Common Ground

So today I was sitting with one of the store owners and we were talking about how people my age don't go to church. I hate that the attendance for 20 somethings had dropped to bascially nothing. Even at my own church I can count on one hand the number of singles. And then we talked about how great it would be if there was a place in the area where young adults could get together and hang out after work, and on the weekends and meet other Christians.

I was really excited about the idea! We discussed how it could have a game area, and diner, and a place for concerts, too. I mean, this would be great if it happened! Then I thought about the financial part and my suggestion was getting the fundung from churches in the area so that it would be a place for everyone, not just one denomination, or one church. It would be more of a community hang out and place to reach out.

The ideas were just spilling out! Like having a counselor on staff so that if someone needed some help with a serious issue, then there would be a a safe place for them to come.

This would be absolutely amazing if this could actually happen. Finding a place to lease as a community center for young Christian adults and then finding funding from churches would definitely take a lot, but I think it would be totally great, and a great way to get Christians my age to meet and make friends. I know that it's hard finding friends my age. Someone I share common ground with. But this would be great. It really would be amazing. And I would love to see it happen.

Push Me Down

I am so tired of being made the bad guy all the time. Of being pushed away when my friends have a problem. Of being told they can't trust me. Right, yeah, okay. I am so tired of being the only one who hears the "honesty" but the minute I say what's honestly on my mind I'm some kind of crazy person.

I'm hurt because someone would do all of this to me and say they were my friend. I'm confused because it always gets turned around on me, and they say it's the other way around. I'm tired because it seems like this is a vicious cycle and they will never see a need for change.

At the end of all of this though, is forgiveness. I'm sure they don't think that I have truly forgiven them, and that's their issue. But see, I know they will never apologize. I know they will never see that they might have been wrong for treating me like they did. Treating me like yesterday's garbage when they had a bad day. Or lying and saying everything was fine because they thought I didn't care. For all of that, they are forgiven. And they can walk away, that's their decision.

But James hit it right on the nose when he said "What causes fights and quarrels among you?" We spend so much time finding a reason to be mad at someone that we cannot see what we did wrong ourselves. He also said "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." I truly believe that. Was I perfect with what happened? I'm gonna say probably not. But at least my conscience is clear with being willing to take the first step and forgive them.

Slummin in Paradise

So the last couple of weeks have been utter chaos. Everything has gone really well with the owners of the shop, and I have loved getting things ready. Ok, that's not entirely true. I have MOSTLY loved getting things ready. If you don't know, I'm not one of those people who likes details- at all. I mean, I really don't do that detailed oriented thing. Not even a little bit. I just have big dreams and leave everyone else to figure out how to make them work.

So anyways, I spent a weekend ordering product, equipment and supplies. And last week I got most of it in. At this point, I'm only waiting on my major product vendor to get their stuff to me, and I'll be set. My parents and I spent most of Saturday setting up my little space and it was great to see it all coming together.

Today, I went up to the shop to clean and get things rearranged again. The only thing I am waiting on now, aside from the dermalogica, is a curtain. I am set up to do waxing, though, which is pretty cool. I did a feace wax on my mom today. I was surprised how quick it went when I didn't have to run around looking for an instructor to sign papers and get product. Hahaha, those were the days.

You Gave Me a Promise

I had a great time in Branson last week. My brother and I got to hang out and celebrate his birthday, and drive around listening to music, and have fun times just out and about. We really did have tons of fun. While I was there, I started wondering about why I still hadn't found a job. And one afternoon I was praying about it. I had finally decided that maybe I would stay in Missouri for an extended amount of time. But I told God that I wanted his will.

His will called me 5 minutes later. Before I left town, I had left a voicemail at a shop that was interested in hiring an esthetician. But I hadn't heard from them. So when the owner called right after I had been prayed, I was floored. The owner and I talked and I told her about my training and she asked me to call her when I got back in town.

