Created for More - Day 1 - Be Humble

And so it begins...

So much has happened since the fpp yet I'll skip most and begin with this project :)

My dear friend, Rachel, called in June to ask if I'd be interested in participating in this Artist in my Residence experience. How could we have ever planned for the COVID-19 door opening of opportunities?!

A little back story or catch up since 2014... (Bear with me as this is relevant to "be humble")...

2014 and 15 went along swimmingly (intentional fish reference :). Daily frustrations and challenges but little to share. Many opportunities for growth in my work life while doing contract work with state agencies. I worked on myself and lost over 100 pounds by the end of 15. It started with increasing water intake and I'm back to a gallon a day after a brief lapse.

2016 - Notified in late January that I was being cut in 90 days. Had the opportunity to dig in and look at myself and what/who I am. Ended this job, unemployment, part time job in an entry level position for summer, offer to work at a state agency in a significant role. While I'd been working among many who take themselves very seriously for years, this role was a whole new level.

2017 - Word of the year is "humility". Due to the daily interactions, I try to focus on being humble. Not self-deprecating (as mentioned in today's devotion) but rather confident and kind among others who were not. Might I mention that I was still quite angry from the past year's growth opportunity and struggling with my place in this environment. They didn't quite know how to take me.

I was uncomfortable and challenged daily. I prayed to have a different opportunity and one was given to me in June of 17. Of course, this new job put me in a nest of self important people giving me the opportunity to continue my practice of being humble.

2018 - Kept the word "humility" for another year... kept practicing - can you really achieve this? Yes!

2019 - Word was "undaunted". Pulled it from a hymn that begins "Oh how lovely was the morning" as I was texting my weekly note to a dear friend that lives on the other side of the U.S. The word comes with the phrase "but undaunted, still he trusted in his Heavenly Father's care." I carry that trust and gained strength from having the word on my hallway board, my office board and my bracelet given to me by another dear friend.

2020 - Word is "persist" and Rachel gave me a second "wonder". Then COVID-19 occurred. A new work/life balance was needed. I changed up a few things and cleaned up a few. Started walking indoors and now am daily enjoying the beauty of the outdoors.

Yesterday on my walk I was wondering when I'd get my book from Rachel. I was nearing home and had a funny interaction that brought the word humility to mind. I then had a "Zoom" with the Sister missionaries. They shared the hymn, Scatter Sunshine, and challenged me to identify a Christlike attribute that I would consider working on for the coming week. You guessed it - Humility!

I found my book in the mailbox about 6 after enjoying an afternoon in the air conditioning watching "Hamilton"... what a fabulous show! I glanced at the materials and wasn't completely surprised that the first day was "Be Humble".

Got up this morning, read the entry, wrote a note to my pen pal, walked it to the mailbox. It was the entry that made me decide to revive this blog. I won't promise to write every day, but am glad for the opportunity to share these thoughts. Had it not been for the comments in "be humble" about taking risks, I know I wouldn't have shared publicly.

The challenge was interesting and I'm going to draw on something yesterday for mine. I made a delicious spaghetti in the crock pot with spaghetti squash rather than pasta. Due to the slow cook, the squash was more mush than pasta-like. It was delicious and I will share a portion or two with my parents today. Epic fail but ...

I'm also posting a pic or two from my yard on Instagram @kkcoffeymaker True confession - my poor old computer isn't happy with all I've been asking it to do lately so IG has become my toe-dip into social media. Still not on Facebook.

These pics are this morning's examples of "humble" in my yard.

And the journey begins...
Phillipians 4:13 and Alma 26:12