Hi friends... I'm excited to say that I am now officially a WORKING WOMAN... and boy did I work today! First I should start where I left last week:
As most of you know, my first week in San Antonio was very difficult! Lots of tears and loneliness, but I'm happy to say that the 2nd week has been much better. Now don't get me wrong... I still cried just not 5-7 times a day! :) I am slowly beginning to make friends! Lots of blessings have come my way over the last week! I've developed friendships with a few people who live in my apartment complex. I feel my most treasured blessing of this past week was being led to Alamo Heights United Methodist Church--specifically New Heights Community. I have felt so welcomed and at home at AHUMC! I am looking so forward to growing spiritually and making wonderful Godly friends there!
My second major blessing was my TX license!! I was actually delayed in working because of some Human Resources issues and delays getting my license! Thankfully, they came in on Tuesday which leads me to today: MY FIRST DAY OF WORK!
I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but it surely wasn't what I got into! What I can say is that I survived, and in doing so, I have a new confidence in myself as a woman and Speech Pathologist!
Not a day goes by that I don't miss my family and friends in MS, but I am embracing and enjoying life. This past week has taught me that God listens to our prayers. He hears us! He has guarded my heart and mind from negative thoughts and feelings. I thank everyone so much for encouraging me and praying for me. I know that He is the giver of life and life abundantly! I pray blessings over each of you, and I look forward to sharing many more great stories from the great city of San Antonio!
Always remember to live, laugh, and love God's way.
xoxo amanda
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
New City, New Job, Welcome to Life as an ALMOST working woman!
I haven't blogged in quite sometime! Perhaps maybe because I was so busy with graduate school or maybe because I just felt like I didn't have anything to share. Regardless, I have something now. So here it goes...
Tomorrow I celebrate Week 1 of being in San Antonio, TX--my new home. For those of you who don't know I took a job here. San Antonio is beautiful. The perfect "big city" atmosphere, but with individual areas that give a small town feel! The RiverWalk is beautiful and the shopping is FABULOUS (if you have all the money in the world). Six Flags is wild with many roller coasters! I was feeling on top of the world experiencing all these things this past weekend. I just couldn't believe that this amazing city is where I am calling home! I was on Cloud 9...then my mom, sister, Anthony and Derek left. What seemed to be so amazing wasn't so amazing anymore! I had no friends or family to share this beautiful town with.
So from Sunday until today I would say I have cried around 20 different times. For one reason or another, whether it was a text from my Dad or a call from my mom or something I saw on Facebook. There have been times when I would just cry for absolutely positively no reason at all other than the tears just kept coming! I was to the point of devising a plan to get a U-Haul to San Antonio to move this small town MS girl right back where she belongs!
My area manager for the company I work for is a strong Christian woman, and she knew how down I was, so she invited me to the revival at her church tonight. Greater Love Missionary Baptist Church on the Southside of San Antonio. I immediately said yes because I felt led to go! My experience tonight was definitely one of revival. Revival of my spirit, but more importantly the message revived in me thankfulness for what God has so richly blessed me with. There are 3 things that I have learned over this past week:
1. I forgot how blessed I was to be here. I let worry and loneliness take over my blessings and joy. When we lose sight of what God has given us and forget to be thankful for those blessings then we are setting ourselves up for worry.
2. God doesn't lead his children into anything that they cannot bear. He has me here for a reason. Although I don't have full grasp of what it is, I know that I am taken care of. I am redeemed! Psalm 107 says let the redeemed tell their story! I will not let my story be of sorrow and sadness but rather how wonderful God's goodness, and how Great He is!
3. Worry gets you NO WHERE... well other than crying 5-7 times per day! My sweet friend Lauren Scott posted this verse on her Facebook status this morning:
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
My prayer is that I learn from this experience. I cherish the opportunity to experience something beautiful, but most importantly that I always remember to be thankful to my gracious God for giving me each of these things. I am happy to say that my spirits have been lifted and I have found my joy despite the ups and downs of moving to a new city and taking on a new job! I will wake up tomorrow ready to start Week 2 with a whole new outlook thanks to the One who gives blessings and mercies anew every day!
I love each of you, and I hope to keep you updated on my great experiences in San Antonio!
Tomorrow I celebrate Week 1 of being in San Antonio, TX--my new home. For those of you who don't know I took a job here. San Antonio is beautiful. The perfect "big city" atmosphere, but with individual areas that give a small town feel! The RiverWalk is beautiful and the shopping is FABULOUS (if you have all the money in the world). Six Flags is wild with many roller coasters! I was feeling on top of the world experiencing all these things this past weekend. I just couldn't believe that this amazing city is where I am calling home! I was on Cloud 9...then my mom, sister, Anthony and Derek left. What seemed to be so amazing wasn't so amazing anymore! I had no friends or family to share this beautiful town with.
