Where am I?

            

        According to Google, “the latitude of Aurora [Nebraska] is 40.867N. The longitude is -98.003W. It is in the Central Standard time zone. Elevation is 1,791 feet. The estimated population, in 2003, was 4,247.” I guess a more general analysis is my house is located in the middle of a corn field. Yes, there is corn on all four sides of my house, and if I look outside my window I can see cattle leisurely grazing in the field. To me this is home.

Aurora Courthouse

My home has been in the family for three generations. Around every corner, lurk memories of my childhood. Living in the country, my older sister and I had the freedom to let our imaginations run wild. When we were younger our sunflower fort was like our headquarters. 
Located in a corner of the garden it was where great  banquets were held, princesses resided, and where make-believe was king. The garden was our little safe haven, unless Dad wanted our help tending it. As a country boy my Dad loved working the land, his daughters… not so much. The tedious job of hoeing and watering the plants seemed to be a punishment. Funny how the exact same place where two girls created mud pies to sell in their bakery, turned into a sweat shop. Eventually I learned to appreciate the principles of the garden. Watching something grow, from the earth, you personally nurtured is an opportunity most people don’t get now days. Sustaining yourself with the food you grow, there comes a certain sense of pride and accomplishment. Harvest is a time to reflect upon your hard work, as the bounty is gathered.

Aurora Movie Theater

A gain leg on our farm

  In the middle of the country there is not a lot to do. For me, the closest town is twenty minutes away in every direction. When faced with the lack of outside entertainment, you learn to be creative. Pivot mud sliding rivals any water park. My sister and I loved this as children. Adorned in weathered, over-sized work clothing and bare feet, we could spend hours running up and down the rows of corn. The only problem was the rocks that randomly jutted out from the ground.
            I love to reminisce about long walks on the country roads. The best time is in late July when the soybeans are still green. If one waits until right after twilight, one would witness the Heartland’s little treasure. Fireflies illuminate the field. Looking down the rows one can simply watch as they float along the cool wind currents. This is the time you can hear silence. That sound is the most soothing to a stressed or tired soul.
            Originally I was born near the big city of Minneapolis, MN, but after the death of my grandparents, my parents decided to move back to my father’s childhood home and run the family farm. My mom, being a complete city slicker, had quite an adjustment to country living. The country was somewhere to visit, and not necessarily somewhere to live on a daily basis. Family members have claimed her initial experiences were amusingly similar to the character of Lisa on the TV show “Green Acres”; nonetheless here we are, and here is where we are going to stay.

Corn!!

An interesting side note, only a few weeks after moving to our country home my mother decided to sunbathe in the backyard. The corn was at its peak height of 8 feet providing the perfect fence. A short time later rustling sounds came from the corn, and a man emerged! Scared out of her mind from the sudden appearance of a complete stranger she darted into the house, locked every door and closed the blinds throughout. The man left, but my mother refused to leave the house until my dad returned. Trying to soothe her he explained that the man’s car probably broke down on the interstate, and since we were on a farm, the man was looking for some gas. Let’s just say we no longer have gas on our farm.

Our gravel road

Aurora Marching Huskies

School is also where I am. At times I seem to live there. My extra-curricular activities schedule is demanding and along with my classes, a little “school family” has been created. It is composed of teachers, administration, staff, and peers. These individuals have made the last few years memorable, and also have helped me survive high school. If you look at school as only a place where the mind is crammed with knowledge, there is no way you will make it through high school. A sense of home and belonging has to be there. Searching out the teachers you bond with and who genuinely care is the first step. Building upon those relationships is one of the most valuable assets of my high school career. They seem to always have the time to give counsel or a quick story to lift your spirit when the rain clouds set into your life.

Go Big Red!

My definition of home is simple, it is where memories are held, and those you treasure reside. Therefore the answer to the question “Where am I?” is I am home.

"Who Am I?"

