Doors Closing, Doors Opening

Okay, so it's been awhile since I've blogged about something that's not vacation-related, food-related or baby-related. But a lot has been going on in the past few weeks that I thought I'd put down on paper (so to speak) and share with you guys.

So some of you periodically ask how my schoolwork is coming along. The honest answer is, it isn't. Not really. I've ordered books and listened to lectures but I haven't been able to actually get to any of the lessons I'm supposed to do. The interest in counseling hasn't faded...don't get me wrong. This isn't some fad. But the timing is really off right now. I've been extremely busy with freelance work as of late (which is a GOOD thing, and I'm grateful for that). Any "slow time" I have seems to either get filled with more work or with things I've had to neglect in the busier times. Or, heaven forbid, rest.

I know, in the near future, things are going to get busier. Probably busier than I can even imagine. We're moving next month and then after that, we've got to get things ready for the new little one. Life doesn't slow down. And when life gets too busy, the only way to keep sane and get sleep is to sit down, prioritize, and make some tough decisions.

Of course, seeking out wise counsel is also a good idea. I sat down and talked to Dad about this stuff over Thanksgiving and he said something profound. He told me, "Chad, you've got a little one coming soon. You don't need to spend the first few years of your child's life with your nose in a book. Just set it aside and, when you can, come back to it." And when he told me that, I knew he was right. I just don't think I wanted to admit it because I was afraid I would look like a quitter in my own eyes and, honestly, in your eyes. In the eyes of family and friends. I'm a people pleaser at heart...what can I say! This isn't the end of things as far as counseling goes. It's just taking a detour.

The only tough thing about it right now is learning to hold very loosely to this and being willing to put it on a shelf for awhile. I'm a "goal-oriented" person. I get a buzz out of checking things off my "to do" list, sometimes even at the risk of my own sanity or the sanity of others. (Just ask Jen. I probably drove her nuts wanting to buy pieces of furniture 6 months before our house was completed just to know that we had that task done! But she has the patience of a saint, and I'm grateful.) Anyways, the point is I'm done with school for now and will come back to it when the time is right. And I'm telling myself that last part as much as I'm telling you.

But I think the "letting go of school" direction I'm going in will have more benefits than I'm aware. I have a feeling God was preparing me for getting ready to shift gears and do something else. There are some business opportunities and some volunteer counseling opportunities that I'm exploring right now that will allow me to move forward, have some more stability and be better for me and my family in general. But I'm not quite ready to go into detail about that just yet. So all I'll do is to ask you to pray for me about what the future holds. God has been good and taken care of Jen and me. I'll trust that He will continue to do so in the future. Even so, that doesn't mean that the prospect of change isn't a little scary!

That being said, I'd like to encourage everyone out there to sit down and prioritize at this time of year and try to find time to spend with family and friends. Stop and smell the roses. Take care of yourself and the people in you love. Life is short and we have to keep what's most important to us in focus, even if it means we have to let other things go. Especially our pride.

-chadley