H and K: In case you haven't heard, seen, or read lately, the world is going a little bit crazy. Ok...it's straight up lost its mind. We're all holding our breath until November, wondering what dubious schemes or outlandish comments our incumbent presidential candidates will throw out next. We grieve with complete strangers as yet another story breaks the news of a shooting. We think of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East and their constant living in terror and fear of persecution.
The worlds within our own four walls seem to be going crazy too. We pray for our friends who are dealing with death, loss, sickness, hopelessness, uncertainty, We pray for our own family as we deal with aging grandparents and the roller coaster rides that come with that. We pray for each other as we walk through this (hopefully soon ending) season of waiting and anticipation. We recently passed another anniversary of the loss of a dear friend.
Life just seems to be hard right now. We're willing to bet that some of you wonder if God is even really there, if He's even listening at all.
He is.
And for us, He's lightened the heaviness in our hearts by providing us peace when we wouldn't normally have had it. But more than that, He has put some amazingly supportive and kind friends into our lives, many just this year. When we moved to Richmond almost a year ago (whaaat??), for a time we both struggled with loneliness; even though Richmond is only 15 minutes away from Berea, we didn't have any friends close by anymore, and that was hard. It was just within a few months of moving that we re-reconnected (we never really lost touch but life had us all in different directions for a while) with some friends of ours, and now they and their three "kids" have warmed their way back into our hearts and lives again. Some of our fondest memories of 2016 have involved them and we are just so, so thankful, for that and for the future. The story is kind of serendipitous, in a way...it's how Holly met Justin. :) And then we've made a new friend who lives in Richmond (yay!!!), she's so bubbly and fun-spirited and full of life and Jesus and we just love spending time with her.
And there are others...so, so many others, who have sent us cards for no reason, who have sent us texts just to say they were thinking of us, who have stopped by the house with little "just because" gifts, who have embraced us with so many hugs, prayers, lunch dates, and kind words that sometimes we believe it's so much more than what we deserve.
For me (Holly), I believe that God sometimes manifests Himself through the people He has put in our lives. Think about it: The closeness we feel when we are with those we love. That one word, affirmation, or piece of advice/wisdom from a friend, right when you need it. When your friend or loved one finally reveals that their long-time struggle is over, and you can directly remember praying over that same struggle. Just think about it.
The truth is that we need each other. Plain and simple. The way we interact with those around us...well, it sets an example. It shines the light of Jesus into a world that seems to be plunging deeper into darkness. Being kind or loving those in our lives certainly isn't going to change the world or stop all the violence and nonsense taking place. But it will help make our corner of the world a little brighter. Worry less. Complain less. Compare less. Pray more. Thank more. Practice gratitude more. Encourage more. Love more. Our spirits have been lifted by the company we keep. What can you do to uplift those in your life, even if everything seems to be going fine for them? How can you encourage someone this week?
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. -1 John 3:18
Showing posts with label helping people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label helping people. Show all posts
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
The attraction of negativity
Kelly: Picture this; you read something on Facebook about so and so's rant about x topic/place/person. There's a slew of "right on's!" and "you tell them!" and "you're right!" You see a friend of yours crying because they're upset something didn't go right, then a few people gather around, hug them, tell them everything's ok. You work with kids/teenagers and one of them starts throwing a fit, so all of a sudden all of your attention has to go away from everyone who's behaving themselves to the one person who's acting out.
Does any of this sound familiar to any of you? I'm guessing probably so.
So now picture this; you see someone walking down the street, and they're happy go lucky, not a care in the world. You walk on by and let them be without asking. You read something on Facebook about how so and so had a good day. Chances are, you probably just skipped right over it and didn't even think about it.
And now I've probably got you thinking. Have you noticed that in today's world, attention goes on negative attitudes/behaviors? Or is that just me? Has anyone else but me wondered why that is? I'm fairly certain we've touched on this subject before, but it bears repeating, at least I think it does. It's kind of frustrating to me, you know? I think I find it most frustrating because I don't have an answer to the very question I'm posing. Why????? It just seems so backwards. I know it's something I'm guilty of too, and it happens a lot, especially where I work. Some days it seems like all I do is put out bombs caused by temper tantrums, and it really takes away from the time I want to spend praising those for having a good attitude. I'm trying to be more mindful of how I am too and about what I share on social media. Is what I'm posting really going to help someone? Encourage someone? Or am I just using it as a platform to excuse my lack of better word, bitch about something that I have no control over? Just a little food for thought.
Holly: Yes, I notice it. I notice it a lot. Or, on another extreme...if you're positive, "bubbly", or just a good-natured person, sometimes you're asked "what's wrong with you?" Like, why are you like that all the time? I once had a boss tell me I was too nice.
What?
I don't get it either. I mean, from personal experience, the longer I spend time with someone who is just perpetually in a crappy mood, the more I find that I'M starting to get affected by it. I'm turning more cynical, negative. Why do we, or others, find it irresistible to feed into drama, rants, general negativity? I don't get it. Someone please explain!
I too am doing my best to be mindful...hence my 365-day gratitude/thankfulness picture project I'm doing on Facebook (so is Kelly). I know it's not much. But I like to post things on Facebook to encourage, make someone laugh, invoke joy. Positivity! They say nice guys finish last and I just don't think that's true. We should always be kind to one another and build one another up. And one way you can do that, definitely, is through social media. But don't just stop there. Really try to be a positive example wherever you go. I'm working on it every day. Because, truthfully, I'd much rather be told I'm "too nice" than the opposite.
Does any of this sound familiar to any of you? I'm guessing probably so.
So now picture this; you see someone walking down the street, and they're happy go lucky, not a care in the world. You walk on by and let them be without asking. You read something on Facebook about how so and so had a good day. Chances are, you probably just skipped right over it and didn't even think about it.
And now I've probably got you thinking. Have you noticed that in today's world, attention goes on negative attitudes/behaviors? Or is that just me? Has anyone else but me wondered why that is? I'm fairly certain we've touched on this subject before, but it bears repeating, at least I think it does. It's kind of frustrating to me, you know? I think I find it most frustrating because I don't have an answer to the very question I'm posing. Why????? It just seems so backwards. I know it's something I'm guilty of too, and it happens a lot, especially where I work. Some days it seems like all I do is put out bombs caused by temper tantrums, and it really takes away from the time I want to spend praising those for having a good attitude. I'm trying to be more mindful of how I am too and about what I share on social media. Is what I'm posting really going to help someone? Encourage someone? Or am I just using it as a platform to excuse my lack of better word, bitch about something that I have no control over? Just a little food for thought.
Holly: Yes, I notice it. I notice it a lot. Or, on another extreme...if you're positive, "bubbly", or just a good-natured person, sometimes you're asked "what's wrong with you?" Like, why are you like that all the time? I once had a boss tell me I was too nice.
What?
I don't get it either. I mean, from personal experience, the longer I spend time with someone who is just perpetually in a crappy mood, the more I find that I'M starting to get affected by it. I'm turning more cynical, negative. Why do we, or others, find it irresistible to feed into drama, rants, general negativity? I don't get it. Someone please explain!
I too am doing my best to be mindful...hence my 365-day gratitude/thankfulness picture project I'm doing on Facebook (so is Kelly). I know it's not much. But I like to post things on Facebook to encourage, make someone laugh, invoke joy. Positivity! They say nice guys finish last and I just don't think that's true. We should always be kind to one another and build one another up. And one way you can do that, definitely, is through social media. But don't just stop there. Really try to be a positive example wherever you go. I'm working on it every day. Because, truthfully, I'd much rather be told I'm "too nice" than the opposite.
Monday, October 12, 2015
You're the Inspiration!
Holly: No, we're not about to break out into song here...although who doesn't love Chicago? Anyway, a little off topic here. Happy October, everyone! Is it just me or is 2015 flying right by? It seems like just yesterday we were all digging ourselves out of substantial amounts of white stuff, and now it seems like a distant memory, one I'm sure many of us wouldn't mind forgetting.
Life is pretty swell for us lately. It definitely hasn't come without its share of bumps, but that's another set of stories for another day :) Part of the swellness of life for us is our work, and that's where my story begins...
