Friendship that lasts

This weekend I visited one of my best friends from college in Columbus, Ohio. Only for a friend would I drive 5 1/2 hours each way =p. Even though it was only a 2 1/2-day trip, it was enough of a refill on our friendship.

We're not high maintenance friends. We email each other about once a week on the current happenings in each other's life and text when it's something a little more urgent (like prayer for something). Because neither of us are phone people, it works for us. But when we're together, all we have to do is talk and we're enjoying ourselves. No need to find something to do to entertain ourselves, or places to go so we don't get bored with each other. In fact, everywhere we went, we would sit down and just talk for hours.

For me, that's friendship. We are loyal to each other and most importantly, we edify each other and challenge one another to grow spiritually or think beyond what we normally would. This weekend was a spiritual renewal in a way. Both of us are at that point in our lives that we're sick of "playing church". Because we both relate to one another, we feed off of the spiritual growth and knowledge of the other.

I love hearing her point of view and realize how alike we are and how different at the same time. I love to learn from her and see how her life has led her to where she is and how the Lord continues shaping her views and life. It's a beautiful thing to see friendship grow and see how the Lord is working in a friend's life and walk with Him.

It only hit me this weekend that we've been close friends for almost 5 years. During that time, she's been an inspiration to me and helped me in more ways that I can thank her. She's an amazing friend that not only makes me laugh more than anyone else, but helps me grow spiritually and really think outside of my comfort zone.

I thank the Lord for friendship and for friends like her. Wish I could have her closer by, but this is how it is...for now =)Love you Heath!!!

Hired!

WOW!!! All I can begin saying is wow! God is amazing. In the midst of this economy and downsizing and hiring freezes, I get hired! It simply captivates me how God's love and provision are so real and at times tangible.

As I recently blogged, we felt the Lord leading us back to South Florida. We're moving the first week of July back (possible end of June) and we had been looking for employment for about a month. But as many of you can testify, finding employment in one place when you're living in an entirely different state is incredibly difficult.

Nonetheless, we knew that if the Lord was calling us back there, he would open the doors and provide our for our needs. I had been looking for a teaching position, but due to the fact that I do not have certification, it became increasingly frustrating and difficult to find the right school. Then, out of curiosity, I went to my old school's website and noticed they were hiring an English teacher for the 2009-2010 school year. I couldn't believe God's sense of humor and I just laughed when I saw that because I said I'd never go back (once again...never say never).

So, I told my husband and mom that I was NOT going to apply. They both told me I should and see what the Lord would do with that. Long story short, I applied, interviewed by phone, and accepted the position this morning. I can't begin to explain how excited I am. I am anticipating what the Lord is going to do and how He is going to use me to minister to these students.

The Lord never ceases to amaze me when I ask him for anything and he supplies beyond what I can imagine. I was originally going to blog about something completely different, but I felt the need to testify about God's amazing provision!

Now we're just waiting for Lucas' job, but we know the Lord well enough to wait on Him, because he's got it all under control.

Moving back home

When I moved to Tennessee, I didn't know what to expect. I definitely didn't think I'd fall in love with it so soon. After only a month, I knew I wanted to live here forever; however, my husband did not agree. He liked it, but did not love it.

I tried to convince him week after week to see all the advantages of living here...the beauty, the trees, the seasons, our church, the people, the traffic (or lack of), the laid back lifestyle...etc. I figured with what he loves, this would be a perfect fit, but it wasn't until March that I realized it was never going to happen.

In March, we went down to Miami/West Palm Beach to visit all of our family. The second we landed he said "we're home". Mind you, his least favorite place of all was Miami, and all of a sudden he missed it. Odd how things play out.

I then realized I married a fish. All he was talking about was how much he missed the ocean, the lakes in every corner and boating. I didn't want to admit it to him at the time, but I too felt like I was home. I was so torn because I never wanted to move back and I really loved Tennessee, especially living in Franklin, but there's just something about South Florida.

