is life really all that hard?

*this almost seems harsh. ha.


I'm getting a little weary of hearing about all the standards that people set that don't really seem all that necessary for life. It's fine if that's how they want to live because it's important to them, but if what I think is good enough for me, why do they feel like it affects them enough that they have to "set me right?"

Like, going to school. Why do you need to go to a big school? Why do you need to get school out of the way before you get married? Why do you need a degree? Why why why? Maybe for the job that you wanted to get, you needed a degree. What's that you say? I can get a loan or scholarship and get college for practically free? Okay, that's great, I'm not deciding against a school because I think I can't get a loan or something. I don't want to have to work off any debt to a school either.
But what will you do without a degree? they ask. I guess end up as a shift manager at a Mcdonalds for the rest of my life.
There is so much you can do without a degree! It's different for every person and situation - we need people to do all sorts of different things, and I commend those who go through school and work hard to meet the goals in their lives. But it's meaningless if it's not accomplishing what God wants to accomplish in your life, and everyone has different goals that don't make much difference when it comes to eternity. My goals may lead me through different steps thans yours do, or maybe we're even going the same way in life, but we decide to get there by a different path. That's okay too.

Well school is a lot harder when you're married, so you should get it done first.
What kind of school are we talking about? Am I planning on going to a full-blown four year school where if I have to drop any classes at some point in time, my carreer path is stopped dead in the tracks and everything I hoped for destroyed? Nope! Why wouldn't I want to go to school with my husband? If I've found the person who is going in the exact same place as me, and we both want to do it the same way, why wouldn't we do it together? Plus, think of the "ups":you only have to buy one set of books, you get to study together, and you don't have to be distracted by not being married. It seems like it would be easier. A lot easier. School isn't that expensive and it doesn't have to be that stressful either. It's just school.

What about money and kids?

Two things I seem to hear a lot: You have to have a lot of money to live on, and kids will completely change your life, so you have to understand that because you have to be able to make the adjustments.

Thank you. I understand that and I can make the adjustments.

Life is only has hard as you make it out to be. You don't need that much money live on. As long as you have enough to pay for a place to live and food and necessities, you can survive - and not just survive, but live comfortably - and if you save the rest of the money, you can even spend a little here and there when you need to. But that's something that comes down to the individual and what they feel like they need to live life.
Sooooo, am I just missing something? I don't think I'll be deprived by "depriving" myself of some of the entertainment most of the world can't seem to live without.
Who cares if I have the ability to spend a lot of money if I want? I think it's better that I make wise decisions with the money I do have to spend. My kids deprived? That's nonsense. What kid needs I-Pods and expensive phones and all the latest video games? You can still do meaningful things for your kids and not need to spend a lot of money. And those are the important things. I'm not saying I'm completely against giving them things or something like that, but no one is deprived just because they don't get tons of expensive things all the time.

Well, what about having kids in the first place? Come on! I'm so excited to be a mom! I've wanted to be a mom since I was 4 years old! Suuure, everyone says that, but that's because you're not thinking becca. You're not being practicaly or responsible, you just want kids because all girls want little babies.

No sorry, wrong again.

Well, yes, I guess I am a girl and I do want babies, but I don't just want babies. I want little kids, I want older kids, I want teenagers, and I want young adults who get to make their own decisions and have their own lives and jobs and go to school if they want and get married if they want, and have kids too. And, most of all, I want them all to love the Lord and serve him with all their hearts.

But what if I had a kid after I got married and was still in school? It would be okay. Why? Because I'd deal with it. Life really is not that hard. Money wouldn't be an issue. Time wouldn't be an issue. I think Faith is the biggest issue here. Where is my faith? Is my faith folded in my wallet? Is my faith watching the clock as the seconds tick by? No. I lift my eyes up, up to the mountains, where does my faith come from? It comes from you Lord.

My faith lies in God. Not myself, not my abilities, not my status, not anything in this earth, because all of that, in and of itself, will fall apart. I want to follow God, and I want to trust him with my entire life. God knows about the things I need, and he'll provide them(matthew 6). So why should I worry? If he blesses me with children and money to live on, and I'm able to actually give those things back to Him, those aren't the things I need to worry about. It's Him that I need to focus on, and doing what I'm supposed to do.

Yeah, there's a balance. I can't just not care about anything and blindly hope that God will drop everything into my lap. I have to do my part. But that's up to me. You do your part the way you think you have to in order to accomplish your dreams and I can be happy for you for that. But don't put down my dreams by giving me silly standards of what money is really worth (because I'm naive and don't know), or what things the world chases after that I need to have to live life to it's fullest. God gave these dreams to me. Don't stamp out my ambitions. Don't tell me I can't do something just because you never thought of it that way. I believe that God will grant the desires of my heart if I'm seeking Him out. And I'm so excited about that. I'm so so so so SO excited. I hope you can be as excited about what God gives you as I am about what He has given me.

Maybe I will make a bad decision. It is possible, I am a human. I don't know that much. There are people who have lived longer and gone through these things and I'm thankful for their wisdom and input. But I know, that if I make a mistake, there are people that God has blessed me with, surrounded me with, who are there for me to fall back on. And ultimately, God is there - not only to fall back on, but to have leading me by the hand the entire way through life.

And that is so good to know, because I can't find the way on my own.

-Rebecca