1996

One of my favourite programs on my computer is Itunes.  I've always been enamored with technology, and Itunes is no different.  I love the program, love the hardware (RIP Steve), and love the fact that you can buy one song for 99 cents.  The whole cd? No thank you, I'll just take the one song.  Definitely appeals to my money saving side (that's a small side btw).

I feel that my diverse music collection is a perfect reflection of me.  Sad part is for some reason I've thrown out as much music as I have.  My collection (14gb) is modest and i love that i have music which ranges all over.  Some days I'm in the mood for PM Dawn, other days Bach.  A little Oakenfold, and yes even Skillet (where's my frying pan?) - I love it all.

Today I was listening to a disc called WOW 1996.  It's a cd of the greatest Christian songs of that time.  It's a nice throwback for me, having grown up on Michael W Smith, Amy Grant, Sandy Patty, Degarmo & Key, Carman and Petra just to name a few.  You wanna talk about memories?  LOL.  And then it hit me - 1996 was 15 years ago.  My first year out of college - sigh - what an experience that was. 

College had been awesome - hanging with the boys, running courts until they closed the gym down.  Having fun at the beach, playing GULF BREEZE, baby.  I remember one discussion around the table where we talked about who we'd thought we'd be in 10 years, then went around and talked about what our kids would look like. Working in Food Service, the friends in made - unreal.

And then I graduated, got out into the world and never felt more lost in my life.  I was supposed to know which way I was going.  After all I had a college degree to prove that, didn't I?  Having finished some of the greatest years of my life, wasn't I on the path to happiness?

That first year out was a harsh reality for me.  Wasn't anyone's fault, just something I went through.  Here I was, going from a place I loved with alot of friends to the middle of Nowhere, OH.  Only people I knew was a couple I was acquainted with at college.  What a wakeup call that was.  Never in my life did the world seem so big.  But as He always has, God came through big for me.  Not just that year, but every year since then.

Those are some great memories.  And now here I am.  Doing something completely different than what i studied for.  Married, 3 kids, and a job I love and a family I wouldn't trade for the world.

Funny thing about life - never works out the way you planned.  And for that I am thankful.  Turns out I didn't know as much as I thought I did :)