Morning Meditation

Good morning! Yesterday I purchased a new daily devotional. This past Friday, my coworker shared the daily passage with me as we have been chatting about our work and life stressors recently. I could see the calm and peace that the timely daily message gave her.

I haven't really shared much about my faith here, but am feeling moved to share today. I have pushed my faith aside in priority over the last few years. Whenever I make it a priority I always find a comfort and a sense of familiarity that brings me peace. Work (the social work connection!) has brought me so much stress recently that I am again turning to what I know for peace.

This brings me to today's devotional. "..When you feel anxious, know that you are focusing on the visible world and leaving Me out of the picture. The remedy is simple: Fix your eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen.. Each day is a precious gift from My Father. How ridiculous to grasp for future gifts when today's is set before you! Receive today's gift gratefully, unwrapping it tenderly and delving into its depths. As you savor this gift, you find Me."

This incorporates a familiar passage from 2 Corinthians 4. After reading the daily devotional I read the corresponding chapter in the Bible. What brings me more hope and comfort this morning is this, "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16)."

What a blessing to be reminded that we are being renewed each day. This reminds me again to be present.

I hope you are able to turn to what brings you peace on this Sunday to find renewal before the hectic and crazy work begins again tomorrow.

Thanks for listening.

Honesty

So I'm just gonna say it.. I've been in a funk lately. I know it's the result of a lot of things going on, but I'm having a hard time shaking it! It's frustrating for me to be a social worker and in a counselor role and think "Dang I could use some counseling!" I know there is nothing wrong with asking for help and believe that some of the most effective counselors and social workers are in therapy themselves.. however.

As social workers we are called to help people and it can be annoying when we are the ones that need help and we can't fix it ourselves. The sometimes crazier thing is knowing what you should be doing and not doing it. Definitely a learning experience and one that provides some perspective into our client's lives... ya know that empathy thing.

Last week I led a group on attitudes and beliefs and it looked into irrational thinking and our internal critic. One of the discussion questions was something to the effect of "How would you tell someone else that their thinking on X topic was irrational?" Basically getting to the point that it is much easier for us to tell others how to fix something than for us to see the solution to our own problem - even if it is the same problem! Not mind blowing, or a new idea, certainly. The "plank in your own eye" bible verse comes to mind..

When my clients answer a question I sometimes follow up with "So - taking that a step further..." to gather more information and to help them connect the dots on what they've just identified. Asking my own self this, I find myself thinking.. 1) I've identified a problem. 2) I know many different solutions and techniques for said problem. 3) I'm choosing not to do any of these solutions. 4) Therefore I'm choosing to live with the problem and suffer.

Hmm. How about them apples!

One of my coworkers identifies this cycle in his groups - "I do this --> This Happens --> I suffer." And "I don't do this --> That doesn't happen --> I don't suffer."

To me the use of the word suffer is so thought provoking. I usually think of suffering in terms of someone who is dealing with a terrible amount that I can hardly fathom. To picture myself in this cycle and think that I may be getting in the way of my own happiness by not doing something more productive is.. well.. insanity.

And on that note I'm going to make myself do some yoga before the day is over. Cheers!

Lessons + Ramblings

Thanks for the happy comments on yesterdays post and closet cleaning ideas! I am still just so excited about getting to go back to work. You may think it's super glamorous to be unemployed (does anyone actually think this?) and get to "sleep in".. but I don't get to sleep in. My dog wakes me up and either wants to go outside, eat, or play - or all three.. The not wearing makeup thing has been pretty nice for my pores, and making my makeup last longer, but basically even though I have moments of brilliance in the domestic goddess world (made this for dinner tonight for the second time - super yum!), I'm really more of a working girl. You can remind me of this in about 3-5 years when the idea of kids comes around. LOL.

I took 2 big bags full of clothes to Good Will yesterday. Random sharing moment- our coat closet also doubles as a Good Will closet where we put items we don't need in hiding and "on hold" and see if we miss them. Since we just moved I had a bag of clothes already put aside in this magical closet so I simply added to it (haven't missed them). I even went nuts and pitched 13 pairs of underwear!! Ok, possibly too much information, but those free panty coupons at Victoria's Secret always seem awesome at the time, but now that I have a washer and dryer and do laundry weekly, ill fitting panties are no good and just take up space. 

So that feels good. I'm also much more in tune to what items could help round out my work wardrobe and relearned the lesson that while buying a top that is on sale at Target may seem like a good idea, it's probably something that will get worn a few times and then head on it's way to Good Will in a year or so. I'm hoping I will continue to be a much more savvy shopper. I also need to be more careful with drying things to death (I'm talking to you F21 inexpensive tshirts. I got rid of all 3 I purchased this year. Dang.) and in general buying crap quality clothes that don't last.

Like a sick person, I went shopping as soon as I left Good Will. I went to Old Navy and picked up that scarf I've been drooling. over. (and thinking about dozens of ways to wear) when I only saw 2 left.. as well as this cardigan in gray. Today I was on a mission for black pants. I have one shrunken (see dryer comment / lesson above) pair that can still pass as skinny black pants with longer tops and cardigans, and a pair I got in undergrad for sorority recruitment which is currently 4 sizes too big (fits more like 2 sizes bigger, probably thanks to my drying skills). I went to Express with a coupon (+ military discount!) and came home with an appropriately sized pair of awesome black pants!

