This is an email I sent to some of my fellow 2011 graduates just recently. It should catch everyone up on what's been happening since October 8, 2011.
I'll tell you what I'm up to since a lot has changed in the past "year."
Shortened version: So I got murried. That was cool. And is cool. I moved to CA. Also cool. I worked at Bass Pro Shops as an elf for Santa Claus for about a month. Not so cool. I got a job at a pet store in January and have been working there since. Pretty cool. Started going to a Bible study: Not as cool as IV. I got a dog. Way cool. Peter totaled my Mallyboo. Definitely NOT cool.
Expanded version:
Marriage: Some of you seem to be at the stage where marriage might be an option to consider so I guess I can make a few comments on it now that I'm almost 7 months (!!) into it. Well, it is work, but a lot of fun. You can't love God unless you are loving others is something I've learned recently. And marriage is a great way to practice loving God by loving another. It's really hard to love God like he deserves when you ask your husband, "Hey, what do you want for dinner? I've got ground beef thawing out," and he responds, "I don't know. Pork chops or something." But it's good practice to keep loving like God wants you to. That's a silly example, but you get the idea.
Jobs: Unemployment was rough for me. I had to keep reminding myself of all the ways God has provided for me in the past and how He was still providing for me even then. Being an elf as a temporary position was a good way to buy me time to find a job that I actually wanted. I applied at a pet store (I am not allowed to say the name of the store because of a contract I signed) several times, and finally got a position there again. I'm not sure that I'll make a career out of working here, but we'll find out. My manager is going to work on a plan with me this week on what we can do to make me management material and hopefully I'll be promoted within a year. I do love my job and the people I work with though. I'm still trying to figure out how to be Jesus to them, but it will come....
Bible Study: So the church that Peter & I go to is VERY different than what I am used to. My church at home was Baptist, and this one is Free Methodist. I'm not sure if every free Methodist church is crazy, but this one is. They dance sometimes and stuff. It has been a nice challenge though. Bible study, too. I've realized my image of God is WAY smaller than He actually is. Someone said they would pray for my allergies to go away completely when they found out I was allergic to lots of things. And you know what, right now, I just realized...my allergies haven't been a problem since then. I don't know if I want to go eat sunflower seeds to test it out, but plants & animals haven't bothered me much. Also, after that woman said she'd pray that prayer for me, I kept thinking about it. And one day, not long after, I was driving in my Mallyboo, and my stinking blinker wasn't working again after a year of it not really working. I was so frustrated with it. Then it hit me, why don't I bring my blinker problem to God? My image of God was so small that I didn't even think He could fix my blinker!! So I prayed, "Dear God, Will you fix my blinker? I've tried, and I can't." And guess what?! It worked ever since then!!! I shouldn't have been so surprised. I'm still not completely comfortable at such a wiggly church, but I am learning and growing. (I'm peanut butter, they're jelly. They wiggle, I don't. Get it?)
Dog: She's freakin' adorable! Kevin & Christine can vouch for that. I've wanted a dog FOREVER, but my parents never wanted one. So this is my first real dog (except for that one dog that we had for a little bit). Her name is Lyna (Lie na). She's more expensive than we planned because of her separation anxiety issues, but it is very much worth it. Very smart, but hates to be alone. So we now have her on anti-depressants and take her to doggy day camp when we go to work for the time being.
Peter & My Mallyboo: Most recently, on Saturday morning, Peter was on his way back from dropping Kevin off at the LAX airport, when he fell asleep at the wheel 1/2 mile from home and hopped a curb and side swiped a tree. He was completely fine. The dog was in the backseat and got a cut on her nose from the glass, but that is it other than being traumatized. My Mallyboo's tire rim was bent, the front passenger window and mirror were shattered, and both passenger side doors were damaged. The insurance let us know that my car is a "Total Loss." They are paying us more than I paid for my car 5.5 years and 40,000 miles ago....so I guess that part isn't so bad other than all the hassle. Currently, I have a rental car until the 8th, and we are looking for a used car for me to use. When I first got my Mallyboo, I told God that I would use it for Him by taking people to church, etc. I ended up doing that in a much bigger way than I pictured. Taking people to retreats, Wal-mart trips, trips to &/or from the airport and train station, long conversations, and so much more. There were times when I said, no, and I regret that, but I can only hope that whatever car comes into my life next will still be able to be used for God even though I'm not in college anymore. Y'all know how much I loved my Mallyboo. I cannot get mad though, because I am so unbelievably thankful that it wasn't any worse than it could have been. Why God let the side of the car hit the tree as opposed to head on, I am not sure, but forever grateful.
