seven PM during the school year and out until *gasp* nine in the summer.
So yes. Teehee. *carefreely tosses flower petals and skips on sunny hills with lots of grass and wildflowers* Don't you wish you could be young again, doing whatever it is i'm doing?
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 9:43 pm by Karin
College and the few years after will be the most enjoyable and carefree time of your life, especially if you take advantage of it. If I were in your shoes I would lean toward the "escape." Look at schools in unusual places. Think even more unconventionally: travel; work or volunteer in something unusual but rewarding. You could also do those things right after college too, before you settle down again.
So.....my pastors are weird. One seems to not want her to leave and the other one is sending her to the four corners of the earth. Sigh. You two are so weird. I'm glad you're weird though and I am happy for your input in my daughters life. We shall see what happens.......oh - I am not pushing her one way or another.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 05th, 2007 at 10:12 pm by Gifford Grobien
So.....my pastors are weird. One seems to not want her to leave and the other one is sending her to the four corners of the earth.
Well, look. I'm not saying she should go away forever. In fact, my opinion is that she should not. Families should stay together, you know. All I'm saying is that this age she's approaching is the crown of her education, and a lot can be learned by trying the new, the different, the far away, the unconventional (excluding, of course, the illegal and immoral 
.... I'm a firm believer that a person should get away in some way, whether it's through travel or some other significant change in situation. It needn't be for four years. Even just a few months can do the trick.
And, as I mentioned before, sometimes it can be even more fulfilling and productive to do this kind of thing after college, before settling down. A few more years can do wonders.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 06th, 2007 at 12:06 am by luvable lutheran
why not go somewhere you are comfortable with and within traveling distance of home? It would be somewhere that has a major you are interested in and of course a confessional congregation or campus ministry to make sure you are spiritually fed with good food.
Hey, you were at my campus this summer and heard my pastor at FOR YOU. Besides the Amtrak station isn't too far and it travels to Chicago where the South Shore Line goes to South Bend. Otherwise sign boards on college campuses are ways for drivers to find passengers going their way to help with gas.
just more random thoughts. So what do YOU want to be when you grow up?
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 06th, 2007 at 10:19 am by Rev. Rick Stuckwisch
I haven't meant to suggest that you (Anan) should not go away to college. Of course, I would be sad to see you go, in much the way that I was sad to see Naomi & Nick move away from South Bend, and not so different from the way I miss my DoRena and Zachary. Both as a pastor and as a parent with strong paternal instincts, it tugs at my heart when the young people of the congregation take their leave. As y'all grow up into young adults, I count you not only as children under my pastoral care, but also among my friends.
For all of that, I would not want to hold any of you back, not my own children, nor any of my young friends. Which is not to say or suggest that all of you will have to move far, far away. I hope that is not the case. I hope and pray that at least some of the young people of Emmaus will remain to receive the mantle of adult leadership within our congregation. But many of you will move on to serve your neighbor and the Church in other parts of the country, maybe other parts of the world, and I honestly rejoice in that prospect. It is a small world, after all ;-)
Going away to college isn't necessarily right for everyone. As far as that goes, going to college at all isn't necessarily right for everyone. Your intelligence and interests and multiple talents suggest to me that you would not only enjoy but benefit from college; so, as far as my advice is concerned, I do think you should pursue that in one form or another. And maybe that'll be close to home, or maybe in Iowa, or maybe to the ends of the earth. I'm confident that your feet are firmly grounded on the Word of God within His Church on earth, and that your heart will remain with your home and family, no matter where you may find yourself. And for my part, even when the day comes when I may not be your pastor anymore, I will still be a pastor you can trust for counsel and advice, and a friend in Christ, as well. (If I manage to matchmake any of my sons or daughters with your ickle sister or brothers, we'll even be shirttail relatives ;-))
Anyway, the caution I have wanted to suggest, not only for you, Anan, but for most any young person, concerns going to great lengths and expense, and possibly far, far away, for a very particular course of study and vocational pursuit right out of the shoot. That is to say, I caution against "committing" yourself (whether in fact or psychologically) to something that seems very interesting and compelling right now, but which may wane in its attraction over the coming years. Sometimes it is a true that a young person knows already in high school exactly what she or he wants to do for the rest of life. But my own experience, and what I have observed in many others, is that passions and pursuits tend to change, especially over the course of the college years. For that reason, I would be wary of locking yourself into some kind of specific program immediately. It would be better, I think, to keep your options open and your horizons broad at the beginning.
