I'm Moving!

Do you ever feel like you've worked a whole week by Wednesday? That's how I feel now...and I wasn't even in on Monday!

Yesterday one of my bosses basically accused me of taking more vacation time than I'm allowed. Pretty interesting considering the only vacation I've taken this year was for a week in August. At first I wanted to make him feel small (even though he already is) by reminding him how he missed work last week because his new pool table was delivered and he decided to stay home and play, but I actually decided against it. Which further lets me know that I've become a new person, because anyone who knew me before knows I wouldn't pass up that opportunity! But I stayed cool as a cucumber and let him make his accusations and politely responded that if he'd like me to prove my integrity I'd be glad to. Of course he declined.

So the conversation turned into what it was intended to be anyway, had he not beat around the bush, which was a discussion about my exit. The time has come for me to leave...in my opinion. He didn't fire me! But I've learned in my life that when transition is looming, things around me begin to shift. It's like everything else positions itself and I'm the last thing to move. So I take his awkward interrogation as a gentle nudge from God telling me "um you should go now hun."

My encouragement/strength/motivation: Hebrews 6:9-12 "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

Amen!

Update Maybe?

Wow I haven't written in over a month! Usually it's because I don't have anything succinct to say and I don't want to post just for the sake of it. Even now my thoughts are random but I think maybe it's time for an update!

The most notable (and exciting) development is that I'm in love!! =) Yes folks, we have a winner! Lol His name is Noah. He's amazing...more than I ever imagined I wanted (and everything I did imagine I wanted!). God truly loves me through him. He's planning to come home with me in December so get ready to meet and love him! He's fantastic! =)

Next major development is I'm changing jobs. My goal date to have a new position is November 1st. I have 2 interviews tomorrow. It's time for a shift. I need to move onward and upward. And I REALLY need to start using these degrees I'm paying for! ;)

Our dance ministry is having a concert tomorrow night. It makes me think of home because we had ours there the night before I left (sniffle). I'm still trying to get my hands on that DVD if any of you have a copy! Help me out!! Lol

Continuing in church biz, I've picked up a Sunday school class. I teach the 5-9 year olds on 3rd Sundays. Kids are hilarious. I also write an advice column for a newsletter our Daughters of Virtue mentoring ministry publishes each month. I have 2 mentees, also. =) They're 11 & 13. I also lead/teach our newly resurrected hip hop squad, Peculiar People. Is that all I do at the church??? I think so...

Life updates. I got a new plant! Baby Bertha's her name. Lol We re-potted a stem from this giant overgrown plant in my office (who I named Bertha). I started taking Jazz & Modern at a new studio downtown (Joffrey only teaches Ballet & Tap now). I'm doing a lot of reading (thanks to Dad!). Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is next. Um I think that's it!

This is long enough, I'll end it now. Love you and miss you all!

That Which You Feed Grows Stronger

I went to this lounge last night in support of my friend, who's recently released her third book and was doing a reading. Before she went up to the mic, many others shared their poetry and song. All I could think while half listening to these writers and vocalists was "why don't they use this obvious gift to glorify God?"

Since every good and perfect gift comes from above, I happen to believe that it's God's desire that we utilize them to bring him joy. Yet it seemed like all anyone had to talk about was sex and lost relationships. Now I'm not judging anyone...I used to frequent that particular lounge at a point in my life. But last night I saw with different eyes. I heard with different ears. I wondered what it would be like if each poet had written modern day psalms. What if each vocalist sang of joyful things?

When I left, I carried with me a bit of their heaviness. The sadness, hurt, lusts of THEIR lives had been thrust upon MY spirit. How much better for all of us if within that lounge transpired an exchange of peace, love, joy!

Don't get me wrong, I understand that many people (myself included) write as a way to release thoughts/emotions/tensions they don't wish to harbor, but once those words on a page become words spoken, they possess more power than they did when they were merely thoughts. So, in verbalizing your not-so-uplifting mindset to a room of receptive peers, you are not benefiting anyone. For, even if it relieves you at first, your words are malignant seeds sown into an environment soon to be cancerous to all who inhabit it.

But we know that poetry is not inherently harmful. All gifts can be perverted and, as we often see, are in the world. My main point is maybe we should keep the expressions of things we don't wish others to feel limited to words on unpublished pages, and instead start sharing those things which edify. I believe if we did so the good in our lives would overflow while the bad would slowly fade away. That which you feed grows stronger.

Pop Out

Ok I apologize in advance for the overly revelatory reflection that's about to commence. Hahaha! BUT today I was at Borders and I walked by one of those old school 3D books. You know the ones that have pictures that look like the same pattern repeated over and over again but when you stare at it long enough, something pops out of it?

Then I started thinking about my job. What if I'm just staring at it seeing a painfully monotonous pattern instead of adjusting my eyes to see what's underlying, waiting to come to the surface?

Couldn't we look at everything in our lives that way? Can't we decide to LOOK for the 3D pop out image instead of the initial pattern? I feel like we've trained ourselves not to look past the pattern. Then we get caught up and frustrated by its commonplace simplicity...its lack of inspiration. When really it's our own eyes that are flat.

Bye Bye Alien

So I had surgery last Friday to remove the alien from my finger, finally! It was a sad day but the time had come. Here's a picture of my wound for your viewing pleasure and the day after by the lake with Crystal's fam and my bandaged digit!

Reeesssssttttlllleeeeeessssss

It's 3:45p and I'm at work. The thought of being here for another hour and a half is agonizing today, for some reason. I think it's because I've actually caught up and, for once, have free time on my hands. Apparently this isn't a fun place to be even when you're NOT working so hard everything around you is just a blur. Ha!

Though it's been a long time since my last post, I don't know what to update you on. I'm trucking along. Been reading really great books lately, thanks to my dad. My mind's been elevating, which is always fun, but to be honest, it's a struggle leaving the blissfulness of revelation to exist in this world. I'd say that's my primary battle lately - reconciling myself to this world. How do I live in this world without being of it? How do I not let others influence me to do/say/think things not God-like? It's hard! Lol

My friend Christi from the Bahamas was just here visiting. We had a great time.

I started taking Modern dance and Pilates classes, which is exciting since I haven't really mastered either. I'm actually taking Pilates for the first time and it's so focused and intricate. Very interesting.

Sam is growing (that's my plant)!

The sun peeks out sometimes now. It hasn't stuck around for longer than a day yet but I'm keeping hope alive. Everyone keeps telling me the springtime isn't usually this cold & rainy so I choose to believe them. Otherwise, don't how much longer I could stick around.

I'm coming home in August! We're renewing our parents' vows for their 30th anniversary this year and then a friend of mine is getting married so I'll be in California for 9 whole days (7 in Northern Cal, 2 in Southern). Woo hoo!

Ok this post is boring. I'm done now. LOL!

A Picture

That's all! LOL Got a new skirt, thought you might enjoy. (That's Koshia with me)