Today I attended a workshop that catered to, admittedly, mostly Berea faculty, but there were Development staff present, as well as myself and one of my bosses. The topic, along with many other sub-topics, was philanthropic fundraising: identifying donors, relating to donors on a personal level, some strategies, etc etc etc. I won't bore y'all, but one of the "kickers" was sharing stories that inspire. I was seated next to a current Berea professor and we both marveled at the fact that Berea draws in a crowd that has some pretty incredible stories. This professor was telling about a current student of his: how she'd come from a poor family in Alabama, how she'd had numerous travel and internship opportunities, how she was doing "exceptional work" (his words), and that she was working multiple jobs even as a student. And, he concluded, "she's still not done yet." I was immediately struck by something, and I verbalized it almost immediately, "I love this story," I said, "I mean, I could be here all day going on about the professors that inspired me, but it's so cool- the professors are inspired by the students too." He agreed, but then commented that he didn't think that he made an impact on his students- it was the joy of seeing his students thrive and realize their potential that made the difference.
But that's where I [mentally] disagree. If you don't think you've made an impact, or been at least some degree of inspiration, that is not true. For me, anyway. Even with the classes that I absolutely HATED (and there were a few), I still learned something. I was still challenged in some way, be it through an assignment, or even a way of thinking. And with those professors that immediately stick out in my mind having been the most influential to me, both personally and professionally...I could fill volumes. There is something to be said about attending a college in which the opportunity to build a relationship with a professor, both in and out of class, is not only more than just an idea; it's a living, tangible, meaningful reality. From way too many after-class conversations about EVERYTHING, to just learning how to deal with people when they weren't at their best, I graduated from Berea College with more than just a Bachelor's degree.
Kelly: I was sitting in the chair of my department's office, crying. Graduation was 3 months away, and I was dead set in my head that I was going to fail the program in my last semester. I was pouring my heart out, verbalizing feelings of "feeling picked on," like a failure and feeling like I was miles behind my 12 classmates. After I got it all out, she first said that I was past the point of failing. The second thing she said to me I still remember to this day.
"You can do this, and you're going to do this."
So I did. I made it through, graduated, and passed the boards the first time around. I feel like I owe part of my career and the nurse that I am to Berea College. They pushed me and all of us not because they didn't care, but because they did care. I feel like at any other college they would just be like "well too bad" while still taking my money. Now that I'm a working nurse, I find myself hoping that I say or do something to inspire my patients. But 9 times out of 10, it's them who are inspiring me. I have learned so much from these people, because that's who they are before patients, they are people. Just recently, I was thinking about my time at Berea, which is something that I still do from time to time. One professor came to mind, and ironically it wasn't one I had for one of my nursing classes. I took this class with this specific professor on the recommendation of Holly and also, quite frankly, I just needed the filler so the college wouldn't get mad at me and drop me to only part-time status. It turned out to be one of the most challenging, yet fulfilling courses in my time. Completely disregard the fact the professor had bipolar disorder and....yeah.....part of my career goes there too. That class and the teaching and the all of it also spear-headed me to being where I am.
The point I'm trying to make through all of this is that you never know whose lives you are changing, and whose changing your lives. Think of those in your life that have inspired you. Is there a possibility that you've inspired them as well? My answer is probably.
Life is pretty swell for us lately. It definitely hasn't come without its share of bumps, but that's another set of stories for another day :) Part of the swellness of life for us is our work, and that's where my story begins...
Today I attended a workshop that catered to, admittedly, mostly Berea faculty, but there were Development staff present, as well as myself and one of my bosses. The topic, along with many other sub-topics, was philanthropic fundraising: identifying donors, relating to donors on a personal level, some strategies, etc etc etc. I won't bore y'all, but one of the "kickers" was sharing stories that inspire. I was seated next to a current Berea professor and we both marveled at the fact that Berea draws in a crowd that has some pretty incredible stories. This professor was telling about a current student of his: how she'd come from a poor family in Alabama, how she'd had numerous travel and internship opportunities, how she was doing "exceptional work" (his words), and that she was working multiple jobs even as a student. And, he concluded, "she's still not done yet." I was immediately struck by something, and I verbalized it almost immediately, "I love this story," I said, "I mean, I could be here all day going on about the professors that inspired me, but it's so cool- the professors are inspired by the students too." He agreed, but then commented that he didn't think that he made an impact on his students- it was the joy of seeing his students thrive and realize their potential that made the difference.
But that's where I [mentally] disagree. If you don't think you've made an impact, or been at least some degree of inspiration, that is not true. For me, anyway. Even with the classes that I absolutely HATED (and there were a few), I still learned something. I was still challenged in some way, be it through an assignment, or even a way of thinking. And with those professors that immediately stick out in my mind having been the most influential to me, both personally and professionally...I could fill volumes. There is something to be said about attending a college in which the opportunity to build a relationship with a professor, both in and out of class, is not only more than just an idea; it's a living, tangible, meaningful reality. From way too many after-class conversations about EVERYTHING, to just learning how to deal with people when they weren't at their best, I graduated from Berea College with more than just a Bachelor's degree.
Kelly: I was sitting in the chair of my department's office, crying. Graduation was 3 months away, and I was dead set in my head that I was going to fail the program in my last semester. I was pouring my heart out, verbalizing feelings of "feeling picked on," like a failure and feeling like I was miles behind my 12 classmates. After I got it all out, she first said that I was past the point of failing. The second thing she said to me I still remember to this day.
"You can do this, and you're going to do this."
So I did. I made it through, graduated, and passed the boards the first time around. I feel like I owe part of my career and the nurse that I am to Berea College. They pushed me and all of us not because they didn't care, but because they did care. I feel like at any other college they would just be like "well too bad" while still taking my money. Now that I'm a working nurse, I find myself hoping that I say or do something to inspire my patients. But 9 times out of 10, it's them who are inspiring me. I have learned so much from these people, because that's who they are before patients, they are people. Just recently, I was thinking about my time at Berea, which is something that I still do from time to time. One professor came to mind, and ironically it wasn't one I had for one of my nursing classes. I took this class with this specific professor on the recommendation of Holly and also, quite frankly, I just needed the filler so the college wouldn't get mad at me and drop me to only part-time status. It turned out to be one of the most challenging, yet fulfilling courses in my time. Completely disregard the fact the professor had bipolar disorder and....yeah.....part of my career goes there too. That class and the teaching and the all of it also spear-headed me to being where I am.
The point I'm trying to make through all of this is that you never know whose lives you are changing, and whose changing your lives. Think of those in your life that have inspired you. Is there a possibility that you've inspired them as well? My answer is probably.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
A Nurses Week post
Kelly: This was actually Holly's idea! Today begins Nurses week, a celebration of nurses past and present. It starts today and ends on the 12th, which is the birthday of none other than Florence Nightingale. It means I'll get a nice spiel at work about how appreciated I am and a lovely present (there is NO sarcasm in that previous statement whatsoever) :) It was Holly's idea to come up with our favorite nurses, real and fictitious. Since we share the same favorite fictitious ones, I figured I would share my favorite real ones! I honestly have too many to name; 4 come to mind, and I hope they know who they are. Due to privacy reasons I'm keeping their names anonymous. Unfortunately, because of my schedule change I no longer work with these awesome nurses anymore, but I am indebted forever to these individuals. They've taken me under their wings, mentored me, challenged me, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with them. Some have become strictly colleagues, while some have become very close friends of mine. I've learned so much from them, and they've learned some from me too....I hope. Hahaha! So cheers to the four of you I have in mind; thank you for being there for me and helping me grow not only as a person but as a professional too!
Holly: We have two fictional nurses that we admire, one of which has been with us for a while, and one who has just recently entered our lives.
Our first shout-out goes to Carol Hathaway, from the show ER. I personally love Carol because although she is really good at what she does, she has a big heart for her patients and their families, which sometimes gets her into trouble. One of my favorite episodes, and the last one to feature her as a show regular, involves a woman with end stage cancer. Carol violates her DNR order, just so her two young daughters can say goodbye. This particular situation causes Carol to evaluate some of her own choices, and in what is quite possibly the most romantic notion ever, she gets on a plane to Seattle, just to find out if Doug still loves her (Guess what? He still does, and they live happily ever after!)
