Pray for Grocery Workers

Okay people, this post may be long and rambly (I know I made that word up), but it's my reality right now. In case you don't follow me on social media, or haven't seen my posts lately, every day I am sharing a way that we can pray for a group of people impacted by the Corona Virus. I was going to save this group for later in the month, but as I lay in bed, wide awake at 3 a.m. I was unable to get the stresses of the day out of my mind and I knew I had to write. So here we are.

I'll start with the moral of the story: FOR THE LOVE, PLEASE BE KIND!!!! So, what's on my mind that is keeping me awake? When I got home from work tonight, I was texting two people. Both of them asked me how work went. My response to each was something along the lines of, "Eh. It was just another day. Nothing too exciting. Just customers getting ruder by the day." And that is exactly what I'm pondering instead of sleeping. Why is this the new normal? Why are there fewer customers than regular, but more stress, more unkindness, more name calling?

The answer, I'm sure is stress. There are a lot of unknowns right now, but that does not give you the right to be unkind to people. We are all stressed and you lashing out at someone does not make things better. Over the last two days, I have heard my coworkers, myself, and other shoppers being called every name in the book more than I have in the last two years. Why are people calling us these names? Simply because we have the audacity to say things such as, "Would you mind taking a few steps back so that there are at least six feet between you and the person in front of you?"

Allow me to veer for a second and explain why people should not be getting upset by this request.

1) It's the law. If there was a surprise inspection at our store and we were found not to be practicing social distancing, we would be fined and possibly shut down, leaving you without a place to get the things that are so desperate for you to have, that the two seconds longer it takes you to take another couple of steps in line is making you angry.

2) For your own protection. You don't know what germs are around you. You don't know that the person coughing behind you isn't spreading Corona to you. You don't know if you're asymptomatic and possibly spreading it to others around you.

3) Out of a general sense of respect for those around you. Even if you think this whole pandemic has been blown out of proportion and you are not at risk, chances are the people around you feel differently. You don't know what health conditions they may have or what fear they live in surrounding this. So especially, if another customer asks you to step back,  just do it out of respect for them.

Okay, back to the topic at hand. Another reason people are upset? Because I have to inform them that I am no longer allowed to handle their reusable bags (for my own protection) and if they would like to use them, they are more than welcome, but will have to bag their own groceries in them. Moat people are beyond understanding and super kind about this one, but some people have gone off the rails! We are literally putting our health and our family's health at risk to be here, touching many things every day, and this one thing that we ask of you is worth losing your mind over? I think not.

I do have to point out that while things in the world are getting more stressful and people are taking it out on everyone they encounter when the smallest thing doesn't go their way, I have also seen some people going out of their way to be kind. And these times are a bright spot in my day. I have also never been thanked more for coming to work and helping people. I have never been told more that people are praying for me and appreciate me. Unfortunately, this still isn't the majority of customers, and it does seem to be getting worse every day.

Some things to remember when you go to the store for you essential (and only essentials, please):
The people working are also stressed.
We are also scared.
We worry about our health every day.
We have families that we worry about exposing to things we may not realize we have come into contact with.
We are lonely too.
We are exhausted.
We don't know when life will get back to "normal".
We don't know when toilet paper will be fully stocked again.
We don't have a secret stash of hand sanitizer or Lysol spray that we're hiding from you.
We still have to keep smiling and putting one foot in front of the other, regardless of how you treat us.
Our mental health and emotions have been on a wild rollercoaster for several weeks now.

Please, please, please, be kind to those who are providing you with your essential needs. And please keep us in your prayers. Thank you.

Amidst the Chaos, Please Be Kind

It's been over two years since I've blogged on here. What better than the chaos of Covid-19 to bring me back to the keyboard. This won't be a long post, but I do have some things to say and I don't want to rant on social media, but instead leave my thoughts as an option that people can read if they choose to.

The enneagram nine in me HATES how polarizing this outbreak is. Yes, it is real and it is affecting real lives. Yes, it's probably wisest to stay home and stop the virus from spreading as much as possible. No, I don't think we need to panic to the point of hoarding toilet paper, and no, we don't need to shame the people who are not able to self quarantine or social distance themselves for one reason or another. Can't we all just get along?

First of all, my heart goes out to anyone who is impacted by this. Anyone who themselves or a loved one has come into contact or been diagnosed with Covid-19. I am praying for you. If you are immunocompromised in any way and worried about this, your worry is extremely valid and warranted. I am praying for you.  I am also extremely grateful for anyone who is a first responder or works in the medical field and puts themselves in danger every single day. I see you. I am thankful for you. I am praying for you.

