Jesus Loves Meeeow

As much as I hated this summer, I know that it was a blessing from God. It was a very trying time in which I had to learn to trust in Him more and more, and also to rely on Him for the strength to get me through. When you work as much as I do, you know that there is no way that you are going to get through the week with help from God. And though working is not my favorite thing in the world, I did a lot of it this summer, and He knows that I needed it because it was just preparing me for what was about to come later.

The number one blessing that I had was that of three jobs in which to work to pay for college. It isn't the most thrilling in terms of excitement, but it is a blessing nonetheless. When I got home for the summer, I started working per diem at the nursing home as usual. However, this time I noticed that there was an open position on evenings on the skilled unit. My mind immediately started running. It was 32 hours a week and a steady rotating schedule. It was exactly was I needed. Moody's would be able to give me set schedule around this; it was perfect. I went and talked to my director of nursing. I asked her if I could take the position with no benefits (I didn't need them due to the fact that I was still living at home) and to keep my pay as it already was (excepting benefits would have meant a drop in pay). She said that was fine, and I started a full time job the 1st of June. It was the first part of the blessing.

Then I talked to my manager at Moody's who was able to give me two days a week waiting tables at the diner around my schedule at the nursing home. Finally, I applied for a job at Hannaford as a cashier to fill in the spaces. I got the job and soon was working between 60 and 80 hours a week. My summer was certainly starting off with a bang. However, because of all the work, I wasn't able to do a lot of the things that I usually do in the summer. I went swimming only once even though I have a pool in my backyard. I didn't go whitewater rafting or to summer soccer or to a Sea Dogs game. But God had provided in a very different way this summer and I had to stay focused.

This is not to say that I didn't do anything fun this summer because I did. I was able to organize the previously mentioned Summer Romance Banquet, help with VBS at my church, and be a part of my sister's wedding. All of these things combined with the provision of work in abundance showed how much God cared for me and was looking out for my best interest. This shows that despite it being a busy and unthrilling summer, Jesus truly loves me...ow.