I’ve figured out my life!

All it took was a cheap bottle of Cabernet, some candles (for ceremony), a pen and paper, and a bedazzled Styrofoam bowler hat.

This night came about because I have a serious issue with decision making. I would undoubtedly take gold if there was an Olympics for indecisiveness. Well, if I ever got around to competing, that is.

My problem is I don’t know which path to set out on, and that always results in going nowhere!

I needed help, so I decided to settle things the way I’d always done in elementary school: with a good old game of MASH.

My friend Tracy and I modified the rules and wrote down all of our potential life choices and goals on sheets of computer paper. Then, we cut them into squares and threw them into a hat that a blind person wouldn’t wear.

We said a brief prayer asking God to bless our little experiment, silly as it may be, and then Tracy’s hand descended into the hat..

She picked five slips of paper, and each one confirmed in her heart what she already felt called to do. Her goals included going back to school to be a nurse, breaking an unhealthy relationship with a family member, and saving money to move in six months.

It was my turn. I chose to do things in a more orderly fashion.

First, I put in my education options. These included “Don’t go back to school”, “get an ESL certification”, “Become a life coach/counselor”, and “get a degree in Women’s Ministry” and for some reason: “Take agriculture classes”.

I swirled my hand around and chose..”Women’s Ministry!” Yes. I hate the thought of spending the money to go back to school, but the job opportunities it would open up and the knowledge I could gain to minister to people and share God’s love? I’m in.

On to my career choices: “Manage a cafe”,  “Be an actress”, “Do Speaking Engagements”, and “Write a book”. Laugh all you want. I could see myself happy doing all of the above.

I fished around and selected “Write a book.” I guess it’s good I already feel called to do that.  Confirmation. Plus, that degree will give me credibility and a depth of wisdom to infuse into my writing.

Next on the docket: Location, location, location! Where should I live? Should I “Move to Haiti for six months”? “Save up and by a cottage in the country”? “Stay in Church Hill”?  “Move to Nicaragua”? or, by way of last minute addition “Go wherever the Ashleys go?”

Of course I picked that one. Guess I’d better be okay with online classes. The Ashleys are two of my best friends, and like me, they are still figuring out where they want to go and what they want to do. We always have a great time together, and push and encourage each other to be our best selves. I could definitely see us moving somewhere together (whether that’s here in Richmond or a completely new city). Oh yeah: Ash Cap and Ash Wat, you are stuck with me. Learn to love it.

My final two goal picks were more along the “hobbies to pursue” line.  I got “take a woodworking class” (Yes!) and “record an album” (why did I put that in there?). I think I’ll start with woodworking.

So, there you have it. My life plan, brought to you by the makers of “Cabernet”.

Unconventional? Yes. But if this is the nudge I need to start making positive strides towards a thriving, successful life, who cares? I can always tweak and adjust along the way, and apart from the agriculture thing that snuck in from left field (field! Get it?), I could make a good life doing any of the above.

I have everything I need because I have God, a great support system, and a halfway decent laptop.

Let’s do this.

Ang