Rachel's Viewfinder
One of my favorite books is “The Yankee Way to Simplify Your Life,” by Jay Heinrichs. The better part of the book deals with finding your “calling,” and weeding out the parts of your life that hinder living that calling. My favorite theme from the book goes something like this, “What would you do with a million dollars? Now, can you do that without a million dollars?” Heinrichs’ point is that if you’re living your calling, you’ll be doing it without a million dollars, or if you had the money, you’d do it anyway.
It’s January of a new year, when everybody looks at their life and realizes it’s time to make some improvements because the previous year lacked serious “progress.” Over the past few days, I’ve read the resolutions of friends on Facebook and Twitter and I wondered, “What are my resolutions?” Call me content, but I really didn’t see anything that particularly needed improvement. Sure, there’s a few pounds to lose, and organizational prowess to achieve, but all at is per the usual.
So, I thought about calling and how I’ve been living it the past year. Looking back over my journal provided me with some valuable information. Namely, I haven’t written much in the last seven months. And my blog is lucky if it gets an update once a month. With that came Resolution 1): Write more.
Examining last year’s reading list proved equally disappointing, especially from the POV of a person who used to take 20 books out from the library and read them all in a week. The other day, I read over a blog post talking about self-improvement and was challenged to read more of the classics. At this point, the quest is simply this: Resolution 2): Read more. The classics will come with time.
My final resolution came out of the creative explosion of the past few months. After hand-making Christmas presents and ornaments, I simply want this: Resolution 3): Create more.
Resolutions are the expression of a desired habit. And habits, as Heinrichs writes, are “…something you do regularly that you don’t think about; something that would make you feel uneasy if you didn’t do it. Good habits simplify. They boost you towards you goals, make your daily life decisions for you, set parts of your life on autopilot. Bad habits complicate.”
Rather than resolve this year to change the innate and seemingly un-changeable parts of me (re: achieving organization prowess), I instead want to acquire some new habits to inch me further along in my calling. As you contemplate your New Years Resolutions, I encourage you to do the same. Try to make your Resolutions simple and a part of who you really want to be. Because honestly, as Heinrichs notes, “Anything other than your calling is a distraction.”
(Note: If you’re interested in reading “The Yankee Way to Simplify Your Life,” you can find it on Amazon, here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0688163483/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_s1zdpb0YD85WW )
“Next time I see you, I’ll be a married woman!!!” I shouted to the Charlotte skyline as Robo and I drove to Ohio two days after his car accident. It was the final week to a crazy, whirlwind ride that would culminate in our wedding. The old saying says the “darkest hour is before dawn.” Little did we know what the next week held in store!
The week before the wedding was a flurry…literally! My parents arrived in Ohio just a few days ahead of us to help with the wedding preparations. They were to first meet Robo’s parents Sunday evening. Come to find out, our parents bumped into each other Saturday afternoon at a health food store in Mansfield. Having already met, all the awkward, “These are my mom and dad, this is his mom and dad,” stuff was out of the way. We laughed, and began figuring out to launch the final plans for the wedding.
That’s when the biggest snowstorm in 30 years started to hit most of the Midwest! The clear skies and bare ground of the weekend was replaced Tuesday morning with clouds and white. While central Ohio was covered in snow, Robo and I watched as all our carefully laid plans for the week began to blow apart with every gust of wind. We manage to make it to my cousin’s—and officiating pastor’s!—house that evening, but we had no word on the flowers we were supposed to pick up that day.
The storm continued into Wednesday. My parents made it over to Robo’s parents house again, and we spent the day doing the only thing we could: making the decorations for the wedding, and doing the final fitting for my dress. I had put on a bit of weight (too much stress eating), but it still fit! Still no word on the flowers. And my maid of honor called to say that she was coming down with a cold and had no car insurance on her car, and that one of my bridesmaids was stuck in jury duty the Friday they were supposed to leave for Ohio. Oh Lord!
Thursday, the dust settled only for a few hours. While driving to another cousin’s house to use her huge kitchen space to begin food prep, Robo slid our only car into an icy snowbank. Mel’s road had become one solid sheet of ice over the past two days. Thankfully, a plow truck came by 30 minutes after we landed in the snowbank. He kindly pulled us out and we continued to Mel’s. I again called for my flowers. And again, I got no answer. I began to resign myself that I was probably going to have to use the silk flowers we bought for the decorations. Egh! The other bad news was that my maid of honor was too sick to travel. I made a quick change of plans, and asked my mom to be my matron of honor instead. The good news was that my bridesmaid had gotten out of jury duty.
T-minus One Day and counting, otherwise known as Friday, came too fast. Everybody was going everywhere. That morning, Robo had to go to the chiropractor, my parents hunted down the place for my flowers and found them waiting, and then they and Robo’s mom went to the church to start food prep. Robo and I had to get my car aligned. We finally made it to the church about 3:00 in the afternoon. I got started decorating my cake, while Robo left to go pick up our cupcakes in Mansfield. While he was at it, he had to stop at the chiropractor’s again. And search for a special audio cable. And find DVDs. And make it back to the church by 6:00 for our rehearsal.
