the day job

Monday to Friday

8am - 5pm...

I sit at a desk,

in an office.

I have a hard time being content here sometimes.

Ok ok, more often than just sometimes. But I just got MARRIED! I want to be home, cooking, cleaning, making a home, getting things organized, and researching new recipes! I want to be with my husband when he has days off during the week. We're best friends after all! We would spend every minute together if we could.

But, as I said, I have this job that takes me away from home. But God has called me to be fully present when I'm at work, not to be dreaming about what I'd like to cook when I get home. I'm to be a diligent worker, not a distracted dreamer.

So I struggle daily, knowing it's God's plan for me to hold this job right now. God has me in this office for a reason and I want to find joy even in the "mundane" days and tasks.

Lord, open my eyes and give me a greater heart for those around me...

with these rings

I stare at my left hand...I'm easily distracted these days. I see 2 beautiful rings that now adorn a once jewel-less hand. The emotions instantly wash over me, I'm blessed.

A wise friend once told me "Stef, when you least expect it, when you're not even looking and totally focus on God, then He will bring your man into your life". I agreed and said, "yeah... you're probably right". She was speaking from experience. I wasn't looking, I wasn't interested in "getting to know" any of the guys around me. And when I met this man my heart continued to say "Lord, only you".

But God, in His infinite wisdom, had planned this meeting and He changed my heart as time went on.

And I am blessed. I am now the wife of my best friend. And these rings daily remind me of HIS goodness, faithfulness and provision.

Psalm 13:6 - "I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me."

Psalm 16:11 - "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

when days are busy and evenings run late...

There never seems to be enough hours in the day anymore! I think when we started off our engagement and the wedding planning it was on our own strength... and we only got so far (which wasn't very far at all). We couldn't find a reception venue we could afford on such short notice and I started to get discouraged.

 

We stopped and prayed, "Lord we can't do any of this without you. You've brought us together, You guide our steps."

 

It's been easy to focus on the wedding, but that's not most important, planning for the lifetime that follows is. Trusting in God now for these details... will help us trust in the future for the details still to come.

 

So we may not have everything planning and we're still making lots of decisions, but we're actively working and seeking God, trusting in His provision.

 

What I'm most blessed by: knowing that in 17 days I'll become his wife <3 

one year of knowing him

Little did I know 1 year ago today, that my life was about to change. I got ready for church that Sunday morning and headed out on my own. I'd been attending a new church for 3 months in the city. Stepping out of my comfort zone each week. This day was the same as each Sunday prior (or so I thought)...
 

Standing at the door was a man I hadn't met yet, but this happened every week. I was constantly meeting new people. He introduced himself to me and asked if I wanted to sit with him and his friend. So I said "sure". We talked more after the service ended. He was quite talkative, friendly and very outgoing. We laugh now about this day. After talking quite a bit about the young professionals group he was involved with he asked for my number, he wanted to try to set up an event with Wegmans. I wouldn't give him my number - that's why we laugh. I gave him my email address instead. He used it to try to find me on facebook, but never once actually emailed me. Yes, we laugh a lot.
 

So today we'll celebrate a special day.
 

I still remember seeing him, leaning up against the door frame leading into the sanctuary. I still remember what I was wearing. I still remember it being the first Sunday in 3 months that I actually wanted to join the group after service to hang out. And I still remember getting home from church that day and saying to my mom "I think I met someone today".

God had finally brought us together.



lemon ginger tea & dreams

I sip tea, write emails, recycle old documents, update files.

I dream.

This has become my new favorite thing to sip:

It instantly brings to mind the fresh ginger tea they made us in the Dominican, add a bit of honey and I'm there again... in the DR. It amazes me to think that 5 years have passed since that trip. 5 years and I still remember the colors, the people, the exhaustion. The experience changed my perspective and my heart. It stretched me spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

I left with dreams of discovering how God could use me...

Corporate jobs can squash dreams I've learned. Maybe not squash... but push out of the mind, diminish, delay. The desk, computer, emails, papers, pressing deadlines...

I don't want to let my day job remove from my mind all that God has taught me and done in my life. Most importantly, all that God wants me to do with my life... whatever it may be.

What have you lost sight of?

 

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

summer begins

Friday may very well have been my first day of summer...

Why is that you ask? Because on Friday at noon, I was home, I hadn't showered yet and I was drinking coffee.... I had worked many many days straight and the LPGA was over, so I took the day off!

It was sunny and wonderful outside. I had no pressing deadlines, no work to do, just things I should do.... you know, those things that get neglected when you work long days for 2 weeks straight. Cleaning, vaccuming, picking up what I dropped on the floor each day when I got home exhausted... and just plain relaxing.

From Monday June 4th, through Sunday June 10th (LPGA week) I worked about 75 hours. But then no, I didn't take the following days off... it was Expo tear down after all. So after working the 4th through the 14th... I took a day off. 

My life is no longer consumed by Expo planning and executing details, managing staff, product coming and going, sponsors, credentials, golf carts, and so many other things. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself... but at the same time I love it. I joke about having the brain capacity to go back to normal life but it's true... I'm very happy that I once again have the ability to have a life outside of work :)

But it was good, it was a great. It was again a time when God showed me His strength, His power, and His ability to take over, because I'm human, I get tired, and I get overwhelmed with what seems impossible.

I'm not sure what the rest of this summer will hold, but I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store...

I breathe in

I breathe in deeply knowing that this quiet calm won't last very long. 

I may want this moment to last... but I know I'll love the change when it comes.

 

My job has seasons of busyness.

Last year was the 1st time I took on this special assignment and in early June I found myself overwhelmed with work... for the 1st time in my life. But it was good, my comfort zone was stretched, my abilities grew, the challenge, the unknown... it was good for me.

 

Why?

 

Because I had to rely on HIM,

not my own limited abilities or my limited strength.

But I have one great resource in God.

In Him I have everything.

 

 

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2