These past two months have been both busy and interesting...I got to go on my first mission trip,which doubled as my first trip to Central America.
Afterwards, I spent a month preparing for my caregiving certification, deciding that if it’s online, I may as well learn the skill. What got me through that? Jesus, naps and chai.
I had then accepted a job that turned out not to be a good fit, I realized it wasn’t, and went for something better. Working at that first caregiving job felt much like fitting a square peg into a round hole, as the saying goes. I began to realize how important routines were, how important my groups were, and how many things might shift, if I unplugged from the places I had been planted physically or other ways, (and yes I said ways on purpose). Still, it was not all bad, I made at least one new friend while studying for the caregiving exam, gained respect for some people I was previously not sure about, and I met new people. This time also really taught me about contentment, and reminded me to “quit while I’m ahead” -the only time I now feel is okay to quit. But why quit while I’m ahead in this case? It was a matter of not chasing every shiny object or going after every little thing that seems appealing, just because. Everything has a purpose, and every action needs a purpose.
Other lessons that these two months have taught me are to continue to help others, accept help, and not judge others. The first concept seems to be second nature, but I am not one who likes to practice the second concept; accepting help, since it is hard for me and my pride, but I’d rather not have the pride, than to let it rule me and then make me fall. On another note, I have been challenging myself to continue helping others, and not judge so harshly, if at all. This is another lesson I am still working on. I am learning that one should review or test their misconceptions to see what is really true. When we chuck our misconceptions about someone else at the door, one can learn so much more about another. We start to realize that those people we judged are actually different from what we thought and we may find that they can add so much more to our lives than we would have expected.
Once preconceived notions are out of the picture, we can bond with others and appreciate them for their personalities and values, and this will lead us to trust more.
On that topic, though I try to surround myself with trustworthy people generally, the hard part has been finding trustworthy people and more so, letting people in, until now...Previously I was both unintentionally and intentionally closed off to people because of past disappointments, as well as my own issues and wrong ways of thinking, but by God’s grace, the Lord has been opening my eyes to new friends and family whom I can trust and confide in. As well, He’s been showing me how to find trustworthy people. What He’s shown me is that people are trustworthy if they go out of their way to help another &/or get to know someone, without having preconceived notions about that person, and if they do their best to follow through with what they say. This shows a willingness to take a chance on someone else, which is often a positive thing.
Examples of that are a friend paying for a meal, or inviting friends to lunch, as well as offering good thoughts or prayers to an acquaintance. These instances show kindness and compassion, and that has the ability to strengthen positive bonds. Yet these bonds cannot be strengthened if a person chases after every shiny object purposelessly or moves from spot to spot aimlessly. It’s okay to chase your dreams and achieve your goals, please, do that! But, there has to be a purpose to what a person goes after. Once you’ve found your place, don’t give it up for something out there in the unknown future, or you may lose what you had, and maybe even what you were going for. That is what the saying “A bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush” means. Consider what you already have, Do you want to keep that, or let both what you had and what you were going for fly away?
Contentment is the opposite of worry, if you are trusting in the one who made you, the Lord God, then your needs will be met, and met on time.
“Consider the lilies, they do not labor or spin, yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the flowers of the field, who are here one day and thrown into the fire the next, then how much more will he [take care of] you?” Luke 12:25-27 (paraphrased).
As well, the Word says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46: 10
This verse shows us that we can rest in God’s power, and that we can recognize, acknowledge & thank him for being in control and working things out for our good.
Thank You!
Motivated. Thoughtful. Keen. Stylish. 12 July, 2021.
References
Bing Images, “Hammock”, Bing, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=lj33uPqt&id=457261CEF4AC976A3503111C3E759FA1357617AE&thid=OIP.lj33uPqt772qJeZ9yLhcvAHaHa&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fhatterashammocks.com%2fgallery%2fgateway-tropic-quilted-lifestyle-2-xx.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.963df7b8faadefbdaa25e67dc8b85cbc%3frik%3drhd2NaGfdT4cEQ%26pid%3dImgRaw&exph=2000&expw=2000&q=hammock&simid=608045289085277854&FORM=IRPRST&ck=8B5FEFF8A4C6062A19F788E5AC66E56C&selectedIndex=3 on 16 July 2021.
Bing Images, “Lilies”, Bing,2021. Retrieved from https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rmnxHaXkhmZjncyzMahdJU-970-80.jpg.webp on 16 July 2021
Luke 12:24-27 NIV, Bible. Print. 17 July 2021.
Psalm 46:10, NIV, Bible, Print. 16 July 2021.
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