Who am I? Although this question is composed of only three elementary words, if meditated on it really packs a punch.  Looking from a simple perspective the facts of my life are quite basic. My name is Lurena Bish. Attending Aurora High School I am involved in many activities: Flag Corps, Rhapsody, One Act, Fellowship of Christian Girls, National Honor Society, and various others. Having two loving parents and a stand-out older sister, my family life could be considered normal. From the outside I am a simple creature wandering around, looking for my place in this world. But I am so much more than that!  Interestingly I am more than what meets the eye. By digging deeper, one would find weird quirks, laughable moments, terrific strengths, and flaws of all kinds. Each is a thread used to weave the person that I am today. I believe to truly understand someone you have to start at the origin; for me, that starts in my early years. 

 As a child I was shy and introverted, but wanted more than anything to have the “best friend.” Painted beautifully in all the chick flick movies, it seemed simple: find that one person in the whole world you can bear your soul to, become automatic bosom buddies, and live the “happily-ever-after” until you finish school. It may have been a reach for a six year old. Life is not like the movies and the opposite happened.  I ended up friendless and alone. Ever since kindergarten I was labeled an outcast and loner, making me an easy target for bullies. Let’s just say my elementary school years were difficult.

My Deep Map

My life finally made a turn the summer before my seventh grade year.  June eighth of 2007 is when I made a life altering decision by accepting Christ into my life. That may sound stereotypical, but make no mistake it was the real deal. From that time on I was transformed. My perspective was adjusted from the world’s view of how life should be, and focused on the plan God designed.  Through everything I do, I try to give the glory to my Creator, and become a woman after His own heart. Now I am not saying I am the perfect masterpiece of some “holier than thou club.” I am just a perfectly flawed human that has a different pair of eyes and has given her heart to new ownership.

What I believe most about life is there are no duplicates; everyone has their own personal building blocks that have formed who they are now. Although a spoon full of sugar makes life sweet, in my opinion, the trials are what shape one’s life. By going through the flames you see if you melt and crack under the pain, or come out as pure gold. The reaction to hardships is something controllable. In other words, trials hand a person the pen to their life book, metaphorically speaking of course. 

 

My family tradition of bringing red Jell-O and playing Pinochle at family gatherings.

 

Another determining factor in who you become are your decisions. Believe it or not a person’s personality is their choice. Example: one can choose to motivate others by being positive. Granted these decisions are not easy. There are always times when we feel the temptation of throwing in the towel, or letting our emotions get the best of us, but the true test of character comes when we push through anyway.  Once accomplished, the seeds of admirable qualities are planted: integrity, perseverance,   patience, and compassion.

 Life also brings little pick-me-ups along the road. The best just happens to be laughter. When watching movies I like going to the blooper scenes. Here is one from the “Wonderful Life of Me”. As a young girl I loved thunderstorms. To me it was the most spectacular event since sliced bread. Splashing in the puddles, dancing in the rain, and sloshing through the mud was like taking me to my own wonderland. Well, one Sunday morning, after the biggest thunderstorm known to man had passed; my family and I were getting ready to leave for church. Three year old me, wearing a white dress, bounded out to visit my little world. All of a sudden I heard the most crushing words to my imagination, “Lurena,” exclaimed my Mother, “Don’t even think about touching that water!” Talk about knocking the wind out of somebody; but I knew better than to cross her, especially when we were running late. As I neared the edge of the paved driveway not daring to take one more step, I happened to glance down and saw a little puddle. Then it hit me. Mom said not to touch the water, but she said nothing about swishing hair. So I swished my long locks back and forth in the little paradise; a fair compromise. My mom on the other hand did not see it that way. In complete shock she called my name. Trying to see what the commotion was about I whipped my head upright throwing my hair back and turned towards the sound as the cold murky water slid down my back onto my once white dress. Needless to say we were really late for church. Little antidotes like that always have a way of making a smile creep upon my face.  

So in conclusion, who am I? I am a person built from her past experiences looking to a brighter future. A person, who chooses who she will be instead of letting others decide; someone who is full of light-hearted stories, but is still willing and open to talk about the deep issues. In basic terms I am just me: one-hundred percent, one of a kind, original me. To be honest and blunt, I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.

An amazing song from my Life Sound Track.

("In Christ Alone")

 

Another song from my Life Sound Track. Not a song to take to heart, but definitely the perfect song to dance and jam out too!  

("Call Me Maybe")