Pastor Grobien is right that you have lots of possibilities in front of you. That can be intimidating and frightening, but it should also be somewhat thrilling and exciting. There isn't any one right path that you have to figure out and follow, but lots of legitimate choices to make in the glorious freedom of the Gospel. By the same token, when you've made the choices and decisions that are yours to make, you then proceed in the confidence of faith and trust the Lord to work all things together for the good and for the best. It is a shame when people spend their lives looking back and regretting the past and always second-guessing themselves. Look back in repentance, to be sure, but always forward in faith: in Christ. He will care for you and serve your neighbor through you, not because you have made all the right decisions, but because He is faithful; His mercy and forgiveness remain.
As you continue to think about your plans for the future, you are welcome to visit with me about it anytime. And you can be sure that, as your pastor, I will caution and admonish you, as necessary, if your thinking seems to be leading you away from the Word of God and His Church. We all need that sort of guidance (pastors, too!), but I'm not expecting you to drift away. Apart from the clear and certain Word of God, however, you should take my advice as simply that: advice from someone who cares about you and has your best interests at heart. You needn't worry, then, nor should you feel guilty, if you do something else.
It is good to listen to your pastors, and other authorities whom the Lord has placed over you in various vocations, but you know what I will always emphasize with any young person: Honor your father and mother. I know that you do (not always, no, but conscientiously and consistently), and that will stead you well. Your Mom and Dad love you; they know you better than anyone else on earth; they want the very best for you, their daughter; and they are both pretty savvy in their respective ways. Not only that, but above and beyond all that, the Lord has placed them in authority over you: not just to "boss" you around, but especially to teach you and guide you in the way that you should go. Keep listening to them, and trust the Lord who has entrusted you to their care.
My apologies for making this such a long "comment."
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 06th, 2007 at 2:10 pm by Anan
Yeah but Nick and Naomi had a reason for going (each other). Zach did too. At the moment since I don't feel that I have a very clear idea of what *exactly* I want to study (or at least start to study and go from there) I feel like I'm just randomly and frantically trying to find somewhere different and even farish away to go for a while. It seems to me that I don't have any real reason for that. None of those far-off places have anything in particular that make me want to go there (esp. not any particular person :p).
Of course that whole rant might just be my mood at the moment so don't take it too seriously.
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 07th, 2007 at 9:43 am by AgentDelta
Come over here and go to school with Lid. You can be organ majors together at someplace like Capital or College of Wooster ( good confessional church there) and hang here on weekends. Our chores, our noisy kids and our chaos will make you feel right at home. : P
Wow... You *really* want to steal me away don't you? :p ::looks up College of Wooster::
Oddly enough, I know somebody here who seriously considered going to Wooster.
And another: wishing you were something you aren't is overrated. No matter how much you wish, you're not suddenly going to become 5 years older or younger than you are now. Enjoy the challenges and responsibilities of your current position, anticipate those of positions and situations to come, and cherish those that have passed by.
I'm not sure why I typed that last paragraph out, as it's pretty much common knowledge... :P
Re: Bother
Posted On: December 07th, 2007 at 10:15 am by Anan
Oddly enough, I know somebody here who seriously considered going to Wooster.
And another: wishing you were something you aren't is overrated. No matter how much you wish, you're not suddenly going to become 5 years older or younger than you are now. Enjoy the challenges and responsibilities of your current position, anticipate those of positions and situations to come, and cherish those that have passed by.
I'm not sure why I typed that last paragraph out, as it's pretty much common knowledge... :P
Cornelia Funke wrote a whole book about not wishing you were younger! It's called "The Thief Lord".
It isn't that I wish I was younger... More that it seems like yesterday that I was seven and thinking sixteen was ages away. I would rather not be seven again. Though finding decent childrens clothes is rather easy. :p