Great are the Works of the Lord!

I’ve worked at the same restaurant for 7 ½ years. Good years…with a little stress and some not-so-good memories; but overall, good years.

But I’ve always known I wasn’t going to work in a restaurant forever. Even in the beginning. I never had a job besides babysitting in high school. Once I graduated, I was on to the working world…so I thought. What I didn’t know was that it was going to be a whole year of apply and wait, pray and wait, trust and wait. That was a tough year…and then my dad and I were driving past a local franchise that had a “now hiring” sign out front. My dad noticed and I responded with a definite “not working in a restaurant.” Long story short, I ended up applying, getting my first interview of the year, and being offered a job. Not exactly my first choice, but I saw God leading and so in I went. I loved it from the start. My bosses. The other employees. The guests. Even creating ice cream sundaes. J

None of that’s changed, really. I’ve just always known it was temporary…and seven years sort of pushes temporary in my book. Well, even six did. But as I prayed about it last year, God gently said “not yet.” I wanted to dig down deep with people…not just the in-and-out that comes with guests and even employees—we go in spurts where turnover is high and then not so much. We have regular guests, sometimes known by name, sometime known by nick-names—the Straw Hat Man. The Coffee Lady—and when they stop coming, we don’t know why…they got tired of us? get sick? move away? In reality, nothing on earth is permanent, yet I desired more permanency than what I was able to get. And a more set schedule wouldn’t hurt, either.

After a summer of being okay where I was, enjoying the people around me, God suddenly said, “yes.” And slowly the doors began to open.

I get to call myself a nanny now and get to play and cuddle babies. J Twin girls who are nearly 2. A family with a 3 year-old, 2 year-old, and almost 1 year-old (!). Another almost 1-year old occasionally. Full days for the former, half a day for the other, afternoons here and there for the third.

And I still work one day a week at my restaurant. It’s the best of both worlds, actually. And I have Fridays off. J Such a big schedule difference has been a big adjustment. I’m still not completely used to it yet!

It’s been a reminder to me, in the midst of this crazy past month, that God is working behind the yes’s, wait’s, and no’s. God knows what is best, and when it is best. On the other side we might understand…but that definitely doesn’t make things easy on this end. God remembers we are human and need reminders now and then. On the days that do not seem so bright, I only have to look back a few months and remember that yes, God is working.

Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.

{Psalm 111:2}