The part of this whole saga, that if I'm being completely honest, frustrates me to the point of tears sometimes, is the shaming of those of us who have to go to work by those who are able to stay home at this point. The truth of the matter is, I would stay home if I could. Not because I live in fear, but to protect those who are compromised and to help stop the spread of the virus. The reality is that I simply cannot afford to stay home. As a person who barely makes it by from month to month, I would not survive if I had to go weeks or months without a paycheck. I understand the reality and the severity of the situation that our world is in right now. However, we need to be helping each other as best as we can, not shaming people who are not able to help in the way that you are able to.

What am I doing to help? Every day that I went to work this last week, I was faced with customers in hysteria. The very people who hoarded all the toilet paper (which I still don't understand) and cleared the shelves of all cleaning supplies, medication, and food, are the people I came into contact with every day. Often these people were stressed and not very polite or nice as they were trying to find things they deemed necessary and waited in long lines to purchase cartfulls of "necessities." I washed my hands a lot. I sanitized areas often. I kept a safe distance when I could. And when I wasn't working and didn't absolutely have to be somewhere, I stayed home.

I'm doing the best I can, but I can't sit silently anymore and let people be shamed who are trying to do all that they can do. So while you are keeping a safe distance at home, I applaud you. If you have to go to work to provide for you and/or your family, I applaud you. And until you can afford to pay mine and others bills and expenses that they'd be missing out on by not working, please stop shaming people for whom have no other option than to live differently than you.

Quick Life Update

Alright, y'all. It's time for a brief and vulnerable life update. Many people have been asking me lately what's new and when I'm moving. Unfortunately, my answers have been along the lines of "Nothing" and "I wish I knew."

For months, I've been telling people that I was hoping to move to Austin in April. Well, April is almost here and plans aren't going as smoothly as I'd hoped. In all honesty, the last few weeks have been rough as I try to finish school, get ready to move, and try to find a place to live. Places are more expensive than I planned on and going QUICKLY. I'm responding to ads daily only for them to already be taken or it not work for one reason or another. It seems like a constant game of getting my hopes up only to have them crushed. I knew it would be emotionally difficult to move to a place far from the people and things I have always known, but I didn't consider the emotional difficulty of constant let-downs to even get there.

I'm trying to trust that God has a plan and the perfect place. In the good moments, I rest in that, but there are many moments when I truthfully let the stress get to me. All this to say, I still believe this is the direction I'm supposed to be moving in and I could still be moving in April, but I just don't know for sure.

Where does this leave me? This leaves me at a place where God is going to have to move. That's a good place to be. I just have to remember that. I would VERY MUCH appreciate your prayers for just the right housing and job situations to open up. Also, If you have any connections in the Austin area or know anyone who may be willing to rent me a room for awhile, I am prayerfully considering any options at this point. Thank you for reading and for the continued support and prayers.

Advent

What is Advent? Why do we observe and/or celebrate this time of year? How do people observe this time? These are questions that I have been pondering as advent comes up. This blog post will not be very long, but I hope to provide you with some of the basics and some resources if you want to dive deeper into this season. Links to everything discussed will be available at the bottom of this page.

🎄When is Advent? On the traditional, church calendar, Advent begins 4 Sundays before Christmas. This is next Sunday, December 3rd. However, I know the IF: Gathering study begins tomorrow, November 27th and at least one church that I know of began their sermon series on Advent today.

🎄What is an Advent calendar? Advent calendars can kind of be whatever you want them to be. They traditionally go from December first through the twenty-fifth. As a child, I loved having an advent calendar that was made out of cardboard. Every day I would get to open one door on the calendar and eat the super-cheap, tasteless chocolate that was found inside. In my adult life I have seen a variety of different Advent calendars. I've seen some that are pockets and each day you pull out a good deed you want to do for the day, or a scripture for the day, or an ornament to hang on your tree. They even have beer and Lego Advent calendars. I think that an Advent calendar should be something that makes you take a moment and stop and reflect on part of God's story or something that He has done in your life. Hey, if beer does that, I say go for it! Pinterest has all kinds of creative Advent calendars for adults, children, and the whole family!

🎄What studies are available for Advent? While there are many studies available, there are only a few that I have seen and can recommend. There are books, online studies, and apps with Advent studies. For this part, I will mention a few apps/websites and books will be addressed a little later on. She Reads Truth and the IF: Gathering both have great studies available for Advent on their websites/apps. This year the IF: Gathering Study is called "Emmanuel" and it begins tomorrow. She Reads Truth has a study this year called "Joy to the World" and it begins December 3rd. Both of these have actual books that you can purchase, or you can view the studies through the apps or their websites. The She Reads Truth app study costs a few dollars, but if you go to the website, the study is free. The Bible App by YouVersion also has some Advent studies that you can download for free.

