:: greatness is a life well-lived ::

filling my time

It's amazing to me that even though I'm "jobless" (in terms of not having an income), I've had no trouble at all filling my time. Here's a rundown of jobs I've been doing in the past couple months:

• hospitality
• home visitor
• chauffeur
• babysitter
• council member
• cleaner
• chef/baker
• book reviewer
• writer
• phone receptionist
• student
• winter sports novice
  

It's been fun to have some extra time to invest in other ways than what has been normal for me, and have some down time to rest and have moments where I think, "I wonder what I should do now," and have freedom to pick from amongst a number of options. And to have a schedule that is free and open to serve others.

So, I've taken my dear friend Moriah home to West Virginia, picked up my nephews from school numerous times, babysat for a couple different families, visited mothers with young children, helped clean houses, hosted get-togethers at my house or helped at get-togethers at others' houses, attended community meetings to network with others, made dinners and desserts for various family and friends and events, gone on a winter weekend away with my house church where we played in the northern Michigan great outdoors, written emails and blogs and journaled, read books and blogs to my heart's content, listened to sermons and teachings online and at church, and of course talked on the phone for hours to friends and my boyfriend...and the general hanging out with family and friends and trying to live life to the fullest and learn and grow in the process.

I have begun the job hunt, and what a hunt it is in the state of Michigan, especially this region. Slim pickin's. So I'm praying that God provides exactly what I need and when I need it and the right kind of job, but more importantly a job that is the work He wants me to do. We were reminded of that last night at church, and I was so inspired and encouraged to really invest in and open my eyes to the work He has for me to do right here, right now. And I'm working to make these questions part of my daily life and activities:

• How are we living to enhance the reputation of God?
• To whom have I been sent?
• Have I finished the work that He sent me to do right here, right now?
• What can we do to be an answer to Jesus' prayer in John 17 (that the world would see and know God's glory through His people and our unity)?

And with those thoughts to ponder, I'll close out this post with some pictures from the past couple weeks:

• my dear friend Moriah, who I'm so grateful to God for such a great gift of her friendship in the past almost 8 years of my life...so full, so rich, so deep...

• Moriah's sister, and my dear friend Esther...

• ...who is marrying an amazing man by the name of Daniel

• some of the house church gang on the winter away weekend...Heather, Erik, John, me and Emmaleigh

• an amazing sunrise on the way to West Virginia...

• And of course, one of me and John...one of those self-portraits while traveling in a car...talking, laughing, being serious, having fun...these are some of the things that define us. He's a dear friend, companion, and so much more...so blessed and thankful for God's Gracious Gift.

posted by FaithChristine @ 19:00