Cracker Barrel's Biscuits and Pay Day

Today, I am grateful for:
- Time this afternoon to try to get a little organized before tackling NaNoWriMo - writing a novel in 30 days...sure, I can do that, right?
- Cracker Barrel's biscuits - dear Lord, do I love me some biscuits!
- Lunch with a former co-worker that I already miss a bunch
- Pay day - and juuuuuuuuuuuust in time, too. Phew.
- An awesome short hike with S yesterday - we found a lake behind our house (ok...HE found it on Google Earth, and then, WE went out on a hike to find it)
- Beautiful fall weather (especially since my friends up North are still without power and are snowed in!)

Dear Lord - thank you for the many blessings you've put on my plate - the ones I am mindful of, and the ones that I seem to take for granted by not mentioning them. I do know that I am truly blessed in every way. Please help the friends of mine that are without power - literally - it's less than awesome for them right now, and they are freaking COLD. Please continue to watch over the people that recently lost their jobs and guide their paths - and also, please keep an eye on my friend, M, her heart can't take much more, Dude. Please grant her safe travels and a peaceful mind as she takes a trip into the unknown. Please show me if I can be of service today to You and Your kids, and help me to get out of my own way long enough to do what is needed and right. Amen.

Keeping my job, and the lessons I can learn from the people that didn't

This week was a rough week at work - and now that it's public knowledge, I can talk about what's going on. Unfortunately, our company did a "RIF", also known as a reduction in force - and a lot of my favorite people had their positions eliminated. There were rumors that I was going to be one of the casualties, but luckily, I am still standing after the RIF.

I talked to my friend, C, about this the other day - he used to be in the same field as I am, until becoming a casualty of a RIF a few years back....and then, remained unemployed for a YEAR. Yet, he says it was one of the best things that ever happened to him, and he says that the lessons he learned in that year about himself and how he fit into the world were something he wouldn't trade for the world.

Another friend, R (one of the people that lost his job) was so gracious about this whole situation, even though it happened the day before his 30th birthday! He said, "Oddly, I am at peace with it. I've had a good run here...Totally starting a new chapter on my 30th birthday...I'm pumped to see what my next adventure is going to be." What grace!

What I know is this: God has a plan for everyone. It may not look like each of us think it should, and we may not like what it takes to get us to where God wants us to be. Yet, there IS a plan. I know that each of these people will end up in a better place: personally, professionally, or both, even. In the meantime, my job is to pray for them, and to keep my ears open for opportunities for them. Oh, and to do the job I am blessed to still have! I can also be a power of example, if I do my job with a positive attitude - so I am going to make that "my job", too.

Today, I feel gratitude for:

- Getting to keep my job

- The opportunity to work with the amazing people that I did, and to be able to continue a friendship with them outside of work

- The safe return of S from his business trip and a quiet evening together to get caught up

- The lady at the post office yesterday that gave me free tape (I had forgotten it and was going to have to buy it or go home and get it...she saved the day!)

- Getting my hair cut and colored yesterday - I want to go there every day and just have them wash my hair and rub my head!

Dear God, thank you for the many blessings in my life today, especially, my job. I was in a lot of fear about losing it - as you well know! - and still feel some fear about moving forward from here. I know You have a plan - please help me to have faith in You and It, and to keep my hands off of it. Please watch over my former coworkers as they begin this new path - guide their steps and grant them peace as they deal with the challenging prospect of trying to find a new job. As a matter of fact, please also keep an eye on all of my current coworkers too - help us to find comfort in You and each other, as we try to move forward after this shakeup. Also, please keep an eye on my family, loved ones and friends, too. That's a lot of people, dude - but I know You are up for the job! If I can be of service today, please show me how - and give me the tools to do what You need me to do. Amen.

A True Test

Yesterday, I got a call that shook me up a bit - and unfortunately, due to the nature of the information, I can't even say what it was. It was an excellent opportunity for me to practice using my gratitude list. I felt my old self try to bubble up and throw myself a pity party.

(Side note: I really think there's a market somewhere for Pity Party decorations...maybe I could sell Pity Party Packs: one black party hat, one busted noise maker, a CD that only plays "All By Myself", a giant vat of cookie dough. That's what I would want at MY Pity Party!)

I fought the urge, and closed my eyes and made up a mental gratitude list...because even in the face of some potential bad news, I have lots in my life that I can be grateful for. Here's the list!

Today, I feel gratitude for:

- A husband that wakes up to kiss my goodbye every morning at 4:30am

- Friends that bring me back from the ledge

- A coworker that expertly cleaned my car!

- Tenant in my condo back in CT that covers most of the mortgage

- Gorgeous weather so A and I could have coffee outside

- Getting caught up with two very good friends yesterday on the phone - more to come today!

- Getting all of my steps in (I am wearing a pedometer to try to get 10,000 in per day)

- S having cell service exactly when I needed to talk to him

- A good reaction from ____ when I called him for support

Dear God, please remove my fear about _____. Help me know what You want for me, and to have faith that You have a plan for me. That's about all I have right now. Thanks for keeping my loved ones safe and sound. Amen.

