Talk Friday//Adulthood

I just turned 26.

This number may not seem drastic to anyone else. And there may be a lot of people out there who wish 26 was the age they were turning.

However, for some reason, 26 is psychologically frightening to me. No longer am I "early-mid-20's"; I'm now "mid-late-20's." The fact that I'm significantly closer to 30 than I am to 20 is wigging me out and I'm noticing the gray hair more. It doesn't feel "cute" or adolescent that I still enjoy "Saved By the Bell" (which I totally do) or Hanson (mmmm....Taylor....). It feels slightly creepy, in fact. It also doesn't feel right that I will still stay up until 11 or midnight on weeknights, playing my banjo with friends or attempting to skateboard through the Lowe's parking lot. The fact that I still eat cereal or nachos for dinner several nights a week and that my bedroom is covered with polka dots and neon colors doesn't seem "26" to me. At 26, it doesn't seem okay to sleep in on Saturdays until 11 am or later (though, I don't know if I'll be able to change that at any age).

In my mind, "26" is the landmark age to be a legitimate adult. Time to settle in, buy a house, get married, have a career, pop out babies, drink coffee black and own sensible shoes.

But I don't want these things. Which is causing my current "quarter-life crisis." I have serious tension between what I've been trained "adults" do and the fact that I a) don't want to be an adult and b) don't want what "adults" are supposed to want. The house, the babies, the sensible shoes...none of that sounds enticing to me.

And maybe that's not what an "adult" is. Maybe someone else's perspective on "adulthood" is something altogether different and they can never own sensible shoes, watch Saturday morning cartoons and not know what they want to be yet and still absolutely feel "adult-ish." However, I'm not there. Thus the reason for the "crisis."

As with many people who go through "mid-life" crises, I too have taken up with a new hobby - just to feel young again. Or maybe to make myself think I am young? Rather than a sports car, though, I got a banjo. Which feels a little odd, considering that most banjo players have already surpassed their "middle-life crisis" (and beyond). Oh well. At least I'm managing my quarter-life crisis in positive ways. =)

So....

What is your definition of an "adult"?
Have you experienced a "crisis" - quarter? middle? fifth?
If you have, how did you handle it?

Talk Friday//Thanksmas

Well, I was so busy stuffing my face and cheering against the Cowboys that I completely forgot to put up my Talk Thursday!

And as much as I love "giving Thanksgiving a chance" I must admit, I get far more excited for the day AFTER Thanksgiving.

Is it the shopping?, you ask.

HECK no. (That is so vehemently no that were this not a family-friendly blog, there would be expletives there.)

Is it the cold turkey sandwiches and sausage ball leftovers?, you ponder.

Ehh...Slightly.

Is it the fact that I can now listen to as many Christmas jams as I want completely guilt-free?

Absolutely.

As you are all (or should be) well aware, I am so against Christmas music before the day after Thanksgiving. However, today is Friday. Some people call it "Black Friday" - I call it "Steven Curtis Chapman/Amy Grant/NSYNC/Harry Connick Jr On Repeat" Day or SCCAGNSYNCHCJORD if you will. (Tell your friends - it's gonna be a thing). Today through December 27th I will delightfully and deliriously listen to a barrage of Christmas music - old, new, croonie, poppy. My ringtones have been set (The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, "Sleigh Ride" and "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies"), decorations will go up tomorrow and Christmas movie watching will commence soon.

So in the general fashion of a holiday mash-up:
What are you thankful for on Black Friday? Do you celebrate Christmas starting in August like the retail stores or do you wait for this day?

Happy Thanksmas! =)

Talk Friday//Expectations

There is something that is coming in my life that is slated to be my new most favorite thing ever. I have been waiting for this for as long as I can remember and it is finally arriving. I would liken this expectation to how your IT friends felt when Halo:Reach came out. (Yes, it's THAT big.)

What am I talking about?

Let's be real, what else would I talk about?

Wal-Mart.

They are building a new SUPER WAL-MART in Auburn! Granted, it's only about 5 miles from the other Super Wal-Mart. But that's 5 miles closer to where I live. And I could not be more pumped.

I watched with joy when they started making the frame of the building. When the parking lot was being paved, it was all I could do to not drive down and claim my parking spot. Those little blue & red posts have gone up in front of the store and I keep seeing Wal-Mart trucks being unloaded in the back. All we're waiting on now is the sign - that bright, delightful, flourescent sign that shouts from the highway "I'm Wal-Mart! You're welcome."

There is no shame in my Wal-Mart lovin' claim. I will continue to hope and wait for the day that I can walk into Wal-Mart and buy something...anything....because I know I can get whatever I need there. Wal-Mart has never disappointed. (Ok, there was that ONE time but honestly, how could Wal-Mart have expected that I would need white posterboard last minute? I forgive this.)

Some people might say that this is a ridiculous thing to be expectant for. But somethings are like that - in all honesty, our expectations aren't for anybody else. They just make our days a little brighter.

So what are you waiting for? Is it something ridiculous? Is it something awesome? Let's be real, is it the caliber of a SUPER WAL-MART less than 6 miles from my house?! What's coming up that you're super stoked about?

Talk Friday // Passion

I like the beach.

I like ministry.

I like people who like the beach and ministry.

These things put together made for an excellent last few days. Our administrative coordinator/collegiate student minister invited me to accompany her to Cannon Beach for the Northwest Baptist Collegiate Ministry Conference. I'll be real: I was skeptical. I'm not a collegiate minister; I've never done collegiate ministry (SBU does not count); and I don't know anyone.

However, it was fabulous. The people were kind, they accepted me without any collegiate background and I made some wonderful connections, not just for myself, but also for our church and the community we serve.

And it got me to thinking: what was it that made these people come together? Why would they take three days out of their schedules to come to the beach and hang out? Ok, ok...that question just answered itself. =)

The answer to the first question, though, is PASSION. Those collegiate ministers had passion. Passion for their work, passion for their collegues, passion for their Lord, and a passion to do what they know they were called to do. Their passion for growing closer together as collegues, gleaning ideas for how to do their ministry better, and passion for how to help college students get to know Jesus better was evident the whole time.

So, what's your passion? Is there something in your life that you are deeply passionate about? That you would give up three days for? That you would change your life for? If there's not, there should be. I can't imagine living life without a purpose. And passions enable us to have purpose.

What's yours?

Talk Friday // Work

Yesterday I was asked to stay late to work on a project here at the office. I ended up spending 2.5 hours cutting out foam flags as a visual system for our clinicians. It was menial and silly and definitely not worth the college degree I have to do it.

But you know what? I loved it.

Our culture says that we're not really supposed to love our jobs. At least, not until we're 49 and have started our own businesses. But I'm 24; I work as an Admin Assistant - a temp one! - for a mental health/chemical dependancy intake center and I love coming into work. It rarely bothers me that I have to go into work at all. Sure, some days I'd rather just lay in bed or chill in the coffee shop, but by the time I get here, I enjoy the work I do. One day maybe I'll get to do full-time ministry (and maybe even get paid for it!), but for now, I'm going to enjoy working here with a great team, in a great atmosphere and hoping for opportunities for ministry in this office.

So let's get to know each other a little bit:

What to you do for a living?
How do you feel about it?
If this isn't your dream job, what is?