Friday, August 22, 2008

updates and a fun fun giveaway!

First - truck on over to Simple Mom to check out her fabulous giveaway - but it ends on Monday the 25th, so hurry!

Second - my two days at work (Wed and Thurs) went very well. I was in for about 4 hours on Wednesday and nearly 7 yesterday - and although I'm so glad I don't have to do that every week (and it was only 11 hours!!) I
am very grateful I got to do it at all. Here's a few choice words to describe my thoughts/reactions:

Rewarding.
It was great to be back in the sense that I remembered I was good at my job. I was productive, efficient and effective - and I enjoyed it. I slid right back into the routine and was able to contribute to the team during a very busy 2 days.

Convicting.
I think possibly one of the best medicines for a slightly-burnt-out stay-at-home-mama is to go to work for a day or two. I got a break, got to hang out with and talk to other adults about things that had nothing to do with babies... and I could not wait to get home and snuggle my little girl. I would never want to give up my role at home. I had to pull up our online photo page yesterday just to look at her little face. I re-realized what an absolute, unequivocal blessing it is to have my full-time title be Mama.

Reassuring. Most mamas know that their family depends on them for something (often many things) - but they often don't feel appreciated for what they do or necessarily grateful for that role. Both Mark and I make invaluable contributions to the Parenting Pot - and it was wonderful to be reminded that my role cannot easily be filled by anyone else. At any rate - I'm excited to start the work-from-home part of my project now, and not have to be back in the office again for a few months. I was really blessed by the whole experience - thanks for your prayers!

I want to leave you (and myself) with the verse I read on Wednesday before heading in to work (these are also the verses where the title of my blog originate). God really used these words to speak to me that morning, to remind me that His gift to me is the ability -
my ability - to find the satisfaction in my work. Find it. Not that I will receive it, or have it dropped on my doorstep. But that when I look for it - it will be there.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

And to cap it all off - a few lovely pictures of the most darling baby girl I know:

Chewing on a cup with her two front teeth!!











Just laying around, looking lovely!

3 thoughts:

Mary Craig said...

Glad your day went well! I love the pictures. She is such a doll.

BTW- I had to change my blog to a protected site for a bit, so if you will email me at
runawaymommyblog@yahoo.com, I'll "invite" you to read it. Don't you feel so special? :)

Kaycee said...

I am so glad everything went well for your days at work! (Especially since I was behind in commenting before so I think they were done before I left one!) Keep the pics of your beautiful girl coming! :)

Tiffany said...

So glad to hear you had a good couple first days at work. I can't believe Hazel already has two teeth. She's growing up so fast. While my mom was away on her missions trip my bruder broke two teeth (he has 4 already) that sure was a lot of fun. :)