Blogs I Feel Gratitude For

I am very appreciative of people that read this blog - and give me such good feedback...and for friends like my buddy Greg, who is desperate to do something to "make the blog". (I don't know if this counts...)

So, today, I want to show some gratitude for the blogs that I read and share them with you:

1. Jon Acuff - for both his "regular" blog and Stuff Christians Like - both blogs make me laugh and inspire me at the same time.

2. Carla Ten Eyck - a fantastic photographer AND a very funny (and sometimes, poignant) woman - pretty to look at, and fun to read.

3. Annie Eats - she makes food that I want to share with friends (or sometimes, eat alone at home so no one can see how much I have actually eaten of her yumminess!) - Meredith and I made the cake you see here last night, and it was DIVINE!

4. Oprah - I kind of want to BE Oprah - or the next Oprah anyway.

5. Office of Letters and Light - the blog for National Novel Writing Month, which kicks off on November 1st (and I am going to do it!)

All of these are great blogs to get me motivated and back in the "right" state of mind - all for different reasons.

Which blogs do you love to read for inspiration??

Marrying the right man, the USPS and McD's

Lots of stuff to be grateful for today - as there is every day, really! After lots of waiting, our marriage license finally came in. That meant that I could go get my social security card with my new married name, and my new driver's license...and every other piece of identification that you can imagine. Good grief - I had no idea how many things I use my name on! It's a small price to pay to be officially Mr. and Mrs.

We were also able to begin the process of combining our finances - which some people think is a scary thing, but I actually think it's a great thing. As my friend C says, everyone she knows that has separate finances ends up getting divorced! Now, I am not saying we won't each have our little "fun money"...but for the big stuff, it all goes in one account. We are a team, and I am grateful that I married a man that believes in that, wholeheartedly.

So, today, I am grateful for:
- Marrying a man that believes in us really being a team, emotionally, spiritually and financially
- Getting 9 1/2 hours sleep last night - I fell asleep watching a movie last night...and slept the whole night through. Aw - yeah!
- The USPS - when I can't be with the ones I love, I can mail them cards!
- 24 hours McDonalds - when I really, really need a caffeine fix on the way to work at 4:30am.
- Finally being done with two amends that I had been putting off
- A new freelance voiceover client - a friend recommended me out of the blue - thanks J!

Dear God, thanks so much for all of the blessings in my life. Help me to slow down enough to appreciate them and give them the attention they deserve. Please bless A and K tomorrow as they officially begin their lives together. Please watch over all of my friends and loved ones, and if there's a way to be of service to You or them, please move my heart to act in the way that would be most helpful. Please watch over the G family as they continue to mourn the loss of Z. Please help me to seek and do Thy will in all things. Amen.

Safe travel, new sheets, and found time

Today, I feel gratitude for:
- Safe travel home for S - and a good outcome from his business trip
- New sheets - not just clean sheets, but NEW sheets. Heaven.
- "Found time" today to get caught up on a few things around the house (not everything, but it's a few steps in the right direction)
- Finally being able to make the amends I've been putting off - and for not creating anything else to have to make amends for during the process
- Freshly groomed and good smelling dogs

Dear God, thanks for the many blessings in my life - and all the ones I didn't mention, too. You are pretty darn awesome, and my life is pretty darn good. Thanks for my friends, family and loved ones, and please keep them safe and healthy. Amen.

Old Reliable

In an effort to try to be "interesting", I was sitting here trying to think of things that I haven't mentioned before that I feel gratitude for, but as it turns out, today, I am feeling gratitude for the "same old, same old". Just because it's not something NEW, doesn't mean I can't feel grateful for having it in my life. As a matter of fact, today, I think I most grateful for the constant and continued presence of my Monday night women's gathering.

Since being introduced to this group of women, we've morphed and grown. Some people have fallen out of the habit of coming - or their lives have gotten so full and good that they can't make it as regularly as they used to, but at the core of it, is a group of women that support and love each other - and honestly, I don't know what I would do without them. Whether I see each of them each week isn't the most important part - for me, the best part is knowing that SOMEONE will be there each week, no matter what. I know we are a lucky bunch of girls - especially because so many of us don't have "family" near by. We've become, what we call, a "family of choice" - and I love my FOC!

Today, I feel gratitude for:
- My FOC - they are "Old Reliable" - always there in some way or another
- Facetime - it allows S and I to see each other when he's on the road
- Pinterest - I could spend all day on that website!
- Cute shoes - I am so glad I spent money on GOOD shoes a few years ago, because they are fun to pull out again season after season.
- Cold weather - it may make me a freak down here, but I love the cold weather and the clothes that come with it!

Dear God, thank you for all of the blessings in my life, and for the many others I don't even know You are arranging all the time. Please protect S as he travels and goes up against ______ today. Also, keep an eye on my FOC - some of them need some serious TLC, and that would just be awesome if You could help them out. Help me to be of service today, and please remove my obsession about freaking food. Amen.