Life's Work

One of my doula clients asked me what I'd do if I attended a birth with a client and decided I hated doula work.

 I know I won't hate it. I already love it. My response to her is that I know God made me for this job in this season of my life and I'm excited to do it.

I know I rely heavily on my trash man but I boy there have to be better jobs, right? I have the philosophy that we should all love our jobs. My spiritual justification? God gave us all a unique set of gifts and talents, personality and genes. He has wired us to do a specific work. Of course I don't like all things about my work as a mom (scrubbing toilets, anyone?) but really, I do love it. I loved pregnancy center work. I loved breast feeding counseling, and I love doula work. I've been blessed enough to be so happy with my work that I felt guilty for getting paid!

In a similar vein, Shane is in a "dead end" job, meaning he can't move up the ladder much in the position he's in. But he loves it. He enjoys being outside, working with just a couple inmates at a time, seeing the county side every day, and doing physical labor. I am thrilled that he enjoys his work. I remember a time about a dozen years ago when he hated his job. He was a different man. Depressed and unmotivated. I like the 2010 version much better!

I think the key to finding work or ministry you love is to consider your passions, then think about how you can make a living within those passions. A good book is Your Life of Your Money, which stresses not giving up the abundant life God has for us (my words, not the author's) in the workplace just for stuff to enjoy on the weekends. If you are in a job you don't enjoy, I encourage you to prayerfully evaluate your talents, passions, and personality and read that book! You'll be glad you did! Don't you want to feel guilty for getting paid?!

New Years Goal-Ripple Effect

So do you remember your New Year's resolution? Well, I don't know that I can recall all mine, but I must tell you about the effects of my sweet cousin's 2010 goal.

But let me back up.

During our childhood years, until we graduated from high school, most of my cousins on one side of our family lived in the same town. We were in school together and played at each others houses. Once we grew up and had families, we hardly saw each other except major holidays. This particular cousin, Jamie, was around on Christmas but Easter brought her around long enough to make an appearance.  Of course we'd always have a good time visiting at Christmas and promise to get together more during the year, but it never happened. And so it went until we started watching her now almost four year old when she was about 18 months old. We visited some each week and our old childhood friendship was rekindled.

Then Jamie lost her job and we didn't see her daily anymore. We'd talk on Facebook some and tried to stay in touch. Then 2010 came along and Jamie told me her goal was to reconnect with her family. Boy has she!

I'm so proud of my little cousin for taking the time to really do what we all mean to do. She's calling my Grandma regularly (and making me look bad!), chatting with my parents (her aunt & uncle) on Facebook, and she and I are hanging out and talking on the phone. It's all because she decided to make family a priority and to follow through.

I love it when that happens. If we could all pursue our goals with such gusto!




  

Pruning Past your Comfort Level

Mom and I were doing our spring ritual of walking through her yard and talking plants. I think she hopes these little talks will inspire me to dig in the dirt...which I hope to do. Someday.

We were talking about her rose bush that was almost touching the overhang of the house. Until she pruned it. And I do mean PRUNED it. She and I agreed that when you prune a plant, especially a rose, you prune as much as you can, then do it some more.

Well, I am relating to that pruning, but not in the way you'd guess. Not with anything spiritual...but practically speaking with decluttering while packing. I mean, like Ashlyn said tonight, "We just have to have more than one package of Oreos, since with just two a piece, 14 are gone."

So as I pack pretending to be a minimalist, I still see stacks of boxes as high as mom's pre-pruned rose bush! I really want to just have a few things when we move. If I don't love it, it aint goin' with us. Well, that's the theory anyway. My family insists the purple Dora chair with the burn hole in the back goes. I sure hope it doesn't get lost in the move...

I think the only way to get to my goal of having less stuff is to prune past the pain. That's the highly inspirational thought for the day. 

ER Visits & Such

Well, I planned to tell you about other things like doula-ing or the story of how God changed us from sellers (of land) to the buyers (of a house for the land) but life can change on a dime...

After a "field trip" to visit a friend yesterday, my cousin & her daughter came to visit. Her daughter is the one we used to babysit and Jaika calls Adri her best friend. They're about six weeks apart and it's so sweet to see them growing up together. So not five minutes after they arrive, a game of tag ensues in the living room and Jaika jumps up on the couch (usually frowned upon by Mom & Dad) and slipped off again. When she fell, she broke her collar bone. Of course I didn't know this yet, so I thought it was possible her "Ouchie! Ouchie! Ouchie!" outbursts were fueled by her sleepy state and her need for drama (it's happened before...).

However, after a nap, she immediately woke up with more "Ouchies!" so off to the ER we went. She made it known she didn't want to be there and had no intention of cooperating with anyone. Oh the joys of being three and getting away with that attitude! They all thought she was cute (at least that's how they acted...not sure the x-ray tech agreed). Admittedly, she was pretty adorable when she told the clerk she passed down her old insurance to her baby sister and then said her Daddy was "at the jail" (he was at work, but as a security guard at that moment). The doctor asked if she was allergic to anything and she answered, "pink medicine". She brought him up to date on getting a new big bathtub in her new house we're moving into "tomorrow" and that she has a princess bed and gets pink bubble gum "every year".

Since Shane was at work, I did this trip solo but really needed another adult to help carry all the treats they gave her-a teddy bear larger than her, then a matching small one...she came home wearing a tiny dinosaur sling. She's being a great patient now that she's home but Shane & I are a little weary from being the parents of an injured, spirited child. He went to the store late last night (early this morning?) for Motrin and of course came home with treats for her. When he told her this morning he had a surprise for her, she said, "I know, you went to Wal-Mart and got me a surprise because you love me."

Oh brother.

Oh Wendy Where Art Thou?

I know, the remaining two readers have really been wondering where I've been...

Of course, on Facebook.

Yet I've also been graduating from physical therapy, doula-ing, becoming an expert on septic systems, and packing. Let's take these one at a time, shall we?

PT-My best friend who puts me in traction, Dr Stefanie discharged me. I'm not cured necessarily as only better posture, hours of daily yoga and not taking life so seriously are the only real cures. In the mean time, I'm managing my symptoms (in theory anyway) with stretching, strengthening and massages.

Doula-ing-I have 3.5 clients. I am hoping .5 will become my fourth this week, but I'm trying to get my heart ready for the first person who interviews me but doesn't hire me. It's bound to happen right? Yes, alas, it is. So back to my 3 whole clients. I have been praying and praying for clients, fighting back the devil's whispers that say I was a fool to pay for all the doula gear and business cards as no one really wants me. Then on March 12th I received my first call from a newish friend who wants me to help her have a vaginal birth after Cesarean (VBAC) in October. Within five days I had three more calls. Two were referrals from a doula in the next town over who'll be out of town during those births. Both of those couples are so very sweet and I can't wait to be a part of their births. The other was from California. I don't commute that far right now.

Septic Systems and Packing-We're finally moving to our land in the country. We've had our land for almost ten years and for most that time we've been working towards moving onto it. The last two years we've been trying to sell it to get out of debt but we've finally figured out it's not what God wants us to do. I'll write about that soon. For right now just know He's opened the doors in a big way for this to happen. We're living our dream of getting some country living into our girls. Can't wait for it!

I'll be here again soon to fill you in more. Lots of good things happening. God is good.