How is Your Job a Blessing??

How is Your Job a Blessing??

Every day is such a blessing, but I am often so caught up in the minute details of how, when and where things are going to take place that I push the roses away forgetting to even enjoy their refreshing scent.. I try to make time to enjoy life rather than just habitually going through the motions: wake, read devotion, reflect, develop an optimistic, encouraging, and spirit-lifting  thought to fall back on during the day and repeat however occasionally (more often than not) I find myself as just another runner in this race called life.

After meeting the owner of Peak Place Coffeehouse and finding out she is half a decade younger than me, I was in shock! I began to think of how God is using her and her business to reach and bless so many people every day,. Then my thoughts were quickly shifted to what God is doing in my life, how He is using me, and the amazing anticipation I have every day wondering who is going to cross my path and if the reason will be revealed now or at a later time.  So often I, might I say we get caught up comparing oneself to other runners that the reason behind running is all but forgotten.

While I was writing, although I was not at my normal location I did what I normally do:  I intentionally overhear conversations hoping to gather information that might spark ideas to write about and jot them down. After observing and evaluating my surroundings I obnoxiously (not really, but the word was circling my mind, jumping out, and dying to be used) start conversations with people who do not seem to be too deep in his or her thoughts. First I began listening to a businessman.  He was a marketer who was coaching a newer employee. They were both enthusiastic people whose excitement about setting and pursuing goals encouraged me! After they left I started talking to a lady that appeared busy earlier, however now looked like a perfect time to introduce myself.  She explained that she is a chemistry teacher who works at a school I worked as an educational support substituted at a few years ago. Chemistry??? My chemistry years are among the few memories that took place before my wreck and are in my long term memory!! My excitement began to rise!  

I was soon met by a friend who took me to meet other friends and the day quickly came to a close.  Looking back on the day I am able to clearly see how God intricately worked through my day. I am super excited as Spring break’s end is near and I get to return to my AMAZING job! Even though at times the job can be taxing, when I take time to reflect I see the absolute blessing that my job is!  

Ready to Run

Ready to Run

In the enormous file that I’ve started documents being positive that they will one day develop into a great, can’t-help-but-read blog, story, or if I am lucky—book, I read a thought that was recently typed “Ready to Run.’ This could be read as an actual desire to physically re-train my body and mind to run, but I am in the process of that. Then part of a song began playing in my mind….I’m ready, ready to run! Researching the lyrics, I discovered that it wasn’t a Christian song by Avalon; no this memory was coming from a memory older (in my mind) than that; this song is a Dixie Chicks song!!

I looked up the lyrics to hopefully understand why those lyrics were coming to mind. Although the song seems to be about leaving the nest, experiencing life and spreading one’s wings, the song initiated me to look at where I was when the song came out (1999) and where I am now. When the song came out I was in the first years of high school and I was spreading my wings--I think this was when my AWESOME sister moved to Texas. Now the lyrics resurfaced and I realize how this song describes my life looking through a different lens. 

When the song first came out during high school, I was literally running track & field and attempting cross country, I was ready to run. Now this song’s lyrics have a different meaning. I have an amazing job where, taking this song literally, daily I am doing physical therapy and walking in crowds, attempting to walk at a somewhat average pace. My job is basically an 8 hour therapy session. It is so fulfilling to know that I can encourage others simply by living life. Maybe the running will happen again one day but is not, my spirit is pacing at the starting line and ready to run any race that God puts in front of me!     

Time

Ready to Run

It seems that on one hand, time seems to stand still but on the other time is sprinting for the finish line-- although it might just be me. You may be waiting to hear your newborn's laugh, waiting to hear medical or scholastic test results, perhaps you're waiting to hear if you landed a particular job.  Thinking about this I ask myself, "Are you going to wait, passively to take the next stride or are you going to step out in Faith and do whatever God may have planned for you?
I must have started this a while back however laying in bed at a random time of the morning and I just happen to look at drafts that I have not published. It is the last week of my summer break and I'm excited to say that almost every day this summer although I've spent many days waiting, I waited faith. I have gone to a public place waiting for a God-ordained moment to arise. During the moments "waiting"

Help, I Need Somebody, Help, Not Just Anybody

Help, I Need Somebody, Help, Not Just Anybody

I currently have a job that is better than I ever could have dreamed of, but during spring break I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.  Later I began making plans to relax/write/blog during spring break, and I was excited that I would have the time to do so. However I didn’t have any topics in mind nor had the Holy Spirit placed anything on my heart….that I was aware of at least.  

As I generally do, I stopped by the fire station to get a few good laughs and to hopefully gain a great topic or two to write about. With every conversation going fifty directions at once and most firefighters being involved in at least a few of them whether it was their new food diet or the quickest way to tie a particular knot, most fire stations are a great place to get my mind away from mundane topics. Okay, my topics may not appeal to everyone, but I try.

Leaving the fire station a man with a familiar accent got my attention. Seeing that the bus was almost where I was headed, I arranged a meeting at the nearest store. When we met there he explained his absence from Church as that was the only place I ever saw him. Continuing the explanation of what happened and the limitations of his abilities it was clear why God crossed our paths—he needs a Personal Care Provider (PCP). I can help him with that!  With him speaking mostly Arabic, I was and have been able to help him convey his situation and needs to the appropriate agencies. While he does have children who were able to help out, he has recently become an empty-nester as his children are away from home furthering their education. I am so thankful for God using my situation to equip me to help someone get adequate help.

Solid?

Woke up in a bad mood and trying to psych myself out for this AMAZING day I got in the shower. Everything was going great until I decide to test if the shower curtain is REALLY still just the flimsy plastic lining I unfolded out of the package long ago. After dropping to my knees on the bathroom floor I realized it was. I thought “PRAISE GOD for keeping solids in a solid, very unreliable state. I love life!

HAVE A MAGNIFICENT MONDAY!!!  

DEVINE APPOINTMENT

DEVINE APPOINTMENT

My NI friend and I went to Mezzanine to hear his friends play. Soon after we arrived we were approached by a person who knew my name. While her face looked vaguely familiar, I was clueless as to who this person was however she had personal characteristics that would start a conversation. She explained that she has a copy of my book that I had given The Peak Parent Center (owned by her family) and that she knows my cousin?? She told me her name suddenly memories resurfaced. A flashback of my cousin telling me that one of her patient’s sister knows me, do I knew Bronwen? At the time I was thinking…”Oh no…do I know Bronwen??   When Browen came over and put the pieces together I got so excited I wanted to dance all night….so I did!!

 

 BROWEN FROM THE PEAK PARENT CENTER RECOGNIZED ME because we met a year or 2 or 3 ago!!  Gets even better… my cousin is a CNA for her brother!!!

This was written on 8/29/15 and Last week(a week from 3/29/16) an e-mail from this fantastic lady was mistakenly sent to the school I work at...I think it may have been a human error, but God has unknown plans at work here.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Won't You Be My Neighbor?
I met a neighbor one night when Grandpa and I were having a pizza picnic. All in the same night that my neighbor/new friend (Doyle aka Dwayne) and I had a great pizza dinner, we made tentative plans to conquer the incline.  The next night we met and took a beautiful stroll through the complex (so Doyle could evaluate my mobility). Afterward we decided to take a trip to Starbucks to use the day’s Treat Receipt (ok, I initiated the Starbuck’s idea). At Starbuck’s I used my treat receipt and used the remaining amount on my Starbucks card.  Much to my surprise Doyle re-loaded my Starbuck’s card with twice the amount I generally put on the card.  And this all started on a Roadrunner pizza date with Grandpa T.  I praise God for His orchestration of life’s events!