What do you want to be when you grow up?

Years one through seven of my life were spent in Coalgate, the county seat of what was, at the time, the poorest county in the state. In the whole county, there was not one stoplight. But we loved living in that town. Dad was a pastor, so we lived in the parsonage next door to the church. I still remember our address. Every time there was something going on at church, we were there. Even if there was nothing going on, we were there. That's just what happens when you're a kid and live a hundred yards from the place where your dad is sort of the boss. It was so fun. His office was on the second floor, which is, to a shy small-town girl, pretty awe-inspiring.

One perk of being the preacher's kid is that everyone knows you, and you pretty much know everyone. Not only does the congregation know who you are, but special guests do, too. Like the Singing Fishermen that came every year to do a revival in Clareta. Or Susie Luchsinger.

Susie Luchsinger would come to our church every couple of years or so. She and her husband were about my parents' age, and had kids probably somewhere around the ages of us. I really don't remember the kids, but I sure remember Susie. She was a singer. Think Reba-McEntire-sings-Christian, and you have Susie Luchsinger. No, you really do, because they're sisters and sound a lot alike.

I remember that one time, not too long after Susie had been at church singing, we filled out a worksheet at school. One of the questions was, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I wrote, "gospel singer." Oh, how I wanted to do that! If I remember correctly, I also put "or teacher."

For some reason I thought about this tonight. A gospel singer or a teacher. Funny how, at the age of 6, two things were in my heart: education and music. And at 27, two things are in my heart: education and music. I still want to be a gospel singer! (OK, maybe not quite the style of Susie, but you know what I'm getting at.) And even though I don't want to be an actual teacher, education is still what I love.

God really does set the course of our lives. Even before I was born, He knew the plan for me. He knew my days. He knew my future.