So obviously, I didn't stay in Branson as long as I thought I might. I did go over to the shop on Saturday and talk with both owners about the set up and the lease. By the end of our meeting the only real problem I saw was meeting the lease and having to buy the product, linens and equipment. But the owners decided to give me a break on the lease for the first few months, so that eased my apprehension.

I have to say that I am really looking forward to this. Because I am leasing, I pretty much am free to do what I what with my space and I will make my own hours. I was so touched by the sermon on Sunday at my church. He basically said that God has better things out there for us than we could even imagine, we just have to tune in with our hearts and minds to find His will. I have been praying for a job so long, that I couldn't imagine how great this one could be. Stressful, right now with all the orders, but it's a blessing as well.

The Best Day

So today was kind of a weird day. I mean, if I was in Texas, this would have been a weird dya, but maybe because I'm not, it's actually a normal day. I don't know. You decide.

Things were fin this morning, I slept in and took things slow while my brother was at work. Around 11 it started to rain. A lot. This would have been fine if I hadn't had a dream a few days ago about a tornado. I'm not kidding. Before I even decided to come on this trip I had a dream I was here and a tornado came out of no where. So weird.

When my brother got home, we headed for The Landing to have dinner. We were driving along when we looked over and on the side of the street there was a huge ornament rolling along. I mean, it was the size of a medicine ball! We both laughed and Jay said that it must have come off of a show's outdoor displays.

After dinner, we made our way to WalMart to pick up a couple movies. We got all the way to the entertainment section and the lights began to flicker. We ignored it and went on. A minute later, the lights flickered again and then went off completely. The whole store was powerless. We laughed and stood in the "main aisle" like we were instructed. When we finally got to the car, we noticed that the lights all along the way were out. Strange.

Anyways, we had a good evening and it was definitely not boring. Can't wait to see what the rest of the week has in store....

Thankful

I got to spend the evening with my cousin, Collin. I hadn't seen him in about a week and a half and he looked better today than he did the last time I saw him. His eyes are still sewn shut, but he seemed to be in a good mood while my brother and I entertained him with stories. I am just amazed that he has come so far in such a short time. I know to him it seems like forever.

Collin told us about all the surgeries and showed us where he had been stitched up on his leg and arm. He said that when they did the surgery on his face the doctors couldn't find all the facial bones. Great. And in a few months they will have to go back in and reconstruct his right eye socket.

I was sitting there wondering how he could have so much patience to deal with all he is having to deal with right now. At one point tonight, he dropped a pill and the nurse spent a good 5 minutes digging around his bed for it. And he told us later that it was frustrating to have her do that. He also tols us about overhearing some nurses complain about working, and he got on to them about it.

He has so many reasons to complain, and he didn't at all. Maybe it was just because we weren't around ling enought to hear him say anything, but I wouldn't have blamed him if he felt inclined to do so. I am thankful every day that God spared his life, and I know his family and friends feel the same way. It was definitely a humbling experience tonight. Hope you all have a blessed Christmas.

How Far We've Come

So this is the time of year when I usually sit around and think about how life didn't turn out exactly like I thought it would. When I was growing up, I thought "Hey, I'm totally gonna be married by the time I'm 21. And have 1 kid, and etc." And every year God shows me that's just not how it's gonna go.

To be frank, last year I thought my life was going places. I thought I was with the guy who I might end up with, and to me- that was really all that mattered. However, God has shown me that I was really off base. And I'll be the first to admit, that I needed this year to happen.

I needed to have my heart broken. I renewed me relationship with God when someone just up and walked away from me. I needed to be in a classroom for 8 hours a day with some really hateful people. God to showed me that I can witness even when I don't say a word. I needed to work with the youth at my church. I found that just being there for those kids is so important.

God really did show me so much. And I am still learning. But when I look back at this year, and how far I have come in my faith, I am proud. And I am glad, nay- blessed, for all the things God brought me through. Just thought I would share that with everyone. Have a blessed Christmas!