Freshening Up My Make-Up

Yesterday as I was under the hair dryer in the beauty salon, I saw the woman next to me freshening her make-up.  After just having had her hair washed and blown dry, she needed to re-apply the make-up that had gone AWOL in the process of getting her hair done.  In my chair I sat thinking, 'I don't understand why she wears make-up.  She's already beautiful.  Or is the make-up what makes her beautiful?'  In the end I wasn't sure.

Today I was at a friend's home.  She has been dealing with some family issues and I have the privilege of visiting with her once a month or so to give godly counsel on the issues that she faces each day.  I say it is a privilege because I am only worthy to enter into such an intimate place in her life by the grace of God.

Before leaving her home, I prayed with her as is my usual custom before departing.  She told me that she felt better since we got to talk and that she always feels more at peace after talking to me.  Then she told me that I have a beauty about me without even wearing make-up.  She told me that my beauty is my peace and that it shows.  "We should sell it as a cream," she joked.  "Twenty-five dollars for a jar sound good?"

As soon as I got back to my house I turned to 1 Peter 3:3,4 which reads,

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and fine clothes.  Instead, it should be that of a gentle and quiet spirit, which of great worth in God's sight.

It is humbling when people give such compliments.  I think about how just moments earlier I lashed out at my son prior to putting him on the school bus.  (By God's grace I apologized to him afterwards).  So for my friend to tell me that she sees me wearing a disposition of peace makes me want to be better for Christ...to freshen up my make-up.

Conversation Starter

Our son is working on a project in his social studies class.  It involves looking at a problem that might plague a modern day family and then outlining a solution to that problem.  Guess what problem he picked.  Credit card debt.

After showing me the initial stages of his project, I asked if I could give him some help by sharing the process that we went through to get out of consumer debt.  He accepted, and I began to tell him our tale focusing on three important principals: setting up a budget, living below our means, and creating an emergency fund.

Little did I know all of the questions that this discussion would generate.

"How many credit cards did you have?"
"Why do we eat out just because we have a coupon when we could save more money and not eat out at all?"
"I heard you talking to a lady one time who said that she had nine credit cards at one time.  Why does a person need so many credit cards?"
"What do you do when an unexpected expense comes up?  Where does the money to pay it come from?"

I was pleasantly surprised by all of the thoughts that so quickly came to his mind.  Needless to say I enjoyed answering all of these questions because I love to discuss managing finances.  But more than this, I am happy to see that my son is thinking about matters that many people don't even consider until they reach adulthood.

Do Nothing

Today is my birthday and I have a "me" day planned.  It's all about me.  I plan to go where I want and do what I like to do.

While I was getting myself ready to go walking this morning, I decided to bring along a scripture card.  I always get ready in the dark so as not to disturb Ross.  I also pick out my scripture card in the dark so that I won't know what verse I have until I read it outside while I'm walking.  Here's what today's card read:

 
I was meant to read this today, on my birthday.  The two words that spoke to me were "selfish" and "vain".  Then I thought about how vain has two meanings: 1) A person who is all about themselves and 2) Fruitless, unsuccessful activity.  Putting these two meanings together, God spoke to me that a person who only cares about themselves will not be successful.  It is so important to Him that we help others along every day--even on our birthdays.

So today I am reminded to be vigilant for an opportunity to meet the need of another; to not be impatient in the checkout line but instead to start a conversation with those around me; to give a sincere and well-thought out greeting to the cashier at the drive through; and to engage in the art of doing "nothing".

Money for Nothing

While I was out walking this morning, I saw some money on the ground.

Many people wouldn't even bother.  I mean is it really worth it to slow my stride, bend over, and pick up three objects that have been who knows where all for a mere forty-five cents?  Yes. 

Forty-five cents may mean not having to break a twenty in the grocery store or at a restaurant.  Forty-five cents is almost half of a dollar--and almost everybody would stop to pick up a dollar.  I've found that when I begin to value my money (even down to the pennies) God sees fit to trust me with more. 

'...Well, done good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.'  Matthew 25:21

Center Stage

I got a word picture the other day of what it looks like when I lose my cool with my kids.

I was approaching an intersection where the traffic light was not functioning.  A policeman stood in the middle of the street directing traffic.  Looking at his countenance and seeing his gestures, it was plain to me that he was stressed.  This is understandable as directing traffic is probably one of the most difficult tasks that a policeman has to do.  It requires knowing and using the correct hand signals, monitoring traffic flow, as well as the need to be vigilant of several things all at once.

