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Honey on the Lips

Posted on July 15, 2010 by auburnchick

Do any of you watch the series The Next Food Network Star?

The show comes on Sunday nights on The Food Network, and it is a competition to see who will be the network’s next star.

I love watching how the contestants interact with each other and deal with the challenges they are presented.  Plus, the food doesn’t look half bad either!

Well, on this past Sunday’s episode, I caught a phrase in a conversation that really struck me.

First, a bit of background.

There are two females who do not like each other.  No surprise there, eh?  Women can be so catty.

Serena is a gal who hails from Italy.  She speaks very quickly, and when she’s mad, look out!

Then, there’s Brianna, who was floundering but seems to be gaining confidence and finding her cooking voice, which doesn’t put up with much, let me tell you…

So, these two ladies do not get along.

Serena’s voice is annoying.  She talks all the time.  Brianna is extremely bossy, which annoys Serena.

Together, they are fire and ice.

During the first of Sunday’s challenges, both women came in the bottom two.  So, for the next challenge, the contestants were put into pairs, and Serena and Brianna were put together.

Yeah.

The challenge was that each team had a cooking trailer on Venice Beach, and they had to create dishes to serve to those coming by on the boardwalk.  They also had to create a name for their stand and work together, in a very narrow galley.

It was the perfect setting for a throw-down, and I’m not talking the Bobby Flay kind (if you watch this network very often, you’re understanding the language I speaketh).

Part of these types of “reality” shows is that contestants are interviewed away from everyone else.  It makes for good TV, I guess, to hear all of the stuff they say behind everyone’s backs.

Naturally, Serena and Brianna were livid that they were going to have to work as a team, and neither of them were shy to tell that to the audience.

Now, here’s the part that caught my attention…so much so that I reached over for a pen and wrote this down.

Serena, while talking about how much she disliked Brianna, said, “There will be honey on my lips but bitterness in my heart.”

Oh my gosh!!

Didn’t that just make your heart sad for her?

This phrase has been repeating itself inside my head over the last few days.

We are taught to put on a smile…be polite…no matter how we feel.  It’s the socially-accepted way of doing things.

I am not very good at this, I will admit.

I am the kind of person who wears my feelings on my sleeve, and if I’m not feeling something, I’m sure not going to fake it and pretend like things are okay.

Case in point:

There is a young gal…a sort-of-friend of Chicky’s who hurt her terribly the last two years of high school.  What this girl did to my precious baby was enough to make the Mama Bear in me come out.

Although I did nothing publicly, I stewed.

There is much bitterness in my heart.

However, unlike Serena, I do not have honey on my lips.

While I have not been rude to this girl, I do my best to avoid situations where I am around her.  If I see her, I avoid eye contact.

I just can’t be fake.

I’m not sure this is any better than saying nice things while harboring anger in my heart.

But still, Serena’s words have stuck with me and continue to make me think.

For one thing, I am no better than she is.  I am working on getting through the anger that often remains in my heart long after an offense (or supposed one) has taken place.

I long for there to be honey on my lips and love in my heart for the people I do not particularly care for.

That, my friends, is a sign of maturity and growth in the Lord.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

What Am I Worth?

Posted on July 14, 2010 by auburnchick

Yesterday, when I was trying to figure out what was going on with my unemployment benefits, I pulled out the folder where I keep my documentation.

It was in the same place where I keep my paycheck stubs.

Real organized, eh?

But, it makes sense in a warped sort of way.

What can I say?  I am AuburnChick.

So, while I was trying to find that all-important number that would allow me to not be on hold for forever and a day (I couldn’t find it, by the way…refer to the last post for more on that), but I did see a stack of paycheck stubs that dated way back to 2007.

After hanging up with the unemployment office, I decided it was time to purge those old papers, but first I took a look at them…just to make sure I wasn’t getting rid of something important.

Oh my gosh.

What an eye-opener…and a bit of a downer.

I had about a year’s worth of stubs from when I was a computer tech (aka paraprofessional) at a middle school in town.  My salary was a lot higher than what I made the last two years as a substitute teacher with a bachelor’s degree and a letter of eligibility to teach from the state of Florida.

My pay stubs from mid-2007 through 2008 were LOVELY.  I longingly looked at the amounts of them and cried a few tears, on the inside, as I recalled days of not stressing over the bills…of having the extra money to write checks for school t-shirts, club dues, and other non-necessary splurges.