🎄What books are recommended for Advent? I haven't typically read any books specifically for advent, but when I asked, I got a few recommendations from others. My Mom said, "I read a book beginning in December t feed my spirit and increase my knowledge of the miracle, mystery & marvel that is Jesus' birth. I've read a new one each year for the last few years." Here are the suggestions that I received. As I said earlier, there will be links at the end. "Hidden Christmas" by Timothy Keller, "The Women of Christmas" by Liz Curtis Higgs, and "The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas" by Ann Voskamp. I have also seen a family Advent book by Ann Voskamp that I will link at the end if you're interested in checking it out.

🎄What am I planning on doing for Advent? Why? I honestly haven't been a super faithful Advent observer, but I want to be this year. I want to make a conscious effort to spend time with God and reflecting on the true joy that comes with this season and the story of His birth. Growing up in the church, it feels like the Christmas story has become monotonous. I don't want to live in that space any longer. I am in a season of big transitions in my life and I don't want to be anywhere other than fully trusting God with each step and knowing Him on a deeper level every day. I listened to a podcast a couple days ago that goes into great depth about Advent. It was Annie F. Downs' podcast. If you haven't listened to it you definitely should. Annie pointed out that this is a season that is so hard for so many people. It can be a very lonely season. As a single person, I have been there many times. I want to live differently this year. I really want to seek the joy that can be found in this season and ultimately in Christ. I even bought a nativity set that has the letters J-O-Y behind it to remind me. Seriously though, you all should listen to the podcast (yes, I'll post a link 😊). Annie is interviewing the writers of She Reads Truth so it may be a little biased in promoting their study, but it gives great background behind advent as well.

🎄You mentioned links? I hope this has been somewhat helpful and I pray you all have a wonderful Christmas season and find much joy in our Savior. Now here are the links!

Here is the church that I mentioned started a sermon series on Advent today. Their podcast is not up from today yet, but when it is, it can be found here: The Austin Stone

Pinterest Advent Calendars

She Reads Truth

IF: Gathering

YouVersion

Hidden Christmas

The Women of Christmas

The Greatest Gift

The Wonder of the Greatest Gift: Family Devotional

That Sounds Fun Podcast: Annie F. Downs

These Are a Few of my Favorite Reads (As of late)

If  you know me, you know that I love to read. Unfortunately, as a student, much of my reading lately has been in text books. It takes me awhile to get through books these days, but I take advantage of breaks and those random "spare moments" to read something fun whenever I can. While I enjoy novels from time to time, lately I've been on a memoir kick. I love hearing people's stories whether in person or through the pages of a book. There are five strong women whose words I've enjoyed reading in the last several months and I thought I would share them with those of you who enjoy reading as much as I do. Even if I own more books than I have time to read, I am always excited to receive book recommendations, so please leave any recommendations in the comments.

I have had the privilege of being on the launch teams for two different books in the last few months. This first book comes out in just a few days, but if I were you, I'd pre-order it so you have it in your possession as soon as possible. I can't wait for my friends to get their hands on it so that I can discuss it with them! Dance Stand Run is a book written by Jess Connolly and it has seriously changed my life. The main message of this book is about living in both holiness and grace as you walk with God. Every chapter made me stop, think, pray, and praise Jesus! It was challenging, but in a good way and I am more in love with my Savior after reading Jess' words.

The other book that I have had the privilege of being on the launch team for is Jamie Ivey's If You Only Knew. I have been following Jamie and listening to her podcast, The Happy Hour for a couple years now. What I love about her both on her podcast and in her writing, is how it really feels like you're just sitting and chatting with a friend. She keeps life real. This book is great for anyone who does not feel like they fit into the church or that God would never forgive them for the sin that they keep hidden. Jamie's vulnerability about experiences in her life and the path to finding that Jesus is better was a great read! I could not put this book down and read it in two days! This book releases on January 30, 2018 and I have a feeling everyone will love it as much as me!

And Still She Laughs by Kate Merrick was a difficult, emotional read for sure, but I highly recommend it. I first heard Kate and her husband speak at the IF:Gathering about the tragedy that had happened in their life and their walk with Jesus before, during, and after. When I heard that she had a book out, I knew I had to read it. Life, and walks of faith are not always easy, but God calls us to live in joy and this book speaks of that in a real-life way.

