What shall I do?

Dear Me,

There are a million things I want to do, and I know I have the ability to do most of these things. The problem is, I will only be on this earth for 80 or so years; and I have already used up 27 of those years. So in order not to waste any more of that time, these are the things I intend to do this year.

I will work towards my nursing degree. The first step is to do Pre-Health Science. I am already enrolled for that and will start February 12. I know I have the ability to do well as long as I complete everything. My aim is to be at the top of each class.

Also during my time in Pre-Health, I will need to be applying for the actual degree. I will start on the application process the same week I start Pre-Health. The deadline is, I believe, March 31. I have already seen just how much work is involved in applying. At least I now have a wealth of referees from within the field.

I am still deciding whether or not to apply for work with the Christchurch Nursing Bureau as a caregiver. They are the best agency in Christchurch and I can choose when I work. I may well decide to work through my holidays, or not. I believe I will have enough experience to get in as I did with Geneva Health up in Auckland.

My husband and I will be moving back home to Christchurch. I cried when I moved up to Auckland, and I hate the city still. Yet somehow I think I will be crying when I leave. I have met such a wealth of incredible people, both at work and within the church. It is these two communities that have made my stay bearable.

When we move down, we aim to be renting a house with at least three bedrooms. I aim to get the place set up how I want it, not necessarily immediately, but getting the bits I want over time. I’d like to be able to get into the garden as well, but that may have to wait till spring. October should be safe. Hopefully we will be in that place for more than just a year.

I would like my spare room set up reasonably early on. Ideally I would have it set up with a sewing station, a painting station and a computer station. I would also like to have a large table in the middle in order to work on whatever project I am currently undertaking, be it sewing, embroidery, writing, or school work.

I would like to get a few of my projects completed. I have a ribbon embroidery project I have just started in order to learn how to do ribbon embroidery. I also have a cross stitch purse I have neglected to finish. I also want to make a couple of nice jackets for my husband and I before winter. Winters can get pretty cold down Christchurch.

I would like to finish my story about Gracie. I do not know what is going to happen to her and I need to keep writing in order to find out. I am not a writer who is all-knowing about her characters. Also, I would like to enter the BNZ Katherine Mansfield Short Story awards. Unfortunately, I need to wait till May to even get started. I will have two months to write the story. I believe there will be a prompt of some description.

I believe there is a writing group in Christchurch. I will look into it before I decide whether or not to join.

I would like to be able to help my church in Christchurch. The one up here in Auckland is doing well and has helped me to get to the point where I may be able to help others. I would like to get involved with Precept Ministries a lot more as this program has done wonders for me learning about God. I would like to be able to use what I have learnt in order to help the church in Christchurch to grow. For starters, I will be aiming to spend time with the two teens there as there was not much in place for them when I left.

That seems to be enough for the first half the year, at least. I am not good at planning a long way ahead and the second half year depends on me getting into the nursing degree. I will have to think on that around June or July. Till then, remember

"Time lost is time when we have not lived a full human life, time unenriched by experience, creative endeavor, enjoyment, and suffering." -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God bless
Sarah

P.S. I just found out my husband and I will be teaching how to study the Bible deeply at our combined church retreat in June. No matter whether it is a Precept program or not, we will be teaching the church. A dream has come true for us both.