Happy Birthday Mandino!

Happy Birthday Mandino!  I hope you have a great day. I’m so glad I got to see you.  I’ll see you in a couple months.  Love you!

Water Walker…That’s Me

Ever been reading the Bible and thought “you stupid people why don’t you just do what God tells you to do?” or “If God says He is gonna do it, why don’t you believe He is gonna do it?” Well how bout…we are those “stupid people.” I know I am.  I’ve thought many times, “why don’t you cross the Jordan already!!!,” when in reality I’m the moron walking around in the desert for 40 years too scared to get my feet wet.

Well, I am now a “water walker.”  Yep, that’s me.  It only took a little pushing, shoving, screeching, crying, toe-dipping and breath-holding.  But once I did it man…I can’t tell you how glorious it felt to be walking across the water with Jesus instead of sinking deep into the water on my own.

I guess I should back up and fill you in on my adventure.  I have been working at The Walking Company for almost 8 months.  I LOVE the people I work with and the company is a great company to work for.  It just isn’t the job for me.  I had never tried sales before so I thought I’d give it a shot.  I guess I’m the kind of person that loves to always have something to do.  I’m more of an administrative person.  I like to organize and I love to help people.  So the helping people part was nice at The Walking Company but I just didn’t feel like it was the right place for me long term.

I began praying and reading.  I started to read “If You Want To Walk On Water, You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat” by John Ortberg.  It was a GREAT book.  It also made me think and even confused me a bit more.  Part of it talked about fully trusting in God and in essence “walking on water” and the other part talked about being patient and living in the moment you are in, all while trusting that God had you in the right place.  Imagine my struggle…do I stay or do I go (isn’t that a song?).  So I prayed and read some more (Bible too of course).  Then came a One Prayer service at GCC with Steven Furtick.  I blogged about this recently.  He spoke about how God doesn’t just want good things for you,  He wants bigger and better things for you.

So I struggled and prayed some more.  All while this feeling became stronger and stronger within me saying “walk on water,”  “trust me,” “JUMP already!” So after long deliberation and suffering within myself.  After the thoughts of not wanting to let Adam and Erin down.  I finally made the decision to put in my notice at The Walking Company.

That day was the longest and hardest for me.  But once I finally spit it out, I felt so much better.  I felt like it was the right thing.  I was thinking…wow, why didn’t I do that sooner.  So I pretty much just walked in circles in the desert for weeks when all I had to do was touch the water.  Isn’t it crazy what we humans,  in our human way of thinking, do to ourselves?

Wait…it gets better!  So I am at home a few days later, checking the usual job sites and nothing pops up.  Then that evening I pulled up Bethel College’s Human Resource site to show Justin that yet again nothing is available.  Then to my surprise,  there was a position posted for Assistant Manager of Bookstore at Bethel.  Now remember I checked this site earlier in the day.  I was shocked.  I leaned closer to the computer and began reading more.  This was the job I left in NC at Gardner-Webb.  This was my old job!  I immediately got Justin helping me adjust my resume and sent it in a little after midnight…on a weekend…knowing no one would check it until Monday but just couldn’t wait.

A few days later.  I received an email from the Manager at Bethel College.  He wanted to meet me for an interview.  I couldn’t believe it.  I went and had the interview and actually today, got back from a second interview for the position.  Now the job isn’t officially mine yet.  It seems like it will be from what I have heard but it’s not official.  It doesn’t have to be official for me to know that God had bigger and better things planned for me all along.  All I had to do was “walk on water” with Him.  Even if something happens and doesn’t work out with this job opportunity, I now know that I did the right thing and am SO excited to see what God has planned for lil ole me.

End of Novel

Gangsta’s Paradise

Well I realized I hadn’t blogged in awhile and that at some point I’m going to look back at this time and wonder what I didn’t blog about.

Recently…as in 2 days ago Justin and I were sound asleep and awakened to the sound of three bangs.  I know I was not fully awake but I remember asking Justin if it was gun shots.  We had recently been having issues with our power going on and off randomly so he said he thought it was something to do with the power.  We both quickly fell back to sleep.

We woke up and went about getting ready for work.  Justin left about 15 minutes or so before me.  I was running a few minutes behind schedule and already couldn’t find stuff I needed.  The District Manager was due to come to the store that day and I was the opener (not knowing when she was to arrive).  Frazzled, I finally set out the door for work.

As I was walking to the car I noticed a large dark spot on the back right side window.  I thought a huge bird had chosen to…well…you know, on my car so I went for a closer look.  That’s when I found that my back, side window was shattered yet still in tact and there was a big hole in my car door.  I looked closer and it appeared to be a bullet hole.

