A new horizon

What a journey it has been thus far!  Update time... : )


So, I started training my wonderful and beautiful replacement at work about 2 months ago...  it's amazing that much time has already passed.  We had such a blast!!!  (I believe we are guilty of listening to too much "call me maybe" and the pbj song!)  lol.  : )  good times.  In all seriousness this entire journey has been completely and divinely orchestrated.  I prayed fervently for the PERFECT person to take my place and God did more than answer my prayer.  I love it!!!

I was then tasked with saying goodbye to so many dearly loved co-workers and friends.  What an incredible season of life I had in T-town.  I am utterly grateful.  Many of the people that I knew were not friends to me, because they felt so much like family.  : )  And I miss the young family that I stayed with during the last month there after my apartment lease was up.  They are so precious!


I took a week after I resigned to visit family and So, I hope you enjoy my many pictures to accompany this post.  Life is so different today than it was a month ago.  I have officially settled in and done every "settling in thing" you can think of.  Haha... including, I am proud new owner of a library card... I feel a little bit nerdy that getting my library card was on my list of things to get done here.

So... about this new place.  I love it!!!  I frequent the beach about once a day or every other day to get a good walk or run in.  I have to admit though that I haven't actually gone in the water past my ankles.  : )  I think it has something to do with he fact that I  am not sure what is in the water and the only way I can overlook that fact is when I am with friends, and to date I have not yet been with anyone else when I am by the water.  Although, I am soooo hoping to meet some fabulous friend that will teach me how to surf.  I mean, I didn't come to the beach for nothing.  : )

On another front, I LOVE the family that I am staying with.  They are super funny and God's perfect gift to me during this season.  The wife has yet to let me think of the fact that this was a hard move because she has kept me so busy and on my toes - which I am so grateful for.  She has become my personal tour guide as well.  Every where we go I get the full history of everything!  For those who know me, know that I love to know the background and have an understanding of the history in any area, so I am loving that.

Also, for those who are worried, I have in fact made a couple friends, praise the Lord!  I have enjoyed getting to know several different people here.  My very first day I ran into a girl that I had met about a year ago...  now you know that is God - since I knew a total of 7 people in this city of a half of a million and she happened to be one of those 7.  I was excited to re-connect with her.

I must say that I have looked back and I can completely see God's hand in my life all the way here.  There are things that were so precious to me that God started putting on my heart over a year ago and I had no idea that it was for this season.  :)  I believe God is so faithful like that and it only goes to prove to me that He loves us each so deeply.  I can definitely say that I KNOW I am supposed to be here right now.

Some of you may not know, but I decided to postpone school for a year in order to work at a place here that would allow me to take advantage of the tuition benefits at some of the different organizations.  It was not easy to let go of that, but I realize that God's plan for our lives doesn't always look like our plan.  I know that if I was supposed to be in school this year, I would have been.  However, God has another way.

In matters of fun, I have to report that I volunteered for a fundraising event the first Saturday I was here and I was given the awesome task of supervising the bounce house for kids.  It was perfect.  I love that kids are so easy to get along with and talk to.  It also gave me a wonderful opportunity to connect with the youth here.  Speaking of the youth, they are planning to take a white water rafting trip and they didn't have a Female Sponsor yet.  They begged everyone they could to try and go, but came up short, so I let them "twist my arm" and I am officially going to be the female sponsor for an overnight camping and white water rafting trip.  Haha - I am SO stoked!!!  Can I just say, that God really loves me - because that is so up my alley.

As for the job search front, it has been quite interesting.  I interviewed to be the president's assistant at the University that I want to attend, but I quickly realized that I could not do the job and go to school - because it would be so demanding.  Duh, Me.  At least I realized it now.  So, I am networking with a few people who work at other organizations that give you a break on tuition and I will get back to you with a good report here shortly.  : )

Also, for those of you curious readers, I have not yet met Mr. Right here.  I am still waiting for him to come and find me and sweep me off my feet.  : )  Although I will say, that I have an advocate who is more than willing to play cupid for me.  The wife of the family I am staying with is convinced I am here to meet my husband and that she is to play a part in that role.  lol.  I never really know how to respond to her though when she says it because well, I just don't know.   I am confident God is way better than cupid.  : )

OH!!!  I have to tell one of my favorite stories from here so far...  during my supervisory role of the bounce house I met a little girl with precious red hair.  She is extremely petite for her age - clinically so. Her mom is aware of the problem and they are working with the doctors to try and get her to a normal body weight.  I watched her eat several chicken legs at the fundraiser and I couldn't help but fall in love with this little girl who was obviously happy to be eating chicken and proud that she had finished off 3 bones!  While savoring her chicken she looked intently across the table at me and smiled big, "I really like your skinny arms."   She melted me heart!  I am sure she felt some kind of comraderie in our petiteness. : )

Well, that is it for now.  I was able to get all of this typed because I foolishly drank a frappucino at 8:00pm... bad idea!

A Broken Blender and the Coordinating Genius

Its a good day to be reflective.  I am thankful for real friends.  Here are a few accounts from today:

- Woke up before church with plenty of time to read, pray, shower and eat a great breakfast I had planned.  Well, my plan was thwarted when I got the single cup blender stuck and I couldn't get it to stop.  (It's the kind of blender that you turn the cup (single serve) and it turns on.  You turn the cup the other direction and it turns off... well it got stuck and I couldn't turn it off.  So, I unplugged it.  Then for about 15 minutes I tried to twist the cup out of the blender, but with no success whatsoever.  It was quite frustrating.  My roommate was gone and I needed someone strong - reality even if she was home, I don't think it would have helped.  It has happened before to her and she had to get some strong guy to help her.

