Day 16: Swedes Staff

Dear Swedes Staff,

Thank you. 

Over the past few years I've had a lot of time to consider you. I've spent some time in your hospital, most of it as a patient, and I want you to know you're wonderful. 

A couple years back, I dealt with pancreatitis nearly killing me a couple times as a complication of my gall bladder needing to be removed. Every member of your support staff that I encountered from nurses to lab tech to valets to administrative staff, you were all wonderful. You made me laugh, explained the medical terms, answered my questions, and did all you could to make me feel comfortable and at ease. 

I bring this up because I was reminded of this yesterday when I found myself in a familiar waiting room. I was at Swedes all over again, but this time it was waiting with my mom and for her test results. Thankfully her results were clear, we got to come home with no problems, but you were still the same. Everyone was kind. Everyone was helpful, and everything was explained. You really are wonderful. 

Thank you. 

Love,

Jaymin

(98) What I Needed

You were right when you said

The best cure for being homesick

is a joke

How does it happen

that whenever I am toeing the edge

you show up & pull me back 

to safety?

I'm not claiming you're a superhero

Lord knows you've broken my heart

More times than I want to relive

But you show up when I need you

Sometimes before even I see

the messed up bits of me surfacing

One of these days I hope I can

repay you love & laughter

for every saving grace

& tell you the crazy I have inside

Somehow makes sense

When I'm talking to you

For now I'll keep making you laugh

& finding myself glad to have,

in you, a better half

Lucky Penny

(The 3 pennies I found yesterday at various points...I think they were lucky)




Favorite things of this very moment (4:14 pm EST):

• Hearing the ridiculous guitar riff that signals a text from Jordan
• The Textfree application on Amber's iPod
• Having one of the world's coolest roommates (honestly)
• Italian Blood Orange Soda
• Crayons
• Having a clean kitchen
• Knowing I am blessed

Right now I want to email my mother.

This is not a physical impossibility nor am I trying to say that she is unable to be reached by email at this time...in fact I would probably hear back from her before the end of the day if I emailed her right now. The problem is, it makes me homesick.

Living 800+ miles away from the other 5 members of your immediate family is a difficult challenge. Especially when you've lived with them for all but 9 months of your 24 years of life.

My mother is an incredible woman. In her email to me today she reminded me that God did not get me this far away from home only to leave me and abandon me. God knows what He's doing, even though I haven't a clue.

My mother is, as always, very right.

God will not leave me, He will not forsake me, and He will provide for me. I am following His call, and He does not disappoint. He does not fail to keep his promises.

God is good.

I know my mother is right for a variety of reasons, but let me just point out the most obvious examples of the truth she reminded me of:

My friend Jake (who is also my amazing roommate Amber's boyfriend) is here in Amber & I's apartment for almost every meal. He practically lives with us, and that's not an issue. Having him around is actually pretty great, plus, Amber and I both have a tendency to want to feed everyone all the time.

For the past few days I have been wondering how on earth I'm going to be able to help Amber buy groceries because I still haven't found a job and my bank account is dwindling. Amber had already come up with a plan, but that mainly was just her way of saying she'd cover our groceries until I found a job. Incredibly sweet, incredibly generous, but I didn't want to have to do that unless there were no other options.

And God blessed Amber and I both.

Last night as Amber and I are getting dinner together, Jake announces he's decided it's his turn to buy groceries. I just remember staring at him for a moment. Amber did too I think. He said since he was always here, and we tend to try and feed him that he wanted to buy groceries this time around. He said we just had to make sure we had a list and he'd take care of it.

Last night God provided Amber and I with groceries through the kindness of a friend. Thank you, Jake. And thank you for your creative provisioning God.

But then something else happened.

My friend, Calvin has been using my car to get back and forth to work the past 2 days (and will the rest of the week if he'd like to) because I thought it would be the easiest way to go. I didn't think too much of it. I just wanted to make sure he got safetly too and from work.

When he came in last night to drop off my car keys, he asked how many gallons of gas my car holds. I thought it was an odd question, but let him know, and he said that this made sense. Apparently he'd practically filled up my gas tank last night just because he could. I had been wondering for the past few days if I would be able to pay to put gas in my car...

