Thursday, December 27, 2007

I'M not ENGAGED!!!

In my family it’s some sort of sin not to write a Christmas newsletter. It’s a duty; kind of like filing your taxes – you do it whether you want to or not. It’s not that I don’t want to write this. It’s just that I have a lot to say and I already know the average person will only read a quarter of this newsletter before checking out. Unless, of course, 2/3 of the way down I write in big, bold letters - I’M ENGAGED! But I’m not, and besides, I used that tactic a few years ago and I don’t feel comfortable using the same lie twice.

My biggest news of 2007 does not involve an XY specimen, but rather some special equipment that I’ve acquired to help me in my journey towards co-hosting a talk show. The following book excerpt explains.

Beginning of Excerpt
At the age of 29 I decided to commit social suicide. I had wanted to commit social suicide in junior high when all the cool kids were doing it (i.e. when it wasn’t so much social suicide), but the dentist told my mom it wasn’t all that necessary to have metal placed on my teeth to make them straighter. I successfully fabricated a retainer out of a paper clip, but I missed out on those pimp, colored rubber bands all because my dentist managed to convince my mom that my crooked teeth added personality. I think he told her this because he knew my parents were tight on money and paying the dental bills was already hard enough. He kindly waited until I was paying my own bills to recommend that I get braces.

Once I turned twenty-one I made it into a Leap Year-like tradition to go in every 4 years to get a free orthodontic consultation. Each place made me fill out bunches of paperwork before they would consult my teeth – I think to make sure I wasn’t a criminal. I hear they use dental records to help identify bad people, dead people, and sometimes bad, dead people.

The first place I went asked me to provide a reason why I needed braces. I jotted down, “I want to be a news anchor.” When I met with the orthodontist he adjusted my answer to “crowding of teeth.” I felt silly for writing down the answer that I did, but I didn’t feel too bad because it was an honest answer and I am certain the orthodontist recognized my integrity in my answer and was relieved to know that I wasn’t a criminal.

Although I enjoyed my first two orthodontic consultations, I passed on the braces both times because I thought perhaps I’d be moving to Africa to live where orthodontists do not. But instead of Africa, I moved to Southern California to live where nice teeth are more important than starving children.
End of Excerpt

Zondervan Publishing continues to be interested in my writing. And I continue to be interested in finishing the manuscript of my book – without the pressure of deadlines. The project is taking me much longer than I anticipated, mainly because of my job (still an RD at California Baptist University), my seminary work (still at Fuller), my surfing adventures, and my weekend excursions to cities such as Paris, France, San Francisco, and Phoenix, AZ.

For much of 2007 I felt rather incapacitated and didn’t progress much in my writing as I was going through some sort of hell. The torment ended in May when the Dean of Students affirmed me by saying, “Katrina, you have proven yourself this year. You have persevered and have displayed great character. You did a really good job this year. No wait - you didn’t just do a good job; you did a great job.”

Funny how James 1:2-4 is the passage that I never let go of. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

I continue to learn to lean on and trust in God’s character (i.e. his goodness, his faithfulness, etc.) throughout all seasons of life; I encourage you to do the same. Hold onto His promises; hold onto Him.

Merry Christmas Friends & Happy New Year!!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

sad news...i'm not coming to california in the spring. try as i may to convince the senior class that california is the funnest place to go (nevermind that i've never been there and have no idea if it really IS the funnest place), twas to no avail. :( rotten seniors...

Anonymous said...

p.s. i totally remember your family's Christmas cards...your dad always included his latest song! :) fun memories. don't forget...if you're ever in the southwest/albuquerque-area, you'll have a roof over your head and semi-good food from a semi-good cook. :) miss you!
***When IS the last time we saw each other, anyways???

escamillaweddings said...

Amen, sista!

love you!