New Year, New Beginnings

I'm back! It's only been a year since my last blog post..thought I'd go ahead and write a new one anyway. Things have changed a lot since that last post. I got married!!! The wedding was fantastic, and the people involved were a huge blessing. We never could have done it without them. To everyone (you know who you are!) THANK YOU!!! Darin is still the God-send I mentioned he was when we got engaged. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me and I'm so thankful for him. Not sure how he puts up with me ;) I did get the promotion I was promised at work, but no pay raise. Then I was almost laid off, but survived that. Now those of us who stayed have taken on all the work of the ones who were laid off, so everyone is super stressed at work. And who knows how long I'll have a job now! So if anyone knows of anything..
So..I've decided I need a skill. I have been feeling kinda down lately, and while I think there might be several reasons behind it, the main one (and something I've dealt with off and on for a long time-years, perhaps) is that I just don't feel useful or good at anything. I can do some things so-so, but there's nothing I'm great at, and nothing I love. I need a hobby, preferably one that can be used for supplemental (and maybe someday more than supplemental) income. Darin has his art..he's amazing! And people want to pay him for it! And he enjoys it! And I have so many friends who do things that they love, and are good at, and that make them money..and I'm really jealous! So I've decided to do something about it. But I'm gonna need some help. 
I need ideas! And I need a teacher. I want to take a class, but I don't know what to take, and it has to be free or really, really cheap (I'll also accept donations toward the cost of a class :). Some things I've considered are crochet (which I can do a little now, but could really use some instruction), sewing (but I don't have a machine), jewelry making, ... etc. Help! What's your hobby? What do you love to do that I might enjoy? Especially if you're in the Memphis area and feel like teaching me for free or in exchange for dinner :) 
I'm sure there's a devotional thought in there somewhere..but I sure don't know what it is. So I'm just gonna throw out a passage from Philippians 4 that I need to remember more:

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Goings On

*Note: I originally wrote this post in November..it's been waiting for me to publish it since then..then a lot happened, so I'm updating it. :)

It's been a while since I wrote anything..life's been a bit overwhelming! I'm getting settled in, almost fully unpacked (finally! There are just so many little things that I don't know what to do with..), and am really happy to be here. I still miss friends in Searcy, and I'm a bit farther away from family, so that's hard, but I like it here. Work's been pretty stressful. After the first week or two having nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs and stare at the wall, I was given several new responsibilities at once and it took a while to figure them out! I spent some time crying in the bathroom, or at my desk, or at home, or on the drive home (you get the idea) because I was either terribly confused or had just been told I'd done another thing incorrectly. Thankfully, everyone here is still very nice and helpful, and when I thought I might be fired for messing up one too many times, I was told that everyone thinks I'm doing a great job and now it looks like I'll even be getting a  promotion! Who knew? So, it looks like God's still there, taking care of me, even though I'm super stressed. And because I'm so stressed and tired by the time I get home, I won't be taking my class this semester. I'm sad about it, because I was really excited to try something new and start learning again, but it's for the best that I put it off for a while. I'm also trying to make some new girlfriends. There are some nice people in my Sunday School class, and they've invited Darin and me (there are boys there too..they do boy stuff) to a couple of dinner/Pinterest (crafting) dinner parties. That's been pretty fun! Now, the good stuff! Darin and I celebrated our anniversary last Friday..we spent the day at the Pink Palace museum (he'd never been, I have and really like it), then got dressed up and had dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (super yummy!!!). After dinner, he proposed! He picked out a gorgeous ring all by himself :) It was super sweet and fun! We don't have a date yet, and we're not really planning yet, just trying to enjoy this part b/f it gets too stressful, but I definitely have some ideas floating around in my head! Fair warning: you may be asked to help in some small way..to take some of the burden off of us, and to get as many people involved as we can to be part of our day! Just can't wait to marry that man..he's truly a God-send :) Hope everyone had a great holiday season. I sure did! :) Hope to hear from/see you all soon! Lots of love :)

