Monday, February 27, 2012

Soul Food

Sometimes I forget to feed my soul.  That part of me that needs to be nourished with positive, loving words.  I need to remember that I am who God says I am: forgiven, His, blameless because of Christ, imperfectly perfect, chosen to love the world with the love of Christ, an encourager, a warrior for truth, defender of the defenseless, lover of the unlovable, keeper of the faith.  I so often default to all the other things that comprise me: selfishness, anger, judgementalness, critical, hateful, haughty, prideful, broken, blamed.

What I really need to do to feed my soul is to plug in daily to the Word of God and pray to the God of the universe.  I need to surround myself with people who love me with the Love of the Lord.  People who overlook my many faults and help me do better, love better, act better all through the amazing act of encouragement...not the act of judgement and criticism.  It is so amazing how easy it is to discern when someone truly loves you and wants better for you and when they just sit in judgement and pride.  Dear God, please rebuke me without gentleness when I am prideful and judgemental to other people.

So, today, I am feeding my soul.  AND, getting caught up on some neglected chores.  Don't forget to feed your soul...it is so hungry.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

The Card Lady Muses

Today, I worked at one of 'my accounts'.  This means one of the stores that I stock with cards for American Greetings.  Today was a LONG day.  Seven hours of working.  So I have had a full day of people watching, well actually people listening.  It has been hilarious and interesting.  I wish I could remember all the things that made me laugh out loud today.  Here are a few nuggets of dollar store hearsay:

"I've been giving Jeremy the same valentine for years.  He doesn't even notice.  I just keep forgetting to buy a new one and I have that one on hand."  Then she and her friend laughed hysterically.  Poor Jeremy.
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"Girl, that's aerosol.  That stinks, why you spray that?"  Yes, girl, I am not amused.  While you and your friend ran off to a different part of the store, I am left to smell that aerosol for an ozonally fatal amount of time.
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A man reeking of aftershave, alcohol and cigarettes was looking for a birthday card for his granddaughter.  He was nice and polite...but OH MY WORD, what a stinker.
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"Do you work here?"  Said approximately 127 times to me.
 "No, I work for American Greetings, can I help you find a card?"  Said approximately 127 times by me.
 "No, I needed help finding the ____. Do you know where the _____s are?"
"No, I sure don't...but I could help you find a card if you need one."
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"Look at that, can you even believe it?  St. Patrick's Day and Easter.  That "#*& is ridiculous. Who even buys "#*& like that now?  We ain't even done with %$!<*^' Valentine's Day yet."   Sorry, lady(I use the term loosely.), welcome to the world of retail where seasonal space MUST be filled at all times. The next holiday starts taking over as soon as the current one gives up an inch of space.
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My job is always entertaining.  People, overall though, are much more polite than I thought they would be.  However, they cannot put a card back in its proper location to save their lives.  Hopefully it never comes to that.