Criticism

29 Days

Looking at the site linked above called "29 Days," you'll find an interesting read on criticism. 

Last year I was taking a introspective look at my life and how I handle criticism.  

Wasn't so good.

I usually found myself getting defensive, being in disbelief, and getting an attitude with the person who gave me the piece of advice.  Most of the criticism I receive is constructive, so one would think that I'd be receptive to stepping things up and doing better, right? 

Nope.

Here's the checklist I created to get better at it...

1) Listen to what the person is saying. 
2) Thank them for bringing it to your attention & let them know that you will ponder what they've said and try to change.  
3) Ask them to tell you when you fall back into bad habits. 
4) Pray that the Lord will help you not to be mad at them for calling you out & that you won't hold it against them. 
5) Read Scripture about #4 and read Scriptures about that particular bad habit.

Continue to "pray my strength."

My new roommate

http://www.countryheart.co.uk/site/prod394.htm

So, if any of my original readers/followers are still following the blog...*chirp chirp chirp*

If you're out there(!), then you'll remember that I've been had some interesting living situations in the last year.

I actually didn't post about all of them, so let me give you a run-down:

When I first moved to the Midwest, I lived with two interesting people...one was a graduate student trying to finish her program before the summer ended and the other was a lost man who needed the love of Jesus. Really, they both needed the Savior. And I looked forward to sharing the Gospel with them!

I only lived there for a short time (but not before having spiritual conversations with both of them of course). Actually all of us only lived there for a short time before our sublease ran out.

Then I moved in with a Jewish family that volunteers with my organization. That was supposed to be another short-term arrangement, with me only staying for 3 months. Well, I fell in love with them. It was nice to "live with family." They fed me dinner, and I had access to everything in the house. Then my 3 months ended and they were ready for me to leave on the sneak...

So, I hurriedly moved in with a lady who seemed pretty normal when I'd met her 2 months earlier in my search for a new place to live. The first month was ok. Then the second month things got weird. By month three, things were cray-cray and she told me to go.

So, on to my fourth move...I moved in with a girl who'd had a "church-hurt" and suddenly needed a new roommate to help pay bills.  Bonding over our experiences with crazy roommates, I moved in. I found that the cleanliness of the place was a bit suspect after living with her for a few weeks. I also found out that the lease was ending soon and that she would be moving into a house with friends...

So, I had to look for yet another (yes, a fifth place) little space to call home. This time I was much more prayerful, and really gave this to God.

My fifth place is a blessing from the Lord. After 5 moves in one year, this girl was tired of moving!With nearly everything I want, including cheap rent, and a (bonus!) Christian roommate, I am grateful!!!! I've been here for a month now and love the location and the quiet. And, I'm finding a new "hanging partner" in my roommate. Who knows? Maybe one day, we'll be road dawgs....

Where have I been?

Well, I'd like to say that I've been handling all my responsibilities with my still-semi-new-job like this:

But it's really felt more like this as I fight for justice in my community:

I'm sure that many of you have felt like the Garfield picture (or maybe you always feel like that...). Lord knows, I've been staying at the throne! 

Waiting for busy season to calm down so that I can do this:

I've missed regularly blogging! In the meantime, check out these ladies' blogs:

Beauty Style Growth

Style Honestly

And my crazy, beautiful, cousin who's a new mom: The Jovial Mom

What I learned while fasting

micernest.com

Ya know...when Jesus was fasting in the wilderness, He was tempted by the devil (Luke 4)...when I was fasting on a workday, I was tempted by the devil.  My thought, "REALLY? This happens while I'm FASTING?!?" But if Jesus wasn't exempt, how could I expect to be?

Reality show

At the beginning of my job training, I had to find a place to live for 50 days. Who has training for only 50 days? Usually you hear of even numbers like "30 days," "90 days," ya know...but 50? Where was I supposed to live for 50 days? With complete strangers? Yep...one is on the left. Praise the Lord for grace! She turned out to be pretty nice! The other guy, not pictured of course, turned out to be ok, too...well, he did some things I wouldn't agree with and ended up in jail..but he didn't hurt the two of us pictured...P..T..L..!!

A place of my own...well, sorta

apartmenttherapy.com

So, I've been lookin' for an apartment y'all.  Well, it doesn't even have to be an apartment, just a place to live.  But I have specific requirements for this place, and I've taken those requests to the Lord.  I've been looking for several months now.  Since I'm living with a family in town, I haven't felt pressed to move out.  Praise the Lord for allowing them to be gracious to me.

Finding the ideal place for me has been a bit challenging because I have very specific requirements....a place with:

-a woman (or more than one woman...I like living with roommates!)

-furniture

-utiliities included

-no pets

-no smoking

-no drugs

-cable included

-internet included

-more than one bathroom

-close to work

-$400 or less a month...

May seem VERYYYY unrealistic (lolol) but I've seen some Craigslist postings that come veryyyy close.  So, I'm praying and trusting the Lord with it.  Until I find something, I'll remain here...only God knows how long I'll be here.  Til then, I'll be content and be ready to watch Him work this thang out.

What my commencement speaker should have said

usm.edu

Mannn, was I NOTTT prepared for life after graduation!  I spent time unemployed, lived at home with family, and did not feel like a "successful" college graduate. More on what I DID learn during my first year out of college later...but here's what my commencement speaker should have said:

Life is tough but God is faithful.

You may be unemployed for a long time before getting a job but hang in there.
Take the time to reach back and help someone else.  You didn't get here by YOURself.
Don't forget where you came from.  The journey has shaped who you are today.
Commit your way to the Lord, and He'll work things out better than you could've ever planned (partly gathered from Proverbs 16:3).
Cherish the friends and memories you have from your time in college.
Use your time wisely:  if you only live to be 80, you have about 21,170 days left...make them count.
Enjoy the simple pleasures in life like being able to walk on a sunny day or having your mom fall asleep while watching a movie with you.
Make sure to use the money and resources the Lord has blessed you with wisely and to help others.

What other words of advice would you give graduating seniors?

Leaving a legacy

I think a lot about my life and the type of impact I want to have.  I think about how I want to remembered, and the lives I want to touch.  I consider the consequences of my actions before I act (sometimes...) and other times I consider those consequences after I've acted (fail...).  There's a problem with all this thinking about my life...it's really not about me at all.  IT'S ABOUT HIM.

Investing your life

Hello there, you! You ever been caught up in the busyness of life and missed out on some of the things you REALLY wanted to do? For example, getting SOOO caught up in going to work, running errands, and planning your social life that you completely miss the beauty of the setting sun?  Or maybe you're a student...so busy with classes, homework, projects, extracurricular activities, spending time with friends, trying to find time for facebook, e-mail, and calling home/family? SOOO busy in fact that you miss out on having a meaningful conversation with your next-door neighbor? Or forget to even thank God that He is allowing you to breathe and do all these things.