Life and all of it's crazyness.

So, I am still a traversing person on the road to my own life.
I still am looking for a job, and while I'm not yet having much luck, I did get three leads that I am going to call on later today...

I am currently residing at the McCall household for one last night. Then, tomorrow i start a house-sitting gig for the Lanzen's. I will be there from tomorrow night until next Thursday the 7th. That is a blessing to have because I'm still not sure about living conditions...

I'm not sure what is going to happen with Michelle's right now. I'm stubborn and want to be able to stay there and pay her for this coming month, but then I'm also stubborn because I don't want to have to sell my stuff, but i will if I need to...I just put my digital camera up for sale on Craigslist. I figure that enough people have a camera so I don't need one...
I will be planning on selling my laptop next...I still have my Ipod Touch so that will work for me, at least for right now...

SO yeah, life is full of kinks that need to b e worked out but I still hold fast to the knowledge that God has my life under control and it will all work out eventually. I am not panicking or worrying about what is going to happen because it adds nothing to my life, rather it takes away from my joy and happiness. I know that God is my provider, He is my source and he will give me what I need when I need it in the time that I need it in. I am blessed to have a family here in Denver whom I love and who loves me. I have friendships with many people and I know that if I do need something, it will be provided for me from someone.

I attend a wonderful church with a wonderful body. I am growing in my faith and am having to live it out actively. I am being put to the challenge of letting my yes mean yes and my no mean no. I am able to help people out in tangible ways, though not yet financially. I know that one day it will all fall into place. I am actively seeking out ways to be resourceful and to support those who I call friends.

I am blessed to have a place to stay, food to eat, and people that care about my well-being.

Christmas miracles

This is not really a post about miracles that have already happened. It is about those that I would like to see happen.

I would love to be able to find a job. A FT job would be preferable, but I would go for a PT one, at least to start out with. I really just feel that God is calling me to wait on Him. He is the God of my life who decides to do things last minute, but just when they're needed. So, I know that He is going to provide an opportunity for me. I think he just wants me to focus on my last 9 days of work, and also my last days of this class. I just have to be patient, calm, and collected.

Other notes of interest in my life include getting ready to move into my very first, pay for rent, apartment. That is exciting in and of itself. It's going to be in Capitol Hill, which is one of the many areas of main-town Denver. I'm going to live with 2 great roommates, one of which is 8 years old. :) It's going to be an experience, but one that will be enjoyable.

Right now I'm struggling with the whole money thing. I need something to break to be able to pay my bills. I'm tired of living and only being able to pay the minimum's on my bills. I want to be able to pay two of my credit cards off and have the other one down low as well. I also want to be able to help my sister out with her Cross Cultural. But, this money thing won't break until the job thing does.

Speaking of money, I've recently been looking at the Crown Financial Ministries Money Map and would like to be able to do this while I am young and have a smaller amount of debt. The whole premise is paying off bills, creating a savings, and buying smart. This is a great thing to start since I am young.

The first step is emergency savings of $1000. Step two is to pay of credit cards and increase savings to one month's living expenses. Step three is paying off consumer debt (student loans) & increasing savings to three month's worth of living expenses. Step four makes you begin to save for major purchases (home, auto, etc.) and also for retirement, children education, and if I want to start my own business or something of that nature. Step five is buying a home that I can afford, begin prepaying the mortgage, and also investing wisely, whether in stocks or bonds or CD's or MMA's. The second to last step is paying off the mortgage, making sure I have enough money to cover children educational needs. the last and final step is making sure my retirement is funded.

I am excited about the potential my life has. Life is going to be different from that which I grew up in. My ultimate goal is to not have to worry about money matters, to make sure that I have enough to cover my needs and then enough to cover other people's needs, too. There are so many things that life can bring, it makes me very excited!

Life is a great thing to be able to explore.

If you would, please pray that I would be patient for God's timing. I am finding that the more I talk about his timing, the more nervous I become. The more people ask about what I'm doing next, or go on about what will happen if i don't get a job, the more nervous I become. Deep down I know that God is going to provide, but I'm the kind of person who likes to know what is going on, and by relying on God, it causes things to be taken out of my hands and out of my control...

ultimately, I understand that I need to "be strong & courageous." I should "not be frightened or dismayed for the Lord [my] God is with [me] wherever [I] go." (Holmsman Christian Standard Bible, Joshua 1:9).

Pray for this.

Frick

It is officially December - the busiest month of the year. In more ways than one, of course.
This month:
my internship ends
I move into a new place [where I will have to pay rent]
- With new roommates [Michelle & her daughter Kelbie]
I will live in a new part of Denver
I will ride different busses to get to where I need to go
I [hopefully!] will start a new job
I will make more money & pay off some debts
I will most likely not make it home for Christmas
I will enjoy Christmas in Denver
I will send out Christmas cards [which I have never done before]

Woot Woot!