And secondly, we would like to honor none other than Abigail Morgan. We met Abigail, honestly, just a couple of weeks ago; she can be found in the show Forever. Abigail was the wife of Henry, the show's main protagonist, and she was an army nurse treating prisoners of concentration camps during WWII. Unfortunately, her story does not have a happy ending and, without revealing any major plot spoilers, we discovered that Abigail possesses a fierce and loyal love for her family, despite Henry's immortality. And bravery. Oh, was she brave.
So there you have it, folks! Remember to take some time this week (and every week!!) to thank the nurses in your lives! They do a lot :)
 |
| As for me, I'm pretty stinking proud of this "real" nurse on the right of me :) |
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Introducing....Spout!
A spotlight on Christ. An outlet to plug in and share life.
Holly and Kelly: Our church has a great youth program, starting as early as babies up to high school, in addition to an AWANA program that has garnered a huge amount of success. Our church also has a great variety of adult programs that meet throughout the week. We have Men's Sunday, Women's Sunday, Deacon Ordination Sunday and Youth Sunday. We have a Sunday School class for college students.
And that's it.
This is where we come in.
Starting in October, the two of us will be having a home-based small group for college students/young adults. The purpose is to have in-depth discussions based on Scripture and to fellowship with one another in other ways. College is a crucial time, and while we want to have a Christ-centered focus, we also want to extend Christ's love and hospitality to those who choose to become a part of this group. If a student wants to come over and hang out, has a question about a class or professor, is facing a faith challenge, or just needs a ride to Wal-Mart, we want to be there for them as much as possible during this time. It is also a chance for us too, because we feel this responsibility, because let's face it, that's what it is, has been called upon us by God and we have decided to take the plunge and obey Christ. We have no idea what to expect, how many students will come, if any, and what sort of needs these students may have. But we're willing and ready to face whatever may come of it. We're excited, a little bit anxious, but have prayed and consoled with other Christians we trust and we feel this is a step in the right direction.
Maybe this is what following and obeying Christ is really about.
Now, a quick disclaimer: We are NOT, repeat, NOT leaving Berea Baptist. We love our church and still value and cherish the relationships we have there. We still love being in the choir and don't foresee that changing for a long time. We have NO ill-will towards the church what. so. ever. We simply see this need that the church possesses, and we feel that God has called us to try to meet that need. We love the messages every week and are deeply encouraged and challenged. We can't predict the success of this upcoming endeavor- only God can. And we're trusting Him to see this through.
So that's it. We appreciate your support in this decision we have made, and we are so thankful that it was at this church where we felt this need was started. The picture on the bottom is a tiny bloom, and we thought that was fitting. We want to help these young people grow, and in turn we will grow as well.
Holly and Kelly: Our church has a great youth program, starting as early as babies up to high school, in addition to an AWANA program that has garnered a huge amount of success. Our church also has a great variety of adult programs that meet throughout the week. We have Men's Sunday, Women's Sunday, Deacon Ordination Sunday and Youth Sunday. We have a Sunday School class for college students.
And that's it.
This is where we come in.
Starting in October, the two of us will be having a home-based small group for college students/young adults. The purpose is to have in-depth discussions based on Scripture and to fellowship with one another in other ways. College is a crucial time, and while we want to have a Christ-centered focus, we also want to extend Christ's love and hospitality to those who choose to become a part of this group. If a student wants to come over and hang out, has a question about a class or professor, is facing a faith challenge, or just needs a ride to Wal-Mart, we want to be there for them as much as possible during this time. It is also a chance for us too, because we feel this responsibility, because let's face it, that's what it is, has been called upon us by God and we have decided to take the plunge and obey Christ. We have no idea what to expect, how many students will come, if any, and what sort of needs these students may have. But we're willing and ready to face whatever may come of it. We're excited, a little bit anxious, but have prayed and consoled with other Christians we trust and we feel this is a step in the right direction.
Maybe this is what following and obeying Christ is really about.
Now, a quick disclaimer: We are NOT, repeat, NOT leaving Berea Baptist. We love our church and still value and cherish the relationships we have there. We still love being in the choir and don't foresee that changing for a long time. We have NO ill-will towards the church what. so. ever. We simply see this need that the church possesses, and we feel that God has called us to try to meet that need. We love the messages every week and are deeply encouraged and challenged. We can't predict the success of this upcoming endeavor- only God can. And we're trusting Him to see this through.
So that's it. We appreciate your support in this decision we have made, and we are so thankful that it was at this church where we felt this need was started. The picture on the bottom is a tiny bloom, and we thought that was fitting. We want to help these young people grow, and in turn we will grow as well.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Work that doesn't feel like work
Holly: Not too long ago we came across this article:
"It was so much better than real life."
Yes, I know it's another Doctor Who related thing, but bear with us. The overarching theme is simple: work that doesn't feel like work. In the above article, Tom Baker mentions how he would grow sad at the end of the day, because he was so enthralled in the fantastic Who world, and his real world wasn't all that fantastic. We've talked about this at length. I'm about to start my year of service as an Americorps VISTA, and notice I used the word "service". Because it's not a job. It's filling a need, working with common-minded individuals, being a part of something that's greater than yourself, and I know I'm going to enjoy this because for those reasons, but also because I've been trying to get my foot in the door at Berea College for quite some time now. It's important to enjoy what you do, because it's so, so easy to get caught up in the "jobness" of it all. I encourage you to evaluate your current position, really consider if you enjoy it. If not, perhaps it's time for a change. It's never too late.
Do any of you have a job that doesn't feel like a job? Would be happy to hear! :)
Just a little something to remember: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:58b
Kelly: So often when I talk to people about what I do, I get the response of "wow that must be so hard." Well yeah, sometimes it is. But sometimes it's like going to the grocery store, or to church or just out in town. More often than not I just talk to my patients. Not about their illnesses, their medications (though sometimes I do) but just about stuff in their lives, or what's on the news, or if someone said something funny. But really, anybody can talk to people. Put aside the fact that they have a mental illness or two, but yeah. And that's one of the reasons why I love what I do, because I love talking to people. I think that a friendly face can make a difference in someone's day. I did one small act of kindness and just talked to a patient, and at the end of the day she smiled at me and said "you made my crappy day a lot better." It's the little things, like Holly said, filling a need. It also helps that this was something I wanted to do; this field. I'm never bored, and most often it really doesn't feel like work. To me, it's a tell tale sign that I really enjoy what I do.
When I watch Tom Baker's era as the Doctor, I can see his passion and his love for the Who-niverse in his eyes, smile, and demeanor. You can tell he just adores what he is doing in the moment. I think that's why he stayed as long as he did. So there you have it. You can make the best of any crappy job situation, and it's hard. It takes a lot of work, but you can do it! Give it a go; you'll be amazed at how much your mentality will change.
"It was so much better than real life."
Yes, I know it's another Doctor Who related thing, but bear with us. The overarching theme is simple: work that doesn't feel like work. In the above article, Tom Baker mentions how he would grow sad at the end of the day, because he was so enthralled in the fantastic Who world, and his real world wasn't all that fantastic. We've talked about this at length. I'm about to start my year of service as an Americorps VISTA, and notice I used the word "service". Because it's not a job. It's filling a need, working with common-minded individuals, being a part of something that's greater than yourself, and I know I'm going to enjoy this because for those reasons, but also because I've been trying to get my foot in the door at Berea College for quite some time now. It's important to enjoy what you do, because it's so, so easy to get caught up in the "jobness" of it all. I encourage you to evaluate your current position, really consider if you enjoy it. If not, perhaps it's time for a change. It's never too late.
Do any of you have a job that doesn't feel like a job? Would be happy to hear! :)
Just a little something to remember: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:58b
Kelly: So often when I talk to people about what I do, I get the response of "wow that must be so hard." Well yeah, sometimes it is. But sometimes it's like going to the grocery store, or to church or just out in town. More often than not I just talk to my patients. Not about their illnesses, their medications (though sometimes I do) but just about stuff in their lives, or what's on the news, or if someone said something funny. But really, anybody can talk to people. Put aside the fact that they have a mental illness or two, but yeah. And that's one of the reasons why I love what I do, because I love talking to people. I think that a friendly face can make a difference in someone's day. I did one small act of kindness and just talked to a patient, and at the end of the day she smiled at me and said "you made my crappy day a lot better." It's the little things, like Holly said, filling a need. It also helps that this was something I wanted to do; this field. I'm never bored, and most often it really doesn't feel like work. To me, it's a tell tale sign that I really enjoy what I do.
