Is Your Job Causing You Undue Stress? Breathe...And Read.

I make a concerted effort to read "The Word For You Today", that I received from my church, while I am at work every day.  It's one of the many perks that I am thankful to receive as I step through those doors hungry for something to soothe my soul.  The word gives me something to think about for the day, meditate on, and allows me to open my mind up for the wonderful possibilities that the day will offer knowing that it is by God's grace that I am alive to see another day.  However, it is becoming more and more difficult to do so... 

Recently, our team at work was downsized and now there are two of us--another girl and myself.  The workload on our shoulders has been tripled at times and it seems that the Devil has been on his stuff now more than ever.  Between the customers and the work environment in general, I could pull my hair out of my head and pull the skin from my face.  Sometimes, it's absolutely dreadful, but I realize that things could be worse.  I could not have a job, I could be homeless or running around like a chicken with my head cut off wracking my brains to figure out how on Earth I am going to pay my bills or what I am going to eat.  Thankfully, I am not in that position.  I have full use of my limbs and I am healthy.  I have a car that runs and I have a brain that fully functions which further propels me to search ardently for a position that will start off my career in writing. 

In the meantime, and in between time, I am thankful for what God has blessed me with.  Amazingly, I realize that even though I understand the reality of my situation, I more often than not find myself complaining about things from time to time.  I have gotten better on this level courtesy of "The Word For You Today."  Nevertheless, I desire to reach a level of maturity and acceptance where I will not just understand that this is a job and not my career...that there will also be someone at work who gets on my last nerve...a customer who is rude for no apparent reason...someone who no matter what you do they will never acknowledge your genius or the asset that you are to the company until you are gone...the supervisor who never says thank you or who doesn't like you...to a level where I actually implement this do not allow these things that are not conducive to my well-being to be an unnecessary issue.  No matter what the circumstances, as long as I am still getting a check and this is not my career, it is essential that I not let any job stress me out and cause me to go home upset or take it out on those that matter most to me (you know who I am talking to, and I apologize for that for real for real). 

All of that to say this, I'm sure that I am far from being alone on this boat.  However, yesterday's "The Word For You Today" read as follows:

Wednesday July 1

"Whatever You Do, Whether In Word Or Deed, Do It All In The Name Of The Lord Jesus."

Colossians 3:17 NIV

Work In Jesus' name

John Ortberg writes: "We all work.  We all create value--that's what work is.  But what would it look like for you to work in Jesus' name?  Well, first, work would become something you do together with Him.  You were not meant to work on your own.  So, tomorrow, take a moment at the beginning of your workday when you sit down at your desk or your computer or in your home, and invite Jesus to partner with you.  Tell Him, "Today, I'm not going to work by myself.'  Any time throughout your workday when you have a tough problem, ask Him for help.  When you have a difficult decision to make, ask Him for wisdom--the listen and be really open.  When you find your energy flagging, ask Him for renewed strength.  When you find your attitude turning negative, ask Him to re-orient your heart.  Put a symbol on your desk or wall where you can see it remind you that today you and Jesus are partnering together in your work.  Every few hours as you're working, pause for two or three minutes.  Thank Him for His help.  Hand Him your worries.  Ask for His energy.  Every moment is an opportunity to be with Jesus.  When you forget--and you will, when you mess up--and you will, remember this really important rule: there's to be no beating yourself up!  Every moment is another chance.  God just keeps sending them.  That's grace.  Every moment of your workday is a new chance for you to be with Him."

