Mind if I ride along?

Tonight we had Michael and Ruth Anne over for a little while and Michael told a story he heard from a man at his church during their Sunday School Class. They were talking about hearing God in an audible voice. Out in the man's field there is an oak tree where he always goes to to pray. One day he was out in his field riding his tractor and he was particularly worried about his family that day and he said, "God, I'll meet you at the oak tree." And he said it was as if he heard God say, "Mind if I ride along?" That got me to thinking about something that happened to me yesterday.

When I got back from GBS I was looking forward to working with the Walbergs. Well, as all of you know, that didn't work out. Honestly, I was very, very disappointed. I wanted that job more than anything. Well, since then I have had numerous jobs fell through. It seemed like one job after another, that I really wanted, just didn't work out and I was starting to get a little discouraged, well actually very discouraged. Then, finally, in August I got a job at an orchard. But I haven't really been all that happy there either. I wasn't sure what to do. I couldn't quit because I really needed the job. So I decided to just stick it out. Well, now, I don't know what to do again. Yesterday, I received a call from Mrs. Walberg. She needs some help around the house and running errands at least two days a week. It's not exactly working on a campaign, but it's close enough. I worked with Mrs. Walberg a few years ago and I loved it. She is so much fun to be with! So now I am going to see if I can make both jobs work or if I should just work for her. Oh, and get this. I will be making more a week for two days with her than I do four days at the orchard. And it won't be as stressful!

The thing that is so funny, is that I was in the process of getting a nanny position to work around my orchard schedule. It was a very promising looking job. They contacted me and sounded like they really needed me. Then, just like that, I didn't hear from them again. That's the second time I've had a nanny position open up for me and then all of a sudden I never hear from them again. Wait, no, that's the third time. Plus a gazillion other jobs I applied for and never heard back from. I even had a job that I went for an interview and it just didn't seem right. It seemed like right from the beginning it was wrong, I got lost going there, but that's a whole other story.

I guess my point is, that it doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, it doesn't matter how we think things ought to go, or how we plan things out for our own futures, God is not just at the oak tree, He's been there for the whole ride. He knew from the very beginning what I needed, I'm still not sure what it is that I need, but God does and that's good enough for me. So no, I don't mind if He rides along. In fact I would prefer it if He drove. It's safer that way.

I Was There

This is an awesome 9/11 tribute. I heard it on the radio today and thought it was amazing. I wanted to post it in memory of all those who lost their lives and for their families as a reminder that God is always there. It applies to our lives today as well. God is always, always, there! He promised to never leave us and He never will.

The Glad Game

I watched Pollyanna today. That is the cutest movie ever! I especially like the part where Pollyanna is talking to Rev. Ford about her father. She read him a quote from Abraham Lincoln, it said, "When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will." Later on, toward the end, Rev. Ford told Pollyanna, "We looked for the good in them (the town's people), and we found it, didn't we?" All through the movie, Pollyanna played a game she called the glad game. No matter what happened she always tried to find something to be glad about. Pollyanna ended up making a huge difference in her little town. She helped people realize that it is better to look for the good instead of the bad.

You know, it's easier to see the bad than it is to see the good. We can always look at a situation and say, "Well, it might have turned out okay, but it would have been much better if...." Or to look at someone and see only their faults instead of the good things about them. Some of the things Pollyanna came up with to be happy about were kind of a stretch but it helped make the people start coming up with their own reasons to be happy. For instance, a few people were complaining about it being Sunday and Pollyanna said, "Well you can be glad because it will be six whole days before it's Sunday again." Or she was glad when she got a pair of crutches instead of a baby doll by accident because, "at least I don't have to use them." Maybe it's time I started playing the glad game. Who knows, I might enjoy it. : ) Have a great week!