When I watch Tom Baker's era as the Doctor, I can see his passion and his love for the Who-niverse in his eyes, smile, and demeanor. You can tell he just adores what he is doing in the moment. I think that's why he stayed as long as he did. So there you have it. You can make the best of any crappy job situation, and it's hard. It takes a lot of work, but you can do it! Give it a go; you'll be amazed at how much your mentality will change.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Being content: Identifying that "spark"
Kelly: Today Holly asked me a serious question. She asked me "how did you know you wanted to do what you do now?" I had thought of this before, but the obvious answer, like when someone asks you how you know if he/she is "the one", what's the most common answer? You just know. Right? Well yeah, that's what I said. It's true, but she wanted more, and on the spot I wasn't prepared to answer that. I had some time to think about it, and I answered honestly; I was passionate about the field I am in. When I was in nursing school three years ago and I was where I currently work, and I saw these patients. Then it hit me; mental illness isn't someone tied up in a straight jacket beating their head against the wall or drooling. These people, because that's what they are before patients, have families, friends, jobs, that they have sometimes given up to get themselves on the road to get better. I told myself that there was so much about these illnesses that I didn't understand, and I wanted to learn more about them.
It's hard sometimes to know what we want to do with ourselves. Sometimes I feel like I still am not sure I'm in the right place. But then, more often, I get affirmations that this is exactly where I am meant to be. So that's that. I love what I do. It makes me sad when I see people doing something where their mind may be in it but their heart is a million miles away. And I also believe that God calls us to do what we do because He gives us that spark in something. I believe that's part of why I ended up where I am now.
Holly: I've had almost 24 hours to mull this over. I'll keep my part brief. So here goes:
Hello, my name is Holly Korb. I graduated from Berea College with a B.A. in Biology. I've worked 4 jobs in 2 years, 2 of them being temporary, one being part-time. My last week with UK Biology starts Monday. In spite of ALL of this, I still have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life. There, I said it.
Do I feel ok about that? Ehh....some days are easier than others. But while driving to work this morning, I was talking to God about my anxieties, the fact that I've become a bit of a job-hopper, that I'm afraid of getting into a perpetual "What's next?" rut. And then something kind of dawned on me: Why do we have to be defined by what we do with our lives? Why can't we be defined by what we live for? Or, more importantly, who we live for.
The next statement some of you may disagree with (only because I know many people who have their lives planned out, they have dead-set career goals, which is AWESOME. I envy you slightly) but I think that in a society with an unstable economy, at best, I think it's complete crap that this society basically expects us college graduates to know exactly what we want to do as soon as we walk off that stage with our degree. It's complete crap only for the simple fact that we will probably change our minds. And if we don't change our minds, then plans change. Things fall through. That's just the way it goes. Jobs are not forever. Which goes back to my earlier question...why do we have to be defined by what we do with our lives?
Hello, my name is Holly Korb, and I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. But I know who I live for, and that's God, and He has all this figured out. And that has to be enough for now.
It's hard sometimes to know what we want to do with ourselves. Sometimes I feel like I still am not sure I'm in the right place. But then, more often, I get affirmations that this is exactly where I am meant to be. So that's that. I love what I do. It makes me sad when I see people doing something where their mind may be in it but their heart is a million miles away. And I also believe that God calls us to do what we do because He gives us that spark in something. I believe that's part of why I ended up where I am now.
Holly: I've had almost 24 hours to mull this over. I'll keep my part brief. So here goes:
Hello, my name is Holly Korb. I graduated from Berea College with a B.A. in Biology. I've worked 4 jobs in 2 years, 2 of them being temporary, one being part-time. My last week with UK Biology starts Monday. In spite of ALL of this, I still have absolutely no idea what I want to do with my life. There, I said it.
Do I feel ok about that? Ehh....some days are easier than others. But while driving to work this morning, I was talking to God about my anxieties, the fact that I've become a bit of a job-hopper, that I'm afraid of getting into a perpetual "What's next?" rut. And then something kind of dawned on me: Why do we have to be defined by what we do with our lives? Why can't we be defined by what we live for? Or, more importantly, who we live for.
The next statement some of you may disagree with (only because I know many people who have their lives planned out, they have dead-set career goals, which is AWESOME. I envy you slightly) but I think that in a society with an unstable economy, at best, I think it's complete crap that this society basically expects us college graduates to know exactly what we want to do as soon as we walk off that stage with our degree. It's complete crap only for the simple fact that we will probably change our minds. And if we don't change our minds, then plans change. Things fall through. That's just the way it goes. Jobs are not forever. Which goes back to my earlier question...why do we have to be defined by what we do with our lives?
Hello, my name is Holly Korb, and I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. But I know who I live for, and that's God, and He has all this figured out. And that has to be enough for now.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Living life with no desire, not a flame but a fire.
Kelly: This morning, the two of us were presented with an opportunity to possibly fill a need in our church that several of us feel has not been met. For quite some time now, it's been under the assumption that this need has been "taken care of" and that others are doing something about it. In other words, there really isn't a clear direction. Anyway, more on that later, but that's what's been going on. What inspired this tidbit of possibly new direction was this morning at church. In today's day and age, we are all circling in our own orbits of day after day life, wondering how we're going to live for ourselves. Seriously, it's true. Even I myself am guilty of it. But how often do we think about those around us? I know that even in my line of work, when I walk out the door my mind is wondering of how I'm going to spend my next few days off.
It's no secret that we love helping people. I've dabbled into different volunteer opportunities for a while, but after a short amount of time found it wasn't my niche or the other volunteers were often gossiping about things not getting done or were sometimes judgmental towards those who came in. I witnessed this while at a food bank as a volunteer, and removed myself from there because it was a place I felt I did not or should not be mixed into. Hard to show the love of God when the majority are acting in ways that are the complete opposite of such. I have been praying for a while to find ways to use my time off in other ways other than myself; tired of being selfish let's just say. And then this opportunity came up. I don't know what kind of fruit this will produce; hopefully good but again, all in God's will and in His perfect plan. The title of today's post is derived from the words of a song by Matthew West titled "Do Something." Listen to it if you want a good encouraging message and a reminder of our duty as Christians. It's up to us; nobody else is going to take care of it. If not us then who? If not now then when?
Holly: I read a status on Facebook a while back from a young mother, claiming that she hated every single thing about being a parent, yet she loved her child (I really wish I was making this up). Part of this rationale was that this person believed that we as humans were entitled to being selfish. I could not disagree with this more.
I might get some flack for this statement, but I believe it to be true, completely regardless of whether or not you are a Christian: Life is not about you. There. I said it. I think, as a Christian, or even as a decent human being, we ought to be seeking out ways to serve others, instead of attempting to fulfill our own desires. Guys, I am far from a pristine example of this. I still am learning, but it is only by the grace of God that I can keep trying. Something that struck me especially from the sermon today (which we've heard before) is that we waste so much time on trivial, meaningless things. We compartmentalize ourselves, turn ourselves into islands with our Netflix and our iPhones and we just completely miss the point. Again, Guilty. As. Charged. Things are just that....things. Things don't last. Period. One of my favorite passages of Scripture comes from 2 Corinthians 4: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
As Kelly mentioned, we have an opportunity at our feet that, right now, we aren't sure of much. It's still in the planning stages, but we are praying for God's will and direction, confirmation that this is what He wants to do. He knows our hearts and our desires. At least for me, one of the goals is that we will reach out to those in need, that we will open our homes and our hearts, and that we will bring them to Jesus. That's the main goal: Jesus. Because I still think life isn't about us.
If not us, then who?
If not me and you right now, it's time for us to do something!
If not now, then when?
Will we see an end to all this pain?
It's not enough to do nothing. It's time for us to do something!
