Great is Thy Faithfulness

Part of me is hesitant to write about this job before I even start it, but I love how it worked out!

I knew I needed a job for the summer at least, mostly for school, and I wanted to work with kids. A lot of times, when something comes up that I just *know* would be “perfect,” I act like a child at the check out counter, begging his parent for that candy bar. “But God, this daycare is only 5 minutes from my house, and they’re hiring! It would be perfect! I want it.”

*Door shuts.*

“But God, look there’s another daycare just a little farther away! And they’re Christian, too! I could totally work there.”

(We’re sorry, you don’t have a degree in early childhood.)

 *Door shuts*

“Ok, I'll try to get a nannying job. Look, here’s one that’s perfect for me! She lives in my city, and she has three girls. I love girls!!”

(Wait, you want to pay me how much, for how many hours? You’re kidding, right?)

*Door shuts*

“Ok, there’s still a few other nannying jobs on here that look great and pay great! Please let one of them answer me!”

(*crickets chirping as door shuts*)

After just finding a list of daycares in the area, and calling a ton of them to see if they were hiring, I found a few. I emailed a few resumes, and went to two of them to fill out applications. One I went to seemed nice enough, but it was a little small and dirty compared to the other. When I walked in that other daycare, I liked it right away. It was small, but not dirty, cramped or cheap-looking. It was decidedly non-chaotic (always a plus) and had a friendly atmosphere. After a series of events I found myself talking to the director and hanging out with the preschoolers for a short period of time to try things out. After climbing on the jungle gym, playing tag, and chattering away with them, one girl (I think I already have a favorite) pipes up “Guess what? I’m going to take you to my house and you can stay all day.” When the director asked if she could take Miss Tiffany back now, she was answered with a “No!” (Thanks for the recommendation, girlfriend!)

I was blown away when the director told me she had wanted someone for this position for a long time and was looking for just the right person. Apparently the feeling was mutual! Well, anyway I’m hired. The hours look to be good and continue at less hours in the fall! Isn’t it great that God doesn’t always give us the first thing we ask for? He gives me so many good things when I don't even come close to deserving them.

Oh! I also liked that I got offered another paid harp gig for a banquet the same day I was offered the job. :D

"Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

Luke 12:29-31

Born this way

I was born this way: 

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— "
Romans 5:12

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”

Jeremiah 13:23

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”

Romans 3:22-25a

I don't have to stay that way:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:4-6

I'm reborn this way:

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:22-23

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 1:15

I’ve gone the wrong way

But God makes no mistakes

Now I’m on the right track

I’m reborn this way.

One Year

One year ago today, a boy came to my door with roses. We made popcorn and watched Up. :) It was that day with much nervousness (at least on my part) that we decided to start publicly pursuing a relationship. Since that day, my life has been full of learning experiences and growth, hard times, good times, scary times, sweet times and much laughter. Thank you sweetie for a whole year of being there for me, praying with me, putting up with me, taking and giving advice. Thank you for pursuing God with your whole heart, and for being the calm in my storms. For being completely silly and making me laugh. This has been a great and profitable time. :) Happy Anniversary. 

whirlwind.

Friends you *thought* you knew suddenly go completely insane...

Other friends move away either to get married or to go to college...

Things you thought for sure were going to happen are no longer to be; and dear people are hurt because of it...

You become far too impatient with people...

Almost everyone is changing around you and you begin to doubt where your life is taking you...

And for some reason it's incredibly hard to do a simple thing like open up your Bible and read a chapter in the morning.

Sometimes you just want a pity party. Then you feel guilty because you realize that you really don't have it that bad. But you're tired and just want a break already. Or at least some chocolate.

why I don't do haunted houses etc.

disclaimer: I'm writing this from a christian perspective and don't mean to tell people what to do, that's their choice.

I feel as though people think I'm a prude. But I can't help what goes on in my spirit when things like this come up. I claim to be a Christian and I feel haunted houses and most of what comes with halloween is based on death, evil, and the categorizing of said things as entertaining. This is a contradiction I can't resolve.

the same goes for movies with this content. Any kind of zombie, bloody, slasher/survivor movie or video game makes me ill. I don't simply mean that it's not my thing. I mean that it disturbs me. It disturbs me that someone could put these things in their mind and claim to be a Christian. What do you honestly have to do to your mind before it just doesn't recognize horror violence and gore as disturbing? I don't think you need to "try it out" to find out if it's not good. Go to a christian review website like pluggedin.com and be warned there.  

Thanks that's all.

Global warming nazis.

So this disgusting video came to my attention today. I thought I would post it along with an outrageous comment by someone in support of it and my reply to get it out of my system...so read if you want.

(I can't bring myself to watch the blowing up part [it was described to me] so I don't know what it's like exactly--just be warned it's on there.)

Fox Coverage of 10:10 Global Warming Shock Video

Comment from a viewer:

             "So I'm guessing none of these people has ever gone to see an overly violent comedy or action film at the theaters huh? Gimme a break! I'm so outraged...whatever!

maybe they should have shown those kids melting from record high temperatures, or dying of thirst because of extended droughts...hmmm, would that be outrageous?

yeah - it was little over the top, but I bet most of those outraged people see more violence than this in the movies every week."

My reply:

            "Ok, I just had to reply, sorry. The way I see it is 1) Depicting kids "melting from record high temperatures" or "dying of thirst because of extended droughts" is very different from depicting someone deliberately BLOWING PEOPLE UP BECAUSE they don't agree to bow to your agenda. Very different. Nazis, anyone? Does this video mean they were serious about carrying that out? No, [not necessarily :P ] but this is in extremely poor taste.

2) You say, "I'm guessing none of these people have ever gone to see an overly violent comedy or action film at the theaters?" And there I can agree with you in a sense, [that it would be hypocritical of said people]... I for one hate excessive violence in movies, it is in my personal opinion, disgusting, desensitizing and at the very least extremely unnecessary; can't understand why some people think it is fine.

I don't write this to taunt you-just bringing some things up. Thank you for reading."

I hate bad logic.

Thoughts.

Maybe I'm weird, maybe it's just me.

Maybe I easily warm up to genuinely friendly people.

Maybe sometimes I don't notice right away if they are going to be the unpopular ones. 

Maybe there's something that went on in the past that I don't know about between them and someone else, I can understand that.

Maybe I just care about them and want them to know the truth. 

Maybe the world would be a better place and Christians wouldn't have such a bad name if we actually tried to reach out to people. 

Even if they're unpopular. 

Even if we dislike them.

Unfortunately if ever I point a finger I have four pointing back at myself. It's easy to see your sins when you notice them somewhere else besides in yourself.

Maybe if we could all just learn that our dislike of someone isn't nearly as important as their future. Sometimes it's really hard, but that doesn't really make it any less necessary.