And then I saw my paychecks from 2009 to the present.

Paltry in comparison to their predecessors.

Minimum wage.

Chicky made more money babysitting than I did subbing/teaching.

As I thumbed through these financial relics, I thought about the link we make between the figures on our paychecks with what we, as humans, are worth.

Why is it that I felt my emotions soar with the law firm salary and then dive when I saw my school pay.

I am so totally not about money, my friends.

I mean, I have chosen a career that will not result in my wearing Prada or Jimmy Choo.

And I am okay with that.  My thrills come when, and this is going to sound totally nerdy, I see kids understand why you have to make nouns and verbs agree or when I take them through history so they’ll understand why Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, played an important role in the move for our country’s independence from England.

Why do we think the bottom line of what we’re worth is tied into how much bacon we can bring home at the end of the day?

I do not know.

All I can say is that I choose NOT to fall into this way of thinking, for I know that my worth lies in being a daughter of the King.

God chose me before I was formed.

I would never trade this assurance for even a tenth of Lebron James’ paycheck.

No way, no how.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Gagging over GaGa

Posted on July 12, 2010 by auburnchick

Oh you guys…it’s Monday, and although I am not in a bad mood, I feel like ranting.

So, please bear with me while I stand atop of my soapbox this morning.

It all started last Thursday morning.

I am not a huge fan of daytime TV.  Heaven knows I spend enough quality time on the couch watching the thing in the evenings with my addiction to such shows as So You Think You Can Dance, Chopped, and Next Food Network Star (to mention a few).

But, I do like watching the Today Show.

Or rather, I DID.

I have watched this show, on and off, for years.

I remember the days of Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley.

How many of you remember the whole Deborah Norville controversy?  She sure did not last long as an anchor!

Then there was Katie Couric who finally quelled the bitter aftertaste left by Ms. Norville (although she is a knitter, so I like her better now).

I cheered when Matt Lauer was promoted from the news desk to the couch as Katie’s co-host.

And now, Meredith Vieira reigns on the Today Throne with Matt.

Now that you’re up on the Today Show history (I am, as always, a teacher on my blog), let’s proceed.

A few years ago, the show started a Summer Concert Series.  Every Friday, a famous recording artist puts on a concert outside of the studio.  Streets are blocked off, and fans start lining up a day two in advance as the hype is built up over the week.

Well, on Thursday, I saw a promo for Lady Gaga, who would be showing up the next day.

Meredith and Ann Curry (current news desk anchor) sat on the studio’s couch, chit-chatting about the upcoming concert.

And then NBC showed a longgggggggggggggg clip of one of Ms. GagGag’s videos.

I have no idea what the song was, but all I can say is that my jaw dropped to the floor as I watched a girl posse dance around in less-than-full-coverage underwear.

Folks, these girls were twirling around, so as to reveal skin that should never be revealed in public, much less on MORNING TV!!!

Oh my gosh.

I was livid!!!

How is it that NBC had to choose THIS clip of THIS video?

Such poor judgment.

And then the monitors turned back to Meredith and Ann, who were gushing over said singer.

Blech.

I think I turned off the TV at this point, mentally firing up a blog post as I hit the remote control buttons.

But wait…I had other things to blog about.  The delay gave me the opportunity to find more fodder for my rant.

Friday morning started, and out of habit, I turned on the TV.  This is what summer is all about, after all, even if I don’t turn it on until 9am because I’ve slept in.

But I digress.

Of course, my timing was good, as usual.

Said sarcastically, of course.

Guess who was on the TV?

Yep.

Not-a-Lady GagGag

In attire that should be worn under clothing, not as the main ensemble.

Ugh.

It started raining, and she still kept singing.

Never mind the fact that there were electronics all around her.

Forget the fact that there were other people on stage dancing and playing instruments who could have been ELECTOCUTED because she had to have the attention.

Honestly, I think she’s just a Madonna-Wannabe…so desiring of attention that she’ll do anything shock-worthy to get it.

Mercifully, there was a commercial break.

And then the show returned, to find icky girl doing her thing in an outfit that was the final straw for me…

She was wearing a white bra ensemble with…

Get this…

Silver rhinestones that made out the shape of crosses!!!

Oh

My

Gosh.

I have no idea what in the world she was singing, because I had the TV muted.  I wasn’t even really watching it but happened to glance over and see that.

Ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh.

