Into Her World

Facts of Life “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” ― John Lennon Here’s to the List She started thinking the other night As she wrote her best friend Some 2000 miles away in a jail cell Telling him about her twenty-fourth birthday Midway through the letter she started reminiscing Joking with him about the time when they first met And when he called her out from the start Yet as the years progressed She eventually created this image An image of a man she knew would never exist However, by the end of this section of the letter She was able to tell him that he was right all along A part of her knew in her heart She’d never settle For a man less than the one God had prepared for her and created in his likeness Even though jokingly she knew He wouldn’t be riding in on a white horse He would be driving in In a beat up ol’ white car or truck Born and raised in the country Maybe labeled a redneck or cowboy A redneck or a cowboy who praised God And believed in God with all of his heart Understanding that God and he had an unbreakable bond It’s funny, though She kept on telling him that the list It wasn’t worth keeping So she decided that she’d place it Somewhere no one would see it For that time, she thought of perfection Where’d perfection take her? Perfection took her to a place of Unhappiness and endless hopes Somehow she forgot who she was She even admitted to her friend She didn’t want to write him or communicate with him However, God chose to step in at the right time Was it blowing out all twenty-four candles on her cookie-cake Or was it praying so hard she’d find answers Nevertheless, she told him when she started packing She found her list again And in finding that list Her smile and laughter returned Faith does some tricky things If only he could talk some sense into her But what did it matter All she knew was that This was her schoolgirl list she had created A list she had created on her thirteenth birthday! One day she knew The man reading this letter would be laughing at her Her adoptive sister would be saying, “I told you so.” And her Church family would be saying, “St. Stan, Thank you!” But for now, she had to own up to it In her heart, she’d always been praying To see that beat up ol’ white car or truck Driving up that dusty road Out would come her dark-eyed Redneck God-loving Cowboy Ready to take her away into the Texas Sunset To lie in a sea of bluebonnets at night Underneath those bright Texas Stars And by sunrise They’d realize that God’s love was at work Joining these two souls So here’s to the list. Land Down Under “She had to leave the comfort of Texas and go into the unknown in the land down under. What she discovered in Australia was wonderful. What she discovered was herself and her passions; having her heart split between the deep blue skies of Texas, and the culture and life of Sydney and Australia” -J. Ko Traveling to Australia and becoming immersed in the culture, my life was forever changed. At first many thought I was crazy for going, but it was not their choice. The three months I spent alone in Sydney gave me an opportunity to find myself - as a person and an athlete. Upon passing through customs at the Sydney airport, I realized I was leaving part of my heart there and going back to the other half of my heart. Ultimately, I wanted the opportunity to share my growing experiences with you. Dancin’ Matilda’s Waltz There she stood, swaying to Matilda’s waltz A part of her wondered What it would be like to sing with the singer that night Then she said “I know God has my road mapped out for me, and Maybe my voice isn’t meant to Be heard this way. Oh, no. It’s not meant to be heard on a public stage.” She sighed and prayed while swaying to the beat of Matilda’s waltz “God, just show me your will for me and I’ll go, yes, papa. I’ve served you all my life so far Could you show me where I’m supposed to go On this Broken road I’ve been traveling on I know it’s blessed and full of hope and love Yet a part of me believes I’ll never have my chance To be out there on the dance floor Smilin’ away, dancin’ away, with no worries To Matlida’s Waltz.” As the band played on She could only dream One day her prince would find her Ask her to dance When their eyes met He’d know she was the one he was meant to be with The one he was praying for all his life. They'd danced as Matilda’s melody played on As if only they and God existed What a moment Yeah, what a moment it’d be She just smiled Maybe he was an illusion, a dream, a bittersweet thought. God needed to give her clarity She wanted to see parts of the world Who knew, maybe changing it One song or by touching one child’s life at a time How could she have it all The world still knew little about her. Papa a little help, please As she watched people dancing around her, she gazed in wonderment Someday, soon, she hoped She'd be hearing this waltz play While her parents danced in delight The room filled with mystic and passion Laughter expressed She and God’s charming getting to explore A not so broken road Exploring the world and touching lives Erasing the marks of the past As she closed her eyes So maybe this is all a fairytale, but a girl can dream