Journeys

Late August into mid September (and possibly late September this year) brings excitement, new beginnings, and stress.  Lots and lots of stress.  I mean, it's the beginning of a new school year.  This year is no different.  Except that it is.  This year is different.

At the end of August I would get all the Facebook memory pop ups.  One after another, I apparently posted all about the stressful/busy time that is the start of a new school year.  As I read each of those memories, I must admit, I was a little disheartened.  Am I really that negative?  Regrettably, maybe I have been.  Is it really that bad?  No.  It's not.

So in light of those posts, this time of year, and where I am in my life right now, I kept hearing the word "Journey" echo in my heart.

So today, as I drove to and from work, I spent some time praying and being still.  I thought about obstacles and trials in three main areas of my life.

I reflected on the journeys of my life.
1) Marriage - I've learned in recent years just how much of a journey marriage really is.  This week will mark 13 years ago that Mike proposed.  We've shared a lot of life in those years and I'm learning each day what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman, specifically a wife.  I'm learning, still, how to make this relationship my most important earthly one.  And yet, I'm glad to be on this journey with Mike.  I pray this journey continues for many, many more years.

2) Career - I wanted to learn sign since watching Linda on Sesame Street.  My junior year in high school, I got to spend a day at a school with Deaf children down in Dallas for career day, and picked my college major, right then and there.  Almost 20 years later, with 13 years of teaching in Deaf education under my belt, I'm still doing what I know God set out for me to do.  And I still have goals and aspirations within that field.  My journey there isn't over, and admittedly, in the past, I'd wished it were, but now I'm glad it isn't.   The job is hard, the hours can be long, and a lot gets left undone sometimes, but I still want to do it.

3) Health - I've been on a fitness journey for several years now.  Exercising, various diets, etc.  I've had some success.  In July, I started Plexus as a part of that journey.  I started for me.  For my own health.  No grand plans to sell, grow a business, anything like that.  Just take it, get healthy, and tell others if it came up.

It's been about 2 months now since I started taking Plexus.  I continued the diet and exercise I've always done.  I don't have drastic numbers to report; I just know how good I feel.  This week, I noticed my stomach is starting to flatten.  I sleep better.  I feel more able to handle the stresses of life. In my first paragraph of this post I said, "Late August into mid September (and possibly late September this year) brings excitement, new beginnings, and stress.  Lots and lots of stress.  I mean, it's the beginning of a new school year.  This year is no different.  Except that it is.  This year is different."

Plexus is the difference.

Yes, it's the health difference.  Of course.  And I will always take Plexus for this reason alone.  But it's also the idea of a business.  Y'all, the thought of having a business where I talk to people, share my story, etc SCARES THE CRAP OUT OF ME.  I'm introverted.  I don't sell stuff.  I've never worked in retail.  Are you kidding me?!?!

And yet here I am, blogging about this Plexus journey I'm beginning.  I don't know where this journey will take me.  I don't have goals of being top earner, quitting my job with the income I make, or anything like that.  But as I grow in my walk with Jesus, He is teaching me to love people.  Not to judge, just to love.  And maybe, just maybe, He's using Plexus to help me get there.

Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plan.