an empowering rant.

This is going to be a little bit of a random post.  I have several things to cover:

• Warning: This is a rant.  People take things too seriously.  Yesterday, I posted something on Facebook.  I recently purchased Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Junior for Skylar to start teaching her about money in a responsible way.  For those of you who don't know, Dave Ramsey believes in eliminating all debt and his big thing is to take shears to credit cards and destroy them all.  So, I found it highly entertaining that his website accepts credit cards as a method of payment for his Financial Peace products.  In an effort to be funny, I took a picture of the kit that arrived at my house last night and put it on Facebook with a humorous comment referencing the credit card irony.  Not moments later, my phone lit up with comments from people saying that Dave Ramsey only accepts debit cards and would never encourage the use of credit cards and blah blah blah.  UGGGHH!!  Seriously?!  Guys, it was a joke.  Even if it WASN'T true, it was just a funny comment.  But it WAS true!  Please don't try to make me look like an idiot on my own timeline.  Out of all the crazy ridiculous things that people do on Facebook.  Spelling words wrong.  Not using proper grammar.  Making impulsive comments on sensitive social and political issues.  This situation made me realize how frequently I attack and judge others in a similar manner.  Let's stop tearing each other down.  We spend so much time focusing on people's mistakes.  Why not channel that energy into looking for the best in people and seeking joy and humor in the simple moments of our lives?  For real, peeps.  Let's get it together.
• Today is Thursday.  So Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were rough.  I received a lot of news that wasn't exactly welcome.  Things were building up and I think it all snapped into perspective when my physical therapist told me that I needed to be icing my hip during all of my breaks and keeping a steady stream of Motrin in my system.  Then I was told to start using a crutch whenever I'm not working.  Not exactly the news you want to hear 4 months post-op.  There's a lot going on there that I'm not going to get into at the moment.  But the general gist of things is that I am pushing myself WAY too hard.  Physically, emotionally, mentally.  You name it.  I had a few choices to make and it meant putting myself in an uncomfortable situation.  It meant calling my manager, drawing some lines, and setting some clear-cut expectations.  It meant identifying the problem areas and taking a stand.  Since graduating from Mercy, I've encountered a lot of challenging situations.  But this week was the first time that I really saw that I had a defined choice to make and that no one else could make it for me.  I saw where I was and where I was going and I knew I didn't like it.  I knew what I needed to do to stop the cycle and I didn't like that either.  So I got to choose.  Was I going to let things happen or would I take action to change the course of events.  It was up to me.  I'm glad I made the call.  I think I finally have some clear cut guidelines that make me feel more secure in my ability to handle what is ahead.  I was immediately reenergized.  But the success of the phone call is not what sustains me.  It is the security that I have found in Christ.  Because of His strength in my weakness, I was able to stand up for myself and say to the world, "NO!  I WILL walk out my freedom.  I will not be bound and controlled by circumstance.  The price has been paid and I have been made worthy."  No matter the end result, I am empowered, confident, and courageous.  I am able to stand firm in an unstable and uncertain world.  So despite the chaos of life, I'm actually pretty excited.
• Today marks 3 weeks until the Fall release.  That's 21 days until pumpkin spice (and a bunch of other new goodies that are going to be awesome).  You know you were dying to know.  Bring on September 5th, baby!