It didn't take me long during our vacation to realize what I dreaded - we were moving back. I told him under NO circumstance would we move to the crowded, over populated city of Miami or even Ft. Lauderdale or West Palm for that matter. We would go to Central Florida.

But of course, never say never...Miami here we come. It's bittersweet really. I'm going to miss our friends and church family and of course my family, but I'm really happy to go home. It's the first time in awhile I've said that.

I know the Lord's hand is in this. We prayed for a long time before making this decision and we're pretty confident we're on the right track. Everytime we've asked for confirmation making sure we're heading in the right direction, we've received it. So...I'm happy, excited even, to see what the Lord has for us in Miami.

Change of temperature, one season year round, completely different cultures, lots of traffic, fast-paced lifestyle...polar opposites, but I still love it here! And looking forward to being close to family again =)

Standarized Exams

I'm currently studying for the FTCE Exam which is a subject area exam for Teaching in the State of Florida. Well...as you can tell, I've taken a break to write and I've nearly just begun.

I despise standardized exams with a great passion. I have great disdain towards schools and institutions that rate you based on your SAT, GRE, GMAT, PSAT, LSAT score or any other standardized exams.

Why do I feel so adamant about this? I am a terrible standardized exam tester. I can ace an exam in a heartbeat within the classroom, but place me for 4+ hours in a sterile room with a calculator, pencil and paper (or a computer nowadays) with a supervisor that hates that fact that he/she is there, and you've created a disaster situation for me. You never really know what to study, and you stress out regardless....not to mention it's soooooo long!

I think a student should be "graded" by your GPA score. Why? Because that shows longevity and consistency over a period of time. It shows that there was a lot of time and energy put into making it as high as possible. But standardized exams?!?!? I know people who are brilliant, but lazy in the classroom and never do any homework. They have low grades and an even lower GPA, but when they take a standardized exam, they get high scores! That's so frustrating.

On a different note, I really hope I pass this the first time so I don't have to take this 4 hour and 20 minute exam again. Just thought I could vent at the same time =p

In Spite of Me

My mind has been on overdrive for the past two weeks. So much to think about that I hadn't even worried about the week before. All of this happened during and after my trip to South Florida.

Thoughts of moving, relocating, career changes, and basically a new life have completely enveloped my mind.

I've always struggled with trying not to worry and take control of my life. I know in my heart I want to trust the Lord with everything, but that doesn't always translate to my mind and actions. I want to know who, what, when, where, and how anytime I make a big decision, especially moving. Moving to Tennessee was like that. I knew where we would love, what we would do, and had a pretty good idea of our life.

But of course, as it always happens in my life, now that I'm comfortable and have a scheduled life that is planned out and the way I like it - change is looming nearby.

Now, if we do move, I have no clue what to expect, where to go, what to do. I think God likes it like that because I have to really rely solely on him. I hate when He does that to me....but at the same time, I always feel my faith stretching and growing.

So, as much as I dislike the unknown, I know that as the daughter of the King of Kings, I'm in good hands and He's got it all under control, in spite of me.

Don't want to "Click" through life

I've been raised by entrepreneurs my whole life, which led me to want to own a company and be my own boss. After all, I loved their freedom to do what they wanted and make money without a supervisor tearing them down, managing them or fearing they'd lose their job.

In college, I wanted a major that would help me do just that. Nothing like nursing or teaching, where you have to work for someone else. It doesn't it make it any less important, it's the nature of the career. I was so sure and determined to do my own thing and never work for anyone except myself.

When I got married, my husband was raised the complete opposite. Security for him was having a stable job where you do work for someone. His life's motto is "I don't live to work, I work to live." I agreed, but I loved to work. I was born a workaholic (if possible). I know it has to do with my temperament (Choleric/Melancholy), but I love to analyze and do the detailed work that others hate. I work overtime if I haven't completed a task. I can't go home until it's finished. My husband, on the other hand, will clock out as soon as it's 5pm without a care in the world and drag me along with him.