A life and time of change!

November, can you slow down?!

HI there :)

Life has been ever busy as usual, in the good sort of way.
I am currently 3 weeks into the last class I need to get my diploma, YAY!
It is going alright. I don't have the main textbook, which causes me not to really pay attention to the class and homework in general. I need to strive to do well, though - this is imperative.

my working life is going well. I am trying to keep busy and stay on task but am finding it hard to do so. I have only 5 more weeks at this internship and then I will be done. It is crazy to beleive that I have been here for 10 months already! Time sure does fly. For the most part my clients are doing well, some of them are going through struggles, but I have faith that they will get through it with dignity. There are some that really have it rough right now, I will admit. I'm just trying to be prayerful for them and hope that they are able to have faith that God is there with them and that this is not the end.

church life is absolutely fantastic. I am getting involved with my church - Providence Bible Church - and I really really love it there. THe people are fantastic and I really love them all. I learn so much about God and about myself by hearing the word and enjoying fellowship. I am engaged in a community group through them which is fantastic. I like it a lot. I am learning even more about myself and applying scripture to my life through it. I am also in a book club through PBC with the 20-somethings. We have our first session on Sunday and I am excited to see what it is going to look like and see how we are all going to grow, not only on our own, but also together

babysitting life: I have been picking up a lot of babysitting jobs. God has really been providing for me regarding this situation. He is just awesome, and through I still need to work on not squandering away my monies, I am making progress. I just got extra money tonight. It is helping me to pay my bills and also is giving me the ability to go out with my friends on the occasion.

social life is becoming more fun. I have been going out with friends semi-regularly. I try not to spend a whole ton of money but it's hard. I'm making new friends and trying to still keep in touch with those I know from college which is mostly proving difficult - this could be due to the fact that I'm not really trying that hard... I don't know.

I am working on trying to find a job for after November. I need to stop being lazy and finish the cover letter that I am working on. I don't really have the motivation to do so :( Sad, yes. Pathetic, doubleyes. Will I get it eventually, doubleplusyes.

That is my biggest thing right now is finding a job. We'll see what the Lord brings to me...

Well, I need to go get a few hours of sleep. I will post this paper tomorrow.

with love, blessings, and a grateful heart
Ama

So we run....

hi there friends.
Sorry for the long leave of absence.

Life here at TC is going well. Case management is also going well. It is keeping me busy and I am learning alot about what a case manager is, who I become as a case manager, and who I am in general. life is taking me for a ride these days, but it is a ride that I rather enjoy.

I am learning a lot of the resources around the Denver metro area and I am making a few contacts within these agencies. Like anything else, there is always more to learn as things change in the blink of an eye. I fidn that I enjoy being able to tell people who come here looking for help places that they can go and agencies - it makes me feel good to be able to refer them to places that are actually able to help them where they are at.

Most days work goes well though there are times when I become overwhelmed and am ready to leave for the day. I was really frustrated at intake yesterday with a person's situation and what seemed like he was going to be screwed over.

A litte background information:: when it comes to transitional housing, there aren't a lot of places like TC that, if you meet the requirements, you are able to move in the same day. Granted there are times when we don't have rooms open which means a family has to wait until one comes about - but we usually have a pretty decent rate of turn-over. Right now we have like 8 rooms open, or something like that. It's pretty ridiuclous, actually. This month there haven't been a lot of people who are able to meet our qualifications and move in. We have had at least 6 rooms open for like 3 weeks.

Back to this man - he was a single dad who was just kicked out of the shelter that he was staying in. [I'll be honest, I haven't been hearing great things about this particular shelter and it has been making me not so happy.] So, he comes here and because his TANF doesn't kick in until the end of the month, and we can't take him. I think about different places that would take him and his 9 month old daughter so that they don't have to sleep out in the cold. Nothing. Not a single damn place had space to take a single father. I was fuming! Absolutely upset. So much so that I'm working myself up to tears.

Thankfully God created us to be resourceful. After much thinking, he was able to overcome the fact that he didn't like his daughter's grandmother and took her there to stay for a few days until he's able to find an organization that can voucher him into here until his TANF comes in. I was able to get one of the residents in the NLP to call over to our downtown facility and secure this man a bed for 7 days. God was really working in this situation. So, as far as I know, he is there again tonight, waiting for an agency to say they have money to move him into our residence until the 1st of next month.

