Tuesday, August 21, 2012

When In Doubt

I've loved every minute of my move to SD to date, but there have been some moments of doubt.  I know I did the thing I wanted, but was it what God wanted?  I prayed about it for months and was positive that He'd said "Yes," but did I misinterpret a "No" or a "Not now"?  I hadn't let anyone know I was starting to have these doubts.  I wasn't sure myself what the correct answer was, but I knew so many people had put a lot into helping me prepare, move, and settle in that I didn't want to possibly say it might have been for nothing.  Why these doubts when I was so certain before?  Because I didn't have a job!

I don't have a very desirable job skill set (CNA's aren't known for their awesome pay-grade or cool job... duties...), but I have one that is always hiring and easy to get hired if you know what you are doing.  I know, trust me, I know!  I've been a CNA for seven years (two years longer than I swore I'd ever be one!).  I have learned tricks and tips from CNA's of 20+ years and with the love for people that God has given to me, I've always excelled in my work.  I have never been unemployed for more than two weeks.  In fact, usually I've interviewed, hired and started a job within two weeks.  I'm starting my fourth week in SD, with no job.

What a time of learning this has been!  Although I've never been one to worry excessively, I'm simply not patient enough to sit around not working.  I moved to a new (and exciting) area and I am not able to go out exploring as I would like since I have to watch my finances until I start work.  I'm closer to my family but even tho I took one spontaneous trip to visit at the beginning, I can't do it again until I have a set schedule.  I've been applying and inquiring after 4-5 jobs a day.  Not receiving any replies back or scheduling any interviews was causing me to seriously question this move.  Learning to wait upon the Lord (it feels like learning to wait while waiting- does that make sense?) is not easy for me.  I'm not used to waiting for anything.  I go through life very fast and the slow moments are usually because something is requiring a little more time than I anticipated.   Having a full three and a half weeks of waiting may not seem long, but it's definitely a test for me.  It's learning contentment in a new way, it's learning patience again and again and again, it's learning to wait in the Lord, for the Lord, wait while spending my time with Him, it's learning to take these disappointments to my Jesus and leave them piled at His feet, because when I take them all back, I start to doubt my following or His direction.  

I am positive I'm not done learning these lessons. I know I will need reminders quite often of what I've learned from this time.  You know that "chant" said at church sometimes?   "God is good. All the time.  All the time, God is good."  I think it needs a little tweaking.  God is most definitely good, and He is always good all the time, but I've learned that His timing is also always good.  Today I received a job offer from the one interview I had over two weeks ago.  I was slightly discouraged by the interview (it was a group interview, my first!).  They had said they would call with their decision but hadn't yet.  It was the job I wanted, a job that I could learn more from, a medical field I had yet to work in, and I was so disappointed to not have heard back from them.  So God is good, all the time, and God's timing is always good!  I start Monday for orientation and am so excited for this opportunity He's given me.  Once again, God is faithful!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Just Because

So, because I moved, and because I moved closer to family, I've already had multiple chances to see more of my family.  And because I'm still learning and trying to take better pictures, I take lots of pictures.  Also because I'm an obsessed Aunty, I take lots of pictures of my nieces.  Finally, because seeing pictures of my nieces makes me smile, I am now going to overload you with their cuteness.  Just because!



  










See?  SUPER CUTE, right?  Happiness is most definitely being an Aunty!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Adventures in San Diego!

One week after moving from SacTown to SD, my new roomie and I went exploring Balboa Park.  So.  Much.  Fun.  And so much to do!  In the time we were there, we pretty much traveled the world.  No, really!  We have pictures to prove it.

We went to England:


Yeah, we TOTALLY caught some Olympic action there.  They wanted to give us gold medals for the sport of being awesome, but we politely declined since we couldn't stay for the award ceremony.


We stopped by the Butchart Gardens in British Columbia...


And smelled some flowers...


And admired their beauty...


And pretended to be African monkeys hanging from a flower filled well...  Ok, so that was only me...


We danced with the Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet...


and the Paris Opera Ballet...  (no, those are not white tights, those are my white legs)


We crashed a flower show in a foreign-Spanish-looking-place.


It took great strength to refrain from bringing back any flowers 'cause they were so pretty!


We found a secret entrance to Wonderland (take that Alice!).


And in Wonderland, we met this super friendly green dragon-snake-thingy.  (Mom, don't freak out, but we brought him home!)


Just in case you were wondering, I'm loving my new home.  I'll have to tell you more later, but right now there's more adventures waiting for me, so off into beautiful 80 degree weather I go!