Monday, July 6, 2009

Unable To See The Forest For The Trees

I went to college because I was supposed to. And because I was supposed to find a husband. Not that I was actually told that, but the implication was there. I was supposed to grow, learn, mature ... and get my MRS degree because that's what good Christian girls did. My only problem? I was rather shy. And awkward. And the times I came out of my shell I inevitably did it the wrong way or at the wrong time. But I was nothing if not a dutiful daughter, so I battled homesickness and fear of all things new and entered Bible college two weeks after turning eighteen. I haphazardly picked out my major and my first semester classes since I wasn't planning on being there a full four years anyway. I went to the same college as my two older sisters, but that was as far as I wanted to follow in their footsteps. They both chose teaching majors. No way. I wasn't particularly fond of children (yes, I see the irony now that I'm a mother of six!) and I didn't want to even pretend that I would be teaching a roomful of them for the rest of my life. I chose a secretarial major and a home economics minor. That way I could be well trained for the pastor I would eventually marry. He would finish his college education (I, of course, wouldn't need to finish mine once I found a husband) and then we would settle into a small church. It would grow over the years and I would do pastor's wife-ly things such as play the piano, do all my husband's secretarial work and cook amazing meals.

I've always been into fiction.

There was another area where I didn't want to follow in my sisters' footsteps. They took forever to find husbands. One of them went to college a whole three years before getting married. And she was older when she started college! She turned twenty-three before she got married. For my other sister, it was even worse. She actually finished college with no prospects in sight. She didn't get married until she was twenty-five. I had no desire to dawdle around like they did. I wasn't boy-crazy, but getting married was the next thing to do in the process of growing up. I saw no reason to take my time.

I even had a mental list of attributes that I was looking for in a mate. He had to be a Christian, of course. Called to full time Christian service and he had to be tall. Yep, that's what I was looking for in a life mate. See, I'm 5'7" and I like to wear heels. I wanted someone at least 6' tall so that no matter what kind of shoes I wore, my husband would be adequately taller than me. I tell you, I had depth.

So, armed with this list of qualifications, I headed off to college and started looking. And I found him the first week of school. A friend of my sister's introduced me to a freshman from her home church in Connecticut. I looked up. And up. And up. This guy was 6'8". And he was cute. I had found my soul mate. I couldn't wait until he realized it too.

To read part 2, click here.

This post is part of a Meetings, Marriages, and Memories carnival at Musings of a Future Pastor’s Wife. For more stories of romance or to tell your own, go visit!

10 comments:

  1. VEry good, immediately connected..

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  2. I look forward to reading the next chapter to your story next week. I am enjoying all of these love stories.
    Amy

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  3. What an awesome story. Very well written. I am so glad Rachel is doing this carnival so I can read others stories about how God worked in their lives!

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  4. we have to wait till next week? i suppose i'll survive on the edge of my seat till then :P

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  5. This post made me smile so much. I just have to ask, are you originally from the South? I just read a book called "Someone Is Going to Die if Lilly Beth Doesn't Catch That Bouquet" and it's all about Southern weddings and how Southern women only go to college to get their MRS degree. I was cracking up thinking of it as I read your story.

    I am interested to see how this takes off. Can't wait for next week's installment!!! Thank you for participating!

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  6. Rachel, I spent a lot of time in the North as a child, but my southern roots are deep. And that sounds like a great book. I'll have to check it out.

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  7. Cute story!! I guess this is the day for cliff hanger blog posts! :)

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  8. can't wait to find out if this 6'8" guy is the one!!!

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  9. I had to come read part one! It´s great to see back in the past into your past a little. Commical how there are hints to how much you have changed.

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