Friday, February 4, 2011

One Little Thing

Someone should invent some kind of device for holding a baby securely on one’s lap while sitting.  In other words, a baby carrier of sorts that isn’t actually meant for carrying your baby around—just something so that you can sit in a chair, on a stool, etc. with your baby on your lap and your hands free to use a keyboard and mouse or to eat dinner.  A couple of months ago, I was sure that I had happened across this very item on some baby gear blog-type website.  I forgot to save the link, though, and when I thought to go back and look for it, the thing was nowhere to be found.  It was made of fabric and had a kind of harness that could be strapped to either a chair (to use in place of a high chair at a restaurant, for example) or to a parent.  I have tried searching for it other places with no luck.  Does anyone out there have any idea what I am talking about?  I am beginning to feel as though the whole thing was a dream and that no such thing exists.  Anyway, my point is that if it does not, someone should invent it.

If I had such a thing, I would have been able to write this blog entry much earlier in the day.  Charlie has been very clingy this morning, making it very difficult to type.  I must admit, though, that my skill at one-handed typing has definitely improved in the last seven months.  This, however, is not what I had intended this entry to be about.  This is going to be another of my song-lyric inspired entries (those of you who have followed me for a while may remember that I have done this several times).  Have all of you country-listeners heard Darius Rucker’s new song “This”?  

This song has been stuck in my head a lot lately, and not only because it’s played on the radio a lot.  My sister Rose is in the process of applying to/visiting colleges and will need to make a choice as to what college she will attend as a freshman next year, which reminds me of my college decision process.  There were three schools to which I planned on applying, and only two applications ended up being put in the mail.  The school that I ended up going to was the one that was my parents’ first choice for me; my first choice initially was another. 

Both were Catholic schools, with close to the same tuition costs, and I was offered virtually the same amount of scholarship money to each.  In the end I made my decision not because I felt that one school was any better than the other, but because I could just “see” myself at one of them and not the other.  I just had a feeling.  Was that God nudging me in a certain direction?  I believe so. 

“And it’s crazy to think that one little thing could have changed all of this,” Darius Rucker sings.  If I had gone with my initial first choice, I would never have met Daniel (not to mention the other friends that I can’t imagine not being a part of my life).  Perhaps a college decision really isn't a “little” thing, but if a certain priest from the school I ended up attending had not occasionally said mass at my parish, my parents may never have encouraged me to apply to that school in the first place.  That’s a “little” thing, at least as far as it concerns me and my life.  A little thing that could have changed everything. 

No Daniel, no Charlie, no life as I know it.  Plus, I’m the type of person that enjoys sitting down and thinking of every little thing that would be different in cases like this, in both my life and in other people’s lives.  It’s really incredible to examine the fabric of God’s plan for all of His children and the way every element is woven together in His outside-of-time, all-knowing way.  I love looking for His hand in it all; and even when it’s hard to see, He is always there, knowing what is best for us, leading us, and ultimately knowing the way we will choose to exercise our free will and planning accordingly.  Awesome!

So for those of you making big life decisions right now, like my sister: no pressure.
;-) 

4 comments:

  1. You bring up such a great point...our decisions, aren't our decisions at all...God is constantly calling us down the path He desires for us...we have to ask ourselves "are we really listening?"
    I feel that way about me job...I work for thinkmarriage.org and only by the grace of God. He called me to that organization at the same time they were being forced to hire a Director in my county. My life would not be the same if I didn't listen to his little nudge...
    One more reminder to keep your ears and heart open to the Lord!
    Thanks for your blog!

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  2. Glad to see your still blogging!
    I met my husband doing the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and whenever it was rough and I wished I wasn't placed where I was, he would point out that otherwise we wouldn't have met. I don't believe in "fate" but I do think it is good to look at where you are and how you got there and see God's hand in it.

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  3. I think you may want to look at www.etsy.com for the harness you are talking about. Here is something similar to what I think you are looking for.

    http://www.etsy.com/listing/13403517/highchair-harness-w-matching-tote-bag

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  4. I can relate to what you're saying. I've thought many times that if my priest hadn't recommended I check out a young adult group in another city, I wouldn't have met my husband and wouldn't have my beautiful 2-week old daughter. God is good, all the time. :)

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