This is probably the one thing that really bugs me the most – people who wear crosses as some sort of fashion statement when their lives are so diametrically opposed to what the symbol stands for.

Case in point:  When I was in sixth or seventh grade, my parents gave me a Star of David necklace for Christmas.  I did not really understand what the symbol stood for, so I wore it to school one day.  Someone asked me if I was Jewish, and I said no.  I was very self-conscious the rest of the day.

See, it wasn’t bad that I had worn it, but I felt like I was misrepresenting myself by doing so.

I am particularly sensitive to crosses and the Ichthys, the Christian symbol of a fish.  I have a necklace and ring with an Ichthus, and people automatically assume I am a promoting the fact that I am a Pisces.

Um, no!  I do not read horoscopes.

Ugh.

So, I am annoyed…duh.

I would love to see NBC (or other stations) invite Christian singers to perform concerts out on the Plaza.

What a true shocker that would be, eh?  Can’t you see Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Jars of Clay, or Casting Crowns belting out songs that talk about things more eternal that telephones?

That would be something I wouldn’t have to gag over!!

Filed under: Christian, This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

The Muddy Pit of Jealousy

Posted on July 1, 2010 by auburnchick

Jealousy.

It’s ugly, and it always seems to appear when you least expect it.

This morning, I was wearing my Mom hat, taking care of school business for the kids.  Chicky is having some transcript issues, and Rooster needed a class dropped…tasks that required me to go to the high school.

While I stood, completing paperwork that I’d previously had no idea needed to be completed, a woman and her daughter walked in.

The gal who was working in the guidance office shrieked with joy when she saw the woman, and they had the following conversation:

“Oh, So-and-So, I hear you’re going to be with us this year.  When I saw your name on the list (pointing to one of the administrator’s office), I said, ‘I know her.'”

“Yeah, I’m not sure if she (pointing to her daughter) is going to be so happy that I’m here since the one thing she told me when applying for jobs is to stay away from this school.”

“Ah, well, she’s going to love having you on campus.  The first year, you’ll be a comfort for her, and she’ll ignore you the next three years, unless she needs something.  Then, you’ll be here if she needs you.”

Now, if you’re new to my blog, let me lay out a few points for you:

1.  I graduated from college two summers ago.

2.  I have been looking for a teaching position ever since.

3.  I started subbing in the school system to get my face seen and gain experience in the classroom since I did not have the benefit of student teaching during college.

4.  During the first four months of subbing, I was working at another job, part-time.  My boss was WONDERFUL and allowed me to sub two days a week while still holding down the other job since it paid so much better and sub work was not plentiful at the time.

5.  During that fourth month of subbing, I was laid off from my lucrative-paying job (thank you, economy-that-is-now-in-the-toilet).  So, I started subbing as full-time as I could.

6.  Because I take pride in my work and actually like teenagers and am consistent and do a good job and am reliable (lovely sentence, eh?), I started getting a lot of subbing jobs.

7.  During the last two years, I have gotten myself certified to teach two subjects – Social Sciences 6-12 (killer of a certification test because of the scope of subjects that social science encompasses, by the way) and English 6-12.

8.  Despite applying and interviewing for quite a few jobs, I still have not secured a regular teaching position.

9.  A few weeks ago, I was told by two people that they could not take a chance on a first-year teacher (aka Your’s Truly).

Now, let’s back up one day.  Let me tell you what happened yesterday.

I was at the school picking up report cards and volunteer forms when I saw one of my dear friends working.  This lady truly is wonderful…such an inspiration to me.  She asked me why I wasn’t applying for positions.  I knew she meant a couple that had been advertised for the school.

I told her that I had applied.  She seemed surprised because there had been interviews going on all day.

Um, yeah.

Silence.

I had not even gotten called.

But honestly, I expected that.  I had applied for an English position even though I knew my chances were slight to none.  I figured that it couldn’t hurt to try.  You just never know.

I am ever the optimist.

Ok, so now we’re up to speed.

There is a point to this story, I promise.  Let me tie everything together.

Taking into account what I’d been told a few weeks ago with what I heard yesterday with the woman coming into the office today…well…it was not pretty for me on the inside.

You see, jealousy rushed in like a loaded freight train, and I was standing in the middle of the tracks, ignoring the warning horn that begged me to move out of the way.

Well, that’s not true, exactly.  I think I knew what was coming, but I was paralyzed.  I felt trapped by my feelings, wanting so badly to bolt but choosing to stay rooted in that spot.

