Month: June 2013

Little 5-Year-Old Sarah

Published on by Sarah E. CooleyLeave a comment

Disneyland for my 5th birthday. 

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When I was quite a bit younger than I am now, I would argue and fight with my mom to the point that I would get physical and would hit and kick and bite and scream. She would always ask me in the middle of the fight, “Sarah, who is going to win this fight?” And I would always reply, “you are….” She would ask me in return, “do you want to keep fighting?” 
“YES,” I would say without hesitation and would continue kicking, screaming, and crying.

~~~
What a year already, right? How foolish am I to think that after I got through the last trial/obstacle that God had finished teaching me all that I had needed to learn. Boy, was I wrong or what?

God is so good. And so incredibly faithful. And always right on time. 
Tomorrow, I have my last day at RiteLend, Inc. and my last day working in the mortgage industry. It has been a crazy ride – lots of ups and downs – but great nonetheless. 
God has been relentless this last year in teaching me even when I have been stubborn and hardheaded and wanting to do my own thing. He has taken situations where I think that I have had enough and said, “No Sarah, it is not time yet. Wait – be patient. My plan is perfect.” I would wait, maybe not the most patiently, but I would wait…
Outwardly, I usually don’t wait like little 5-year-old Sarah would wait kicking my mom and screaming, but inwardly, that’s a different story. I still am just as stubborn and hardheaded as little 5-year-old Sarah. I fight with God and ask, why not? Why can’t I quit this job and work somewhere else right now? I want my dream job and I want it now!!! (Think of violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)
December was when I found out about this new job opportunity. It is now July. That was a long time from December to July. But God had a reason for me to wait. 
He knew that I was going to get sick with mono and be out of work on and off for two months. He knew that I would have inner office conflict and would have to learn to communicate with a boss whom I did not want to respect, but knew I had to. He knew that I was going to have to take on various different job responsibilities and learn how to better multitask and prioritize. He knew that the mortgage industry was going to take a turn for the worst in the last month and that my company would have to lay off a dozen or more people. 
God knew. 
And all this time I was hoping for my timing (NOW) and forgetting his timing (LATER). 
It is amazing how God works things out for his good. He was fully aware of all those different reasons why December would have been a disaster and why July was the perfect time to start my new job. God knew that I had lessons that I needed to learn before moving on so that I could be better prepared for this job. God knew it all and he knew what would give him the most glory. 
Thank you Lord for being the God of perfect timings and for providing for your children just as they need. Thank you for being relentless and teaching my heart despite my stubbornness and hardheaded self. Thank you for being bigger than me and knowing what I need exactly when I need it. Thank you, Lord. 
~~~
Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God had done from beginning to end.” 
Matthew 6:30 – 34 – “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Don’t Blink…

Published on by Sarah E. CooleyLeave a comment
Don’t blink….
As I was driving down the freeway this morning to work, a familiar country song came on the radio – one that I have heard many times. It holds the same sentiment that a lot of country songs hold – in summary, remember what you have and don’t waste your life.
I must have heard that song a billion times. I’ve sung along each time.  Even this morning as I was listening to it, I didn’t think twice about it.
Until this afternoon while talking to a coworker.
She had her high school ID from 1987. And I was browsing through Instagram and a friend had posted a picture from our high school graduation 5 years ago.

TIME FLIES.
How 5 years went by without me being aware, I do not know. College graduation was a whole year ago. I have been working for a whole YEAR. 

My roommate Alli and myself will be moving from our first apartment out of college in just shy of two weeks. We were talking last night remembering our first night in that apartment. We talked for hours after we had moved in remembering the day. We had both gotten in bed and realized that we didn’t take a picture our first day in our apartment. We both got out of our beds, retainers already in and make up already off, and took a picture (see picture below). That night, we talked about who helped us move that day and how we were excited that we already had made some friends. We pondered where we would be in that next year – who we would be friends with, if we would have the same jobs, how we would grow, what we would be involved in at our new church, Seabreeze Church, and who would be helping us move out of this apartment.
A year has passed and so much has changed. We both are dating handsome, godly men, Eric and Elliot. Alli now has a permanent position at her job. I have had two jobs since then and now work at a mortgage company and have for nine months. We both are involved in the High School Ministry at church. We have a wonderful group of friends – beautiful women and men who love the Lord and are striving to serve him. Mentors whom we both love and look up to. Families who have been through a lot this year and are learning a lot through the process.
Kenny Chesney had it right in that song I listened to this morning  (click here to listen). 
The chorus says this:
“Don’t blink // Just like that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you // Wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife // Don’t blink // You just might miss your babies growing like mine did // Turning into moms and dads // next thing you know your better half of fifty years is there in bed // And you’re praying God takes you instead // Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think // So don’t blink”
That’s how I feel the last year, 5 years, 23 years of my life have gone…and according to my coworker and the man in the music video, it just keeps going faster and faster.
I am so thankful for this last year of my life and all that it has taught me – through the transition from college to the job world, through two job changes, through a move to a new county and new city, through switching churches, sickness, tears, laughter, happiness, sadness, through a new relationship and all the learning that comes along with that…through it all, I am so thankful.
This year would not be what it was if it were missing anything that had occurred. Although it is impossible to slow life down, I do need to take as much time as I can to remember the important things in life and to not get side tracked by distractions. I need to really learn from what the Lord is using in my life to try to teach me. Life is too short to waste on silly, perishable things like money and possessions. Growing in the Lord and investing in the people that the Lord has placed in my life is of number one importance (Love God and Love others – Matthew 22:36 – 40).
So in summary, “don’t blink…”
~~~ 

Matthew 22: 37-40 (ESV): “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
~~~
To Be Continued…