Treading Water

Every week my fabulous cousin, Michele, writes a blog post and sends out a newsletter. She is a Life Coach and if you've read my blog before, I've mentioned her several times. She is wonderful at her job and amazingly talented as a life coach, encourager, organizer and sounding board. I would encourage you to sign up for her newsletter and I believe you can do that from her website!

This past Sunday her blog/newsletter was entitled "Lessons from lifeguarding" . I found it strangely applicable to my life at this very moment. She's good like that and I am certain that I am not the only one to feel this way. Sometimes I feel like she writes her blog for me! One time, she even used my question as the topic of one of her blogs! I felt like a rock-star! Anyway....Her blog this week was about treading water. And how sometimes you just have to do that and WAIT. The dreaded word....WAIT. I hate it. I hate waiting. But you know what, I feel like right now while I'm treading water, that this is where I am supposed to be. I dont need to be anywhere other than where I am. This feels right for this moment. I know that eventually I will swim in the right direction (where ever that may be), but for now I'm treading water, I'm waiting. I'm waiting on Him to guide me in the right direction.

I've really been challeneged this past 6 months to change my prayer life. And while I have definitely changed the way I think about prayer, I haven't had much action to go with my thoughts. That's one of my goals for this year: To live a praying life. It's hard for me to see what that's supposed to look like but I'm not sure that it is supposed to look like anything. It's what I make it. I've been running a lot lately, or working on running a lot lately, and I think that I'm going to start using that 30+ minutes as prayer time. I'm going to turn off the iPod (this is going to be REALLY hard for me) and I'm going to use that time to talk to God. To talk about my day and also to pray for others. I saw pictures of this girl last year who ran a marathon and while she ran she prayed for 26 of her friends. One of each mile she ran. Well, I'm not really running that many miles YET, but I still am running for around 30 minutes several days a week and plan to use this time more wisely, in some way other than rockin' out to Justin Timberlake or Rhianna!!

Let me know if there is anyway that I can pray for you!

Temporary Excitement :)

So, many of you probably already know this, but I now have a job!

My first day was today! I'm working as a teller for a local bank here in Knoxville. Today was really good and just some reassurance of knowing that this is right, for the time being. It's a temporary job that is supposed to last 6-8 weeks. I'm filling in for someone on maternity leave. I'm not making much but I really think that I'm going to like this job and I think that there is a lot of potential here to be long term and to be promoted quickly within the bank. I really like the banking atmosphere. I've been working in it for the past year and a half and I have enjoyed the people and the atmosphere that it provides. I'm looking forward to getting some more experience in the banking world and seeing what happens next.

In the midst of all this  I've still been so worried about what's going to be happening next and what about in 6 weeks when I'm jobless again and what about all the other details of my life that have seemed to fall into place so many other times before. I read Matthew 6:25-34 earlier tonight on one of my friends blogs and am once again reminded of how God continues to provide for and take care of me. I use the phrase "the events of the last 2 years" - now more like 2 and a half - a lot. It's kind this huge sad sob story that I like to cling to. When really, God has taken care of me in ways that have been so unexpected and that I have not acknowledged until later when I realized what had happened. Even though it didn't seem like He was taking care of me, He was saving me and molding my life into what he wants it to be. I hated my job and I lost it. I bought a condo and I found renters - again and again. I moved to Knoxville and have friends here. My house got broken into and I have a roommate that makes life cheaper feel easier. I was not liking my job and under a HUGE amount of stress about it and I lost it. I was able to spend the last two months enjoying my family and thinking of how I want to change my life. I was looking for a job and I found one. Even though its temporary and there is some stress related to pressure from another recruiter about some different possibilities, but I have this strange comfort in this job and knowing that I'm going to ENJOY my job! While I have no idea what He wants for my life and what the next step is going to be, I have faith that He will be my Provider.
 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Thoughts that will be coming up next related to the question: What is my passion?

Live your Best Life

To live content with small means,

To seek elegance rather than luxury,

And refinement rather than fashion;

To be worthy, not respectable; and

Wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think

Quietly, talk gently, act frankly...to

Listen to stars and buds, to babes and

Sages, with open heart; await occasions,

Hurry never...this is my symphony.



- William Henry Channing

Thanksgiving & Praise

Ok. So I know it's not REALLY Thanksgiving (the national holiday) but today, is a day of thanksgiving for me.

I RENTED MY CONDO!

History of the condo:

I bought it on Halloween in 2008. I lost my job 3 days later. When I bought it there was someone in there renting it from my brother, who owned it before me. He was supposed to move out in March the following year when I would move in and live in my own home. I was already rug shopping and going to lowe's imagining making my new home, MY home. Well, that never happened. I never lived there. I lived with my parents while I was job searching then I moved to Knoxville, my renter stayed for awhile, moved out early, the condo was empty for 5 months, and it's been rented since February last year. I knew that my current renters would probably be moving out in February and I was anxious to have it rented now or find a job in Greenville so that I could actually live there, in the house that I own. Well, I put an ad up on Craig's List yesterday morning and within 2 hours had it rented. UNBELIEVABLE. I am praising Jesus for relieving me and my parents of the burden of paying for it while it's empty, while I'm paying rent here in Knoxville, while I don't have a job, and my parents are paying a mortgage for their house. But the Lord has taken care of this for me. I have a signed lease in my hands and a months deposit in the mail on the way to my house.

It's just so wonderful and I am celebrating in Christ this afternoon for continuing to provide for me, even when I doubt him. I would like to give a special shout out to Momise - who may not even know what a blog is, for continuing to pray on a daily basis for me. Thank you for the example you provide of a praying life. I love you.

I had asked a few friends to pray specifically for a job in Greenville so that I could just move into the condo. While it looks like that may not happen immediately, I'm OK with that. I have no idea what God is planning for my career and my life. I am interested and ready to get started on what's next in my life, whatever that may be.

Psalm 63

You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.

2011: A Look Ahead

I really hate to use the word resolutions because I feel like people make resolutions every New Years and no one sticks to them! I've seen several people who have jokingly made reference to the New Years Resolutions they've already given up on and it's only January 4th!

 

So, these are my hopes for the year. Most of these are things that I struggle with on a daily basis so I am hoping that I can change my lifestyle instead of just my intentions.

1. Find a job.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Attend church and be involved.
4. Be involved in a community group/Bible Study/Small group.
5. Spend time with friends and family whenever possible.
6. Keep myself focused on the positive things in this life.
7. Live a praying life.

So, please join me in prayer for a hopeful, encouraging, prayerful year for 2011. Let's keep each other accountable.

More Dot



Caldwell meets her little sister for the first time



Caldwell holding Dot



Me with the nieces - Caldwell & Dot




Waters Ladies




Waters Fam - Ben, Beth, Caldwell & Dot