Monthly Blogger: January!

I’ve begun this blog three times. I can’t figure out which tone I want to go with. Am I funny? Am I cool? Am I serious? ::sigh:: I think I’m just me.

So who am I? Monthly Blogger: January. Doesn’t that sound official? You can just call me January! No?

In that case, I am sarah k. holland. Not near as mysterious, is it? Let’s move chronologically through this introduction:

Background. I was born and raised in Pontiac, Michigan (yes, it’s cold here now) in the best family (how many other people can say “Holland, like the country”? That’s what I thought), and at the best church, The Apostolic Church of Pontiac. I attended Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan and graduated with a B.A. in English and a secondary teaching certificate in the spring of 2004. It was during those years that I was first introduced to 90&9. I quickly became an avid reader and contributor. It wasn’t until I graduated from college that I began editing for 90&9.

Best growing up memory: my dad combing the tangles out of my hair and blow-drying it every Saturday night so Mom could put in spongy curlers. Why dad? Daddy’s girl here.
Best experience of my life: studying abroad at Oxford University in England. I finally lived on my own, in England, of all places.

Foreground. So that brings us to today. After graduating from college, I proceeded to search for jobs in the one place in the country where finding employment as an educator is difficult. I’m one of those real control people. Ask me what I’m doing on this same date five years from today, and I’ll pull out my planner and let you know. Not having a clue what was next was the biggest trial of my life. It was the first time I really had to trust in God for anything. Wow did I learn a lot! The amazing thing? No surprise, God gave me the perfect job right where I wanted to work teaching English and social studies. However, the job was a temporary contract, and as of January 14th, I’ll begin the search again. I’m pretty convinced God’s already figured this one out, too.

When I’m not planning, grading, or conferencing, I’m working with my youth department (the best on the planet) The Impact Youth Ministries. I’m the youth department secretary, and teach the 9th&10th grade Sunday school and 9th-12th grade girls’ midweek leadership class. I also maintain the youth website: www.ApostolicImpact.com (we all get one shameless plug, right?), and am rewriting the Sunday school teacher’s training curriculum.

I try to have a life somewhere in there, too. The highlight of my life is the friends that are in it. I love late Sunday night trivial pursuit games, going out of town just because we can, and being travel snobs. My life consists of a small obsession with politics and specifically President Bush (he will henceforth be known as Uncle George—we’re practically family, I was one of only two million on the Christmas card list)—I even had this moment as a sophomore in college when I attempted to change my major to political science and become a politician. I also travel as much as possible, which works great with a teacher’s schedule. I just arrived home from my first trip to Dallas, Texas. My next big adventure is Italy. I love playing basketball and watching ice hockey (go Red Wings). I’m bitter about the rose bowl, and on Christmas day my mother referred to me as “her spinster daughter.” I’m only 23.

My best trip of all time: (besides living in England) a cross country drive my best friend and I took to Boston.
Random fact: I collect books from every city I visit.

The fourth wall. What’s next? Immediately I don’t know, looking for a new job and trying to be productive in the time off. A little further down the road I plan to apply to a Ph.D. program (most likely at the University of Michigan) and be a professor of British Literature. I plan to have the completed outline and first three chapters of my first book done by July 1st of this year. It’s to be a biography on my great-grandfather, Bishop L.A. Parent, the founding pastor of the church in Pontiac. One day I hope to lose the “spinster” title. In the meantime, I want to be involved in as many ministries as the Lord will allow me.

Life goal: to win Josh Groban to the Lord, and then to marry him.

Thoughts? E-mail them to 99blogger@ninetyandnine.com.
I reserve the right to quote you unless otherwise specifically requested.