We are the salt of the earth, we are a city on a hill
We're never going to change the world by standing still
It's no secret that we love helping people. I've dabbled into different volunteer opportunities for a while, but after a short amount of time found it wasn't my niche or the other volunteers were often gossiping about things not getting done or were sometimes judgmental towards those who came in. I witnessed this while at a food bank as a volunteer, and removed myself from there because it was a place I felt I did not or should not be mixed into. Hard to show the love of God when the majority are acting in ways that are the complete opposite of such. I have been praying for a while to find ways to use my time off in other ways other than myself; tired of being selfish let's just say. And then this opportunity came up. I don't know what kind of fruit this will produce; hopefully good but again, all in God's will and in His perfect plan. The title of today's post is derived from the words of a song by Matthew West titled "Do Something." Listen to it if you want a good encouraging message and a reminder of our duty as Christians. It's up to us; nobody else is going to take care of it. If not us then who? If not now then when?
Holly: I read a status on Facebook a while back from a young mother, claiming that she hated every single thing about being a parent, yet she loved her child (I really wish I was making this up). Part of this rationale was that this person believed that we as humans were entitled to being selfish. I could not disagree with this more.
I might get some flack for this statement, but I believe it to be true, completely regardless of whether or not you are a Christian: Life is not about you. There. I said it. I think, as a Christian, or even as a decent human being, we ought to be seeking out ways to serve others, instead of attempting to fulfill our own desires. Guys, I am far from a pristine example of this. I still am learning, but it is only by the grace of God that I can keep trying. Something that struck me especially from the sermon today (which we've heard before) is that we waste so much time on trivial, meaningless things. We compartmentalize ourselves, turn ourselves into islands with our Netflix and our iPhones and we just completely miss the point. Again, Guilty. As. Charged. Things are just that....things. Things don't last. Period. One of my favorite passages of Scripture comes from 2 Corinthians 4: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
As Kelly mentioned, we have an opportunity at our feet that, right now, we aren't sure of much. It's still in the planning stages, but we are praying for God's will and direction, confirmation that this is what He wants to do. He knows our hearts and our desires. At least for me, one of the goals is that we will reach out to those in need, that we will open our homes and our hearts, and that we will bring them to Jesus. That's the main goal: Jesus. Because I still think life isn't about us.
If not us, then who?
If not me and you right now, it's time for us to do something!
If not now, then when?
Will we see an end to all this pain?
It's not enough to do nothing. It's time for us to do something!
We are the salt of the earth, we are a city on a hill
We're never going to change the world by standing still
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
30 Days of Doctor Who: Favorite Couple
Kelly: This took me a while to deliberate, but my favorite are the sweet, lovable and adorable Ponds!
I think I love them so much because they remind me of me; it took them a while to realize they were more than friends, found something, had some problems but got back together. Though I'm currently not in a relationship....there has been something stirring around in my life for a wee bit...stay tuned on that. They then let the Doctor into their lives and house when he has to solve the mystery of the millions of small cubes...ahh another one of my favorite episodes. Plus Rory's a nurse...like me!!! Like many of the Doctor's companions, he helps them, but I think that though he doesn't know it, they help him too. I hope one day to find someone who loves Amy the way Rory does. A man who would wait 2,000 YEARS for the woman he loves is a keeper, whoops. Spoilers.
Holly: If Amy and Rory were any sweeter, I would have diabetes. Fo shiz. I'm going to talk about a fairly popular combination.........drum roll please................
Ah yes, Ten and Rose. I loved them within the first five minutes of them being on screen together (granted, Ten was newly regenerated and mostly in a comatose-like state), but I digress. Rose was his first companion, and over just the one season with Nine we went from MAJOR uncertainty, almost a brashness, to a deep caring, on both parts. Rose was devastated to lose Nine, and it took a while for her to warm up to this completely different Doctor. And then we lost Rose......man, that still gets me after all this time.
I don't care what anyone else says, plain and simple, they loved each other. Heck, Rose was the ONLY companion to tell the Doctor "I love you". Traveling with the Doctor changed Rose, definitely, but it's only until later when we realize that traveling with Rose changed the Doctor as well. "You made me better," he tells her towards the end of "Journey's End". She saved him from himself, and he saved her from a life full of "what ifs". And then some. I think, secretly, they both made us all better. The end of their story, of course, is nothing short of heartbreaking, but I think that in any love story there is some element of tragedy, loss.
I love their story, I love watching them together. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of it.
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| Maw!!! Don't you just love them? :))))) |
Holly: If Amy and Rory were any sweeter, I would have diabetes. Fo shiz. I'm going to talk about a fairly popular combination.........drum roll please................
 |
| You probably guessed it a long time ago :) |
I don't care what anyone else says, plain and simple, they loved each other. Heck, Rose was the ONLY companion to tell the Doctor "I love you". Traveling with the Doctor changed Rose, definitely, but it's only until later when we realize that traveling with Rose changed the Doctor as well. "You made me better," he tells her towards the end of "Journey's End". She saved him from himself, and he saved her from a life full of "what ifs". And then some. I think, secretly, they both made us all better. The end of their story, of course, is nothing short of heartbreaking, but I think that in any love story there is some element of tragedy, loss.
I love their story, I love watching them together. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of it.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Potpurri post #8
Kelly: Realized: we have not done one of these since February. It's a general consensus that we share just some of the things that have been going on in our lives. We put the Christmas tree up a few days ago; Wiley keeps trying to eat it. Ever since we've been at our current house, Yoda does this adorable thing when she smells something unusual; we call it grinning. Last night I got home from work and she grinned after smelling my feet. Twice. Annnnnnnnnnnd....the litter box reeks again. Lovely.
I woke up this morning to a voice mail from my nurse manager, reminding me of a 4 hour medication class I will be attending this Thursday in the morning, on top of working my regularly scheduled shift. The circumstances as to why I am taking that class are of no importance, but yeah. Happy Monday to me....hahaha I'm teasing. I was half expecting a "hey can you come in and work today" voice mail. It was a pretty slow weekend at work; our census is low again, so yay! And now Wiley is trying to climb on my arm; we had a nice cuddle this afternoon when I was watching Titanic. Oh yeah, and I'm giving blood tomorrow. Yippee!! That's about all to report; nothing really on. One last thing; WE'RE GOING TO OHIO FOR THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!! :D
Holly: Did you know that crayfish spit? Yep, I didn't either, until it happened to me today. Moooving on...
Guess that's a good sign work is going well. I've been there just a tad over 3 months now, and a sure-fire sign that I'm used to the early mornings is that on weekends, I'm wide awake by 9:30. Granted, I don't get out of bed until 10ish. But still. What I wouldn't give for my college glory days of sleeping in until 11-11:30, sometimes noon.
SMAUG IS COMING IN 25 DAYS!!!!!!!! It's beginning to get ridiculous how excited we are.
Kelly is now showing me a YouTube hack: Apparently, if you type "1980" after pausing a video it turns into a game sort of thing where you have to protect your video from flying missiles. Aaannnd, this is probably why we're still single. hahahahahahaha
I woke up this morning to a voice mail from my nurse manager, reminding me of a 4 hour medication class I will be attending this Thursday in the morning, on top of working my regularly scheduled shift. The circumstances as to why I am taking that class are of no importance, but yeah. Happy Monday to me....hahaha I'm teasing. I was half expecting a "hey can you come in and work today" voice mail. It was a pretty slow weekend at work; our census is low again, so yay! And now Wiley is trying to climb on my arm; we had a nice cuddle this afternoon when I was watching Titanic. Oh yeah, and I'm giving blood tomorrow. Yippee!! That's about all to report; nothing really on. One last thing; WE'RE GOING TO OHIO FOR THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!! :D
Holly: Did you know that crayfish spit? Yep, I didn't either, until it happened to me today. Moooving on...
Guess that's a good sign work is going well. I've been there just a tad over 3 months now, and a sure-fire sign that I'm used to the early mornings is that on weekends, I'm wide awake by 9:30. Granted, I don't get out of bed until 10ish. But still. What I wouldn't give for my college glory days of sleeping in until 11-11:30, sometimes noon.
SMAUG IS COMING IN 25 DAYS!!!!!!!! It's beginning to get ridiculous how excited we are.
