noun. the existing order of things; present customs, practices, and power relations

As little girls we fantasize about living the status quo.  Yep, that’s right!  We want an amazingly romantic, handsome husband, two adorably cute kids, a dog, and a cute little house surround by a picket fence. (This house of course sits right next to the house of our best friend from childhood.)  My generation also grew up desiring that powerful and fulfulling career to go along with our family plans.  Consequently, those dreams are exactly what the little girl next door dreamed of too. 

Truthfully, what I wanted was the normal, the usual, the status quo.  I never–nor did you– dreamed of anything beyond that.  I had planned to find all my fulfillment in being that woman who had it all, when in reality I only had what a million other women have – a life that measures up to mediocrity.  There’s nothing special in it, just as there as there was nothing special about my childhood fantasies.

Not sure when I became unhappy with the status quo, but I’m pretty sure it occurred somewhere in the first year of marriage.  I remember standing over a sink brimming with dirty dishes and soapy water and wondering, “This is it? This is what I waited all my life for?”  Understand, I had a good husband and we were happy, but all those girlie wishes were dashed by laundry, bills, alarm clocks, time clocks, and dinner making.  Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White were all liars, and boy I was gullible.

On the flip side, living in the status quo causes discontentment.  This is a positive because discontentment breeds a desire for change; a desire for change leads to plans; planning to doing and doing to adventures. Now there’ a word that is the antonym for status quo: adventure. I love this word, always have.  Even as a little girl, my imagination never let the white-horsed knight ride off into the sunset without her, and they never went peacefully to the castle.  My imagination sent them on adventures where he battled great enemies and she quietly aided him in some way.  They shared adventure.

I so whole-heartedly believed in this idea of sharing adventure that my wedding recessional song was “The Great Adventure” by Steven Curtis Chapman. Can’t remember the old 90’s tune…

Saddle up your horses
We’ve got a trail to blaze
Into the wild blue yonder of God’s amazing grace
Let’s follow our Leader into the glorious unknown
This is a life like no other….
This is the Great adventure

True to its words, Keith and I have been on many adventures: some were fulfilling and  exciting others not so much.  I wouldn’t have it any other way though.  God never called us to a life of mediocrity–a life in the status quo.  So this year, while I live out my monograph,  I will relish in the knowledge that a life of adventure,  a life filled with challenges and trials, is a life that follows my Leader into the glorious unknown.  No status quo for me, God’s got places for me to be!

Keith and I after getting baptized in 
an Ecuadorian river. Now that was 
an adventure!