Setting a New Standard

Ah! Happy Saturday! Yesterday was almost 60, today is back to 40, but life is still good!

Well update life is going well! I love my job as a caseworker helping families and single parents with child care assistance, so far I have helped 209 people as walk in appointments since February, approved at least 40 cases, and enjoyed every step.  The hard thing is there is not always good news to tell to our clients, because sometimes paperwork falls behind and people have to wait. 

Patience. We all know what that is, but do we like it no.  If I didn't get paid every 2 weeks would I want to work, probably not.  Six Flags, waiting in line, people waste money on a Flash Pass to skip the line, why impatience.  Life is full of waiting.  Waiting for the light to change, waiting for a relationship to change, waiting for someone to realize something, there are so many moments we have to wait.

But yet we struggle, why because sometimes, especially now a days, if that sand clock or the internet goes slow or the page doesn't load in our time preference, we GET ANXIOUS, annoyed, or we just give up and get off the computer. 

I have that issue at my work currently, it's a big thing in our office to yell out in the cubicles, are you getting the clock, is your clock spinning, it's misleading because this little clock spins and spins but nothing happens.  Oh isn't that like life. We want answers now, not later, not in 5 minutes.  WE HATE WAITING.

But waiting is sometimes where we make the greatest memories and learn the most.  When you are in school for years and years, suffering, homework, we make friends, we laugh, we bond together, we live in community. Graduating from school and going to college waiting for the colleges to accept you, it humbles you because you don't know what is going to happen and you have to wait, until you get that envelope and you read the letter inside and it's a risk cause it can be great news or terrible news.   But that builds character.  When you graduate college and are job searching (holla) and you get these retail, entry level, daycare, whatever your circumstance is, when we finally break into something somewhat in the arena you studied for, YOU LOVE IT because you struggled to find something and the rough jobs really make you enjoy the good ones when they come.

Ok this may sound like a super positive person trying to make impossibly annoying situations positive, which is true, but also we need to gain character, insight, be humble, and also be patient.

I remember one time I had a Preschool Offer, a Business Offer, and there was money involved, but there was not going to be that much meaningful experience involved so I didn't take it.  I felt peace, later I wish I would have taken it in Chicago, but I have learned so much and also who you talk to, you should run to God with big decisions because everyone has their own perspective on a situation but you truly are the one who will know and be at peace with the right decision. 

Now the job I have I love, I love the people, my boss, what I do, and it's not easy, but I can tell you after a few years of retail work, preschool, that my own cubicle with adults, casework (part Social Work) I LOVE IT and don't feel tired afterwards and sometimes I'm like do I need a break, I sit in an office chair and type (I have 80 WPM btw). 

Relationships also, friendships, parents, significant other, they all have seasons.  Each one has it's own time clock, some come and go, some stay, some you have to stop the clock because they are trying to mess up your time clock and you have to set those boundaries.

I have set boundaries in my life to have a drama free, relaxed, enjoyable life, and no it's not always perfect, daily I have to work on things, and sometimes the people I set boundaries with try to mess with my clock but I am strong with God by my side, I can keep running my own race.

It's not easy to lose people or to have people gossip about you, or have annoying dramatic people at every turn.  But I can tell you something.  I have let go, I can't control it, or what people say, but I have my own life peaceful, and so when someone tries to tear it down, they can't because I know who I am in God, I have support, I also have a reasonable person in my life who helps me deal with these things as they come :)

I'm far from perfect, I have made mistakes.  But I grow from them, gain insight in the learning process and appreciate the lessons I have learned.  I forgive myself, I forgive others, God forgives me.  And I have learned that healing, personally I'd like to move fast and keep going and rush it, but healing takes time, patience, space, and just letting go of control.  Be at peace, and know God has things in His mind for you and that it will all work together for the good if you love Him. 

I love God, I love my life, I love my man, I love my job, I love my friends and family, and I have come to a great spot at newly 24 year old life, that I feel stable, at peace, and happy and joyful with the decisions I have made in my life.  We improve generation to generation, but God's grace covers us, and His grace when you have really experienced it, is like nothing you could ever understand. 

I saw the Jesus movie recently and I laughed as the Disciples stories were told and how "GOOD AWKWARD" Jesus was.  And that is what we are, none of us are perfect, we've all struggled and God has a plan through the craziness of our sin, our parents sin, our families sin, and for us to set a new path, and getting better day by day.  He has a plan, it's glorious, beautiful and He loves you for who you are, not who you were as a baby, who you will be, He wants you just right where you are at, not perfect, but beautifully flawed.  :)

What joy and hope we should have in Him, for He knows it all, and accepts us, and we aren't on a scale, but we are all covered by His grace if we accept it fully for what it is and love Him with our hearts and minds :)

Have a good weekend :)

- Heather Cheryl