Hi H

I miss you. I trust all is well. I think of you often.

Advice

Why do I find it so easy to give advice to others and then not take that advice myself?

I posted about my nervous stomach and how the stress was getting to me. Double R was kind enough to give me advice. His advice is right on the mark. It is advice that I have given to others. Why is it so easy for me to give the same advice while ignoring it in my own life...why?

Here is the advice that RR gave me......

I don't know the specifics of what you do or what about your job is causing your stess but I do know how that can be. I just promoted last month and am quite overwhelmed myself. Here's how I'm dealing with it. Maybe this might help you too!A course I took in school on conflict resolution and dispute management taught that each person in any conflict needs to know what their BATNA is. A BATNA is your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Settlement. Or in other words if this thing doesn't work out, what's the alternative?You're in a job that causes you a lot of stess. What if you screw up? You lose that job. Problem solved, no more stress. So don't worry about the job...lol. Kind of simplistic but certainly something to tuck into the back of your mind so you know can better prioritize it's importance. I'm sure you already know this but sometimes you just need to have someone tell it back to you. I know that these words have come to my rescue on many occasions like dealing with my new job or my financial situation. Matthew 6:27-34 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.I have to believe that if you're in a position of any kind of authority that you were put there by God either for the people who's livelyhood are affected by your decisions or to develop your own sense of Godly authority. Either way, God's there and your worry is not required. Have faith.RR

HHHMMM you know Double R. I used to get nervous about playing my guitar and singing in front of a crowd. I realized that when I am singing praise, its praise to God, not to my fellow man. So If they dont like me, thats OK. My praise is to God and He likes me praising Him. When I realized this, my butterflies left. I no longer get nervous because its my present to Him and He loves me. There is nothing therefor to be nervous about.

I think maybe I need to understand that my labour and toil is also in His honour. He demands that I try my best and always be true and honest. If I do that, then why am I worried about anything else? If I am working in such a way that is God honouring, then why does it matter what people think? You aptly mentioned that I may be placed in such a place for His purpose. As I look back, I realize that I never really know where my next sale is coming from. If I have faith and try my best, then it just happens. It is a gift from God. I have been in Sales now for 9 years. Why do I have to continually remind myself that He always has provided. Perhaps I need to be more fervent in prayer and constantly remind myself that He has never let me down.

But its so hard.

Long Weekend Events

1. Picked Up Debbie from Camp MiniYoWee at 10:30. I was supposed to be there for 9:30 but I had some unfinished business on a flyfishing stream close to camp. It was funny. She was texting me about being late and I was answering her from the middle of the river not even 5 minutes from her camp. "where are You?"...."I am a little delayed" "when will you be here?"..."it depends"..hahaha. It depended on if I caught a fish...and I did. You see, this is the thrid time on this river. Each time I had a strike but failed to land. This river owed me a fish! I prevailed with a smallmouth bass. Nice fish....I returned it to its home as I practice catch and release.

2. Picked up a new stove. My old stove was a freebee. I had found it on the side of the road with a note...free to a good home. It was a nice stove except it had been stored in a barn and the mice made their home in it. Everytime the stove heated up it smelled like mouse piss. We tried and tyried to clean it up but could never get rid of the smell. I am amazed we put up with it for 2 years. Imagine that. It was disgusting. I couldnt take it any more and bought a new one. Its nice. Its self cleaning. hey, Is there such a thing as self cooking?

3. I helped my brotherinlaw move. He sold his 4 bedroom townhouse in Milton and moved to a 2 bedroom rental. The move went very well. We all pitched in and made quick work of it. We had two trailers, 2 vans, one pickup truck and one car. Sue, Casandra and Oma took on the chore of cleaning the new place while we moved all the furniture and boxes. He is settled in today and his commute to and from work has gone from 1 hour to 5 minutes. He is pleased.

4. I went to a music party but forgot my guitar. Well actualy I kinda left it on purpose because it was an outside party. Me and My Martin have been fighting. She refuses to play in the heat or cold. She is very finicky. If I didnt love her so much I would have booted her out a long time ago. The problem is we are already bonded so I am afraid I have to put up with her crap. I have decided to go and buy myself a cheapy that I wont worry about the cold and playing around a camp fire. I did have a cheapy but I gave it to a young lady who was learning to play. She is playing very very well and she fell in love with the loaner and has never given it back. I love her..she is a good kid. I dont have the heart to break up their freindship. That beater has now done 3 years at university, 4 trips to Nicaragua, 3 trips to MiniYoWee and countless other outings.

5. I filled the "mouse hole" in our kitchen. We have a problem with mice. Since I got the new stove I decided to fill some holes. I acted on advice. Here is what I did. A) put moth balls in the hole. B) put steel wool in the entrance/exit hole. C) put duct tape across the hole and D) I purchased a high frequency Mouse deterent and set it up right by the hole. We cleaned up everything and I am pleased to report no overnight activity. BUT my kitchen does smell like moth balls.

6. Is it halloween? My dughter got cleaned up after camp and that included a facial. Here is her picture....scary isnt it? Oh and how about the color of her room? Now thats scary. She went back to school today. 2 more years.

7. Dylan started a possible apprenticeship with a plumber. I will find out tonight how he made out. I am not sure whether to hope it was aweful in which case he should be going to school, or if it was great and he wants to purue the apprenticeship. We will see. Plumbing is a noble job. Its a bit smelly and the work is a bit dirty, but the rewards can be great. Even with the advent of computers, people still need to have dumps.

Thats it for now...nothing earth shattering and No, I havnt solved the worlds problems.

Oh wait a minute....I do owe someone an explanation about my puking in the mornings.....I have a nervous stomach and my job has been overwhelming me. I have been experiencing times of extreme nervousness and it seems that beginning each week, I spend time talking to the great white telephone. Its always dry heaves. It all seemed to go away when I got my new car but that was just temporary. I wont be able to buy my way out of this one. I have been trying to come to grips with my nerves. I feel very stressed and tired. I also feel very trapped. I guess I am not the only one who is stressed about a job. I worry because I think its going to kill me if I dont get a grip or find something else. In the meantime, I was sick again this morning and I have trouble sleeping at night. It makes me grumpy. My pay is good and it allows me to support my family. Thats my dilemna.

I keep telling myself..Today is a brand new day. Now if I could only beleive it.