I know that God has this family in his hands and that he is working on hearts and has been planning for this very moment for ages. Speaking of God doing great things, in December I am going to be participating in something so very cool! My church has put together a fundraiser for our new building & it's operating costs, Denver's Road Home & the Denver Rescue Mission, called A Night In A Box.

I am so excited to be a part of this and see God work in amazing ways. Our goal is to raise $100,000 and to be honest, I see us raising a whole lot more than that. It sounds like a lofty goal, but I have huge faith that we are going to surpass it.
I am always looking for sponsors for this. It doesn't have to be a ton of money - $5 makes a huge difference. See A Night In A Box for details :)

God has blessed me immensely through Providence. I have made great friends, been a part of fun times and see myself staying there and being a part of it for a long while. :)

Time is getting away from me and I really need to head to bed. Have a 9 o'clock meeting in the am. Yikes!

With love & blessings,
Amanda

Year 2

Today was the 2nd, anniversay if you would, of dad's passing away after a tough battle with cancer.

It strikes me, how time has gone. I took the day off and spent part of it down by the rivers that I love here in Denver. While sitting/laying there, i thought it felt a little bit like South Haven. Like I could get up and go down to gma's house and say hello. In lieu of that I wrote on her facebook wall. :)

I took time to rest and relax after sleeping in this morning. I'm not terribly sad about the day. Sure, it brings back memories thinking about pops, but I know that he is in a better place and that I will once again get to see him, someday. Whenever it is that my time comes. Both my heart and mind have come to grasp that he isn't with me. Sometimes I forget it, though. I get this urge to call him, but then I realize that it's not his phone anymore - it's Andrew's, now.

Except I forget that when Andrew calls me [okay, the one time he called me] and the name showed up as Dave Brucki. That was a little bit of a stunner, I'll be honest.

Mostly, though, days are well, even with rememberance's of him. It's definitely bittersweet. It's usually been more sweet than bitter, though.

Well, I am getting tired, though it's only 8:05. I need to make some calls, see if some people want to hang out. It's free pie night at Village Inn. YUUUMMMM!

Labor Day weekend

Fun facts about Labor Day::

x It originated in Canada, first Hamilton then Toronto [which is near Michigan!]
x The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City
x Due to the aftermath of the deaths of a number of workers at the hands ofthe US military and US Marshals during the 1894 Pullman Strike, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.
x We can thank President Cleveland for this
x All 50 states have made labor day a natl. holiday
x Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parades.
x some view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school.
x Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons
x Alternatively, Labor Day traditionally occurs on the first Monday in September

I enjoy labor day and all the things there are to do on this day.
Some places have parades, fireworks, etc.
It usually involves a big day of party.
Cooking out, laughing, playing games - it's the last big HURRAH! of summer, afterall.
Unless you have an Indian Summer.

:: Charaterised by sunny, warm weather in autumn, not long before winter. Usually occurring after the first frost, Indian summer can be in September, October, or November in the northern hemisphere.
:: In the northern U.S. state of Minnesota, for example, warm Indian summer weather generally occurs earlier, in mid October rather than early November.
:: value for determining whether an Indian summer is occurring is that the weather must be above 21°C (70°F) for seven days after the autumnal equinox
:: in the South as elsewhere, this period is more commonly known as the dogdays, in reference to the appearance of Sirius – the "Dog Star" – to the Ancient Greeks
:: Joe Walsh has a song called "Indian Summer" on the 1978 album "But Seriously, Folks..."
:: Pedro the Lion included a song called "Indian Summer" on their album Control.
:: Mandy Moore has a song called "Indian Summer" off her new album "Amanda leigh" [I hope this album is good, it is, after all, named after me!]
:: "Indian Summer" (the movie) was produced and written by Mike Binder in 1993.
:: Brooks & Dunn have a single released in 2009 called "Indian Summer".

I LOVE Indian Summers. It is my favorite time of year, by far! The leaves are turning colors, some are falling off by this time, and the weather is just as fabulous as ever. It's such a glorious time! The sun comes back out and you crave being outside. I hope they have Indian Summers here in Denver...!

Right now the weather is still wondrous, but I haven't been out in it as much as I would like.
The sun goes down ridiculously early here because of the moutains.
I don't appreciate that at all. The weather here is usually nice, though.
It is hard to believe it is already the 4th day of September.
I can feel this month is going to pass quickly.
The 16th makes it 2 years since Pops has passed.
Time really does fly.

I hope that I have a lot to do this Labor Day weekend.
I am too extorverted to spend as much time with myself as I have already.
I need energy and excitement.
People, friends, family, church, etc.
I have to get out and about.
I still need to do more things!

with love, blessings and a thoughtful heart,
.:Amanda:.