>This command from I Thessalonians in on my mind tonight.
The waitlist has not moved. We are still #11, and they’ve added even more families. Now the list holds 157 families all waiting to get to Korea to be with their soldier. Maybe some of them are already there, just waiting for command sponsorship to go through.
I am thankful, though. How did I get to the point where I can truly say that? My eyes tear up as I think about what the Lord has done in my life. Makes me think about the song..
“When I think about the Lord, how He saved me, how He raised me.. how He filled me with the Holy Ghost, how He healed me to the uttermost… when I think about the Lord, how He picked me up, turned me around, set my feet on solid ground…”
I’ve been settling into my job at the fabric store. I find myself very comfortable there after only six weeks. I feel like I’ve known my coworkers for much longer, and that generally I can answer customers’ questions. I’ve definitely been tested. Customer service/retail is an interesting industry. You deal with all types of people from all walks of life. Some are friendly, some are rude. You learn to deal.
I have been getting 34-38 hours per week, which after you do the math with minimum wage ($8.25) lets me put about $500 down on our debt every two weeks. Not too shabby – $1000 a month! Maybe we’ll have this next loan paid off before I go to Korea. That’s one more minimum payment that we won’t have. And we’ll be that much closer to being debt free. I’m making considerably less than what I was teaching, but we are really using all of my income now on debt. Last year we had trips planned all the time and used extra money for those.
When I get to Korea, I’m totally going to ride on the plan that God has for me. I’m not going to worry about tomorrow, what I will eat or where I will live. I’m not going to submit 571658 job applications and get myself in a frenzy about getting a call about them. Aaron and I are both really looking forward to living together again, cooking dinner, going to church, et cetera. He’s been working nights recently, so if I’m able to switch my schedule around to accommodate his, that would be wonderful.
I know that the Lord goes before me. He’s knitting together relationships and connections there, opportunities for ministry, opportunities for me and Aaron. In all things He works it together for our good.
I’m thankful for all the relationships that have grown in the past several months (as I posted about last night). Thankful to be around family, to be here for Addy’s first year of life, to be here to see my nieces, nephew and the rest of the W clan. Thankful to be here for my Grammie’s surgery, for Bible study, for worship team, for FALL.
How I adore fall! Today was beautiful. I love chilly overcast days. I love the feeling of putting on a sweater for the first time, for a hot cup of coffee or tea. I love also the feeling when you wake up in the morning of being all cozy in bed while the air is still cool, breeze blowing through the window. Of waking up at six-something in the morning and it still being relatively dark out. Of daylight savings time ending and gaining an hour of sleep.
My goals over the next few weeks are to:
1) continually improve and check my attitude at work
2) strive to make a positive contribution there
3) grow even more in my prayer/study life
4) enjoy time in the morning with coffee and the Word
5) nurture friendships with friends and family
6) enjoy being at home
7) increase my running distance and begin training for a marathon
#6 is something I’ve always strived to do. Sometimes it seems easier to go to Starbucks or Panera and wind down there with a book or my laptop. But I have a perfectly cozy and usually clean apartment (not guaranteeing clutter-free though!) where I can relax. Not having a TV has been a great experience. I like sitting in the living room chair, or curled up on the couch, reading or knitting and talking to Aaron on Skype.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 is not a suggestion; it is a commandment.
I want to strive to do the Lord’s will, don’t you?
mercies per mile 
>We've been helping friends with their new house for several days in a row, and it really made me realize how much I love my home too! I'm.glad to be home tonight resting.