After reading this, l smiled and then laughed all day yesterday at the things that were going on around me that would have pissed me off and the customers I was talking to that would have otherwise unnerved me.  I didn't have it in me yesterday to let anything outside of my control get under my skin.  I laughed at it all--no lie--and said this is hilarious.  I'm not quite sure if yesterday was just the typical norm of having so much do and not enough of myself to go around, or if it was amplified by the Devil knowing that I had read the word and that I was going to have a go at working with Jesus and not trying to carry on my shoulder more than I need to.  I am barely 120 pounds...Jesus has much more strength than I as he has carried the weight of the sins of the world on his shoulders...the worries, situations, and whatever malevolent behaviors that are present at my job are a piece of cake for Him.  He has bigger fish that He fries on a daily basis...my concerns and daily work load is something that He can help me bear with His eyes closes.   When I read this I thought of the famous Footprints in the Sand poem.  Jesus is always there to carry me, even when I can only see one set of footprints...all I have to do is ask and it will be given to me, seek and I will find and knock and the door will be opened to me. 

I'm trying to beat the door down, so today I started it off with this prayer!!!!!!!

Help!!!! What Is The Right Answer???

My little sister was recently given the question below on a test in her philosophy class and unfortunately, she got it wrong.  Please let me know what you think the answer is and your reasoning for choosing the answer that you choose.  I thought this question was completely subjective, but apparently, my own take on this question was incorrect.  Needless to say, I was completely surprised and could not just let it ride so I decided to put it on here in hopes that someone can help me to understand why the answer that was chosen by the professor is the right one.  I am willing to send a personal email to anyone who wants to know the answer. I would rather not post it on here because I want to know if it was just me (as in is my own thinking is somehow unbalanced) or if there are others who arrived at the same conclusion as myself.  The question is below.  Thanks!!!

"If by injecting a patient with penicillin a physician thus directly kills a deadly infectious bacteria, that physician is involved with what condition?"

The answer choices are:

1. sufficiency

2. necessity

3. both sufficiency and necessity

Is Forgiveness Moving On & Never Talking About What Happened

What exactly constitutes forgiveness and have you truly been forgiven if one still experiences feelings of anger or disgust when the situation in question is brought up? This is my question.  I have no relationship with my biological sperm donor...some people may refer to this person as "dad", "father", or "my ole man."  I don't.  Certain responsibilities come with that title and I feel that this individual completely dropped the ball in this instance and let it roll down the gutter lane. 

I could have a relationship with this person if I in fact wanted to.  The fact is that I do not long for this nor do I miss it when I see others with their fathers.  I just wish that their father was mines...simple.  There used to be a time in life when I resented the man and I would have loved nothing other than to have taken distinct pleasure in his misery or whatever God decided to dish out that would wreak havoc in his life.  However, that resentment is long gone.  I do not hate him...I am neutral.   For some, neutral is worse.  I could care less one way or another about him or what is going on his part of the universe--however big or small it may be.

I bring all of this up to say this; I am trying to walk closer with God and actually become more attentive to his voice.  When I pray, I pray for people that I love.  That could be my family, friends, and in some instances, enemies.  It was a hard pill to swallow and even harder to heed the little voice telling me to pray for them.  I'm like, "I don't like you.  I don't want to pray for you or your circumstances."  Contrary to how I felt though, I still prayed for them.  For this man who is my estranged "father," I cannot get myself to say two words in an effort to pray for him.  Does this mean that I have not forgiven him?

I used to think that in order for me to forgive, him I needed to talk to him and let him know exactly how I feel about him and how much he repulses me to no end.  I felt that if I could clear that off of my chest that we could move forward and possibly have a somewhat decent relationship in spite of all of the time that was wasted due to his ineptness as a father.  Nevertheless, this proved to be as impossible as growing your own money tree in your backyard.  The man was unbearable!!!! So, I decided that for me to grow as a young lady, I would need to forgive him on my own and let bygones be bygones.  I was going to forgive him in my heart and not allow him to win any longer by permitting myself to allow him to anger me or rile me up.  I believed that I had successfully accomplished this... I mean I'm neutral for crying out loud!

Still, I cannot get myself to pray for this man.  What gives?  Have I just forgiven him to a certain extent or have I instead willed myself to believe that I have forgiven him an effort to have an "out of sight, out of mind" type mindset?  Help!