I would love a handful of dressy-esque tops and possibly some classic button up shirts, but that will have to wait. Now that my closet is under control and I've washed and neatly folded work tops I'm feeling one step closer to starting work on Monday! Now about cleaning the house before the in-laws visit...

Quick update

You may have noticed I've been MIA. I have big news! My husband and I recently left our home town of Cincinnati and moved to Iowa!! Mike was offered a job that we couldn't turn down! It has been a very busy few months but we are starting to feel settled in Iowa and now that we have internet (finally!!) I wanted to post a quick update!!

I am in the process of getting licensed in Iowa and until then am an unemployed social worker! Getting licensed is a little more complicated than I thought, but I'm hoping to be licensed by the end of May if all goes well. Plenty of time to get even more comfortable with the area and get the house in order! 

So - that's why you haven't seen me here! I can't promise my posting will become regular - but it might improve now that I'm unemployed and a stay at home wife - temporarily!! :)

Hope all is well with you!

Belated

Happy new year!!! I'm hope your year is off to a great start! I have the day off and am still in my pjs enjoying the day with the husband. We made cinnamon apple pancakes with chocolate chips for breakfast and are enjoying some football this afternoon! Tonight we're going on a double date with my brother and his girlfriend. A perfect day indeed.

On a number of occasions over the past few weeks I had thoughts of blogging but it never happened. So I'll do a quick recap/ update bullet style!

• I had the opportunity to wear my bed bug suit for the first time. I warned my client ahead of time that I'd look like a white monster. Fortunately I did not see any bed bugs and my client took it surprisingly well. Phew.
• Our agency is getting a new computer system and I'm on the committee that is working on the software and finding all the bugs before "go live" date. It has been a really interesting yet time consuming project. The especially neat thing has been working with other coworkers and our manager and supervisor to customize the software to fit our needs! I love getting to brainstorm and share ideas on something that will impact our agency for the next few years - until the next software comes along! :)
• Husband and I went to NYC for a weekend in December. We had been planning a getaway to New York around the holidays even before he deployed to Iraq. It was a quick and busy weekend that was absolutely magical! I'd highly recommend going around the holidays if you ever have a chance!

Cab ride into the city from the airport

Pretty, eh?

• I've read 2 of the 3 books in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series. The first book took a little patience to get into, but I was quickly hooked! I finished The Girl Who Played With Fire this morning and just purchased the last one on husband's Kindle! I was worried about how disturbing the first book would be based on everything I had heard - and expected something along the lines of Precious. There were some rough spots definitely, but it was hardly the majority of the book. Have you read the books?
• Lastly - for now at least - Social Work Couture's 1 year birthday was 12/30! So happy belated birthday to us! We're still a baby in comparison to other blogs, but I feel like I've learned a lot so far about blogging and Photoshop and hope to post more regularly in 2012! Thanks for following us!

Is this real life??

Hi there! Please excuse my recent absence. BTW I wouldn't think it will get better the next couple of days either, but a post to catch you up and explain - a "real life" type blog post today!

I have very exciting news for you, readers! My husband is home on R&R from Iraq! It had been a long, challenging 6 months since we last saw each other (he got 3 days @ Christmas) and now he is home!! We get 2 full weeks together! I believe the last time we had this much consecutive time together was on our honeymoon! Ah, the military lifestyle! Not so glamorous, but what can ya do? ..Love and appreciate your soldier! :)

It's a sleepy kind of morning - it's raining outside (or was) and I'm drinking coffee and getting caught up on some of my favorite blogs (and blogging of course!) while husband plays video games! Even though we're doing our own thing it's really, really nice to be on the same couch and know that I can sneak a few kisses if I want!

I have a few (ok 11!) pictures to share of our adventures thus far - although sadly most are pretty blurry!

 At the airport! I blame my tears and excitement for the quality of this photo! 

 Cat reunion! (Say hi to Fiv!) I was nervous how the cats woulds respond to him, but it was a reunion of old friends. Very sweet!

 Before dinner the first night! :)

 So nice to enjoy happy hour with my man after work! (He came home on a Saturday and I worked Monday - Thursday and have off until next Tuesday. Gotta save some of that PTO for when he's actually home-home!)

 Husband enjoying "civilian clothes"

This next set is from our trip to Nashville! We've been to Nashville a few times and love it! We had a great time and enjoyed just "being us" with little distractions!

With stomachs full and happy we were ready for our road trip! Husband made a country mix CD for us to get especially excited about the adventures ahead! It worked!

 The Ryman was so close to our hotel!

 Gotta love live music! It was everywhere! And no cover! Good stuff.

 :)

 Couldn't be more excited about these babies! I've wanted cowgirl boots for a loooong time. Love them! Thanks babe! xox

 Watching the World Cup final! Lots of excitement! 

Alright, time to convince husband to make me breakfast and go back to bed and cuddle! ;)