Reflections of a week's vacation

I'm just finishing a week long vacation because I had to eat up some paid time off days that I had at work. I was hoping to have interviewed or progressed with my State Farm thing, but to no avail. I realize that I need to wait on God's timing, though, and I figure that if I get done what I need to get done when I need to do it, then I'll be doing my part, and should be content with that. I just need to research well, and make sure that I am prepared to go through an interview, and will be good to go.

We are making plans to move into the Muncie-Indy area of IN, and all of that is dependent on getting that job at State Farm. But at the same time, Mark is laying the ground work with Ryan to start their own business building Ultima GTRs. That's been Mark's dream car for a while, and they already have the price list down for that and they're putting together a business plan for a bank to loan them the money. I think they should also look into grants that they may be entitled to.

I guess a lot of people are feeling the bug to own and run their own business. I just spoke to my brother L and he has been seriously considering running his own martial arts studio, which I wholly encouraged him to do. I also went on a long soap box sermon about it, but I definitely emphasized that we are of entrepreneurial stock and were definitely hardwired to seek business ownership. I'll be praying for him about that.

This week went by way too quickly, but it was nice to feel human again and just hang out and not have to worry about every minute of my day. Nor worry about being productive every minute of the day. But I know the novelty would soon wear out for boredom, which is why I want to seek an occupation where I am happy to go into work, because it's mine and am accountable to it, and profit from it. Oh, Mark thinks that I should also formulate body care and face care items because I'm so passionate about certified organic and all-natural type things (of course, I indulge in main stream things from time to time, but as a rule, I feel they're poison); I would sell it from a website, and need to network with organic/health type places, but overall, he thinks I'd be successful in doing that too. I think if I were to pursue that, I would need to do it now before mega corporations bastardize the concept of organic, and would be part time, third in line to State Farm and writing.

I've recently been thoroughly engaged with Crown Financial Ministries teachings because I've been convicted to tithing, since Mark and I don't have a church we regularly attend. I know that we would need to tithe to a place where we get spiritual help and healing, but at the same time, i always feel like such a visitor at a church that I haven't felt comfortable giving my tithes there. I would give to missions offerings, or love offerings, etc, but I don't equate that really to tithes, which are obviously a testimony of trusting God, and acknowledging that he owns everything in this earth, etc. It's funny that I've always known about tithing, but never really thought it was important as all that, so I've established a savings account that's attached to my checking account that I deposit my tithes into, so that when Mark and I are settled, we can give that money to the church/missions.

A relatively new book that churches are reading, Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs, has been making its way to me through Janae, Mark's mom (her church just finished a Bible study on it) and L and Emily, who gave it to Mark and me for our anniversary. I find it sad that this book can speak to so many people, because their marriages are so random and devoid of proper communication, but the principles of the book (and I mean the overall general principles, not necessarily how they are presented) are at least applicable, if not very "duh" in its simplistic-ness. (I didn't want to say simplicity, because that would imply a concise elegance to an otherwise made more-complex-than-is-necessary book. I mean, who doesn't know that we need to treat each other respectfully, and that we need to live in a manner that is pleasing to God and therefore treat each other as we would expect to be treated by Christ (who ate supper with traitors and washed the feet of those who would both betray him and deny him, and, oh yeah, sacrificed himself for an undeserving people). It's sad seeing that people can understand unconditional love (or at least give lipservice to unconditional love) but not also put unconditional respect toward that. I mean, the whole of Christianity revolves around grace, the concept of undeserved reward; that principle should also inform the way we need to treat and love one another, wouldn't you agree? At least, that's my over generalized understanding of it. I guess I just don't understand how people can be married to someone, claim that they know their spouse loves them, but not if their spouse likes them. oh well.

Hopefully by next week, I will learn if I get to interview with State Farm. I will be praying that I will live up to the challenge of preparing for this position and interview well for it.