Settling In

I'm here! I moved in to my new home 11 days ago, started my new job 1 week ago, and have been settling in ever since. I still haven't unpacked most of my boxes, and I don't have much food in my kitchen to speak of, but I have spent quality time with friends and have been reacquainting myself with the area where I lived for a short time a few years ago. I love it here! There is so much to do and see..Sunday was Darin's birthday, so on Saturday, we went to the zoo, where I hadn't been in years! The weather was perfect. We had so much fun! A few weeks ago, before I moved here, we visited the Botanic Gardens..there are museums, shopping malls, restaurants, a giant library..and I just don't have enough free time to do it all! As for work..well, it'll take some time, but I'm getting there. Everyone's super nice and patient, which I appreciate a lot. We've found a church that seems to be a great fit (the one Darin's been going to), and Sunday, ran into the lady who hired me..apparently she's gone to that same church for 20 years! God's been moving, for sure. A few days ago I got my acceptance letter to U of M..I'll be a transient student for now, meaning taking online courses for no credit. They're not required, but I feel like they'll be helpful for my grad program, giving me more confidence, and also help me decide if I want to do professional writing or creative writing. So much going on..I'm exhausted, but blessed :) I'm missing those that I left, but feel certain that this is where I'm supposed to be, for now. 

Moving On

It's been a while since I wrote anything. Well, a lot has happened since then! I got a job, I got a house, and I'm moving in 5 days! But I'm not freaking out or anything.. :P Actually, even though it's pretty stressful to try to move and get everything done in such a short amount of time, I'm not too worried. God has worked everything out so far, in his perfect timing (that, I'll be honest, I was beginning to doubt a bit), so why would he just leave me hanging now? I'm blessed with family and friends and a wonderful boyfriend (the reason for my move :) who love me, and whom I love dearly, and I know everything will be fine. I'm sad to leave my friends and work and church families here, but it's really time. There's just not anything more here for me. I've been blessed by my time here, and hopefully been something of a blessing, now I want to go where there is more (visible) need and opportunity. So, I'll be living in a new home, in a new(ish) town, starting a new job and a new school (in Jan), and making new friends, but I'll be serving the same God. The one who doesn't change, and who doesn't leave or give up.

Things I Love: A Reprise

So, I recently wrote a post that was simply a list of things I love. I thought it was silly, just something fun to do. Then, I went to a new Wednesday night Bible class on the Psalms. In class the teacher had us write a list of things that make us happy. After we finished, she pointed out that this is a list of things that God gives us to remind us that he loves us. Little things that remind us that he delights in us, as we should delight in him. And on days when things just aren't going so well (like in my last post), he might send us just that little happy to get us through the day. What's on your list? (no, really..I want to know!) Remember to thank him for those things! :)

Bad Days And Stuff

Bad days happen. Today was one of those days..and I didn't handle it very gracefully. So, I could list all the things that went wrong, or I could ruminate on how God uses bad days to bring us closer to him, or how the way I acted was the opposite of what he would have me do. But instead, I think I'll tell a joke. 

After a hard day of drilling, the drill sergeant let the troops go. "All right, you idiots, report to the mess hall." Everybody walked away, sweating and their heads down, thankful for the end of the hard day. Only one private remained. He looked at the officer and sincerely said, "Boy, there sure were a lot of them, huh, sarge."

On a completely different note, I've decided to go back to school, but I am torn between elementary education and linguistics. I'm ready to start now, but I can't yet. First I need to move to Memphis (U of M has the linguistics program I'm looking at) and establish residency (out-of-state tuition is double in-state!). Plus, I'm in the middle of paying off old student loans, and really don't want to add to them, but I may not have any choice. If I don't go back to school, I'll be stuck in jobs for the rest of my life that I'm just not that into. 

Speaking of jobs, I had an interview in Memphis yesterday. Finally. I've been trying to move there since Darin moved back there, because I miss him! Anyway, I think the interview went well, but they still have others to talk to. Prayers are appreciated for a job, school, etc! Thanks :)

Hope everyone else had a great day! And if not, hope the joke made you smile :)