After two years of seeing my husband's point of view, I've relented and gone along with him. I still care about work, but have not allowed it to consume me...well, he wouldn't let me, and I thank him for that. Then, I started to look around at those that influenced my career choices.

I've noticed that all the people in my life that are entrepreneurs, have worked much more than played. I've even noticed several of them have had health problems due to stress, lack of nutrition (from poor eating habits or eating fast b/c they don't make time for it) and lack of sleep (b/c their brains can't stop running through the agenda for the next day - I'm guilty of this too).

Then, one of these significant people in my life took a 7-day vacation that was loooooong overdue. He called every single day about 3-5 times to check up on the office. Everything was going smoothly, but because he wasn't here he stressed...on his vacation!!! He said the biggest mistake about this vacation was the fact that it was 7 days and not 3. He hated that it was so long and said he'd never do it again.

When I discussed this with my husband, I told him I NEVER wanted to think 7 days was too long of a vacation. I'm even tempted sometimes to move to Europe where vacation time is over a month! I don't ever want to be so focused on work, that I can't enjoy the only [consistent] time I'd have with family during the year.

So, to top it off, the other day I watched the move "Click" starring Adam Sandler with my husband. That movie always makes me cry at the end. It's such a great movie to put life back into perspective. Life is not ALL about work or getting ahead. If it is, you look back and realize it was meaningless and a waste of life. Solomon said it thousands of years ago. I think he, the wisest man to ever live, knew what he was talking about.

I recommend that movie to everyone. If you've never seen it, Adam Sandler is trying to make partner at his architectural firm. Meanwhile, it starts to interupt his personal life because of the time he has to put into the projects. Then he finds this universal remote that allows him to forward through life through the parts that he just wants over. Before he realizes it, he choose work over family every time and his life slipped away from him, destroying his marriage, family life and ultimately his health. (it ends good, don't worry)

Bringing it back to life, I recently made a decision to go back to school for a Master's in Education. I know, completely opposite with the beginning of this blog, but it's something I love and would be absolutely satisfied in doing. The time off isn't too shaby either =). I had actually seriously contemplated it during my freshman year, but felt the influences around me would've disapproved. So I switched to Business and Communications.

Now, I'm excited and motivated, even though I'd be working under someone that's not related to me. I'm excited to see what the Lord is going to do in my life. I'm excited to spend quality time raising my children when that time comes. I'm excited to focus on building my marriage. I love to work, but it will not consume me nor time with my loved ones.

One day I might own my own company, but I know what I'm not going to do.

There's only one life the good Lord has given us to live, and I'm making it a priority to live it fully!

Spring is near...

Born in Los Angeles, CA and raised in Miami, Florida, I never really saw all four seasons the way many other states do. Especially in Miami, you've got hot, hotter, hottest, and hurricane season. Those were my four seasons.

Now living in Tennessee, I have a true appreciation for the beauty of each season. I moved here in the fall and enjoyed the gorgeous array of colors on the leaves - from yellows and oranges to greens and firey reds. All I could do was stand in awe of the colors around. Not even a month later, one tree at a time, those leaves were gone.

And winter came.

Oh did it come! My cold used to be 65 degrees...but living here I endured freezing temperatures below 10 degrees on certain days (that's freezing to a Florida girl). They said it was the coldest winter in years. Lucky me! =p The cold is probably my least favorite thing, unless of course it brings snow. And that it did....two snow days spread apart by two months. Nonetheless, I was giddy as a school girl and loving every moment. Not many people shared this emotion with me. I was laughed at...but that's ok. I got cute snow pics =).

For about 2 months now, I've been ready for some heat or at least the sun to come out. This week showed signs of just that. The flowers are blooming on trees everywhere I look (I didn't even know trees bloom flowers). It truly is breathtaking. I've never seen anything like this before, and I'm actually glad, because I don't take it for granted. The birds are chirping at my window every morning. Some might find that annoying, but I find it refreshing. It's a beautiful sound, and they're just as excited as I am about Spring.

Summer I know all too well, but Spring is foreign and exciting. I want to enjoy every minute of it.