Notes About my Future Life

When I was a kid, my all time favorite character of my all time favorite book was Jo March from Little Women. I have read that book so many times that my book is literally falling apart.

I loved the way Jo could disappear into her attic for hours reading and writing. I loved her rambunctious style and the way she could (and would) get into all forms of trouble at the drop of a hat.

I had a mental picture of her long, dark hair bundled in a hat, and the look on Amy’s face when she came back from getting it cut. I imagined her taking her breakfast to the Hummels, her shawl (In my mind it was red) flowing  behind her dark brown dress. She would have a basket draped over her arm, (of course, the basket would be lined with a red napkin and crisp, fresh, brown buns perhaps with a little bit of steam rising of them.)

Looking at my life now, I am so much like Jo! I don’t have an attic to hide in for hours at a time, but I do have my room, and I do spend hours writing and reading sprawled out on my bed. I enjoy puns and laughing, along as music- just like my childhood hero.

Anyway, I was thinking about this recently. I was laying out on my bed brain storming (And when I say brain storming, I mean that there is more likely than not a tornado, hurricane and maybe an earthquake. It is a B.R.A.I.N.S.T.O.R.M) and eating an apple. I had a big blanket draped over my shoulders and the house was quiet (Other than my Christmas music….) Instead of doing what I was supposed to be doing (homework) I let my mind wander and began thinking of all my childhood fancies.

After a couple minutes of letting my crazy mind wander, I thought about how I have become like my childhood hero.

I read a ton, and I enjoy writing. (“Wow. That was profound,” thought the teen, slapping her forehead). I am just as scatterbrained as Jo, and I love boots. (J)

Anyhow, as I was thinking, I realized this. Well… let me back up a little first.

When I was learning to drive, I learned this, you look the way you want your car to go. If you look at a random tree on the side of the road, that is where your car is going to go. But, if you keep your eyes on the road, then that is where you’re going to stay.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be like my hero, that was what I was looking at and that was what I admired.

That is what I had my mind set on, that was my dream.

Now that I’m older, I have new heroes, and new things that I dream about.  My heroes are people who go to my church and people who go to my co-op. My heroes are people that I admire and they are people who I wouldn’t mind growing up to be like.

And my dreams are…. Well… just as far fetched as they were when I was a kid. (Like I want to fly a kite from a castle in England. That would be so cool!)

I have my eyes set on new goals. (Like when I was a kid I wanted to be a horse trainer and a ballerina. Now when I grow up, I just want to be a: missionary/photographer/writer/musican/mom/teacher/pastor/overallawesomeperson.  How hard could that be?)

But most of all, I want to become more like Jesus. I want to shine his light to all the little dark corners of the world and bring all the bad, evil things to light!

What you have your eyes set on is where you will end up. Paul says this in Philippians 3:4 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Paul had his eyes fixed on what was the most important. Jesus.

Rachel  Joy