Kelly is now showing me a YouTube hack: Apparently, if you type "1980" after pausing a video it turns into a game sort of thing where you have to protect your video from flying missiles. Aaannnd, this is probably why we're still single. hahahahahahaha
One last thing, I reckon: I am super stoked for Thanksgiving. A week from Wednesday we'll be on the road (well, it's 8:40 at night so hopefully we'll be at home...) in Ohio visiting our mom and dad and brother, and possibly our grandparents. We haven't been to Ohio in almost a year, and seen our grandparents in over 2. I know that doesn't seem like a lot of time, but we're a close family. That's one of the crappy things about growing up; you don't get to see your family that much. It's funny- working in academia, you look forward to the breaks as much as the students do.
Please enjoy this picture of Yoda that I just love so much!! :) Hope life is treating you all well.
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| Yoda says hello |
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
There's always hope
Holly: Life has majorly turned for me in just a few days. It's amazing the kind of transformations that can occur in one's life, even in such a short amount of time. A week ago today I received a phone call: the full-time job I applied for back in May was being offered to me. It's in my field, it's not teaching (something I have no desire to do....right now, anyway. Things change), the pay is decent, and it's at UK, somewhere I have great experiences with. I'm three days in and I just can't help but think: This! Is this what I've been missing?
Up until a week ago, I was working two jobs. One was in the pathology department at UK, pulling slides for physicians and faculty and getting mail. It was 15 hours a week and I made just a tad over $8/hour. Looking back on it now, it's ridiculous; I was driving almost an hour each way, working for three hours a day, then coming home. There were many days in which I could only put $10 or $15 in my gas tank just to GET to work each day. Please don't misunderstand me; it was not in vain, by any means. Even though the hours and pay were so-so, I was filling large shoes in such a short amount of time, and I was often thanked and praised for doing the work I did (Which, let me also say, that's not what I was in it for, although the thanks and recognition were definitely nice). I enjoyed the people in the department as well. But I was barely scraping by, to say the least. My second job is at Old Navy; I'm still there now. But since I was spending so much on gas already, driving to UK's campus, I cut back to weekends only at ON. Most Saturdays and Sundays I worked only 4.5ish hours a day. When it's all said and done, altogether, between 2 jobs, I was making just about $200 a week. I spend that much on my share of rent once a month. So yeah. Things were tight. Really tight. Like, losing-sleep-over-potentially-overdrafting-and-not-being-able-to-pay-bills/student loans-rent tight. Literally sick to my stomach with worry. I was envious of others. I would walk past employees in the hospital and would literally think to myself: Yep, they don't have to worry about money. Yes, I'm serious. I drove myself mad over this. Let me say this: it is not God's will for us to worry! He wants us to trust Him. This has taken many, many years and sleepless nights to get to this.
I looked over my journal recently. My worries about money have spanned years. Yes, you read this correctly. YEARS. And now, I feel all those worries just disappearing. God has tremendously blessed me with this job; it's more than enough to meet my needs and then some. He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to have hope. I know there are some of you who are reading this and are going through the same struggles, or perhaps different ones. Please, please, please, please, PLEASE...don't give up. I know it's hard. God doesn't leave you, even when He feels millions of miles away. He WILL provide, even if He just takes you somewhere else. And if you don't believe in God, then I believe. I believe in you. I believe in the power of lives being changed in an instant. It happens. Let our stories encourage you. Have hope. Have faith. I know it's a terrible cliche, but things do get better. I'm a firm believer of that. We were all put on this earth for a reason, for a purpose. All will be revealed in time. Just hold on!
Even darkness must pass.
Kelly: Sometimes, like now, I wonder "why me?" What did I do to deserve what I got? What I have? Why is it that I am blessed so greatly yet there are those who I know and don't know that are struggling severely with a given situation? It's God. I'm not trying to convert those of our followers who don't believe in Christ, rather I'm just sharing my own experiences and what He has done for me and through me! But if I can say anything, it's just hang in there. Believe! Believe in something or someone! I believe in Christ; what about you?
After I graduated from Berea and prior to getting offered my current job was a period of about 3 months. I can say without a doubt those were some of the darkest days of my life. I'm certain I experienced some sort of depression. I turned into someone I did not recognize. I was hurt, sad, lonely and angry. There were some days I dreaded getting out of bed in the morning, because I know I'd have to face another day of not hearing anything from a job, or logging onto my computer and checking my gmail account because I know there would be a job rejection or two, or turning on my cell phone and receiving no voice mails asking for a call back or to schedule an interview. I cried myself so many nights to sleep, begging God to just get me through one more day. My insides curled with anger when Holly would leave for work and I'd sit on the couch and bid her good-bye, then when she came home I'd say anything just to pick a fight. Just to have a reason to vent and blow off steam. I'd go to Walmart or Walgreens to get something just to find an excuse to get out of the house. A time or two I remember having the conversations, wondering how in the world we were going to pay next month's rent or make ends meet. I'm telling you; I've felt like I was in the dark. It sucks. It HURTS. But as famously quoted in The Two Towers; "even darkness must pass." And it did. It does.
So this is for those of our readers and followers (or someone who just happened to stumble upon this) who are struggling and going through whatever hurt or struggle they're going through. Hold onto those close to you; don't push them away. I shared a part of my story because I've felt strongly to do so for quite some time now. Someone out there is feeling the way I felt, and they don't know what to do. Please, whoever you are, please don't give up. I was about ready to throw in the towel and move back to Ohio when I got the call for my dream job. God is NOT giving up on you; He didn't give up on me. Now whether or not you reader or readers believe in God is entirely your choice, but I found my hope. I found hope in God; the one and only! There is someone or something that is keeping you going, whether or not you know it.
I lift up my eyes into the mountains; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord; the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)
Up until a week ago, I was working two jobs. One was in the pathology department at UK, pulling slides for physicians and faculty and getting mail. It was 15 hours a week and I made just a tad over $8/hour. Looking back on it now, it's ridiculous; I was driving almost an hour each way, working for three hours a day, then coming home. There were many days in which I could only put $10 or $15 in my gas tank just to GET to work each day. Please don't misunderstand me; it was not in vain, by any means. Even though the hours and pay were so-so, I was filling large shoes in such a short amount of time, and I was often thanked and praised for doing the work I did (Which, let me also say, that's not what I was in it for, although the thanks and recognition were definitely nice). I enjoyed the people in the department as well. But I was barely scraping by, to say the least. My second job is at Old Navy; I'm still there now. But since I was spending so much on gas already, driving to UK's campus, I cut back to weekends only at ON. Most Saturdays and Sundays I worked only 4.5ish hours a day. When it's all said and done, altogether, between 2 jobs, I was making just about $200 a week. I spend that much on my share of rent once a month. So yeah. Things were tight. Really tight. Like, losing-sleep-over-potentially-overdrafting-and-not-being-able-to-pay-bills/student loans-rent tight. Literally sick to my stomach with worry. I was envious of others. I would walk past employees in the hospital and would literally think to myself: Yep, they don't have to worry about money. Yes, I'm serious. I drove myself mad over this. Let me say this: it is not God's will for us to worry! He wants us to trust Him. This has taken many, many years and sleepless nights to get to this.
I looked over my journal recently. My worries about money have spanned years. Yes, you read this correctly. YEARS. And now, I feel all those worries just disappearing. God has tremendously blessed me with this job; it's more than enough to meet my needs and then some. He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to have hope. I know there are some of you who are reading this and are going through the same struggles, or perhaps different ones. Please, please, please, please, PLEASE...don't give up. I know it's hard. God doesn't leave you, even when He feels millions of miles away. He WILL provide, even if He just takes you somewhere else. And if you don't believe in God, then I believe. I believe in you. I believe in the power of lives being changed in an instant. It happens. Let our stories encourage you. Have hope. Have faith. I know it's a terrible cliche, but things do get better. I'm a firm believer of that. We were all put on this earth for a reason, for a purpose. All will be revealed in time. Just hold on!
Even darkness must pass.
Kelly: Sometimes, like now, I wonder "why me?" What did I do to deserve what I got? What I have? Why is it that I am blessed so greatly yet there are those who I know and don't know that are struggling severely with a given situation? It's God. I'm not trying to convert those of our followers who don't believe in Christ, rather I'm just sharing my own experiences and what He has done for me and through me! But if I can say anything, it's just hang in there. Believe! Believe in something or someone! I believe in Christ; what about you?
