Lessons from a Psychology Class

In my last Psych class, we were learning about optical illusions. Because I am not good at explaining things, and would probably completely confuse you if I tried, I will give you a visual aid which is above. My teacher was explaining how because there is something that blocks our vision of seeing a whole thing, we think it looks broken up or not lined up, as you can see above. She told us a story of two planes that were on opposite sides of a cloud, and knew the other plane was on the other side. The control towers were telling each plane to keep going straight so they wouldn't run into each other, but both pilots thought they would run into each other, so they moved over a bit, and ended up crashing into each other, because they didn't listen to the control tower. This easily can be taken to a spiritual level with God being the control tower and us being the pilots. So often we think we know a better way for ourselves try to adjust our course, only to crash into something and make it more difficult. Our human nature is to think that we know what is best for ourselves, but if we would just trust God, everything would turn out much better. It may not turn out how we had wanted it to, but God knows what is best for us, and his directions are much better than trying to find our way on our own. So let's encourage each other to continually trust God and stay on the straight and narrow.

I am officially employed:)

Well, it's been a month since I last blogged, so i decided it was time for an update. One really exciting thing that has happened to me lately is.......I got a job!!! Woohoo! Earlier this summer, I applied at the State Bank of Speer, which is about 5 minutes from my house. They called me back and said that they hired someone else, but would still like to keep my application. I had also put up and application on Care.com, which is a babysitting site. I had a lady call me with 2 sons that needed babysat on tuesdays and thursdays, which are the days I don't have school. I went for an interview and to meet the boys and got the job. I was all perfect until, about 3-4 weeks ago, I got a call from the Peoria Branch asking if I could come in for an interview, so of course I was very willing too. Linda called me a few days before my interview and told me that she had gotten into a car accident a couple weeks before and she wasn't able to start work until October, because her arm was hurting her. I then told her about my interview just for a heads up. I felt really bad, but she was very nice about it. I had my interview, which if you ask me, was not much of an interview. It probably only took 10 minutes or less. They called me back the next week and asked my to come in to schedule, so I apparently had gotten the job. They really wanted someone for mornings, which was hard for me, because I go to school 3 days a week, but they fit me in! I called Linda back and told her I had gotten the job at the bank so I probably wouldn't be able to babysit the boys. She said it was fine, because they found someone else, because they assumed I would get the job. How nice of them, except I'm not sure what I would have done if I didn't. I'm try not to think about that. So last week was my first week, and a little overwhelming, but I managed and love it so far. My co-workers are all moms, so I am a little out of place, but they all are super friendly and protective about me:) My schedule is Tuesday & Thursdays 9:00-5:00 or 7:15-3:15 and Fridays 2:00-6:00 and Saturdays 8:00-12:00. I will miss my days with Sophie at home alone, but hopefully she can cope without me:) I hear she is pretty difficult, because this is the first time she is home with just Mom. I don't think Mom is enjoying it so far. So I am pretty much busy all the time between work and school. I also observe at the Princeville High School on Mondays after school. I observe the kindergarten class, and loooove it:) It has been amazing to see how God has worked all of this out for me! This summer I was so bored with nothing to do and fretting over whether or not to go to college, because I didn't know how I was going to pay for it, and I didn't think I would like it. Turns out I love college, and I have a job now! God works in amazing ways. We just have to learn to trust Him, and wait on His time. For me, that was very difficult, which is why maybe I didn't get my job right away, and it took so patience and trusting.
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

Communication

At ICC, I am taking a Communications(Speech) class. I had to read chapter one for next time, so today I started reading it. I was amazed at how much I could relate to it, because honestly, I did not want to read that boring book! It talked about how important communication is, and how we don't take advantage of it. I think that now, communication should be very important to us. If we could communicate with each other, I'm almost positive we wouldn't have so many problems like we do now. I guess that I am mostly speaking to myself, because I know for myself, I do not like sharing my emotions and what I am thinking about. Rhea, on the other hand, is so good at talking to people about what she is going through. God has given us the gift of communication, and we often misuse it. I believe we really need to communicate with our church family, even the ones we may not feel comfortable with, but also we need to communicate with our elder. I know for myself, after I was baptized, I never really get to talk to Jim as much as I would like. We should take the responsibility and set up a meeting or even just try to talk to our elder at church. I know that our elders really do want to talk to us and are very willing to. Being communicative with other people that are not exactly like us is also very important. I always have to remind myself that even though someone is not the same as me, we are still on the same path as each other, working for the same goal, and we need Christ. I opened up to a very convicting verse tonight. They have mouths, but they speak not. Psalm 135:16 I guess I was probably very convicted, because I know that I am not a very good communicator, and I do need to work on it. Let's encourage one another to be more communicative with each other for each other.