I had one thing I wanted to complete that day: making credits for our wedding ceremony. I didn’t start them until 5:00pm. Frazzled, tired, and frustrated, I stopped to go over final details with my violinist, learn my part for the ceremony (basically, just stand here, walk there, say this, etc…), and nearly broke down crying in frustration. And the credits weren’t done at all. But at least I had my flowers!
My bridal party, violinist, and sister Emmalee had made it to Willard, Ohio just in time to help Friday with decorating the sanctuary. We all went out after the rehearsal for supper. I was staying with my parents my final night as a single woman, so we parted ways. But my cousins wanted to see me that night. A sort of, final-night-as-a-single-woman celebration. Exhausted, my parents and I showed up at 10:30pm. We hung out, chatted, laughed, but I was getting more and more tired. Finally, at about 11:30, I collapsed behind my Dad as he was playing the Wii. All I wanted to do was go home.
The BIG DAY came, cold and brisk. My parents picked up my sister Janine and her boyfriend from the train station in Sandusky at 3:30am. By 7:30 we were on the road to the church. I was riding with my sister, working on the credits I hadn’t finished the night before. We got to the church, and I went to the bride’s ready room to finish the credits from the night before, and to relax. Meanwhile, everybody else was flying around me. Robo was about putting the finishing touches on everything, my sisters kept me supplied with food and updates about what was going on, and my mother and bridesmaids kept a countdown and plan in place to get everybody dressed in time.
I finished the credits with a hour to spare. My bridesmaids got me ready, and before I knew it, Mom was peeking out into the hall to make sure the Groom and his merry band of men has left to stand at the front of the sanctuary. Dad took one look at me and gave me a kiss before we stepped down the hall together. There was a part of me feeling overwhelmed that all the hassle, stress and prep leading up to the day came down to just a few short moments. The movies always make it seem bigger and grander. But, walking down the aisle I realized that the day—and all the hassle before and to come—was just another part of life. Special and grand, and indeed worth all the stress.
And yet… Our wedding wasn’t big or spectacular. Neither was it skimpy. All the food was gluten-free (YAY!) and great. We had the flowers, cupcakes and glass bottled soda we worked so hard for. The music was provided by my record player and Robo’s computer. Robo and I danced and he wowed everybody with his newly acquired moves. All that happened on one Big Day, February 5, 2011. Just another day. But still…a very special day. And—to coin a phrase—it was good.
My fiancé could have died last night.
All day long yesterday, my tummy was in knots. When I’m stressed, it goes straight to my stomach. But praise the Lord, we had a small answer to the prayers for the house when my landlord called at 4:30. We have a place to stay for the month of February. My landlord knocked the rent down a bit for us as a wedding present. Thank you JESUS!!!
I relaxed a bit last evening. Having our wedding shower helped a lot. We got home late, talked for a bit, and then Robo started back to Rock Hill to spend the night with his host family. I dropped off to sleep. At 12:30, my phone went off and I answered to the words, “Rach, I just got hit by a drunk driver.”
Two weeks ago, I received a similar phone call. Robo hit a pothole too hard and blew out his front tire. He replaced them. Come to find out, his old tires were balding anyway. Replacing those tires helped save Robo’s life last night. But who knew that two weeks ago? Then it had seemed an unwanted expense to shell out $200 on new front tires for his car. But now I’m thankful.
When Robo started back to Rock Hill last night, he came across three separate packs of deer within 2 miles of my house. One he even saw bounding across a field, even though it was pitch dark out. Robo took it to be God telling him to be wary. 20 minutes later, he came up on the exit he needed for Rock Hill. Just before, there was a stopped truck on the side of the road, lights blinking. Anybody who’s driven around Charlotte and Rock Hill knows that there are stopped cars on the sides of the road all the time. And the lights are never blinking. Especially at 12:30 at night.
Wary of the situation, Robo pulled into the other lane to give that car space, and then proceeded to switch back for his upcoming exit. He checked his blind spots, then his rearview mirror. And saw the guy ready to plow into the back of him. Robo put on the brakes to slow down, in case the on-coming car decided to swerve around him. That brake check also probably saved his life last night. Instead of the oncoming car hitting him square in the back, the other driver actually hit under the back bumper. This prevented the bumper from squishing his rear wheels. Between that and the new tires, Robo kept his car on the road, slowed to a stop, and then called 911.
The driver of the other car is unknown at this point. The other car veered off the road, so when Robo called 911, he ran back down the highway to check it out. At that point, there was no driver in the drivers seat, and the passenger insisted he wasn’t driving. But the guy was also plain drunk.
