Reading Rove
Today I started Karl Rove's book, Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in Fight. An interesting read awaits me. I only had time for chapter one, "A Broken Family on the Western Front." As I read this chapter I could see events that happened to Rove that shaped his life. His father's love of books, opera, and classical music; a teacher who challenged him into political thought; a mother who didn't always have a strong grip on reality; each of these events shaped and molded him into the person he is today.
I started thinking. (Okay, I know this can be scary thought to those of you who know me well.) Anyway, I wondered if there were just one event that stands out in a life where a person could say, "This event changed my life." As I read this first chapter of Rove's book, I could see a turning point in the direction of his life's work, through one teacher, Mr.Tolman. Or, does life have a series of moments that turn the direction of our lives? Are events in a person's life like so many push-pins on a map that mark where we were and where we are going?
I thought about my life. It goes without saying that believing in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, is the foremost turning point in anyone's life, especially mine. Belief in Christ alters all thought process and attitudes, but as I think that Christ uses different events in our lives that pivot us in different diretions from the ones we might have chosen for ourselves. In my life there have been many things that I think altered the course of life. Moving to Arizona at the age of nine, stands out as huge event that shaped my life. Having Mrs. Herring, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Bumgartener as my teachers in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades shaped my life. Each one of these people gave me a love for reading and English. They instilled in me the idea that could write and write well. I left grammar school thinking, "Marsha, you aren't so dumb after all." In high school, Mrs. Bolles and Mrs. Wasbotten shaped my life in huge ways. Mrs. Wasbotten gave me a love for history and confidence that I could be anything I wanted to be. Mrs. Bolles, my English teacher had perhaps the most impact. She encouraged me to write and to respond to the emotional crisis in my life through journal writing and focusing on Christ and yielding to what He would have me to do, without giving in to emotions. This was still at a time when teachers could have a Bible on a desk and speak about spiritual things. I needed this then as my father was dying of cancer.
A pivot point was the death of my father. He died two weeks before I graduated from high school, and three weeks before my 18th birthday. I honestly don't think I would have gone to college if he had lived. I had wanted to work as secretary, marry, have lots of children and stay home. Mrs. Bolles had encouraged my parents to send me to college. She had visited my father in the hospital. She told them, "Marsha, would make a great public speaker. She had writing ability and speaking ability, but you'll have to push her." My father asked only one thing of me before he died, that I would go to college. So off to Arizona State University I went.
There are other pivot points in my life, meeting John, marrying him, and moving to Iowa. Having children and three of them being born early and with an immune disorder changed my life. Losing three children to miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy changed my relationship with Christ. It drew me closer to His side. But these events are natural points that change the direction down the roads we are called to travel.
Leaving the Episcopal church after nearly 20 years was a huge pivot point for me. It lead us eventually to the Baptist church, and this direction, although God used it, is one that I will always regret. I still have to work my way through that one. The next pivot came when we had to leave the Baptist church and found the WELS Lutheran church. This has been life-changing and a huge blessing. I cannot express fully the way the Lord has blessed us through this change. I have grown so close to the Lord during the last three years there. I haven't felt this way since leaving the Episcopal church. I am home, and that's a peaceful feeling. It doesn't revolve around people, though the people there welcome us and love us; it has all to do with Christ. His work done for us. It has to do with understanding that I did not play any part in my salvation. Christ lived and died for me; He did it all. I serve Him out of love for what He did for me; not to earn anything.
I think discovering that I have emphysema will prove a pivot point, because I now feel my mortality more keenly. I am sure some of you are chuckling at this remark; like I should know this already. True enough, I should; I do, but this feels different. I want to really finish my novel; not because it will best seller,but because I want it for me. To begin to use the gift,I know God gave me. I pray I use it to His glory.
Pivot points. Yes, life consists of many points where we change a direction we wanted to go, and we go the way the Lord sends us. Hum...I got this from the first chapter of Rove's book. Reading Rove might be very interesting in more ways than one!
I started thinking. (Okay, I know this can be scary thought to those of you who know me well.) Anyway, I wondered if there were just one event that stands out in a life where a person could say, "This event changed my life." As I read this first chapter of Rove's book, I could see a turning point in the direction of his life's work, through one teacher, Mr.Tolman. Or, does life have a series of moments that turn the direction of our lives? Are events in a person's life like so many push-pins on a map that mark where we were and where we are going?
I thought about my life. It goes without saying that believing in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, is the foremost turning point in anyone's life, especially mine. Belief in Christ alters all thought process and attitudes, but as I think that Christ uses different events in our lives that pivot us in different diretions from the ones we might have chosen for ourselves. In my life there have been many things that I think altered the course of life. Moving to Arizona at the age of nine, stands out as huge event that shaped my life. Having Mrs. Herring, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Bumgartener as my teachers in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades shaped my life. Each one of these people gave me a love for reading and English. They instilled in me the idea that could write and write well. I left grammar school thinking, "Marsha, you aren't so dumb after all." In high school, Mrs. Bolles and Mrs. Wasbotten shaped my life in huge ways. Mrs. Wasbotten gave me a love for history and confidence that I could be anything I wanted to be. Mrs. Bolles, my English teacher had perhaps the most impact. She encouraged me to write and to respond to the emotional crisis in my life through journal writing and focusing on Christ and yielding to what He would have me to do, without giving in to emotions. This was still at a time when teachers could have a Bible on a desk and speak about spiritual things. I needed this then as my father was dying of cancer.
A pivot point was the death of my father. He died two weeks before I graduated from high school, and three weeks before my 18th birthday. I honestly don't think I would have gone to college if he had lived. I had wanted to work as secretary, marry, have lots of children and stay home. Mrs. Bolles had encouraged my parents to send me to college. She had visited my father in the hospital. She told them, "Marsha, would make a great public speaker. She had writing ability and speaking ability, but you'll have to push her." My father asked only one thing of me before he died, that I would go to college. So off to Arizona State University I went.
There are other pivot points in my life, meeting John, marrying him, and moving to Iowa. Having children and three of them being born early and with an immune disorder changed my life. Losing three children to miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy changed my relationship with Christ. It drew me closer to His side. But these events are natural points that change the direction down the roads we are called to travel.
Leaving the Episcopal church after nearly 20 years was a huge pivot point for me. It lead us eventually to the Baptist church, and this direction, although God used it, is one that I will always regret. I still have to work my way through that one. The next pivot came when we had to leave the Baptist church and found the WELS Lutheran church. This has been life-changing and a huge blessing. I cannot express fully the way the Lord has blessed us through this change. I have grown so close to the Lord during the last three years there. I haven't felt this way since leaving the Episcopal church. I am home, and that's a peaceful feeling. It doesn't revolve around people, though the people there welcome us and love us; it has all to do with Christ. His work done for us. It has to do with understanding that I did not play any part in my salvation. Christ lived and died for me; He did it all. I serve Him out of love for what He did for me; not to earn anything.
I think discovering that I have emphysema will prove a pivot point, because I now feel my mortality more keenly. I am sure some of you are chuckling at this remark; like I should know this already. True enough, I should; I do, but this feels different. I want to really finish my novel; not because it will best seller,but because I want it for me. To begin to use the gift,I know God gave me. I pray I use it to His glory.
Pivot points. Yes, life consists of many points where we change a direction we wanted to go, and we go the way the Lord sends us. Hum...I got this from the first chapter of Rove's book. Reading Rove might be very interesting in more ways than one!
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