As you get to know me, you will learn the hard truth that I like “lines”. Not cheesy, pick up lines, come on! Although hubby tries those every now and then, along with a rooster-style tap dance around me – and neither work. Ever. When my roosters do this dance around the hens, it doesn’t work for them either. Why am I not surprised?
Silly boys.
No – not pick up lines! Lines, as in movie lines, song lines, quotes…you know…lines.
I wish I could take credit for the “deep” title of my blog post – but I can’t. It in fact, is a line from a song. Imagine that. It’s a song by Switchfoot called, “When Was the Last Time”. The first time I heard that line, I grabbed it and kept it for myself.
I’d rather by happy than typical. I grew up with parents who taught me to strive for anything but typical. They themselves were not typical. I love this about my family, my upbringing and my heritage. This makes some people nervous, yet it is so very normal to me.
I’m a firm believer that everyone has a purpose in this life and that purpose is usually connected to other people. We were not meant to live for ourselves and ourselves only. As humans, we were not created to live in such a way that our lives live us on a day to day basis. I embrace the idea that we should create the life we want to live. Many people would say it’s not attainable, but that’s because those people can’t see past what’s in front of them. I touched on this topic here and how we’ve faced this in our own lives.
In the middle of our day to day routines, which can sometimes be mundane, we should all strive to live more. Not just live to exist, but live to make a difference. To think past our needs, our wants, our desires, our irritations – and think about others. To me, that’s not typical. How many of you have thought to yourself, or maybe even said out loud, “There has got to be more to life than this? Getting up, going to work (or school) coming home, eating, watching TV or messing around on the computer, going to bed, then starting it all over again the next day”?
Charley and I have felt this way at many times over our course of 17 years of marriage. We always try to challenge ourselves to step outside our comfort zone and to extend our hands to serve others. This alone can turn any average life into one that is anything but typical. Two years ago we started a non-profit called, Naked Hands, so we, as a family, could join with others and serve the people of our community in unique ways. I’ve had my kids help me volunteer at the local elementary schools handing out food bags and helping out in classrooms. We help neighbors with their livestock when they are in a bind, my daughter volunteers at our local K-6 school every Friday serving the students and teachers and we are always looking out for ways to be a blessing to others.
This isn’t typical, but it sure does bring so much joy and happiness to us! I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but we all need to figure out what our individual purpose is, and then go after it. Each and every person will have a different road to travel and this is beautiful.
Something I love about God’s creation is that we are all different. We don’t all desire the same things. How boring would life be if we were all the same. Like robots. Or worse, a glorified version of Pleasantville or The Stepford Wives. No thank you!
(photo courtesy of Netflix)
But, alas, we are all unique – so while some might enjoy the average, the typical, the ordinary – I am not one who falls in that group – and this is okay. If everyone wanted to quit their jobs, homeschool their kids and drive around the country for a year – there would be chaos. Businesses would shut down, as would schools, roads would be unbearable to drive on and RV parks would like like a camping version of Woodstock ’69!
Living extraordinary seems to be in my blood. Even though I am very much a routine person – I don’t like things getting stagnant nor complacent. I’ll do good for a while, then I have this “itch” for change. I rearrange my furniture all the time. I’ve had about 8 different hair colors since I was 19 – from jet black, strawberry blonde, dark brown, light brown, red, ombre, platinum and even one stint that had me sporting smurf blue hair for about three days. I like to dress different than everyone else and, outside of dogs, I tend to gravitate towards farm animals as my pet of choice (I had a pot-bellied pig for 20 years and now I have my 21 chickens).
So now, here we are in the middle of what would seem like living the “American Dream”, and we are picking up and taking off for a year. A husband who has been in the corporate world, leaving for a new path. A wife who is smitten with her routine of working at home and homeschooling her daughter, leaving for a new path. Two kids and a pug, in the groove of school, 4H and just being children, leaving for a new path.
We aren’t doing this just for the adventure – although, what an adventure it will be! But we want to see this beautiful country and all the people in it. We want to see how others live, hear their stories and we want to serve communities as we would our own if we were here. On behalf of our non-profit outreach, Naked Hands, we will serve in the local rescue missions in the capitals of each state – showing ourselves and our kids that loving and helping people is what makes our lives full.
We hope to inspire others with our non-typical lifestyle and believe that maybe someone who has been hesitant to step out in the past, will boldly step out now. That others will find a way to leave their comfort zone, to find true happiness and fulfillment. That getting out of the “life living you” mode and moving over to the “create the life you want” will seem more appealing and 100% attainable.
No, we don’t lead a typical or average life by any stretch of the means, but we are happy. We find joy knowing that we have the ability to be a blessing to people around us each and every day – and that can make any ordinary day very much extraordinary! Move away from typical and your life will never be the same!
Live on purpose…everyday!
“When was the last time you did
Something that made you feel like a kid
Laughing just like we did
When we were just the little ones
It’s been so longWhen was the last time we held
Hands underneath the stars as they fell
Laughing hard at ourselves
When we were just the little ones
It’s been so long
It’s been so longWhen was the last time that you felt alive?
Singing when was the last time you tried something for the first time?”
- * Lyrics by Switchfoot, When Was the Last Time
(* the feature photo was taken in the summer of 2017… Me (Kari) in my happy place, holding Oli and Ruby, with Millie and Snowflake in the background)