Shortened version: So I got murried. That was cool. And is cool. I moved to CA. Also cool. I worked at Bass Pro Shops as an elf for Santa Claus for about a month. Not so cool. I got a job at a pet store in January and have been working there since. Pretty cool. Started going to a Bible study: Not as cool as IV. I got a dog. Way cool. Peter totaled my Mallyboo. Definitely NOT cool.
Expanded version:
Marriage: Some of you seem to be at the stage where marriage might be an option to consider so I guess I can make a few comments on it now that I'm almost 7 months (!!) into it. Well, it is work, but a lot of fun. You can't love God unless you are loving others is something I've learned recently. And marriage is a great way to practice loving God by loving another. It's really hard to love God like he deserves when you ask your husband, "Hey, what do you want for dinner? I've got ground beef thawing out," and he responds, "I don't know. Pork chops or something." But it's good practice to keep loving like God wants you to. That's a silly example, but you get the idea.
Jobs: Unemployment was rough for me. I had to keep reminding myself of all the ways God has provided for me in the past and how He was still providing for me even then. Being an elf as a temporary position was a good way to buy me time to find a job that I actually wanted. I applied at a pet store (I am not allowed to say the name of the store because of a contract I signed) several times, and finally got a position there again. I'm not sure that I'll make a career out of working here, but we'll find out. My manager is going to work on a plan with me this week on what we can do to make me management material and hopefully I'll be promoted within a year. I do love my job and the people I work with though. I'm still trying to figure out how to be Jesus to them, but it will come....
Bible Study: So the church that Peter & I go to is VERY different than what I am used to. My church at home was Baptist, and this one is Free Methodist. I'm not sure if every free Methodist church is crazy, but this one is. They dance sometimes and stuff. It has been a nice challenge though. Bible study, too. I've realized my image of God is WAY smaller than He actually is. Someone said they would pray for my allergies to go away completely when they found out I was allergic to lots of things. And you know what, right now, I just realized...my allergies haven't been a problem since then. I don't know if I want to go eat sunflower seeds to test it out, but plants & animals haven't bothered me much. Also, after that woman said she'd pray that prayer for me, I kept thinking about it. And one day, not long after, I was driving in my Mallyboo, and my stinking blinker wasn't working again after a year of it not really working. I was so frustrated with it. Then it hit me, why don't I bring my blinker problem to God? My image of God was so small that I didn't even think He could fix my blinker!! So I prayed, "Dear God, Will you fix my blinker? I've tried, and I can't." And guess what?! It worked ever since then!!! I shouldn't have been so surprised. I'm still not completely comfortable at such a wiggly church, but I am learning and growing. (I'm peanut butter, they're jelly. They wiggle, I don't. Get it?)
Dog: She's freakin' adorable! Kevin & Christine can vouch for that. I've wanted a dog FOREVER, but my parents never wanted one. So this is my first real dog (except for that one dog that we had for a little bit). Her name is Lyna (Lie na). She's more expensive than we planned because of her separation anxiety issues, but it is very much worth it. Very smart, but hates to be alone. So we now have her on anti-depressants and take her to doggy day camp when we go to work for the time being.
Peter & My Mallyboo: Most recently, on Saturday morning, Peter was on his way back from dropping Kevin off at the LAX airport, when he fell asleep at the wheel 1/2 mile from home and hopped a curb and side swiped a tree. He was completely fine. The dog was in the backseat and got a cut on her nose from the glass, but that is it other than being traumatized. My Mallyboo's tire rim was bent, the front passenger window and mirror were shattered, and both passenger side doors were damaged. The insurance let us know that my car is a "Total Loss." They are paying us more than I paid for my car 5.5 years and 40,000 miles ago....so I guess that part isn't so bad other than all the hassle. Currently, I have a rental car until the 8th, and we are looking for a used car for me to use. When I first got my Mallyboo, I told God that I would use it for Him by taking people to church, etc. I ended up doing that in a much bigger way than I pictured. Taking people to retreats, Wal-mart trips, trips to &/or from the airport and train station, long conversations, and so much more. There were times when I said, no, and I regret that, but I can only hope that whatever car comes into my life next will still be able to be used for God even though I'm not in college anymore. Y'all know how much I loved my Mallyboo. I cannot get mad though, because I am so unbelievably thankful that it wasn't any worse than it could have been. Why God let the side of the car hit the tree as opposed to head on, I am not sure, but forever grateful.
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