changes, changes, changes

Well, I know for sure that God is trying to teach me something and lead me down a certain path.  Jeesh!

The apprenticeship at Reba Place is most definitely out of the question now.  In the end, they gave me a choice: remain a catechumen at All Saints', or come to Reba as an apprentice.  In my mind, this was no choice at all--obviously, I'm going to continue my catechumenate.  I have waited a long time to become a part of this church and I am not going to give that up so that I can be a part of a program that has changed significantly such that I am no longer interested anyhow.

So, one door is closed.  The remaining doors, however, are a whole mess of crazy:
1) Stay in Chicago?
2) Continue with doula training?
3) Prepare to go to grad school next fall?
4) Move to Alaska?
5) Find a "real job" and plan on sticking around for awhile?
6) Get my act together and rent a place?
7) A surprise?

I'm trying to stay positive about the fact that my world is so wide at the moment.  The world is my oyster!  How many opportunities like this does a person receive in her lifetime?  I'm young, single, and currently free of any long-term responsibilities to a place.  What reason have I to remain?

It would be nice if I could close the Chicago door so easily: nothing for me here, so once I'm chrismated I can go!  But it's not that easy.  My previously shaky relationship with my friends has taken yet another turn for the better, and my newest and probably potentially someday best friend is returning in a month to go back to school.  My church is here.  My family is here.  I can more easily find a job in Chicago than most places, and I do have a lot of opportunities for learning in a city full of schools, programs, institutes, and millions of people...

But, there are many reasons to go as well.  As I mentioned before, I am young and can get away with doing unpredictable, strange things much more easily now than ten or even five years from now.  I don't have a boyfriend, a family, or an apartment, much less a house.  I don't have a contract job and don't plan on having one any time soon, so whatever work I do, I can just skip town whenever and someone will be glad to take my job once I'm gone.  The only place I would skip town to has a church that could use me, which, while being sort of scary, is also a fun challenge for a newly-minted Orthodox.

Much prayer is needed, for sure.  On the praise side of the equation, I have several housing offers to consider, so I won't be homeless in ten days--praise the LORD!