Thank you, Calvin. And thank you God for providing me with what I needed to keep moving. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

God takes care of me. Every single day. In so many, many ways. Most of the time I am sure I overlook them and take them for granted...but these were just so lovely. So obvious. So wonderful.

I feel really blessed right now. I'm surrounded by wonderful people: Amber (one of the kindest, funniest people I know); genuinely honorable men of God like Jake, Mitch, and Calvin; Regina (who is always willing to help); and Nola & Bob and Uncle Jon, Aunt Sarah, & the kids (my wonderful, wonderful family). Not to mention having a really kind set of "adopted" parents in Randy & Rhonda Barton.

God is so, so good.

The Bluebird of Happiness is Flying with Me

(The beautiful picture above is from, I believe, the movie "Perhaps Love")

My favorite things of this very moment (3:55 pm CST):

• The ever so classy music of the Eurythmics
• The last of my coffee from Kayla and I's coffee stop this morning
• Knowing that sometime in the future I'll be getting a paycheck (even though it won't be a lasting job)
• The beautiful picture there at the top, it's just...lovely
• Warm "Who" socks (they really do look like they're from a Dr. Suess book)
• Oatmeal, chocolate chip, butterscotch chip cookies (homemade...mmmm)

Today has been a lovely day. Sometimes life just really fits together properly, and today was one of those rare and lovely days.

Kayla and I had coffee this morning and then went to the bank. We worked from about 9 this morning till around 2. It's nice to get to spend time with one of your very best friends, to catch up on so many details in life, and also get paid for it. Like I said, sometimes God brings all those beautiful little pieces into place. Even if tomorrow doesn't sparkle quite the same way, I know today was a glorious little piece of perfection.

Little bits of loveliness: classical guitar music; a new cd by Coffey Anderson (called "Worship Unplugged 1" which was great) from Kay & T; coffee with one of the most genuinely beautiful women I know; lots of catching up; working (with the knowledge I'll actually get a paycheck for this); lunch with Kayla, Dad, & Becky Hall (she's great, Brian and Kim have one of the coolest mom's ever); Sousa marches (*smiles*); finding out Gail would be willing to cover for me so that I don't have to teach next Sunday (with the hopes that this will make it easier for me to find a way to Refuge); homemade cookies...today has been wonderful.

The best part? It's not yet over. I still have 8 hours of this lovely day yet to live. I hope God blesses your day with a great deal of joy and wonderment, and I hope that carries over into your weekend and all through the coming week.

Love. *smiles*

Thoughtful

Favorite Things of This Very Moment (9:59 am CST):

• Ugly Mug Vanilla Coffee (if you'd like to order any Ugly Mug products, let me know. Joel is selling them as a continuing project to raise money for camp.)
• My Spiderman mug that was left at the house by Jeff a million years ago and very much became my own (kinda like the thermos)
• Capt. Benjamin Franklin Pierce (he's...what I want. I love M*A*S*H. Sorry, Nik, I just can't help it...)
• Monogamy & fidelity
• Jay's idea for deer being made of jell-o from now on (I'm hoping for marshmallow myself)
• Cream Cheese Muffin Puffs
• Josh Deane's honesty and storytelling ability

May I make some suggestions? Well, hopefully I'm not being too forward, but I'm going to make suggestions anyway.

Mom and I were talking yesterday, and we discussed our mutual, time-tested belief that when you're miserable or stuck in a rut, what you need to do is help someone else. Few things will pull you out of yourself and your self-pity like helping and focusing on another person for good things.

I realize I am constantly promoting good-fairydom, but how else can a person survive in the cold of this world.

Everyone needs a little cheer. Donate some old clothes, collect some old clothes to donate, or even make some clothes to donate. Make cookies to share with someone (might just help you make friends with your neighbors or co-workers). Ask someone for their opinion on a good book or movie and then actually take their advice (it'll give you a chance to talk to them about something they enjoyed). Buy someone a coloring book and crayons when you know they're having a bad day. Few things in life can't be made a little brighter than a new box of crayons. Volunteer for some kind of service organization: a shelter, the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, etc. Help out with your church. Just spend time with your siblings. Write a handwritten letter. Mix cd's. Or maybe just give someone a genuine compliment. Do an extra chore.

It's about the little things. The tiny bits of cheer that you can bring to someone's day.

Just something to think about.