And I was mowed down.

I am so ashamed.

In my heart of hearts, I know that God is in control.  I know He has a plan for my life…every single part of it.

But the human side of me felt totally left out this morning.

I so badly want to be the one that people are welcoming.

Gosh.  That sounds so selfish, eh?

Maybe it is.

I wonder…is jealousy something we can prevent?

Probably not.

What we can prevent is wallowing in that jealousy.

As I type this, I am getting a mental image of a pig wallowing around in mud.  Pigs do this.  It is their nature.  The mud is soothing.

Could it be that wallowing in jealousy soothes our need for self-pity?

Ugh.  Shame on me!

Nope.  I am not going to do this.

I am going to crawl out of the Jealousy Mud Bath, rinse myself off by confessing my sin, and move on.

As a Christian, I should be less concerned with my wants and more concerned with God’s.  As long as I am in the center of His will (I have a lot of shimmy-ing to do to get there), then it doesn’t matter if another person gets a job that I’d love to have.

It is about glorifying God.

Indulging in self-pity and jealousy won’t cut it.

Ok.  I feel better.  Confession really is good for the soul!

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Casting On

Posted on June 11, 2010 by auburnchick

I came across a devotion this morning.

It is titled Casting Your Cares, and you can read it here.

The message is about giving God your worries…casting them upon Him.

As a knitter, the phrase “cast on” struck me.

This is what we knitters do when we begin projects.  We “cast on” the stitches – placing the yarn upon the needles.  These stitches are what we use to create our fibery works of art.  The needles are the tools that we use to make the patterns interesting.  Our hands are what ultimately hold those needles, controlling whether we’re knitting a knit or purl stitch, or even doing a yarn over.

I looked up the word cast, and it literally means to throw.

The Bible commands us to throw our concerns to God.

Boy, do I need to do this…daily.  I need to put my worries squarely on God’s shoulders (what I might consider the needles) and trust that in His hands, those stitches – the good and the bad (as knitters, we’re known to mess up) the pattern WILL be perfect and beautiful in the end.

Filed under: Christian, Knitting | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

An Example Worth Following

Posted on May 9, 2010 by auburnchick

I don’t know if you read comments that people post on blogs, but it can be fun and interesting.

I want to share the comment that Coupon Queen posted on my post from yesterday:

I loved you before you & our son got married as we seemed to click from day one. When the harder times came, God used them to show me that real love doesn’t stop when things are tough but it sees us through the tough times. As I taught my kids, I might get aggravated with one of you, but my love will never be withheld because of that. If I can’t love when things are tough, it’s not real love at all. My love for all of my children – the 2 boys as well as their wives – is unconditional and will continue on and on. Love you bunches, girl.

Yeah.  For a fairly non-emotional gal, I’ll admit that I cried when I read it.

Coupon Queen has been the ultimate Titus woman.

Not familiar with the verses from the Bible?  Allow me to share:

Titus 2:3-5

3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Coupon Queen and I have had our issues over the years.  I believe the bulk of the blame lies in my half of the court.  And yet, she and Grand Pooba have always been there to welcome me back in the loving folds of their arms.

This is something I have often rejected…too scared, I suspect, that it would fade.  In some weird way, I wonder if I’ve subconsciously been testing them.  You’d think, after 20+ years, I would have figured out that they are here to stay.

For a teacher, I sure am a slow learner, eh?

Anyhoo, Coupon Queen and I had a really long talk today.  Some of it was deep.  Some of it was about simple every day stuff.

It was a conversation any “normal” girl would have with her “normal” mom.

Imagine that.

I might actually be normal, in my warped kind of way.

Her’s is the example I want to emulate…focused on the Lord and service to Him by loving, unconditionally, those around her.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Praise Songs from this Week

Posted on April 25, 2010 by auburnchick

Ahhh, Sundays…you’ve just gotta love the day.

Our praise songs at church included the following…

I could have easily gone home after singing these.

But, I didn’t.

Good thing too, because I heard a great sermon.

To be continued…

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

What are You Really Celebrating?

Posted on April 4, 2010 by auburnchick

First of all, Happy Easter to you!

My family spent a portion of the morning at church, listening to our Youth Pastor give a very stirring sermon.

