Choices

Decisions.  Decisions.  Some are easy to make while others can leave us stumped.  Stuck.  I was talking to my sister's mother in law Kathy this week about a decision my Dad and Mom made about 39 years ago (almost to the day) about their future, specifically, my Mom.

My parents have always been very musically inclined.  Dad sang in the choir in high school, college, and in church as well.  Mom was an excellent violin player.  In fact she was so good she could have played professionally.   Her teacher was encouraging her to do it but she had just gotten married and was pregnant.   So family or career?  Well, six kids and and seven grand kids later...

I for one am glad she chose family.  Delving a little deeper though, firstly, it was a decision Dad and Mom made together.  Secondly that decision affected more then just me.  Had they chosen differently the timeline we are in would not exist.  At least not with this version of the Roberts family in it.  My seven nieces Anna, Ellie, Mandy, Abby, Ellie, Summer, and Mackenzie would not be here.  The choices we make as individuals affect much more then just us.

My parents have established a great heritage that I am incredibly proud to be a part of and I know for a fact that if Dad and Mom went back they'd do it all again.  There might be some tweaks here and there they'd want to make but I think if you'd ask them they'd say "we wouldn't change a thing."
 

Last Man Standing

Last week my brother Joel got engaged and I think it is awesome.  Amber is a great girl and I wish them the best.  But where does that leave me?  Joel was the one guy I could always count on to be without someone (sorry Joel) at a reunion.  I'm the last single Roberts sibling.  Well, where does that leave me?  So many people can find themselves in these situations and get depressed.   I've been to weddings and I see the bride and groom and wish I were them.  But at the same time Paul the apostle refers to singleness as a "gift" in 1 Corinthians 7:7.   I say enjoy the gift!  I look at my life right now and I'm happy.  I have a lot of good friends.  I have the freedom to take a trip to Upper Michigan a couple times a year if I'd like or maybe Europe.  I could even move to another state.  I have a lot more freedom then I would if I were to get married.  Now, that said, I am certainly not ruling it out!  No way!  But until then I'm not going to sit around and cry that I'm the only single Roberts sibling left.  Let's be positive!  I'm the only single Roberts sibling left!  Now what can I do?  Where can I go?  I'll tell you.  Having four weeks vacation  every year is tough :-) and so as long as I can I'm going to start picking different places and going there for a week to get some pictures, go hiking and just enjoy different parts of the country.  I'll say this  It will most likely be near water.  I love sunsets, sunrises and walks on the beach.  Oops.  Ha!  That almost sounded like I was filing out a profile for one of the dating web sites.  But I do love those things and if there is someone out there that feels the same way then maybe one day I'll be out walking the beach, watching the sun set or rise and so will she and we'll meet.  Stranger things have happened.   Oh what a story that would be!