I was watching the end of a show the other night and the characters at the end said something like this: One said something about how the person who had just died (that at one time she cared a lot about) had made her life miserable.  The other character reminded her that there were good times and she very much agreed.  Then this other character said she needed to remember those times.  I know we’ve heard this idea a lot, but parts of this rang true with me regarding a certain area of my life.  And it actually makes me more sad than it does happy.   

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Sometimes I wonder why I put myself through things when I know the end result.  And I know it isn’t good.  Why do we do things ’hoping’ that something good will happen when we know that in the end we will only end up hurt?  Why don’t we take the Word more seriously when it says that we reap what we sow?  And that the end result of sin is death?  And that delayed obedience is direct disobedience?  Why do we think we’ll ever be happy running our own lives?  How can we be?  We can only see a crumb of the ’big picture’, and yet we run our lives like we know it all, understand it all, understand what’s best for us.  And even when we feel like we don’t understand, we tend to ignore it and still act as though we know how to run our own lives by doing whatever we want.  All the while, fragile time is wasted....

But thanks be to God that He knew ahead of time all that’s gone on in our lives up until this point and He’s simply waiting for us to repent, turn from our wicked, prideful, selfish ways and finally turn humbly back to Him and ask for another chance - a new begining.  Another dawn. 

I am finally . . . turning . . . around.

Misty

Well, I haven't written in forever so I thought I'd find my way back to xanga.  Since my last post, I have traveled by train with my Momma to Co and it was beautiful!  A wonderful experience for both of us.  And of coarse seeing my sister and her family (including my new nephew - he's so cute!!) was great, too!  And also since my last post I got to meet my friend's cute, cute baby.  She's so precious!!  And I still want to get into photography someday (hopefully soon).  I also have a desire to take a cake decorating class, a photoshop class and a caligraphy class.  They all sound like they would be so fun!  I don't know if I'll get to do all of them, but I sure want to.

Anyhow . . .

So, what have I been up to latley?  Well . . . I've been working at a local bakery for eleven months now.  For a while over the summer and into fall I really struggled with working there because I have a bachelor's degree in social work which is totally unrelated to working in a bakery.  And there were other things that bothered me and I would dread going in to work almost every day. 

*Not a fun way to live.*

However, in October I got a bad case of the 'stomach flu' along with dealing with low blood sugar problems and some anxiety.  Put it all together and I was having a little trouble functioning normally for a little bit (understandably).  But God used this time of being sick to answer some of my prayers/desires.  One night I went to my mom's church and had them pray over me and that night we sang a hymn and in it were the words 'little is much when God is in it.'  I realized during that song that God had a purpose for me being at the bakery.  And that even though it's a 'small' job that is unrelated to my degree, there is a purpose (or many purposes) as to why I'm there.  I also listened to a tape from the 'Turning Point' ministry about being in the workplace and having the right outlook about it.  That helped me as well.  God has taught me a lot through my current job and is continuing to teach me.  And I really like most of my coworkers.  I'm also very thankful for this job because after I graduated I was having trouble finding a job and they hired me at a time when I needed it most.  For that I am so thankful. 

Anyways, my life is a lot different than it used to be.  And in some ways it is the same.  I'm looking forward to 2008 being a year of change and renewal in many areas of my life.  I'm hopeful that as some journeys have ended over the last year and a half, others will begin.  I want many things in my life and myself to be different.  To be better.  To be in line with God's will for my life, whatever that may be.  That is the direction I am attempting to head towards.  What better way is there?

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."  Isaiah 43:18-19

*Misty*

I got a job!!  The funny thing is that it's totally not what I got a degree in, but I don't really care.  Towards the end of my time in the social work program I was having second thoughts about social work, but I just stuck with it and graduated and after looking for a social work job that I would like and not finding one, I started looking elsewhere.  And so I applied at a bakery.  I was interviewed on Friday and hired the same day, actually I was hired before the interview was even over.  I just kept laughing when I left.    And thanking God.  Right now I'm just a store clerk, but a lot of people start out as store clerks and then after being there a while, they move up to other positions.  So, maybe I'll be able to bake there some day.  That'd be cool (I think).  I do like to bake.  And hopefully it'd help me to be better at baking and cooking since I enjoy doing both and could always get better and better.  That'd be great, too.  Well, it's getting late and I've got lots to do before I start work early, early tomorrow morning.  It's kinda scary 'cause there is SOOOOO much to memorize and it's customer service, which can always be intimidating, especially when people get cranky or mean.  But I think I'm gonna like it and I'm just gonna do the best I can - with God's help.  It's because of Him that I even got this job and I know He's gonna help me.  More to come later . . .

 Misty

P.S.  I'm so sore from doing yard work again today!