Friday, February 3, 2012

Oh, hello - 7QT, Volume 53

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*1*

Hello.

*2*

I discovered something about myself a few years ago. My passionate nature allows me to focus intensely on three things at one time. The fourth thing either bounces off my passion shield (Be gone, archery! We have no room for you here!) or schooches its way into my heart. 
Jesus' yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Of course, said schooching fills me to the brim (I run full steam ahead with three passions) and one lonely item must leave the nest for a little while.

I think you know what lost out this time around.

*3*
Why?

1. Because my personal relationships started to get elbowed out because of number two...
2. I got a part-time job as a youth activities coordinator at my church. It was the tipping factor that indirectly asked me to bop out one of my intensities.

At first, I thought I could do it all. I was going to ORGANIZE myself into success. It's a pipe dream I'm determined to fulfill, but for now the solution was to leave blogging out in the cold.

*4*
So youth ministry is completely different than I thought it would be! I have taught Theology of the Body to teens for almost two years now, but that requires so little prior preparation that I was fooled into thinking youth ministry was as carefree.

It's invigorating and fulfilling, while poking dozens of tiny holes in my reality. I thought I was an organized person (and a psych test agrees... more on that later), but this job has made me realize I need to ENFORCE organization on myself. It doesn't just take care of itself.

*5*

Coin Rubbage
One step in becoming more organized is also my next big piece of news: I'm moving out of my parents' house! I moved into this house as a toddler and I'm moving out a month before my 25th birthday.

To those graduating in May:

Your decision to live at home depends entirely on your discernment and your parents' willingness/insistence. The first thing anyone says when I tell them I "still live at home" is, "ALRIGHT, YOU'RE SMART!" accompanied by their fingers rubbing imaginary coins together in front of my face.

While, yes, I did save money (while paying a reduced rent), the best benefit of "staying at home" is precisely what you took for granted throughout your senior year of high school:

No one can quantify the value of coming home to people who love you. To wake up in a house where I brought home my first "A," while my now-landlords clapped and squealed in excitement is invaluable to me. My wonderful parents and I reconnected as adults and I learned more from them in the last two, perspective-rich years than I did since that first homework assignment.

Thank you, Mommy and Daddy! I'm moving on to learn more, but I love the home you created between all of us.

*6*

My areas of interest. So I like art.
My full-time job provided me with the opportunity to take the Birkman assessment. Ask my family and my beau and they will tell you I can't shut up about it.

Ask me and I tell you I'm enthusiastic about it because I'm a big picture thinker who likes to see how things work out with a plan.

It's SO COOL to have a computer tell you, "Hey, you're insightful, you like to work in smaller groups, but too much solitude is bad for you. When you're stressed out, you will try to withdraw and procrastinate, so try to avoid that by setting up your environment with plenty of organization and time to complete your tasks."

WHAT IS COOLER than seeing your habits and brain quantified? I think I talk about it exactly the right amount of time. Beau? Care to comment? :)

*7*

Bright Maidens announcement time!

We're thinking about switching things up! This change would be reflected in the calendar (click the link, copy the URL, and use it to "subscribe" in your calendar application or format), so we'd like to hear what you think.

The topic that normally falls on a Tuesday will pertain to an entire week. Instead of asking you to write to a one-day deadline, we're giving all of us a chance to wake up a little during the week.

If you have time to write your piece for Monday, have at it! If you want to explain why you think Gilbert Blythe is the ultimate man in 7 short bullet points, please, be our guest and wait until Friday!

I hate over-using the word "busy," especially before I have children, so I won't.... but it might be nice to inject a little flexibility into the week. What do you think?

7 comments:

Anthony S. Layne said...

"(click the link, copy the URL, and use it to "subscribe" in your calendar application or format)"

What link would this be, then?

Beth Anne @ Beth Anne's Best said...

4 - I have helped with Confirmation for the past 3 years and I love it! But the idea of taking on YM full-time is scary! Although I don't know maybe one day I'll just marry a youth minister so I can do what I want in it :)

5 - That is awesome! I went away to school and when I graduated I HATED that I had to move back home. I'm still home and can't wait to move out especially since we're probably going to move into a 2 bedroom which won't be fun!

6 - I LOVE those kind of assessments. I've taken myer-briggs a million times and always LOVE to analyze it with others. I also took a "spiritual gifts" assessment last year and it was really interesting to see where I fell. I remember a woman I worked with took that with me and shes all see your in the right job field!

7 - I like the idea of the Bright Maidens posts being for a certain week. I'm also really bad about posting certain posts on certain days (and every blogging workbook tells you to have a "Schedule" but I'm a spur of the moment writer). Especially because face it some weeks my life is boring and I like to make my 7QT a "theme."

Allie said...

5 - In retrospect, I wish I had been able to move back home for my first few years after graduating precisely for the family bit. Even though I had to move out because of location (I hear the morning commute from Virginia to Wisconsin is rough), I did take summer internships at home those first years, which ended up being the best of both worlds.

Liesl said...

I'M SO EXCITED YOU POSTED!!!!

So excited in fact, that I have no comments at this time. I'm sure I'll be back...

Chase said...

I'm all over "scooch" theory. I credit it with surviving college (you know, every week picking one class to neglect so you can keep up in the others). Indeed, I have a t-shirt that personifies it well... http://twitpic.com/8f7hl1

I sympathize with the level of work that YM is. My parish is small enough to have combined Director of Religious Ed+Coordinator of YM, and that taxes him pretty hard.

Sarah said...

5) Congratulations! Living with my family drives me nuts sometimes, but it's so great to always have someone around willing to hear about your day.
6) I LOVE personality assessments!!!
7) Seeing as how I never manage to post on Tuesday anyway, I think this is a good change ;-)

Unknown said...

Totally want to try out Birkman.

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