Tom's Pictures

About 3 months ago I transitioned into a new role at the University I work for.  I left an office I was very comfortable in, for an office where I knew no one and lacked some skills that I need to develop but had a ton of functional knowledge that made it a good move.  I have good days and bad days- there are some days when I want to quit- or punch someone in the face- and there are other days that feel like total wins to me.  Its a big, huge learning process.  So far, overall, so good.

I have this coworker- his name is Tom.  He is our resident office artist.  When I first started I noticed drawing on several of my coworker's whiteboards.  I thought it was cute.  Then, one day, I came in to find Snow White on my whiteboard.  The next week it was Sleeping Beauty.  Then Ariel.  Apparently the "Princess" reputation that I earned in my old office followed me here ;)  When my old office threw me a going-away party- I got a crown!

Anywho- the pictures Tom creates on my whiteboard are actually pretty great!  So, I just thought I'd share them with you :)

The first

Tom and I missed each other for several days that week...

So he just kept adding on...

I think the seaweed really makes it

 I'm hoping for Rapunzel from Tangled soon!

Unfounded Guilt and Unconditional Love

I am a bad church attender.  I get major episodes of ADD and cannot pay attention unless the pastor is telling funny stories.  (I know- I emulate a 5 year old, huh?)  Don't get me wrong- I very much enjoy church.  I love the fellowship, I love to learn, I love feeling empowered to be just a little better in the following week than I was during the past week.  I also love worship.  In my ideal world we would worship for 30 min, listen to a short 5 min sermon (about as long as my attention span), and then go home.  Unfortunately, for me, I have yet to find a pastor who agrees with me on that timeline.

All that to say, yesterday I was totally engrossed in the sermon- not distracted at all!  2 statements in  sermon totally stood out and spoke to me:

"If you are in Christ you are unchangeabley, permanently free because your sentence has been served by Christ."  I love that.  Its something that I've known, of course- but to have it stated so plainly and simply was a great reminder.  The pastor used the illustration of being saved, but feeling as if you are slipping in and and out of being saved because of sin, and feeling the need to make up for our sins, and then sinning again- the vicious cycle.  Of course, God wants our best- but what the statement is really saying is that, even when our best is a failure- we are still saved by grace and that never goes away. 

"God loves the real you.  Not the you you pretend to be.  Not the you who others perceive you to be.  Not the you you wish to be.  Not even the you who, by God's grace, you will one day become.  But he loves you fr the you you are right now."  I also love that.  While Gods is working me, molding me into who his ultimate version of me is, he still loves me all along the way.  Its a beautiful thing!