A New Adventure

Recently, I decided to search for a job within my own community (Little Rock) that would allow me to use parts of my graduate degree. Luckily, my roommate saw a posting for a case manager position at a local shelter/job training/child care center for the working homelessness. I went through the interview process and was asked to accept the position this past Tuesday. I'm very excited about this opportunity to work with Our House (www.ourhouseshelter.org). It appears that I'll have a wide variety of "duties" such as your standard date entry concerning finances and grant information, being involved in the various aspects of the clients' lives with occasionally counseling and crisis intervention, supervising intakes and referrals, being the liaison with volunteers/community, and the one task that will be the most challenging, evicting clients that are unable to follow the rules of the program.

I'm still tossing around the idea of pursing my RN degree, but for the next six months I am going to focus on learning this new job, forming relationships with my coworkers and clients, and seeing and seeking God.

As many of you know, I went through a bit of a crisis of my own when my grandmother passed away and I returned to Arkansas from Egypt. I questioned God, if there was a God, what the heck I am doing, what my purpose (if there was one) on this (at times) very depressing earth. I can't say I've answered all of my questions but I have at least found serenity in not knowing the answers. I don't think I will ever be void of questions and truly is that really a problem? I don't think so.

I believe in the God of love, the Prince of Peace, and yes even the Body of Christ (no matter how effed up alot (or all) of us are.) Beyond that, my ultimate answer is "I don't know." I'm not sure of my purpose and why I returned to Arkansas. I hope that I can be here and live fully the love that has been so readily given to me by my God and my community of friends and family. I do think there is a reason I came home, but I've yet to nail down the answer and, again, I'm ok with that.

So here I am, trying to be me, whoever that person is. I'm trying to love and see God even in the bloodiest crisis of the world. To not be unable to hope and have a vision that will see this earth be filled with harmony that culminates in a rockin' blue grass, northwest alternative, and spiritual inspired party for all of creation and all it's inhabitants. "Freedom is coming, like a light on the dawn..."

Before I go and pick up my book:

Please click on the picture below (owned by the folks at the university) to watch the trailer for an upcoming documentary about an AMAZING individual, John M. Perkins. If you don't know who he is, learn and read and listen and act!



And finally, even though the Arkansas humidity and 103 temperatures prevents me from venturing up to mountain tops, here is what makes me smile and know that there are things that remain unseen. (yeah, that's me from a few years back during a grape fight)

Peace and a good word:

"You can safely assume that you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." - Anne Lamott