Well... my blender as random as it is left me with a good reminder that I need people in my life.  I was thankful I had connect group and I took the blender, smoothie and cup still attached over to my pastors house and her husband untwisted it for me and wouldn't you know it came undone immediately on the first try with no apparent effort... :/  I was not about to tell him that I had tried for 15 minutes, prayed for strength like Samson, and hurt my arm in the process... oh brother!  I guess it also served as a reminder that I need to work out some and beef up my arms!  lol.

- I went shopping yesterday and bought a bunch of shorts, because I have had some great friends and help me go through my closet and I got rid of a lot of clothes.  It is amazing what a second perspective can do for you.  I have always been petite and struggled to find clothes that fit me just right.  But it was good to have a friend there to tell me that "you look like a middle schooler with that shirt!"  Hello, thank you wake up call.  : ) Real friends= priceless.

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Well, I fell asleep writing the last section, but I 'd love to add my thoughts from today:

We had a small girls night of worship at church for the young women tonight.  It was SO refreshing.  I love nights like these so much!  In God's presence everything seems to take on a whole new perspective.  All of a sudden, I just have this incredible peace that everything is going to work out in my future and I gain a special confidence about life that I didn't have before - only God can do that.  And He does it because I got my eyes off of myself and when I am looking at Him all I can see is His faithfulness.

Great verse for the week:  Acts 17:26

"From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."

I read this verse this past week and it jumped off the page to me.  God is the intricate planner.  He has determined the exact places and time we are to live in and He set it all up before the beginning of time.  It is so comforting to know that the coordinating genius of Heaven has planned my future.  : )

I love Him!

Roller Coaster

Life seems like a roller coaster at times.  At least it does when I am making big decisions.  I visited my new home last weekend, God willing of course.  (I've been learning to carefully choose my words as the book of James recommends.  Our plans are only good if it is in God's will.)

I certainly enjoyed my trip to the East Coast.  I had several prayer requests, and God was faithful to answer all of them. Some days I look around and I'm simply shocked at how God answers my prayers.  I am so grateful.  I've just been given so much - and then some.

So, it looks like I will have a place to stay in a nice condo on the beach with a wonderful, hospitable family.  : )  Who can complain about that?  haha.  I am still overwhelmed at their generosity.  I also found a church home and I think I'm really going to like it.  The people are friendly, the doctrine is sound, they are vibrant and alive.  : )  I also have a friend there already.  We went to school together and she is great.  She is one of those friends that you know you can count on, you definitely trust, she knows the real you,  and you think alike. I am so blessed to know that she will be there for my first two years.  I don't think I ever imagined that I would be so set up before I ever got there.   The husband of the couple that I have connected with called me when I returned to work on Monday and left me the nicest voicemail.  I feel so taken care of.

I am so thankful.  Looking back on everything, I sometimes just wonder, why is everything in my life so easy?  I mean, granted law school is not going to be easy, and the LSAT wasn't easy, and having the faith to move in a direction when all the pieces aren't in place (namely thousands of dollars)- that may not be easy, but one thing is for sure....  I felt like I should move in a certain direction toward law school and God has been clearly aligning my steps ever since then.  I got the score I needed on the LSAT, I got into school, I have a place to live, I have a church, I have friends, I have a mom and a dad type figure looking out for me and I have been given favor with the professors at the law school and my immediate family is totally supportive although I am going to miss them greatly.  What more could I ask for?  Oh, and did I mention that I have also been offered a place to work my second year with the organization of my dreams.  Yeah, I think my steps are aligned.

So, with all of that I found myself thinking...  why am I so blessed?  I have come up with two thoughts.  First one takes me back to a day back in June of last year when I was contemplating just how blessed I am ... and the verse in Corinthians rang loud and clear in my spirit... "to whom much is given, much is required and they must prove faithful."  I pray that I will prove faithful.

The other thought is from a conversation with my mom earlier this week... she told me that I need to thank my grandma because she isn't doing well, but I need to let her know that my moving and pursuing these dreams is in large part of her prayers.  Mom told me that she used to watch Pat Robertson on the 700 club and give to the American Center for Law and Justice. She prayed for me and this was so dear to her heart.  My mom gently reminded me that I am thriving like I am because of the prayers of people I may not even know... ( Which I know is true because my mom always has her connect group praying for me and I haven't even met those ladies).  I love the body of Christ.  This also challenges me... who am I praying for?  Prayer is so powerful.

Thank you Lord for your goodness.  Help me to be faithful and a light in this new City and thank you for going before me to pave the way.

God,

There aren't words for how good you are.  Sometimes I just feel like you're the dad gently holding my hand and leading me through a busy crowd, and I walk a step behind you hand in hand, fully trusting - completely knowing that you are taking care of me.  Just as a little girl feels so safe as long as her daddy is right by her side, thats how I feel.

Well, I just got a text from my boss and he asked me about the scholarships... which is what I told him I was waiting on.  So, I knew he wanted to ask if I had made my decision.  Well, I have.  : )  I am going. Lord, help me to keep my hand firmly in yours and help me as I find it hard to trust the rest...  The last piece of it all is the rest of my tuition money.  Father, please help me.  Thank you for being faithful all the way to the end.

Back to the roller coaster....

Why does life seem so lonely sometimes?  I think its because you've tasted the real thing and you're hungry for the real deal... Heaven.  God I kinda feel like that right now.  I find myself craving what can only be satisfied by you.  I look forward to Heaven - my true home.  Come Lord Jesus, come.  I want to be with you.

Amen.