After I graduated from Berea and prior to getting offered my current job was a period of about 3 months. I can say without a doubt those were some of the darkest days of my life. I'm certain I experienced some sort of depression. I turned into someone I did not recognize. I was hurt, sad, lonely and angry. There were some days I dreaded getting out of bed in the morning, because I know I'd have to face another day of not hearing anything from a job, or logging onto my computer and checking my gmail account because I know there would be a job rejection or two, or turning on my cell phone and receiving no voice mails asking for a call back or to schedule an interview. I cried myself so many nights to sleep, begging God to just get me through one more day. My insides curled with anger when Holly would leave for work and I'd sit on the couch and bid her good-bye, then when she came home I'd say anything just to pick a fight. Just to have a reason to vent and blow off steam. I'd go to Walmart or Walgreens to get something just to find an excuse to get out of the house. A time or two I remember having the conversations, wondering how in the world we were going to pay next month's rent or make ends meet. I'm telling you; I've felt like I was in the dark. It sucks. It HURTS. But as famously quoted in The Two Towers; "even darkness must pass." And it did. It does.
So this is for those of our readers and followers (or someone who just happened to stumble upon this) who are struggling and going through whatever hurt or struggle they're going through. Hold onto those close to you; don't push them away. I shared a part of my story because I've felt strongly to do so for quite some time now. Someone out there is feeling the way I felt, and they don't know what to do. Please, whoever you are, please don't give up. I was about ready to throw in the towel and move back to Ohio when I got the call for my dream job. God is NOT giving up on you; He didn't give up on me. Now whether or not you reader or readers believe in God is entirely your choice, but I found my hope. I found hope in God; the one and only! There is someone or something that is keeping you going, whether or not you know it.
I lift up my eyes into the mountains; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord; the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Asking the question "Why?"
Kelly: Earlier today, Holly and I were at our favorite coffee joint having a conversation that carried over from one that started this morning. I was reading on a website I like called Makes Me Think where people post their thought-provoking stories. Some of them are sad, funny, and mostly very inspiring. A few weeks ago, I read a story where a young lady was at her wedding when she was in the food line and her 10-year old cousin was in front of her. It mentioned that the food was a buffet style, but the 10-year-old said she didn't want to eat anything because that's how she would stay "skinny and pretty." 10 years old. Just let that sink in. I remember not too long ago I was taking my roommate to the grocery store, and I was in a t-shirt and sweat pants. This was on a Sunday, because after I got home from church I took my nice clothes off and put on those. She asked me why I did that. I had never really been asked that before, so I replied that I just wanted to be comfortable and that I really don't like dressing up...which is true. She then said that she was more self-conscious than us because she said "I would never go out like that." Which is fine. It's all fine. Some people are like that, and that's fine with me.
As most of you all know, Holly and I have continued to maintain our healthy eating/walking habits for a little over a year now. The improvements we have seen and felt in ourselves have been excellent! For my new job I had to take a new employee physical; to be honest I was a bit disappointed when I saw that my weight had gone up a bit from the last time. But after this morning's conversation, I was much happier. I'm still at a healthy weight for my age and height. I'm continuing to feel good and feel better about the way I look; I found myself perusing bikinis at Old Navy yesterday, thinking that I would probably look ok in one. I guess the point I'm trying to drive in is that we didn't do these changes to get back into bikinis; we did them because they were doable and we wanted to just be healthier. I am so thankful that God has brought us this far and has gotten us to the point where we are comfortable with the way we look. So what if I'm not in a size 2? I don't WANT to be in a size 2; I just want to use the body that God has blessed me with and make it a bit healthier. Life is too short. But for some people out there, that's what they want. They want to be "skinny and pretty." I just want to be happy with the way I look, and I am.
Holly: My message to the female population is this: STOP OBSESSING. Just stop it. It's not healthy! You are beautiful the way you are. Seriously. Please stop. It breaks my heart to see so many beautiful women beating themselves up over one mistake, one pound they didn't lose, one season in which they weren't "bikini ready", one extra snack they had in the day, etc. Instead of focusing on where we could be, how about focusing on where we are now?
I remember back when my clothes first started fitting a little looser, I immediately found myself in that mindset; that mindset of "oh, how much can I lose? How far can I go? What do I need to do to keep losing, keep losing, keep losing?" I truly believe if our main goal is just losing weight, then you're setting yourself up for failure. Be realistic. Focus on being healthier...the rest just comes naturally! Trust me on this one.
I bought a couple pairs of shorts yesterday. They are a size 8. I haven't been in single size pants since high school. I'm not going to lie, I did do a little happy dance in the fitting room. If you thank God for who you are, who He has created you to be, and for where He has brought you to, it all just comes naturally. We discussed this in an earlier post...this one, to be exact. That's why I do what I do. That's why we do this blog. We don't do it to keep gaining followers, we don't dig through mounds and mounds of sources to try to tweak it, we don't go out of our way to build our reach. No, we do it because, almost 2 years ago, God laid it on us, and we just enjoy sharing life with people. I don't need validation in the form of a typed comment or a new reader to know that people read what we write, because I've had numerous conversations, face-to-face conversations, from people saying they enjoy what we write. If you want to chime in, great. If not, well then, we're going to keep writing. No snot off our noses. And that's why I continue these healthier changes. Yeah, don't get me wrong, it's great to see the physical changes, and to receive compliments, but in the end, I just give it all back to God. Our bodies were designed for Him!!!! I think it hurts Him when He hears us ragging on and on about how we constantly want to fix something about ourselves that we don't like. Just think about that the next time you wake up with a large zit on your forehead, or you skipped your workout, or you gained an extra pound.
As most of you all know, Holly and I have continued to maintain our healthy eating/walking habits for a little over a year now. The improvements we have seen and felt in ourselves have been excellent! For my new job I had to take a new employee physical; to be honest I was a bit disappointed when I saw that my weight had gone up a bit from the last time. But after this morning's conversation, I was much happier. I'm still at a healthy weight for my age and height. I'm continuing to feel good and feel better about the way I look; I found myself perusing bikinis at Old Navy yesterday, thinking that I would probably look ok in one. I guess the point I'm trying to drive in is that we didn't do these changes to get back into bikinis; we did them because they were doable and we wanted to just be healthier. I am so thankful that God has brought us this far and has gotten us to the point where we are comfortable with the way we look. So what if I'm not in a size 2? I don't WANT to be in a size 2; I just want to use the body that God has blessed me with and make it a bit healthier. Life is too short. But for some people out there, that's what they want. They want to be "skinny and pretty." I just want to be happy with the way I look, and I am.
Holly: My message to the female population is this: STOP OBSESSING. Just stop it. It's not healthy! You are beautiful the way you are. Seriously. Please stop. It breaks my heart to see so many beautiful women beating themselves up over one mistake, one pound they didn't lose, one season in which they weren't "bikini ready", one extra snack they had in the day, etc. Instead of focusing on where we could be, how about focusing on where we are now?
I remember back when my clothes first started fitting a little looser, I immediately found myself in that mindset; that mindset of "oh, how much can I lose? How far can I go? What do I need to do to keep losing, keep losing, keep losing?" I truly believe if our main goal is just losing weight, then you're setting yourself up for failure. Be realistic. Focus on being healthier...the rest just comes naturally! Trust me on this one.
I bought a couple pairs of shorts yesterday. They are a size 8. I haven't been in single size pants since high school. I'm not going to lie, I did do a little happy dance in the fitting room. If you thank God for who you are, who He has created you to be, and for where He has brought you to, it all just comes naturally. We discussed this in an earlier post...this one, to be exact. That's why I do what I do. That's why we do this blog. We don't do it to keep gaining followers, we don't dig through mounds and mounds of sources to try to tweak it, we don't go out of our way to build our reach. No, we do it because, almost 2 years ago, God laid it on us, and we just enjoy sharing life with people. I don't need validation in the form of a typed comment or a new reader to know that people read what we write, because I've had numerous conversations, face-to-face conversations, from people saying they enjoy what we write. If you want to chime in, great. If not, well then, we're going to keep writing. No snot off our noses. And that's why I continue these healthier changes. Yeah, don't get me wrong, it's great to see the physical changes, and to receive compliments, but in the end, I just give it all back to God. Our bodies were designed for Him!!!! I think it hurts Him when He hears us ragging on and on about how we constantly want to fix something about ourselves that we don't like. Just think about that the next time you wake up with a large zit on your forehead, or you skipped your workout, or you gained an extra pound.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
A true Berea gem
Holly: I'm actually getting a little sad writing this. Tillie really is one of a kind.