As I sat waiting for my turn to go, I noticed that some drivers who came to the intersection were not interpreting his hand signals correctly or were not responding to them quickly enough.  Their incorrect or delayed response caused a change in his countenance from 'stressed' to 'frustrated'.  In his frustration over one car's antics he briefly threw his hands up in the air which I interpreted as 'What in the world are you doing?'  Of course other drivers approaching the intersection who did not see what had happened previously are looking at the hands go up and thinking, 'Okay, what does that mean I'm supposed to do?'  They then are misguided because of the policeman's frustration and remain confused about what they need to do.

This scenario reminded me that with my kids, I am on center stage.  They are looking to me, like that traffic cop, for direction.  When I blow up, lose my cool, jump down their throats, whatever you want to call it, I am throwing them off course and confusing them about what they need to do.  Yes, being a parent can be stressful.  However God has called me to this role in my children's lives where I must perform to the best of my abilities so that they can be stars.

Extreme Couponing?

For the month of February we included razor refills in our budget.  They are so incredibly expensive these days!  In the end, we decided allot $20.00 to razors by trying to find some deals and use some coupons.

I went to CVS because I had $1.00 in extra bucks.  Also, we got an extra $3.00 off from a 20% on-line coupon.  Four razors cost $15.49, but in the end we only paid $12.18 and, got a $5.00 extra bucks reward coupon for towards our next purchase.  Cha-ching!  We were under budget and I was happy.

Slight problem, they were not the right razors.  So I go back to the store to return them.  They are opened...I hope they still take them.  Yes!  They do take them back and I pick up the correct ones.  The woman at the counter is having difficulty scanning my receipt in order to return the first set of razors.  So instead she just returns them using the UPC code.  Little did I know that when she returned them this way, it did not factor in my previous discounts.  Therefore, although I paid $12.18, she returned to my card $16.42!

Then she proceeds to ring up the new razors.  I remembered that they were discounted, but not until she gave me my total did I realize how much the discount was.  For 8 razors the cost was $6.37 (half of what I spent initially for double the quantity) plus I had my $5.00 in extra bucks.  So it rang up as only $1.46 for 8 razors.

And in case you didn't do the math...I was paid to buy 8 razors....

$12.18-$16.42=($-4.24)+$1.46=$(-2.78)

I am in no way am I an extreme coupon gal.  But God is an extreme God.  And I recognize that He can do these kinds of things for our family with absolutely no effort on our part.  Just as He can pay me to purchase something, He can pay off my mortgage without me paying anything towards it.  He's just that good!

Once Upon a Time

(I wrote this post on the first day of February.  My computer was acting up that day so I am just now getting around to posting it)

Today while driving along the road, I saw a blue and white blur out of the corner of my eye.  Something about that blur was familiar to me; so much so that I turned my head to look at it.  A-ha!  That’s it!  The Penn State Shuttle.

Seeing it took me down memory lane.  This mini-bus transports staff, faculty, and students between two Penn State campuses—Penn State University Park and Penn State Hershey Medical Center, the latter of which I worked at for all of my 13 years in nursing.

My schedule for today included grocery shopping and volunteering in my younger son’s classroom.  Four years back, my schedule would have included giving opioid growth factor to a pancreatic cancer patient and participating in a meeting to recruit participants into a new research protocol.  I enjoyed my job and truly felt fulfilled by what I was doing.

Seeing this shuttle whiz by reminded me of the pride I took in being a Hershey Medical Center nurse.  Whenever I would share with people that I was not only an RN, but an RN at Hershey Medical Center, it carried weight.  In my eyes, the association with this prestigious hospital elevated me above the average Joe.  I derived much of my self-worth from my career.

Later that same afternoon as I walk into the elementary school office, the secretaries say “Hi” and joke with me.  Several children in the cafeteria wave in recognition.  A girl in my son’s class walks to the back of the line as usual so that she can walk to the classroom holding my hand.  These are my accolades now.  I enjoy my job and truly feel fulfilled by what I am doing.

Addendum: The very next day while walking into Giant I see a man collapsed on the floor outside the pharmacy.  The staff are gathered around him trying to assess the situation.  I hesitate to assist because it seems as though there are enough people at the scene already.  Eventually I walk over, tell the staff that I am a nurse, and ask if I can help.  Turns out they had been seeking medical staff in the store until the ambulance arrived, and were glad to hand over the reigns to me.  With my youngest child situated close-by, I begin an assessment.  Once a nurse, always a nurse.