Life...live with contentment!

My Great Uncle, Steve, passed away a couple of weeks ago; he was 94.  Can you imagine the life he lived?  Can you imagine everything he saw throughout his life?  The revolution of cars bursting onto the American scene or transportation in general and the impact that it made on society.  War, over and over again.  The Great Depression, multiple natural disasters, Amelia Earhart's feat, the gangster days, sports adventures , color TV, and space adventures.  The civil rights movements, The Beatles, JFK's assassination, Star Wars, outbreaks of unknown diseases, 80's hair bands, and Michael Jackson's Thriller video.  Computers, cell phones, the Internet, and terrorist attacks...9-11. 

And that's just a few of the significant history changing events for America...not to mention the events that changed my great uncle's life personally.  My Uncle Steve was a WWII Veteran and I often think of communication differences between then and now.  Writing and waiting for letters vs. Skype and instant communication.  Some may think that's a silly thing to think about, considering all the other significant life altering events in our history.  But I've been through a deployment with my husband and Skype was a Godsend.  I honestly can't contemplate waiting for a letter!  Even now, our postal service is much more advanced and we can receive a letter from Iraq or Afghanistan in a few weeks...but back then it was more like months! 

It's amazing how far we've come, just in the 27 years that I've been alive, much less 94!  And yet, somehow, we all find something to complain about...almost every day.  We can always manage to find a way to bring ourselves or others down.  Why?  What does this accomplish?  Except heartache...

Funerals always make me think, "I should do better connecting with and maintaining relationships with my family."  But there's always an excuse as to why I don't, even though there really isn't any excuse.  My Uncle Steve told amazing stories, that unfortunately, I didn't hear enough of.  I should have made more of an effort to listen and now it's too late. 

Life would be so much easier (not to mention more pleasant) if we found the beauty in every day, said "Hello" to strangers, and smiled more.  Called our families and listened, much more than we talked; and thanked God for everything with which He's blessed us!  How would life look different if we lived a life of contentment? Being thankful for what we have and not worrying about what we don't.  What if we thanked God for our food, clothing, shelter, health, and loved ones every day...and communicated love a little more to those that matter in our lives?  I feel certain my Great Uncle Steve did.  And if we do these things as the way of our life, who knows...maybe we'll be blessed enough to get to do it for 94 years!

Just Say No

Someone once said, "Sometimes the best, most empowering word you can learn to utter is no."  I would tend to agree with this statement, but I have something to add.  It's not enough to learn to say no; you have to know WHEN to say no.  It's incredible how a simple, two-letter word can make such a difference in our lives.

It's funny to think that one of the first words children learn to say is, in fact, "no."  I feel confident saying most parents probably wish this was not the case, because it's most often said in situations in which the parent would rather hear, "yes" or almost anything else!    

There are so many tragic situations that happen in this world where we think, "why didn't they say no?"  A woman is abused by her partner repeatedly, but continues to go right back to him.  A young man drinks too much at a party, says he's safe to drive, hits and kills a family in a head-on collision.  Texting and driving, affairs, drugs...I could go on and on.  And there are lesser instances like taking on too many responsibilities, resulting in us becoming less effective in our jobs or personal lives. 

But there are times when we should not say no.  Often times God will present us with what I like to call "uncomfortable opportunities" throughout life.  He asks us to step outside of what is part of our routine and enter into a situation that we wouldn't normally, to achieve something bigger than us; to achieve something for the greater good.  I believe we grow the most in these situations of discomfort...don't say no to them, you may just learn something new about yourself and others!

So, how do we know when to say no?  Sometimes, it's common sense or just simply the difference between right and wrong.  But sometimes the lines are a little less clear and skewed just a bit.  In those situations I have learned prayer and reaching out for advice are the ways to help us make the tough decisions.  Don't just learn to say no...learn when to say no, to make it count.

Unemployment

Well, it's only been a year since I last posted anything, ha!  Let's try this again, shall we?

I realization came upon me earlier this week - I've been unemployed for three months now...lovely.  I'm not going to lie, it was hard at first, accepting that the best job I've ever had was over.  The program I built from the ground up was no longer mine.  It eventually sank in when my "replacement" stopped calling and emailing for help.  I worked on a government contract and the government decided...well, I'm not sure what the government decided, I believe they are still trying to figure it out themselves.  Regardless, the government terminated the civilian contract, leaving me, my team of four, and every other states' teams jobless, turning all responsibilities over to their people. 

So, I started doing what an unfortunate amount of Americans are doing now...applying for other jobs, waiting to hear back, and waiting to hear back some more.  At which time, I either receive an email thanking me for my interest in their company, but they've decided to go in another direction.  Or, in the rare case that I have received a call to interview, I get excited, study the company and interview questions, and pull out all my best!  Only a week later to THEN be told thanks for my interest, but they've decided to go in another direction.  Rejection is heart wrenching and discouraging.  I began to feel as if no one wanted me, that I was worthless, despite my experience, honors, and volunteer work. 

I quickly learned that this way of applying for work in today's world is wrong.  Anyone can look good, even great, on paper.  But it's about that face to face communication that tells a company if you're going to fit into their culture.  Someone may not have exactly all the qualifications or experience, but has the personality that will help build stronger team cohesion.  On the other hand, someone may have exactly all the qualifications and experience mentioned in the job description, but have the personality of snail - or worse yet, an angry squirrel - that may eventually result in poor team morale.   Those types of things can't be judged on paper.  It's the wrong way to interview...it's the wrong way to chose your team.

It took me a good little while to realize this "time off" that I have been so graciously blessed with (do you detect my sarcasm), may not be at all what I had imagined it to be.  I've always had a problem with giving things to God, as He tells us we must do.  I'm a type A personality, I can handle things myself, and I do.  However, that's not what God had in mind for me...I'm fairly certain He got fed up with me handling things myself and He was determined to make me understand how easy things can be when I turn them over to Him.  But trust me, I didn't give in without a fight!  However, I wish I had!

You see, even though I am a Type A personality, I am a very dependent person, sometimes to a fault.  It's caused me unnecessary heartache and trouble over the years.  But I've rarely been dependent upon the most important...God Himself.  So, after about a month of wallowing in my own self pity, I finally started dabbling in myself and everything that that entails.  I felt incredibly led to just surrender everything to our Lord.  Because, when I look back on the hardships in my recent past, I realized at no point did I ever truly "crash."  I've always had a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food on the table, bills paid, etc.  And the same was true now, even with me not having a job.  Yes, things must be a little tighter now, but ultimately, God has blessed my husband with an amazing job and we're ok. 

I'm not going to pretend that I wouldn't rather have a job, because I would and the extra income is nice.  Not to mention that "down time" is not in a Type A individual's vocabulary.  But I know that this time has been designed for me to focus on my relationship with our Lord and Savior.  And that is important...above everything else.  Because when your relationship is right with God...everything else falls right into place.  I know my Lord will provide the perfect job for me...in HIS time, not mine.  God will always provide; God will never leave or forsake us.  Therefore, I resolve to strive to never leave or forsake Him.