I called Justin in a panic, surprisingly not because of the car but because I needed him to come get me so I could get to work and not be late in case the DM was there waiting for me (not a good way to make a first impression..being late).

When Justin arrived he confirmed it was a large caliber gunshot hole.  Luckily for me I have an awesome husband who took me to work and then returned home to clean up and deal with insurance and the police.

After work Justin picked me up and we came home to investigate some more.  Then we found three 40 caliber bullet casings in the driveway (confirming the three bangs heard in the middle of the night).  Justin called the police back and in about 30 minutes a police car appeared taking his statement and the casings for our case.

I know that the person who did this will most likely not be found but Justin and I found ourselves praying for this person.   In prior years, we would have just been angry but God has shown us so much even in the 7.5 years we have been together.  We know God is good ALL the time.   We are praising God for knowing all situations even before they arise.  Just days before this we received some unexpected money that I’m confident will be just what we need to fix my car.  Some would say it’s a coincidence but I just don’t believe in coincidences.  God was there, God is there, and God will always be there.  I’m overjoyed to know Jesus as my Savior and couldn’t imagine going through life without Him.

I have also been learning from God lately that even when I’m in the valleys of life…when things are not going my way, that God knows what He is doing and He not only wants good for me, He wants BETTER for me.  A few weeks ago in Steven Furtick’s One Prayer message he was talking about when he was little he really badly wanted to get atari.  He prayed and prayed and just hoped that on Christmas morning he would have atari like all his friends.  On Christmas morning he didn’t get atari but the NEW and BETTER Nintendo! And so while he was focusing on what he thought he should have, someone was thinking of bigger and better things for him just like God does for us.  That message has stuck with me.  I am now always waiting and wondering, even when I don’t think things can get better, I’m wondering what God will do next.  Just AWESOME!

Here are pictures of my car.

Happy Birthday Megan!

Today is Megan Lucas’ last birthday as Megan Lucas.  Soon she will be married with a new last name.  I hope today will be the best…last single birthday.  Have a great day Megan and Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday To My Best Friend

Today marks Justin’s 27th birthday so I want to wish him at the top of my typing lungs a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I am sad because I will have to work until close today but I still hope you have a great day honey.  I love you so much and I can’t wait to see what this next year holds for us…hopefully a finished kitchen 😉

Happy Birthday Erin

Today is my sister Erin’s birthday.  I got to see her today but not for long.  For her birthday she will be sitting in a car driving back from here to NC all day.  Sorry about that Erin haha but I am so happy you and Kelly and Walker got to come see us.  I love you.  Hope you have a good day even in the car.

Our friend Beau

Some of you might remember about a year ago Justin and I rescued a blind puppy found wandering our neighborhood.  He was so so skinny and had a really bad case of some kind of worm leaving him dehydrated and couldn’t hold anything in his system.

He stayed with us while we brought him to and from our vet’s office (who was gracious enough to help us out with costs to make him well).  Java was a little confused by him but adjusted.  Justin and I figured our that by putting him on a leash and walking the same pattern in our yard each time, that the dog soon learned the layout.  He even adjusted to our house and knew where every turn and object was.  We were truly amazed and grew to love him but knew we didn’t have the means to take care of him forever.

One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was say good bye to that sweet pup.  We found him a home at a place near my parents that takes in disabled animals and cares for them for life if they do not get adopted.  It truly is a great place called Friends for Life.  I still remember to this day how Beau (we called him Buddy at the time) was sniffing and nervous just trying to find us as we had to say goodbye to him in his stall.  I still get tears in my eyes thinking about it but we knew he was in the best place possible for him.

Periodically I check their petfinder site to check on him.  He has gained his weight back and looks like a happy dog.

All this to say…I checked last night and he was not on the site any longer.  So out of concern I emailed them and this afternoon I received this reply:

“Beau now lives with one of our employees.  They adore each other.  Beau has a real home of his own with a large fenced yard.  Anne takes him hiking in the woods and playing in creeks.  He is one very lucky boy.”

I couldn’t be happier.  He never would have gotten that if he had stayed with us.  I’m so grateful to those people and for Anne who loves him so much she is giving him not only her home but her heart too.  Yay for happy endings…well happy beginnings 🙂

Happy Happy Birthday To You To You

I don’t know why I never realized this before but today is Lorraine Moore and Deana McSwain’s birthday.  I hope you both have a great day and hopefully have better whether than we are having today.  I love  and miss you both!