TGIF

Seriously, I have tried to post to this thing several times this past week, but every time something has kept me from it (obviously, since there's nothing new). Twice I got caught by the clock and had to run out before I was done and couldn't manage to recover what I had written, and the one time I had enough to time to write a LOT and finish putting all my thoughts down, I hit the wrong button and erased it all. Oh well!
So anyway... it's been a really, really good week. I have to say, I am LOVING my job as a barista! Yes, it's still a ton to learn, but the people I work with are so nice and fun, and I've had lots of opportunities to meet customers, which is very cool. And I can have all the coffee I can drink! Also, my dad stopped here on his way to Charleston for work, so I got to spend some time with him this week and that was great.
There have been a lot of things this week that have been incredible, and while I would love to count all the ways God has blessed me the past few days and share that long list with you, it all seems unimportant. The bottom line is- every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows (James 1:17). God is teaching me to look to Him in every single thing, bad or good, and find my satisfaction in HIM, not in my good circumstances. Just like Peter, I will most definitely sink if I take my eyes off the Lord. I am so grateful for all He has provided, but ultimately, I'm most thankful for Jesus, who gives me life every day.
The other thing God has taught me recently (ie: in the past 12 hours) is that everything He's teaching me is for RIGHT NOW. I love to read Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest at night, and last night was a big one for me. I had just been talking to a friend about how good things are going and how God must have amazing plans for me here (because things seem to be going so well), and Oswald reminded me that this isn't necessarily the case. The title of the devotional was "After obedience- what?" and the whole point was that God looks at our obedience, He's not trying to teach us obedience to prepare us for something else. Obedience is it! "His purpose is for this minute, not for something in the future...what men call training and preparation, God calls the end... it is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God." It was a little scary to read this last night and think, "Wait, maybe there's not some huge plan that this is getting me ready for!" but as I re-read the devo a couple of times, got some good sleep, and woke up and had a good long chat with God, I know that He still has a plan for me, and I trust that it's better than anything I could come up with on my own. But now I realize too that all this stuff I've just shared with you, this is the conclusion He wanted me to come to today. He might build on this lesson tomorrow or next week, but it's not about the future- it's about now.