We first met Tillie our junior year at Berea. Of course we had heard about her: she was the dog that would come hiking with you at the Pinnacles (random side note, if any of you non-Berean readers ever find yourself in this charming little town, you must explore the Pinnacles; they really are extraordinary). While she did not accompany us on our hike, I remember her quiet, gentle presence on the grounds, taking drinks from student's water cups, laying patiently as she was swarmed with children.
We've seen her a few times since then, and nothing has changed. Unfortunately, her time on earth is coming to an end. The entire community is rallying around her. It's amazing how one dog that was just a grungy, skuzzy stray has charmed her way into thousands of hearts. I'm sure her spirit will live on in those mountains and woods. Kelly and I are hoping to make one last pilgrimage to pay homage to this special creature. She is an angel, in my not so humble opinion. Or perhaps a guardian. Or both.
Kelly: When I was last up there, which was in March, she did not accompany us. However, when I was there in October, I noticed she had found her way up the mountain with a small group. Only once did she actually accompany me while I was on a hike; that was my junior year. I was on the college's orientation team and was with some freshmen hiking up the Pinnacles. Most of them opted for the more demanding and steeper West Pinnacle; I chose East. But before we split and departed, I managed to capture this shot. Tillie opted to follow the West group, but I remember it being particularly warm that day. She was a bit thirsty and soon made a new friend.
We first met Tillie our junior year at Berea. Of course we had heard about her: she was the dog that would come hiking with you at the Pinnacles (random side note, if any of you non-Berean readers ever find yourself in this charming little town, you must explore the Pinnacles; they really are extraordinary). While she did not accompany us on our hike, I remember her quiet, gentle presence on the grounds, taking drinks from student's water cups, laying patiently as she was swarmed with children.
We've seen her a few times since then, and nothing has changed. Unfortunately, her time on earth is coming to an end. The entire community is rallying around her. It's amazing how one dog that was just a grungy, skuzzy stray has charmed her way into thousands of hearts. I'm sure her spirit will live on in those mountains and woods. Kelly and I are hoping to make one last pilgrimage to pay homage to this special creature. She is an angel, in my not so humble opinion. Or perhaps a guardian. Or both.
Kelly: When I was last up there, which was in March, she did not accompany us. However, when I was there in October, I noticed she had found her way up the mountain with a small group. Only once did she actually accompany me while I was on a hike; that was my junior year. I was on the college's orientation team and was with some freshmen hiking up the Pinnacles. Most of them opted for the more demanding and steeper West Pinnacle; I chose East. But before we split and departed, I managed to capture this shot. Tillie opted to follow the West group, but I remember it being particularly warm that day. She was a bit thirsty and soon made a new friend.
I don't know if I'll ever see this beautiful creature again. I hope I get the chance to. But I hope that her owners realize number one, how lucky they were to have her for as long as they did. And number two, I hope they realize how lucky we were to have her as well. At the bottom of this post I have attached a news link from one of the local TV stations. Enjoy.
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| Took this in October. She took a snooze after I gave her a cup of water. |
Saturday, June 8, 2013
We're saaaaaaailing....to yard sales!!!
Kelly: In the past week, Holly and I have been to at least a dozen yard sales! Our quest: porch furniture! We have had no luck thus far, but we've managed to snag some pretty good deals along our journey. It was my idea to go yard saling this morning, so we packed up around 10:45 this morning and got home about 20 minutes ago (it's 5 after 3 according to my computer clock). Plus we were bored and needed something to do; our trip also involved a sudden need to venture to the laundromat for some last-minute laundry doing. (If anyone would like to help us hook up our VERY HEAVY washer that is currently sitting in our garage so we don't have to keep shelling out copious amounts of quarters...not that we mind...but yeah, please let Holly or myself know). I don't want to waste any more space, so here's some pics of some of the deals we found!
Holly:
Do any of you yard-sale? If you've found any smashing deals, let us know! :D
Holly:
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| A lovely GE hand/stand mixer. Needs new beaters, but I'm sure we can find some. Isn't it awesome? Can't wait to bake yummy goodies with it! :D |
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| ALL of the Narnia novels in one book! |
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| Two skirts (left and middle) and a dress. The skirt Yoda is sitting on is from Gap! |
Do any of you yard-sale? If you've found any smashing deals, let us know! :D
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Lasting Impressions
Kelly: Again, this blog post is sparked by another interesting conversation that we had at the dinner table tonight. Holly will explain more about her part, but I will disclose my portion of this blog. The conversation started about professors...ironically. I will start by saying this: I am not a straight A student. I try to be, but I am a firm believer in doing the best I can without going insane in the process. However, this is true: I will not half-ass ANYTHING. I give 110% in everything that I do; the grades sometimes do not reflect that (very average grades, but it's still my best). Hey, it's how I was raised!
But this is the conclusion that I have come to; I may not make the best grades. This much is true though; though I have never been told directly, I know that I have impacted some of my professors. And I didn't have to know the answer to every question that was asked or ace every test...simple. BE YOURSELF. I've been myself and nothing more. And trust me, people WILL notice. I am living proof!
Holly: That's one of the main things that really ticks me off about graduate/professional schools and the like: there is so much stigma on GPA and grades, when, in all honesty, grades do not really tell you a cotton-pickin' thing about a person's character. And a person's character stands out so much more than a bunch of letters and numbers on a piece of paper. That's just my opinion, anyway.
I'll make a set of issues very, very short and just say that I work for an incredible person who is going through a lot of junk right now. But despite all the junk, today I heard him tell the other student I work with and myself that we make him feel better. We, just two students who were hired to work for him and his class just because we had the time free in our schedules this semester, make him feel better! I don't really know how to describe the feeling you get when you see that you do make a difference, but it's indescribably one of the most fulfilling experiences of my college career. And all I do is show up once a week and help out with the lab. That's it.
I, as well as Kelly, have been told by numerous people on campus that we will be greatly missed after our time at Berea ends. Like Kelly, I don't make straight A's. Most of the time I don't even make A's and B's. I don't know all the answers to all the test questions, nor do I claim to. But you know what? I show up. I try hard, And I have a VERY caring heart for people, and when I see someone going through a rough time I go out of my way to be available and try to help in any way possible. I think, in this day and age, that's really the very least that we can do for the people in our lives who do so much.
But this is the conclusion that I have come to; I may not make the best grades. This much is true though; though I have never been told directly, I know that I have impacted some of my professors. And I didn't have to know the answer to every question that was asked or ace every test...simple. BE YOURSELF. I've been myself and nothing more. And trust me, people WILL notice. I am living proof!
Holly: That's one of the main things that really ticks me off about graduate/professional schools and the like: there is so much stigma on GPA and grades, when, in all honesty, grades do not really tell you a cotton-pickin' thing about a person's character. And a person's character stands out so much more than a bunch of letters and numbers on a piece of paper. That's just my opinion, anyway.
I'll make a set of issues very, very short and just say that I work for an incredible person who is going through a lot of junk right now. But despite all the junk, today I heard him tell the other student I work with and myself that we make him feel better. We, just two students who were hired to work for him and his class just because we had the time free in our schedules this semester, make him feel better! I don't really know how to describe the feeling you get when you see that you do make a difference, but it's indescribably one of the most fulfilling experiences of my college career. And all I do is show up once a week and help out with the lab. That's it.
I, as well as Kelly, have been told by numerous people on campus that we will be greatly missed after our time at Berea ends. Like Kelly, I don't make straight A's. Most of the time I don't even make A's and B's. I don't know all the answers to all the test questions, nor do I claim to. But you know what? I show up. I try hard, And I have a VERY caring heart for people, and when I see someone going through a rough time I go out of my way to be available and try to help in any way possible. I think, in this day and age, that's really the very least that we can do for the people in our lives who do so much.
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