I got to the scene around 1:00am and waited with Robo. The police finished their business and the tow truck came. We took his busted car back to Rock Hill, and then I took Robo to the hospital. Praise the Lord the only thing he is only suffering from sore muscles in his shoulder and back from absorbing the impact through the seat and steering wheel. I took Robo back to my house and put him to bed so I could take care him. As he drifted off to sleep, I fought back tears of relief and joy. Getting that phone call last night was one the scariest things I’ve had. God has been asking me to trust Him with everything again. Right down to His care and protection for the man I’m going to marry next Saturday.
Please continue to pray for us. We are now probably down to only one car. Thankfully, mine can get us to Ohio for the wedding. But as Robo starts looking for a job, we don’t know what that will mean with only one vehicle. We also don’t know yet how much the other car’s owner’s insurance will pay.
Last night, I made a quick post on Facebook. The immediate feedback of prayers, love and support has been overwhelmingly helpful. Robo and I both thank you for letting us know we don’t stand alone.
“So where will you be living?”
That’s usually the first question after the initial, “Wow! God is so GOOD” comment on my recent engagement. It always catches me off guard, but I suppose it shouldn’t. I’m getting married, and I’ll be following my husband’s lead. So the assumption seems to be that I’ll be leaving Charlotte, and my work with SIM.
The beautiful reality is that God has called Robo to Charlotte and to work with SIM once his school loans are paid off. The Lord has not only brought someone who suits me as a life companion, but who compliments me as a workmate. Right down to the same ministry with the same organization. Praise the Lord!
Our plan as of right now is:
1). We continue living in Charlotte, NC, or somewhere in the near vicinity.
2). Rachel continues to work with SIM USA in the Media Department as a supported missionary.
3). Robo get’s a job and works to pay off his school loans as quickly as possible.
4). Robo joins SIM USA as a supported missionary and together we continue to serve in the Media Department.
A lot of this is in need of PRAYER! The Lord has blessed us with the option of living in the house I currently live in. My roommates are moving out just before the wedding. While this provides us with a place to live, we’re currently experiencing problems with the house that our landlord has preferred not to fix. One of these is the septic tank. Pray that the Lord would either provide us with a new home, or that our landlord would make the necessary repairs.
Another prayer request is for my continued support. Right now, SIM USA has made me a permanent part of the Home Staff. This means my support requirement is higher (about $2700 a month), but I now have health care and retirement! I also have a higher “salary”. Robo and I plan to live on my “salary”, so we can put the entirety of whatever his paycheck will be towards paying off his school loans.
Which brings up another prayer request! Pray that the Lord would bless Robo with a job in the video production/web industry. Reasons for this include the need for Robo to maintain his production skills in a media environment, as well as earning a paycheck big enough to pay his loans.
For those of you giving financial to my ministry, my support account information will still be the same, save for the fact that I will be Rachel BOGAN. :D *excited*
In August last year, I was boogie boarding at Mrytle Beach when I felt the Lord speak to me and tell me “it was time to catch a wave.” At the time, I thought the Lord was referring to SIM’s desire to send me on a 3-6 month short term trip out of the USA. I excitedly shared with my supporters the news and waited for the Lord to move.
But in September, the Lord moved very unexpectedly. At first, it seemed to be a turn in the wrong direction. The trip SIM wanted me to take dissolved into thin air, and about the same time, I said good-bye to a long-time friend and I became depressed. Admittedly, all I wanted to do was call it quits and do something—anything—else. I had a conversation with my Dad right about then. He asked me if I was happy with my life. I stammered out an answer, but deep inside I knew I was not happy at all. Tired, frustrated and broken, I gave up. I was ready for God to build me back up into whatever He wanted.
“Whatever He wanted” turned out to be equally unexpected. God brought a man into my life. I met Robert in May last year, when the Lord brought him to SIM USA to complete his internship requirement to graduate from Cedarville University. We had hit it off, but remained friends only at work. At the end of the summer, he went back to Ohio at the end of his internship. That was it. But in September, God brought Robert back to SIM for a month. We started hanging out more and built a friendship outside of work. So much so that Claude actually took us aside one evening and told us that we needed to be careful in the way we interacted because people would start talking about us at the Office.
It was a slightly embarrassing conversation, to say the least! At that point, I was not admitting to myself how much I liked Robert. But that conversation ended up opening the door to something both Robert and I had thought of and both dismissed as impossible: a relationship between the two of us. Shortly after that conversation with Claude, Robert and I went out to play skeeball together. After our game, he told me he liked me. And I had to tell him that i liked him too. We then started talking every night for at least four hours. And from the talking, we started dating.
And now, in just a few more short weeks, I will become Robert’s wife. Golly, I’m going to be a married woman…the thought keeps hitting me in odd ways. But as I know Robert more and more, I see that the Lord brought the right man into my life. He’s passionate about the Lord, he wants to use his media skills in ministry, and he suits me as a husband and life long companion.
When God told me to catch a wave, I was expecting a completely different ride. I thought I would have a new task, a new place, or a new ministry that I’d be doing. Instead, God brought me something completely unexpected. He brought me my husband.
(To read the original “Catch a Wave” post, click here: http://www.rachelfinder.com/post/964769521)
