Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Cough Drops and Coffee

I wrote up my statement from cascading the ride on Friday. So far, it seems that's all they wanted (information, documentation) and I won't have a reprimand or any points on my record. They have to let me know within 15 days if there will be any further action.

Last night was so strange! Normally, I'm all over the place at work. Last night I worked only three positions - Tower, Load 1, and Grouper 1. Each time I would have advanced to another place, I would get a break instead. After my break, I'd go back to Tower and those other positions again. Weird.

Except for Grouper, I was thankful that I didn't have to speak much. I definitely have a raw throat and cough, so I would save my cough drops for when I was at Grouper. As it was, I kept my voice low and relied on gestures.

I am so thankful for a day off today.

Other things I'm thankful for today:

*Glenna is closer to finishing Spanish I!

*In four more days, my son will be home for a week!

*I am not behind on laundry.

*Himself. 'Nuff said.

*Air conditioning.

*Cough drops and nyquil.

*The Brown-Eyed Girl.

*Kelly's job and her financial diligence.

*Having a Bible in my own language. I hope I never take this for granted.

*World peace. Oh.. . wait. . .

*Coffee. I am once again hooked on the bean and have to wean myself off with the inevitable headache. Drats to you, 7-11, and your delicious iced coffee!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Humble Pie, Anyone?

My throat is dry and parched like a desert.

I'll be the cast member with the pocket full of cough drops today.


I finished reading the book of Job. You know, I always thought he was an innocent man who got a raw deal, but then everything worked out well in the end. Reading through it this time, however, I could see how Job was standing on his own good works to declare himself righteous before God.

Chapter 29 is a laundry list of all the good works he had done and the countless people he had blessed with his benevolence. What made me laugh aloud was his opinion of himself in verse 24:

"If I smiled at them, they couldn't believe it; they were thrilled at the light of my countenance."

Oh, Job.

Kelly and her friend Aleah were watching a movie last night. I made them pause it so I could read it to them! This makes me think of Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway where he is finally able to build a fire.

[broad gestures] "I. . . .have made fire!"

In other words, I am so amazing!

Three of Job's friends tried to convince him that he has sinned somewhere, and that God wants him to repent. Job keeps declaring his innocence. Finally, young Elihu can't take their babbling anymore and speaks up.

Job - you're not innocent or righteous because you are not God. No one is. He alone is the righteous One! Stop acting like you've cornered the market on holiness because you haven't. No one can come even close to the glory of what God has done, especially you!

Elihu continues by telling Job something that's pretty hard to hear sometimes:

God can do whatever He wants to us, whenever He wants to.

He doesn't do it just to mess with is, though! Elihu says in 34:10, "It is impossible for God to do wrong, and for the Almighty to act unjustly."

I hate going through trials. HATE IT. I wish I could just get to the end of the trial and have the lesson learned that will cause me to grow.

Elihu says in 36:15, "God rescues the afflicted by afflicting them; He instructs them by means of their torment."

This is painful for me, but it's especially painful to watch when it happens to the ones I love. I treasure this journey through Job for the reminder of God's ultimate goal through trials - to RESCUE and INSTRUCT us.

I'm so in need of rescuing and instructing!

In chapter 38, we find that Elihu was in agreement with God Himself. He didn't answer Job's "why me" in a way that Job may have hoped, but He answered in a way that brought truth and healing to Job.

My mom has something similar to Job's final response on her fridge and it makes me smile or cringe (depending on what I've just done) every time I read it. Job responds in 40:4b with "I place my hand over my mouth."

To paraphrase: "I got nuthin'."

Maybe, like Tom Hanks, we've been able to do something as amazing as building a fire by rubbing sticks together.

None of us, not one of us, have been able to do what God has done. Not only did we not create the universe, we didn't send a beloved Son to the cross to defeat death and rescue the lost for all eternity.

We got nuthin'.

"But You, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.

I cry aloud to the LORD, and He answers me from His holy mountain."
Psalm 3:3-4

Monday, June 21, 2010

Hmmmm . . . .

. . . there's something pretty special about this date. What is it?

Maybe it has to do with this guy and this girl.
Whatever it is, it makes me smile.