Then, in true Family With Teenagers style, we parted ways…Chicky leaving to eat lunch with Guy Friend’s family (he came home for the weekend), the Mr. and Rooster headed out to grab lunch, while I took Molly on a 40-minute walk.

As I booked it (cause that’s what I do when I walk…not a stroll, mind you), I pondered something I’ve been pondering for a while.

What do people celebrate at the major holidays like Christmas and Easter?

I mean, these are probably two of the most important holidays of the year.  Although these are Christian holidays, they are accompanied by many secular traditions that invite all to participate.

This gets me to thinking…

What are people really celebrating when these holidays roll around?  Are these days just days of fun for those who do not have a relationship with God?

Let’s take this train of thought a step further.

Why don’t the masses participate in other “religious” holidays, such as Hanukkah or Kwanzaa?  Both involve the giving of presents.  I found this site, which is geared toward Kwanzaa-themed gifts and this one for Hanukka gifts.

Now, I’m not saying that other holidays are bad, mind you.  That’s not what this post is about.

I’m just curious how and why people choose the holidays they want to celebrate, and what kind of meaning they get from them if they don’t actually believe in what those holidays are about.

My family does not celebrate Hanukkah because we are not Jewish.  When we lived in South Florida, which has a very large Jewish population, my children tried their best to talk me into the Hanukkah tradition of eight days of gift giving.

However, this holiday is steeped in deep, spiritual undertones that we are not a part of.  So, we don’t celebrate it.

What about people who do not attend church?  Why do they participate in the Santa or Easter Bunny traditions?

This was something I wrestled with when my children were babies…should I also participate, or shouldn’t I?  I had grown up in a family that was active in church, so I understood the tie-in.  As far as the AuburnChick children were concerned, I knew that I would be bringing them up in a Christian environment, and that I would find a way to turn their eyes toward the real reason for the holidays.

I have found it fascinating…the way that churches swell during these two pivotal holidays.  Chicky calls people who attend at Christmas and Easter “Chreasters,” a blend of the two words.

The good thing about having a large amount of attention on these holidays is that many people do walk into churches on these days.  Only the Lord knows when their hearts will be ripe to receive His Word.  It could very well be one of these special days.

However, for the rest of the people, I’m simply as a loss.

It’s times like these…when my brain goes into overdrive on the philosophical thinking, that I am glad that God is in control…that He had a plan from the beginning of time.

I am so thankful that God knew His creation, as perfect as it was, would falter (thanks to free will) and need a Savior.  I am so thankful that He willingly gave up His own, and that Jesus willingly became the sacrifice that would serve as payment for my sin.

I just pray that those who mark these days in secular ways will pause a moment to consider why.  Perhaps their eyes will be opened to God’s truths…His mercy…and His love.

Every day that the Kingdom gains a new believer is TRULY a day of celebration!!

No Easter Bunny required.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

True Belief

Posted on March 11, 2010 by auburnchick

I don’t know about you, but I read blogs…quite a few, in fact.  These blogs encompass different areas of interest…Christianity, knitting and couponing.

One blog I subscribed to a few weeks ago was Provers 31 Ministries:  Daily Devotions.  You guys…this is one you will want to subscribe to in your blog reader (or email, if that’s how you receive feeds).

I love this blog because the truths are hard-hitting, making you catch your breath as conviction sets in.  That’s a good thing, by the way, as it is my opinion that the scariest thing is apathy.

Today’s post on that blog is titled “What Does it Mean to Believe?”

Go read it.

I’ll wait.

Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm.

Did you read it or are you skipping down to see what else I’ve got to say?

LOL

Well, I DID read it (of course), and oh my.  It was almost like hearing a really good sermon.  It was something I could totally identify with.

See, I live in the South.

The “real” South, as in Bible Belt South.

It’s a given that you believe in God down here.

I grew up in the South and moved to South Florida, or what I not-so-affectionately refer to as “Little New York,” (sorry my northern friends).

Just cause you live down South doesn’t mean you’re in the South.  Southerners will understand.

Anyhow…

When we back to the “real” South from Little New York, I was THRILLED!  As we house-hunted, we saw Bibles out on tables, crosses on the walls, etc.  Basically, we eyed tangible “evidence” that “Jesus Believers” lived in those homes.

I was so happy!  I had just come from a place where I was the minority.

Folks, as I started making new friends and spent time really getting to know them, I figured out something.

These people believed in Jesus, but they didn’t really know Him.  And obeying Him?  Well, this principle was given lip service.

