That's where I've been lately.
We have to leave my position in LA unexpectedly, and there weren't any positions available in our preferred locations. We have to make the 24 hour drive back to Texas. Finding housing has been a disaster-we have had very good experiences with Extended Stay America hotels, however, when we went to our room at the one we booked closest to my job, it was tiny (like the size of a small bedroom) didn't have a full kitchen, and smelled terribly of smoke. Needless to say to we left, and went back to my parents house which unfortunately left me with a 100 mile commute one way. We called every hotel, looked everywhere, and couldn't find anything within our price range that would have been livable. Both of our windshields got chips in them-mine turned into a crack which meant it had to be replaced. A seemingly perfect job opportunity in Seattle fell through. Our bottle of bleach leaked and bleached several spots in my parents new carpet.
I am not making this up.
Can I please catch a break?
When life gets messy, it's easy to question where God is in all of it. I mean, I felt that God wanted us in Huntsville. So why wasn't the transition easy? Why weren't we able to find housing? Why did our windshields crack? Why did an amazing job opportunity fall through? Since starting my traveling journey with Advanced over a year ago, I felt that being a traveling therapist was my calling, but when bad thing after bad thing started happening, I began to question if this was truly my calling. Maybe this whole traveling thing was a mistake. But what I realized is that when I am so focused on the why's, I don't see the wow's.
Like wow, we are so thankful for the amazing lifelong friends we made and experiences we had when we were in California.
Like wow, on my last day in California I didn't have a job. By lunchtime I had accepted a job offer.
Like wow, I hadn't even submitted my résumé to the Huntsville job, but another job in Houston with the same company, and the Huntsville job wanted me even though there were other people submitted to the job.
Like wow, of all the places to have difficulty with housing, thankfully it was in a place where we have lots of family, and family that is willing to put us up!
Like wow, my job in Huntsville is amazing. I've never had so many patients be truly appreciative and thankful for the work I do to help them. The staff is really fun and the nursing home is gorgeous.
Like wow, we finally found a really nice apartment for an extremely reasonable rate through a connection from a friend. It will allow us to pay down down debt and save money. In the meantime we are staying in a locally owned hotel that is also very reasonable and about 2 miles from work. A lot better than 100 miles!
Life is messy, and life will continue to be messy. My calling won't always be easy. But God meets me in the mess, in the frustration, in the midst of my why's, and reminds me that whatever I had planned, whatever I thought would be good, wherever i thought my story would lead, is infinitely less. I don't know why, but when I asked God why, I felt certain that the answer was
You Just Wait.
And I will.
(Special thanks to Amy who told me I needed to write this post, and for always reminding me to look for the silver linings! #bestrecruiterever)
Like wow, I LOVE this entry, and this would have never been written had things not worked out the way they have. :) Difficult does not mean destitute. Thanks for reminding ME of that recently as well! :) You're the best.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written. It is so easy to focus on the mess and miss the blessings.
ReplyDelete