Broadly.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Dear Mom

Happy Father's Day!


I love you so much!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Update

I was called into the manager's office on Friday night and asked to write a statement of the Door 24 incident. I haven't heard whether I'll be given a reprimind or not.

Basically, my first instinct was correct - I should have hit the Emergency Stop the minute the Door 24 alarm went off. The fact that I hit the dispatch inhibit will play in my favor.


Things don't look so good for the coordinator who not only opened the door but took cast members into the ride area while the ride was in motion. Yikes.

I hope everything goes well for Kirk, the manager, however! Unfortunately, the buck stops with him.

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

Tali graduated from high school this year and has been a friend of Kelly's for quite a while - she's also extremely close to our Brown-Eyed Girl. ;-)

It gives me hope when our teens have this much understanding of GRACE.

Thank you for posting this, Tali!

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

A Name to Remember

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Jehoshaphat?


Ever since my friend Pete Palmer explained his simple formula for Bible reading (Read it, from the beginning to the end, and when you've finished, start over) I have been working my way through the Bible. It's a slow process because of life's and my own distractions, but lately I have had such a craving for it.

I love this craving.

I wasn't so excited to reach 2 Chronicles, though. I had just plowed my way through all those Hebrew names in I and II Kings and 1st Chronicles, and it looked like this book was going to be more of the same. I try so hard not to skip over their names - these people really lived and really heard from my God! I want to know what God did in their lives and how it could apply to me today.

After meeting him briefly in the books of Kings, I once again came across King Jehoshaphat. Immediately I said to myself, "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat!" Where did that expression come from? I really have no idea and still don't, even after reading more of his story. I also had no idea how much his life would relate to my own, even if on a much, much smaller scale. I won't tell his entire story, but here's the part that stopped me in my tracks.

Jehoshaphat is surrounded by enemies from the East. In fact, 2 Chronicles 20:2 describes it as "a vast multitude" there to oppose him. Understandably, Jehoshaphat was afraid. Instead of sounding the battle cry and sending every able-bodied man to arms, Jehoshaphat resolved to seek the Lord. He didn't call all of Judah to arms, he called all of Judah together to fast and pray.

Wow. Fear that prompts prayer, not panic.

I am so thankful they recorded his prayer to God. There he stood in the assembly of Judah at the Lord's temple and prayed.

I think he needed to remind himself and all of Judah exactly WHO they were praying to, because he started off listing exactly who God is and what God has already done. He used "You" and "Your" repeatedly to describe the people, the land, and the deeds done in His name. At the end of his prayer, he says this:

We are powerless before this vast multitude that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.

Just. Like. That.

Instant surrender to God. Instant acknowledgment of the truth.

We are powerless.

I am powerless.

I am powerless over the bills I have to pay and the mistakes I've made to get us in debt.

I am powerless over the lives of my children and their educations.

I am powerless over my marriage and home.

I am powerless over this world and everything that frightens me.

I am powerless, and I look to You, Lord.

How did he do that? How was Jehoshaphat able to let go and surrender so completely? I guess all that is written about him before chapter 20 gives an answer. He was determined NOT to forget WHO God is and what He can do and what He has promised to do.

I want to surrender like that - instantly and completely.

Even sweeter than the prayer of Jehoshaphat, however, was God's answer. He made sure ALL of Judah heard Him by speaking through Jahaziel, a Levite. His first words were, "Listen carefully." (2 Chronicles 20:15)

I'm definitely listening, here. Isn't it wonderful how God knows exactly what we need to hear? His very next words were, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. . ."

Don't wring your hands. Don't fuss. Don't fret. Do Not.

" . . . for this battle is not yours, but God's."

Not mine.

His.

The entire answer of the Lord is something I want to memorize, but the part engraved on my heart is this from verse 17:

"You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. . . Tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord is with you."

Is it any wonder Jehoshaphat and the entire assembly of Judah bowed with their faces to the ground, and then praised the Lord, shouting in a loud voice?

Show up. Stand still. Watch and see what your God can do.

Lord, I don't know what to do except look to You. I'm going to show up, stand still, and watch and see what You will do.

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