Now, I’m not trying to sound judgmental, because I am not even going there.  I am fully aware that my life does not reflect obedience 100% of the time.  We won’t play the Price is Right game of “Lower/Higher.”  I’d embarrass myself.

But you see what I’m saying?

It’s easy to claim you believe in something or someone, but it’s another thing entirely to ACT on that belief.

Take, for instance, a cause you might “believe” in.  Let’s say couponing (boy, I didn’t have to stretch my brain too much to get that idea, eh?).

Couponing is something I really believe in.

It’s not something I pay lip service to, occasionally clipping a coupon.

Oh no.  I have talked about it to almost everyone I’ve encountered.  I have even gone out of my way in the grocery store to inform a shopper that the item she is purchasing is B1G1, and that the Yellow Advantage Flyer has coupons that she can use to get them almost free.

Folks, I’ve shared so much that I now have converts.

Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding.

Belief is action.

Obedience.

Willingness to be changed.

Now, couponing has “rules” that I have a much easier time bending to than, say, God’s Word.  His standards are so high that sometimes I feel overwhelmed or I just don’t wanna (I’m sounding like a kid now).

But still, I do try.

My belief is not mere words that come from my mouth.  It manifests itself in the way I conduct myself, hold others accountable, and am held accountable.

There are times when I do the right thing (i.e. follow God’s way) and not my own desires.  Granted, these times aren’t as often as they should be, but they do happen.

I guess my overall point is that I challenge you to examine what you believe.  Are you just spouting off stuff you’ve heard others share without backing it up with action?  Do you really believe in THE God who sent His Son to die because of YOUR sin?  Are you willing to allow that belief to change your life?

Last Spring, I had the opportunity to talk, at length, with a student.  I had been subbing in his classroom on-and-off for a few weeks.

This was a troubled young man…always up to no good.  However, he was always respectful to me to the point that he would actually show up for class if he found out I was subbing in it.

One day, while the class was watching a movie, we had a chat.  He told me his girlfriend was pregnant (I already knew this)…for the second time.  They were both juniors.

He told me he was a Christian, and that he went to church every week.

Alarm bells went off in my head.

I know that everyone makes mistakes, no matter if you’re a Christian or not.  However, he told me that he just couldn’t stop having a physical relationship with his girlfriend, even though he knew it was wrong.

I wondered if he really believed.  You see, he wasn’t willing to change his life to follow his belief in God.  I walked away from the conversation with a very heavy heart.

Do you see why the post I linked to above really hit home for me?  It’s something I experience in my own life and something I witness every day.  I’d venture to bet that you do too.

Don’t be like me and assume that you or others believe just because they wear crosses on their necklaces, know a few Bible verses, or attend church regularly.  When someone tells you they believe in God, question them further.  Ask the hard questions without judging because we are pretty much all in the same boat…sinners in need of a Savior.  Examine your own life and see what fruits you are producing.

And then go and REALLY believe.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

I Know the Plans I Have for You

Posted on February 20, 2010 by auburnchick

“…For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…”

Jeremiah 29:11

This is a verse I am holding on to during my long season of semi-unemployment.  Once again, I did not get a job I interviewed for…the subbing position at the Christian school (the one I told you about yesterday).

I am choosing to look at the positives…

  1. God loves me and has my best interest at heart.
  2. I put my name and face out there and received very good feedback from the principal who interviewed me.
  3. I have subbing assignments already lined up for Tuesday through Friday next week.  I was going to have to cancel these because long-term assignments trump one-day gigs, but now I won’t have to.
  4. I don’t have to be concerned about getting off of work early on Wednesday.  This is the day Chicky has her signing ceremony at school.  I will already be there, so that takes care of one thing on my to-do list.

Sounds like I’m reaching for straws, eh?

Not really.  You see, I’m learning that complaining doesn’t do anything but make me miserable.  It certainly doesn’t improve a situation.  I know that I am doing everything I can to find a regular teaching job.

Even though some people may believe that subbing isn’t a “real” job, I have never treated it as anything but THE job.  I have always given my responsibilities 110% no matter what the job title or pay scale.

I have often been over-qualified for the positions I’ve held, but I’ve always taken pride in my work.  I realize that I can use my skills to glorify God no matter where I am.

And so, I continue to trust.

It’s not always easy, but I’ve made the decision, and I’ll stick to it no matter how disappointed I may get.

God will provide.

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