And The College Days Begin....

As most of you know, I started college on Monday. It was a little nerve racking, but I managed to get through the first day without getting lost too bad. (I ended up in a janitors closet trying to get to my last class:)) I still feel a little lost when it comes to finding my classes, but I'm sure it will get easier. I often wonder if this is really where God wants me, because I never had specific signs to show me what to do.   Also, college terrified me until I actually started, so I doubted whether or not it was the right thing to do, because I wanted to get out of college any way possible. Well, that obviously was not meant to be, and I am glad that I did not turn away from it and do what was comfortable for me. My Jesus Calling devotional for today was the following, "Wait with me for a while. I have much to tell you. You are walking along the path I have chosen for you. It is both a privileged and perilous way: experiencing My glorious Presence and heralding that reality to others. Sometimes you fee presumptuous to be carrying our such and assignment. Do not worry about what other people think of you. The work I am doing in you is hidden at first. But eventually blossoms will burst forth, and abundant fruit will be borne. Stay on the path of Life with Me. Trust Me wholeheartedly, letting My Spirit fill you with Joy and Peace."This was so comforting and reassuring to me. When there are days that I just feel like I can hardly do it anymore, I will always have to remember that this is the path God has chosen for me, and there is no better way for me. A couple of days before school started I also opened into Psalm 37:5 which reads, "Commit they way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." That was also very encouraging, because this is the path the the Lord chose for me, and it is for His glory and honor. Let's continue praying for each other and for our church, and God will be magnified.

Life Is A Storybook

The other night, I was sitting in the bed with my Dad and Tessa listening to my Dad read Tessa a bedtime story. Then true ending went like this, “They hate to leave the woods. But the beautiful day is over.” My Dad always likes to add his own endings so He said, “As they leave the woods, Mickey hits the accelerator and runs over Morty. Morty is a dead mouse now.” It may seem kind of amusing, but I was thinking, what if that was how God was? What if he said for something to happen, just because it was amusing? We would be in big trouble. Aren’t we so glad we serve a God who knows what is best for us, and hurts for us when we are hurting and rejoices when we rejoice. We often forget that God is in charge of our lives, and we want to make choices that we think are best for our lives.  God is in control of every aspect of our lives. It is something I don’t think I can even fathom, and it is very difficult to let God take control, because we can’t physically see Him. Even though we know He is real, we still have a hard time letting Him guide us. My Jesus Calling devotional book had this sentence in it today: When you let Me direct your steps, you are free to enjoy Me and to find what I have prepared for you this day. Isn’t that so true! If we are trying to make decisions on our own, we can’t enjoy Jesus and His presence. We can’t serve two masters at the same time.

Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Psalm 119:35

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Psalm 32:8

Dreams

If you know me well, you probably have heard some of my many crazy dreams. A lot of times I wonder where in the world they come from. Recently, I had a strange dream. I dreamed I was in my Grandpa's shed. If you have ever seen my Grandpa's shed you probably wouldn't think it was a shed. It's more like a junk yard. My Grandpa loves going to auctions and getting good deals on stuff. He will buy anything if it is cheap, even if he doesn't need it. Anyways, back to the dream. I was in the shed looking for things (he does have really cool antique things that I actually do look for). It was dark and dirty in the shed and I was stepping around stuff, but there was a whole bunch of new clothes and other things. They stood out from the darkness, because they were new and clean. My Grandpa had said I could take anything I wanted, so of course I went to take some of the clothes. When I woke up, I realized that is kind of how salvation is. The world is so dark and dirty, but in the midst of it is clean, new, and free salvation. We have a choice of what to choose. God, like my Grandpa gives us a choice. We can either take the dirty, old stuff, or the clean, new stuff. It's our choice. And even though the new stuff looks more appealing, most people still would rather have the old stuff. We must remember where we came from, but focus on where we are going.

God's Will

As I think about the phrase “the will of God”, I often wonder if we misuse it a lot. I have noticed it being used a lot lately, and I wonder if we have forgotten what it means and how powerful of a phrase it is. One way I have being hearing it a lot is which career choice people are taking. What career choice is God’s will for different people. I was talking to my Grandma about this, and she told me something very interesting and true. She said that it doesn’t matter what career path you take as long as it God glorifying and you can be a light and example to others. Our job here on this earth is to bring others to Christ. It doesn’t matter what career you have as long as you are doing that. Sometimes I think we are being very selfish and self-focused when we think we need God to tell us exactly what career we should go into or anything similar to that. Some verses I have thought of that talk about God’s will are 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Romans 12:2, and Ephesians 6:6.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Ephesians 6:6

Notice that nothing in these verses focuses on us. They are all focused on Christ and others. That is what God’s will for our lives is, to be servants for Christ and others.