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Print I’ve done it for as long as I can remember. I think it all started when I tried correcting the grammar in my Dad’s National Geographic. I never found one. So, of course, English was my best subject in school. My best friend and I were in the sophomore English class when we were in eighth grade. We only got teased every other day. But we aced it better than the kids two years older than us, and it was then that I became aware of my abilities. So, at the naďve age of 13, I formulated the blueprint of my academic life. The perfect scenario was as follows: I would attend college, graduate with honors, walk out of the processional with diploma in hand, and the principal of my alma-mater would hand me a contract to take over the teaching job of the English teacher who inspired me in the first place. No career placement tests were needed. I was good to go.
Except… From there, everything just fell into place somehow. Adult choir, youth praise team, and, eventually, adult praise team filled up every church service by the time I was 16. Any free time that I thought I had was filled with enough harmony to bring every nation a slice of world peace pie. But even now, having been in music ministry since my teen years started, I could not love it more. I love every practice that lasts until 1 a.m. I love driving to sing at churches that are hours away and then coming home at 3 a.m. And I love singing during altar call and just watching a lost sheep come back to the flock. Those are the moments that make every late practice and road trip worthwhile. Even during high school, I always made it a point to put church first and school work second. Ironically, I was a straight A student my whole life. And I have kept that standard in my schedule through my first year of college, amazingly enough.
College Begins (Trumpets
Please!) It was about a month ago when the perfect blueprint got a little wet. My very best friend and I were talking in between classes one afternoon when she dampened the plans. We were talking about how much work our majors are when she said, “You’re going to at least minor in music, right?” I looked at her as though she had threatened me with her shoe. I mumbled something about my not knowing anything about music and tried to make my laptop game of solitaire look like a pressing matter. Her question stayed with me until the meeting with my English professor to plan out the rest of my bachelor’s degree. As she listed off the courses and credit hours, I began to feel so overwhelmed that the only thing that was keeping me sane was concentrating on the pretty blue-green pen that she was using. She soon noticed my worry and asked, “Katie, do you love English?” The ink started to run off of my blueprint. I immediately said no. “What do you love?” she asked. “Music,” I said, with absolutely no hesitation. She calmly collected all of my English schedules and put them to the side. She turned her chair to face me, put her hands in her lap, and wore a look that said “Spill it.” Without delay, I dove into the safety of my unfailing plan and the frustration that my best friend of 13 years had put in my head. My mind had been made up for six years! Why were people trying to change my plans? I explained to my professor that I had bought into the scam that you can’t do what you love and make a living; it’s not about doing what you love, but it’s about making a living and being realistic. And most of the adults in my life, aside from my parents, preach that, “Music doesn’t pay the bills.” In fact, they still preach it to me. My professor opened up to me and described all of the struggles that she faced in acquiring her doctorate. Most of the opposition, in fact, was from her own family. She encouraged me to pray about it and talk with the people whose opinion mattered to me. But I was still on shaky ground, and I walked out of her office feeling discouraged and lost.
Then God Arrived I’ll soon start my first term in college as a music education major. I’m scared out of my mind. There is a strong possibility that I could fail miserably at this. But I’m taking a leap of little faith, resting on my promise and the prayers of my parents that their money doesn’t go to waste.
ninetyandnine.com © 2005, Katie Jackson ------- Katie Jackson attends the Apostolic Church of Auburn Hills (and Great Lakes University) where she is involved in all aspects of the music department. She has the greatest family, friends and boyfriend in the whole entire world! |
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