My Observations

I made notes on specific days and going to leave them as I wrote on the dates.

Saturday 2/25/17
It’s sunny, 72 and very windy out today as I sit in my local BN Café, reading, people watching, and listening to bits of conversations; and daydreaming. There were two gentlemen around my age sitting at a table chatting over coffee. They meet here fairly frequently, but since I don’t get here that often while working the full time contract job, my times and theirs don’t sync. I only hear little snatches of their conversation about politics, their children, and a variety of other topics. One of them looks interesting!  Hey, I’m not dead!

Sunday 3/12/17
Here I am again at BN Café …Sunday afternoon, the day time changed, springing forward one hour! As typical on a weekend day here at the café there are a lot people. Lucky to find a place to sit. There is an older couple each engrossed in their own reader/tablet, an old man sitting alone reading, I think waiting for his spouse. A young couple sitting next to me…she seems to be studying from a large text book, he also but too busy texting…the girl can’t seem to stop talking (not in a soft quiet voice). There is a woman, maybe in her 50s, sitting alone while her grown son is off by himself among the magazines. A variety of people mostly reading with their drink, some with laptops, another young couple – she is painting on a canvas, he is reading. I was reading for a bit then my eyes got tired so I decided to watch others and write.

WOW! I look up and here comes Wendy. She has things to do on her laptop and so we decide to sit at a double table so we can each do our thing, yet communicate. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.

SO, BACK TO “WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE?”

Still working at City of Greenville until April 28th, getting projects done at home, looking for another place to live (maybe, only God knows), involved in things through church, socializing with friends. This month the Gilmore Girls are in town so Catherine and I will be spending a good amount of time with them.

I’m also reading the book Uninvited (Living Loved, when you feel less than, left out, and lonely) by Lysa TerKeurst. Just what I need at this time as I struggle to stop feeling rejected. I am not as sensitive these days with those feelings. But, this book is helping to understand.

Also trying to change eating habits and maybe get into the Mediterranean way of eating. That will take some studying and trying recipes. Just have to get my body in better shape by eating healthier and exercising.

Gradually becoming less of a procrastinator and actually accomplishing the to do’s on my list. Maybe I should start a STAR board and add a star for each accomplishment. Might be encouraging!

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Time Away for Personal Retreat

I will be off all social media for a couple of weeks.  Spending personal time for inspiration, dreaming, writing, and some photography.
Wishing you all two great weeks filled with many blessings…JOY, PEACE, LOTS OF LOVE, AND MAYBE A LITTLE MAGICAL SURPRISE mixed in 🙂

The Gates taken in Ireland 1982 by Ann Marquette

 

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Thinking of a quiet peaceful place

Sunny skies, sounds of water flowing and falling…
Ah, wish I were there, sitting on the rock in quiet reflection.

The Little Falls, Greenville photo by Ann Marquette

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BIG AHA MOMENT TODAY

White Tulips by ann marquette

This morning started strange as I woke early from a stressful dream.  Thankfully I went back to finish my night in a restful sleep.

As I was enjoying my morning coffee, the A Ha moment arrived.  I realized a major shift, or turn on my path of transition, and the path God has been guiding me toward.  More like a message that God was telling me I had made a couple good turns in the right direction.  It is with much gratitude for His guidance that I am making the transitions.

I have known for a long time that God wants me to write, and there is a special place he wants me to be.  I realized a few months ago that there is a part of me needing change before some of that journey can come to pass.

Some of the healing has happened recently.  Forgiveness is a huge need in our lives, and doing so will open doors for us we would not have imagined.  Forgiving also heals us.  In addition to forgiving others, we need to forgive ourselves for any wrongs we have done to others.  I’ve asked God to tell me if there is anyone I forgot to forgive.  Not hearing anything in that direction, I asked to be shown any wrongs I have done to others, even if they were unintentional.  He showed me three.  I did apologize, and in the process I grew and changed some more.  I have been working most of my life to be a better person, to be the person God wants me to be.

I have been out of a paying job for almost two years.  Whenever I would get His message to keep writing, I would smile and say “sounds great, but it doesn’t pay me!”  Figuring I needed to find another source of income to supplement another source, I attended many networking meetings, did job searches and applied for jobs.  I had interviews and almost joyfully accepted not being offered the jobs.  Truthfully, I did not want to get back into the typical corporate world as I’d been in for many years.

Some friends, those not in my position, would “suggest” that I should go out and get any job, no matter what.  Other unemployed would hear the same thing.  And the constant question “Well, how is the job hunt going?”

Like the majority of unemployed since our economy crashed, we realized this time was a gift.  While sharing good news and blessings in our networking sessions, we would tell of opportunities to help family and/or friends in need.  Had we been working we would not have been available.  We also shared our journey to find that which would not just provide an income, but work that would bring us joy by doing something we love, something we feel good about which would be of value to others, to our world.  It was time to also evaluate the kind of culture, working environment we would enjoy, where we would thrive and blossom.

One time I mentioned my dream work environment to someone who is in a rather high-powered job and very “professional” environment and she told me that there is no such place like I described.  Actually there are places like that which I know of and heard about.

The staffing agency which has gotten me work before called a couple of weeks ago telling me of a part-time job they thought I might like.  I said yes when they asked if they could submit my resume.  Shortly after  I was invited to interview with the company.  A couple of hours after my interview the agency called to say the company wanted me.  I started last Monday and it is the kind of environment I have been wanting.  It is a small office, but with some staff who work from other locations.  They are a great group of people who really care about each other.  The culture is more casual and easy going; and it is only one mile from where I live.

Although the job is for some administrative help, they were excited and chose me because I am a writer and have proofreading skills.   So, the best part is a chance I may be able to turn the job into doing that which would engage me more in my writing life.

Thank you God for your blessings.

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Be good to yourself, be grateful and joyful

White Flower (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

Life is not always perfect, but  I find moments of joy in being kind to me. Time to refresh myself in order to give to others.

Taking time to just sit and be quietly happy within, to work on my writing, listen to beautiful music or read is wonderful.  Sometimes I treat myself to some flowers for the house.

I also remember how grateful I am for so many blessings. The most precious blessings are the people in my life, even those who come through for only a short while.

It is a beautiful new year, with each day to be grateful and joyful.

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