New house, new life

It will be two weeks tomorrow that I have lived in my new home!  Time is just FLYING by.  It really is.  The gaps keep growing in between times I write on here!  

Here's a little update for the last few weeks...

Still taking the Financial Peace class (Dave Ramsey) on Monday nites.  It'll be over in a few weeks.  Been learning tons about finances in general, and more specifically about a budget.  It's been hard for me to figure out a budget because of recently moving into a home where I will actually be paying rent, buying my own food, etc.  I've done all that before, but I was blessed to not have those expenses by living with the K's.  

I finally got my Indiana tags and registration for my car!  Yeh, I know, big news!  Well, it was just pretty challenging to get over to the BMV during non-work hours, so I was glad to say the least when I actually got them!    

Celebrated 3 months of dating with Justin last Wednesday!  Yay for that!  God has been so good.  God uses Justin in many ways to humble me and teach me to how to love like He does.  

Sunday was the first day of volunteering with Justin to clean the community center (connected to Faith Baptist).  He's been cleaning there for a couple years, but recently asked me to volunteer with him on the 2nd and 5th Sundays of the month.  It was a blast.  

I've been on a job search since December, and I finally found a job opening this week that I think might actually work out.  It is a case manager position working with Group Homes for Children.  It is an Independent Living case manager, spending time teaching troubled teens basic life skills, as well as help with parent/family interaction. Good pay, and benefits.  Interesting hours, but not horrible.  I had an interview this week, and will probably hear back early next week.  God is the One who brought this into my life, and I'm curious to see what His plans are with this.  

I will be seeing Beth D. get married next weekend!!  Wow!!!  It's already here!  Can't believe it.  I'll be fun to spend time with everyone again.  

God is so gracious in His gifts to us.  He really is.  He provides all we have.  A year ago, there was no thought in my mind that I would be living in Lafayette, IN.  I am content with where God has me.  No, things are not perfect.  But, I am learning so much about trusting God with my circumstances.  

I will update next week about the case manager position!  

Run run run

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established."

All about ME!

When I get stressed, the first thing I will notice is that my thoughts are all focused on myself.  

I had this thought yesterday at work during a really stressful time with the kids.  When things are not going my way, or things go a way I do not expect I start to feel my adrenaline kick in and my heart rate starts to rise....

But, I've noticed that when I am stressed, I am more easily angered (esp. with the kids in my class).  I think the reason behind this is that my thoughts are all centered around me, myself, and I.  It's all about me, what's happening to me, how it will affect ME, etc.  P-R-I-D-E.  My focus is off of God, of who He is, and how He is the One who has allowed these things to happen to me for my good,  and His glory.  

I guess I wouldn't have really thought about stress that way until I read Mark 10:45 and 1 Peter 5.  

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Even when I am stressed, I am still commanded to serve and love others.  Maybe to be stressed is sinful??  Hmm.  I'm not sure.  The idea of stress....I just think that for a person to be in a state of stress, they are not keeping God's promises in the front of their mind.  They are not trusting Him or believing God is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will do.  

1 Peter 5:6 says to "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exult you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  To him be the dominion forever and ever." 

So this passage mentions humility and anxiety in the same passage.  It makes sense.  We definitely need to be reminded to humble ourselves when we are stressed.  

Beginnings of Spring

Wake up deer!

So it's 6:45am - just got back from takin the sis to the airport.  Her flight was scheduled to leave at 6am, which meant leaving by 3:30am to get there in plenty of time.  As we pulled out onto 550, there were definitely some very startled deer eating breakfast by the side of the road!  They were probably thinking, "Hey, watch it!  What are you doin here this time of the mornin!?  This is OUR time!"  It was entertaining to guess what they were thinking...assuming they think and respond to things like that.

Havin Lena here was just the greatest thing!!!  Wow.  For two main reasons.  1. It meant so much for her to make the time and effort to come and see me.  Especially on her spring break.  2. It was just so wonderful to have my "twin" here, in the place that is becoming very dear to me.  For her to meet some of the peeps who have blessed my socks off in the past seven months.  

We had some good times...catching up about life, taking long walks in gorgeous weather, laughing, going to Indy, meeting special people :) , coffee time, looking at art, singing, etc.

On my drive home, it was sad to suddenly have Lena's beautiful presence gone from the passenger seat of my car.  It'd been a while since I'd driven by myself for even an hour distance.  And it's amazing to me the kind of things I thought about driving home in those early day hours before the sun came up.  Started thinking about all the people I have developed relationships with up here, as well as those I have not talked to forever, but have been meaning to call forever.  There is no doubt in my mind that I should be in Lafayette right now, but I definitely miss friends and family back home.  It's just crazy how time has flown, and it's been months since talking to certain people.  Leaving KS, I wondered how much I'd keep in touch with friends.  There are def. those friends you can call up after a few months and pick up right where you leave off.  That is such a blessing.  But then there are those that you call and call, and they never call back.  I have a hard time with that.  That's where my sinful nature kicks in and starts getting selfish and prideful. It's hard to not expect and put all the focus on yourself and be hurt when friends stop making the effort to connect.  There's always a lesson in that is what I've been finding out.  God is always good and always ready to teach through those lost friendships.

Well, my 16 oz. of caffeine is wearing off by this point, and I don't think I make much sense on here anyway.  So now my bed is callin.  

A few friendships since August...

Can't wait for you to meet these wonderful people God has blessed me with in Lafayette!!!

Get ready Kansas

Just a few for starters...