On a little lighter note, Lorelei Gilmore, I mean Lauren Graham, wrote a book entitled Talking as Fast as I Can that was a fun read. Actually, I listened to the audio book, which she read. Growing up watching the Gilmore Girls, it was fun to hear some behind-the-scenes information and listen to her reminisce about some life-changing times in her life. Like I mentioned earlier, I just like to hear people's stories and attempt to figure out what makes them tick.

Last, but not least, I want to recommend a book by another celebrity. I fell in love with Kimberly Williams-Paisley as a child when I watched Father of the Bride over and over and over again. Her husband's music is high on my list of favorites as well. When I saw that she wrote a book about her life as the daughter of someone with Alzheimer's, you guessed it, I was intrigued by her story. I am glad to say that Where the Light Gets in did not disappoint. She writes so well of her journey. My only warning is that I don't recommend reading certain parts of it while sitting in a public area such as a coffee shop or people may wonder about the tears streaming down your face (or so I hear). 

As always, thank you for reading my ramblings and I hope these book recommendations inspire someone to pick up a book and read! Clickable links to all of these books can be found in their descriptions. Feel free to recommend more books in the comments!

What do my Love Life and the Eclipse Have in Common?

If you're anywhere on the "Path of Totality" of the upcoming eclipse, you know how insane preparations have been. People are worried. People are excited. People are skeptical. It's crazy.

As I sat down to think about my view of the upcoming once-in-a-lifetime event, I realized how complicated I really am, and quite possibly one of the major reasons that I'm single. This is written in fun, but seriously, I'm a confusing person and God is going to have to bring just the right person in my life who gets me...

The science nerd in me is STOKED for this event!

The introvert in me wishes everyone would stay in their own space and I could watch it from the comfort of my home.

The part of me with FOMO (fear of missing out) wants to be where the action is.

The realist in me is skeptical that crowds will be as big as they predict.

The proud part of me wants roads to be a mess to prove the skeptics wrong.

The part of me that loves quality time wishes that I could view this with all of my favorite people.

The part of me that loves solitude wants to be in a private place, praising God and saying, doing, whatever I want without social expectations.



There we have it folks. I'm complicated. I don't even know what my own self wants. If you know a guy who could handle this and loves Jesus, send him my way! Haha.

Unless God says "No," I'm Gonna Go

One week ago, my mom and I were in Austin, Texas. We had a wonderful time, but as much fun as we had exploring a city that we'd never been in before, that wasn't the main emphasis of our trip. If you've read my previous posts over the last couple of years, you know that my life is on a journey of sorts. This trip played into that God-driven journey.

Lord willing, I will be finished with one leg of my schooling journey by Spring Break of this upcoming school year. After winter term, I will have my associates degree and ready to embark on the next part of this exciting journey. There have been some setbacks as to my plan these last couple of months, but God's timing is still faithful and I fully trust His plan.

Just a few weeks from now, I will walk away from the job that I've had for the last 14 years and trust His provision to go to school full time. God is good and I know He is looking out for me. For now, I continue moving forward in faith until He says otherwise.

This leads me to our trip to Austin. If you know me, you know that I love adoption and how it represents the gospel of Jesus Christ. I long to serve by working in the adoption realm and getting a degree in Social Work to do so. While I need to find a new school to finish this degree, I also feel that God is leading me outside of my comfort zone and to a new city. Austin, to be specific is where I feel led. After much prayer and research, Texas has more opportunity in this realm than Oregon.

This is not a decision that I have made lightly and I have put much prayer into it, and have had confirmation by godly people and the Holy Spirit in this direction. One more major confirmation occurred this last weekend. I went to Austin praying (as were many other people) that God would make it clear if this is where I was supposed to go or not. There were no voices in the clouds, mysterious dreams, or writing on the walls, but there was peace and there were no red flags or clear "NOs."

I met with an academic advisor at a potential school and got a basic view of the town. I visited a church and felt right at home as soon as I walked in the doors. It is very different in a lot of ways than the church and town that I currently live and serve in, but something just seemed right. I am not saying for sure when I will move and I am not saying that the direction won't change if God makes it clear that it needs to, but I can safely say that it is looking more and more likely that I will be moving to Austin within the next year.

Some things still need to line up, but I will keep taking steps of faith and following this path that God has me on in obedience. For now it seems that I will need to find a place to live and a job first and foremost in Austin before continuing my education, but I trust that God will provide what I need. I will keep moving forward until He says, "NO."