The Adventure of Living: A New Chapter

In June I shared I moved. In writer terms, the move caused me to edit my life as I downsized my living arrangements. The new house required some repair and changes to meet my needs. That was part of the revision stage of the move. The other part of the revision of my life came when I moved in and realized the rhythm of my daily routine changed as well.

Today I am officially announcing a new chapter in my life. I have accepted a teaching position in Kosovo, or as the Albanian Kosovars call it, Kosova. I will be teaching fourth grade at Prishtina High School. (By the way, you can follow Prishtina High School on Facebook. Click on the link.)

Prishtina High School

Editing, revising, a new chapter…see how cleverly I wove writing into this post? But this post isn’t about writing. It is about following God’s will.

As in most situations, I can look back now and see how past events lead me to the place I’m in right now. Actually, maybe this is about writing. As authors we lay the groundwork for events taking place in our novels. We piece the story together in a meaningful way. Readers finish the book, look back on the early elements of the story and see how it all fit together.

This is my story.

I was an elementary teacher for half of my career before moving to the university to teach in the education program. I loved teaching and wanted to pass the love of what I did on to college students.

Several years ago, Tom and I accompanied five of my teacher education students to Kosova for a cross-cultural learning experience. For a week, my students worked with high school students learning English. While I was working with my students, Tom visited a gypsy community. One of the gypsy men had an idea for a septic system for the community.

“He has an engineering mind,” Tom told me later. “I think when we retire, I’d like to come back and help him build that septic system.”

We talked about returning one day. He could work with the gypsies and I could teach, but Tom’s heart condition altered that plan. It was just an idea, we told ourselves. As we prayed, this did not seem to be God’s plan for us.

Shortly after Tom died, my daughter asked me to accompany her on a trip to India. Although my passport was valid, it had to be valid for six months following the projected return date. My passport was a week short. I had to get a new one. I grumbled.  “A passport should be good until it runs out!” (Yep, that was me.)

Do you see where I’m going with this? Groundwork.

I am a teacher. They need a teacher.

I have been to Kosova and have a heart for the people there.

I have a valid passport and I’m ready to go.

All of the paperwork I needed fell into place. My family is totally supportive. At every turn, I see God’s hand guiding me…leading me into this new chapter of my life.

It will be hard but it will also be joyful.

It will be challenging but it will also be rewarding.

It may be scary at times, but it will be exciting.

Living in God’s will for your life is like that. It’s an adventure.