7 months and 1 day

December 17, 2014

For the past seven months and one day God has been good. God was good before then. God will be good after then. God is good.

God has been good in ways I did not expect. You see, sometimes we don't always recognize the ways God is good. We want Him to be good how we want him to. Make sense? Our plans. Our desires. Our ways. Time and again He always shows that He is good in his own ways.

May 16, 2014 I graduated. I thought I'd have no trouble finding a job. As classmates were getting jobs before we even graduated I started stressing a little bit about getting a job. A friend kept reminding me that it was 7 months after he graduated before he was able to get a job. I (foolishly) thought there's no way it'll take 7 months for me to get a job. Somehow because that's just how my crazy (or some would say weird)  mind works that became my precedent- getting a job before 7 months. Summer kept creeping by and I still had no job. Four months and I'm thinking this really is a problem. I need a job. People are reassuring me that it was five months before they got a job. My turn is coming; there is a job out there for me.  Five months comes with the thoughts of I'm a failure. What am I doing wrong? Why can't I get a job? Seriously, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one from my class without a job. Seven months is coming pretty soon and nothing is looking hopeful. These thoughts came with the constant reminders from friends not to compare myself to others. Constant encouragement and prayer from both friends and acquaintances. Well, here comes 6 months, fraught with a mini breakdown or two and month seven looming right around the corner.

Less than a week before the 7th month mark I get a call for an interview. At seven months and one day I have an interview, and I am given a job. Rejoice!

In these past seven months (and a day ;-)) I have been humbled, I've been made to think, I've been challenged, I've learned more who I am and what I like, and I have changed. Through this time and experiences God has taught me and instilled in me new interests and passions.Volunteering with Live2Serve and substituting at Mother's Day Out are the two biggest avenues through which these things have occurred.

Live2Serve
I had heard about Live2Serve (L2S) and heard stories from it for a few years. Every time I would hear something about L2S part of me wanted to volunteer with it, but I never had or made time to volunteer. This summer I was in a Bible study and on the very first day of the study was something that made me think of L2S. Then when we met to discuss the Bible study that week there was a lot of talk about serving. To me it was loud and clear that the Lord was telling me now is my chance. I don't have school. I don't have a job. It was still a few weeks before I finally took action and started volunteering. In mid-July I began volunteering, and I didn't really enjoy it at first. I'm not all that into sports and games. The children can be wild and loud. It can be rough. I knew that's where the Lord wanted me though. I prayed about it and stuck with it. My heart gradually changed and I began enjoying it more. When a child draws a butterfly in chalk and writes I love you Emily, then asks, "Did you know love is a very powerful word?" and writes to: my best friend Emily. Or when a child runs out of their house and nearly tackles you to the ground with a hug. Those are the moments that make it worth it. Those are the moments when you realize you must be doing something right. Simply being there, caring, and showing God's love is enough.

Mother's Day Out
A friend's mom asked if I'd be interested in subbing at Mother's Day Out (MDO) while I was still looking for a job. I was convinced kids hated me and didn't really want to sub at MDO, but I thought it'd only be a once or twice a month sort of job. I could manage that, and it would be nice to have a little extra cash so I said yes. Subbing very quickly became an at least once or twice a week job. I began unsure and just hoping to make it through. I'm ending loving those children, especially my little 2 year olds, and being sad that I won't see them anymore. I'm ending wishing that taking a permanent position there as a teacher would have been a feasible possibility. I'm ending with every crying child, every dirty diaper changed, every "mommy?", every "EM-MEE!", all of it being completely worth it. It was so wonderful to have something to do, something I ended up enjoying far more than I imagined, during this time of searching and waiting.

So how have I changed? What have I learned?

I've learned how to serve where I'm at. I've always been globally, international mission minded. It's like serving or doing missions in my own community didn't make sense to me. I just didn't get it. But now I've learned to be locally mission minded. I've learned kids don't hate me (some even love me!). I've learned to loosen up, have fun, and play (although this one could still probably use some more work). I've learned that I want to work with children (at least for now). After an interview which would have been working with adults I realized I would be kind of sad if I wasn't working with children. I have changed. A friend even commented that I am a totally different person from last year.

I thank the Lord for a job, but I also thank the Lord for the past seven months and one day!

'Twas the Night of Christ's Birth

This is something I started writing a year or two ago and never finished. About a week or so ago, I pulled it out again and was determined to finish it by this Christmas. And finish it I did! I may still make some edits, but I think for the most part this is the final product.

'Twas the Night of Christ's Birth

'Twas the night of Christ's birth, when up in the sky

Was the star of Bethlehem, shining on high

And from Nazareth, a town in Galilee

Was a betrothed couple Joseph and Mary

Caesar Augustus had called for a census

God had bigger plans like the birth of Jesus

Mary and Joseph, it was just she and him

As they journeyed to the town of Bethlehem

The inns were all full, no rooms were available

So there they took rest and gave birth in a stable

Among the animals in a bed made of hay

There in a manger they put the child down to lay

Cows, horse, donkeys, sheep, maybe nothing at all

It is not known what was in the stable stall

But there were two parents who loved their child greatly

Their duty to raise him they accepted bravely

It was an extra-ordinary event

The long expected and anticipated advent

Born of a virgin, the expected one has come

An heir to the throne, He is God's only son

As they were told they gave the child the name Jesus

The Lord saves, Immanuel- God with us

He was born so that one day he would save through the cross

But now in a manger he lies wrapped in cloths

Shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks by night

When an angel appeared and gave them a fright

Do not be afraid the angels proclaimed

A Savior's been born, Jesus he is named

Joining the angels, a heavenly host did appear

They were praising God, there was nothing to fear

It was a meeting of the high and the low

The angels above and the shepherds below

God's holy army and the keeper of sheep

For the first time that Christmas night they did meet

"Glory to God in the highest and peace to men" 

This they declared and returned back to heaven

To find baby Jesus, the shepherds they went

What they had seen- to others word was sent

"A babe has been born and he will be King

Salvation to all is what he will bring"

All who heard this wondrous news were amazed

As shepherd returned exalting God with voices raised

While Mary pondered over all that had occurred

Just as it was predicted years ago in the word

Then some years later still following the star

The wise men they traveled from land a-far

They came bearing gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh

They came to praise, worship, and adore

A humble beginning and a triumphant end

One day ev'ry heart will praise, ev'ry knee will bend

Praising the one who was born Christmas day

The one who was born to lead the way

And today people from all over the earth

Take time and remember that most special birth

For the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is the reason

We have joy and celebrate this Christmas season