So from Sunday until today I would say I have cried around 20 different times. For one reason or another, whether it was a text from my Dad or a call from my mom or something I saw on Facebook. There have been times when I would just cry for absolutely positively no reason at all other than the tears just kept coming! I was to the point of devising a plan to get a U-Haul to San Antonio to move this small town MS girl right back where she belongs!
My area manager for the company I work for is a strong Christian woman, and she knew how down I was, so she invited me to the revival at her church tonight. Greater Love Missionary Baptist Church on the Southside of San Antonio. I immediately said yes because I felt led to go! My experience tonight was definitely one of revival. Revival of my spirit, but more importantly the message revived in me thankfulness for what God has so richly blessed me with. There are 3 things that I have learned over this past week:
1. I forgot how blessed I was to be here. I let worry and loneliness take over my blessings and joy. When we lose sight of what God has given us and forget to be thankful for those blessings then we are setting ourselves up for worry.
2. God doesn't lead his children into anything that they cannot bear. He has me here for a reason. Although I don't have full grasp of what it is, I know that I am taken care of. I am redeemed! Psalm 107 says let the redeemed tell their story! I will not let my story be of sorrow and sadness but rather how wonderful God's goodness, and how Great He is!
3. Worry gets you NO WHERE... well other than crying 5-7 times per day! My sweet friend Lauren Scott posted this verse on her Facebook status this morning:
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
My prayer is that I learn from this experience. I cherish the opportunity to experience something beautiful, but most importantly that I always remember to be thankful to my gracious God for giving me each of these things. I am happy to say that my spirits have been lifted and I have found my joy despite the ups and downs of moving to a new city and taking on a new job! I will wake up tomorrow ready to start Week 2 with a whole new outlook thanks to the One who gives blessings and mercies anew every day!
I love each of you, and I hope to keep you updated on my great experiences in San Antonio!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
New Year, New Lifestyle!
So, with 2011 comes many, many changes in my life! I'll be graduating from grad school, getting a job, which may mean moving away! With all these changes, I decided to proclaim 2011 as my year of changes! I'm going to become healthy and financially savvy, in addition to becoming a speech pathologist! So far, I am happy to say that it's going well! I'm developing great new eating habits without limiting my ability to enjoy social outings! I'm also exercising!! Next week, I'll begin training to run a 5K! I decided this would be a great goal because it will benefit me by increasing my health, but more importantly it's a charity event, so getting healthy will help others!! What a great combination!
Today's blog is to tell you a little bit about ways I'm changing what I eat!! Hope these tips are as helpful for you as they have been for me:
1. Drink lots of water! Doing this increases the health of everything and DECREASES calories that come from sodas and other nutritionally empty drinks! Don't like water?? Crystal Light packets are a great way to make water tasty without ruining the healthiness of water!
2. Grilled NOT fried! It amazing what calories you save when electing to eat grilled foods rather than fried!
3. Be INFORMED! Most all chain restaurants have nutritional information on their website! Do a little research! This will help when friends ask to go out to eat! Going into the restaurant you'll be armed and ready with healthy choices that won't blow your calorie limit!
4. Free Calorie Tracker. If your like me, it helps to see what your eating! At www.livestrong.com you can track you calorie intake as well as calorie usage! Put in what you eat and the exercise you do, and you'll know where your at on a day to day journey!
5. Cooking? I cook for one, but most recipes are made for 4, so it's always tempting to go and get seconds out of the Good Earth Mediterranean Chicken and Pasta I just made! What I've found is go ahead and pack up the rest of that in individual containers for later meals! With it already in the fridge, your less tempted to grab those seconds making the portion more appropriate for a reduced calorie limit!
These are just a few tips that have helped me over the past few weeks! I look forward to updating you on my progress!!
Thank you Lord for continually giving me motivation and encouragement through your presence!!
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Today's blog is to tell you a little bit about ways I'm changing what I eat!! Hope these tips are as helpful for you as they have been for me:
1. Drink lots of water! Doing this increases the health of everything and DECREASES calories that come from sodas and other nutritionally empty drinks! Don't like water?? Crystal Light packets are a great way to make water tasty without ruining the healthiness of water!
2. Grilled NOT fried! It amazing what calories you save when electing to eat grilled foods rather than fried!
3. Be INFORMED! Most all chain restaurants have nutritional information on their website! Do a little research! This will help when friends ask to go out to eat! Going into the restaurant you'll be armed and ready with healthy choices that won't blow your calorie limit!
4. Free Calorie Tracker. If your like me, it helps to see what your eating! At www.livestrong.com you can track you calorie intake as well as calorie usage! Put in what you eat and the exercise you do, and you'll know where your at on a day to day journey!
5. Cooking? I cook for one, but most recipes are made for 4, so it's always tempting to go and get seconds out of the Good Earth Mediterranean Chicken and Pasta I just made! What I've found is go ahead and pack up the rest of that in individual containers for later meals! With it already in the fridge, your less tempted to grab those seconds making the portion more appropriate for a reduced calorie limit!
These are just a few tips that have helped me over the past few weeks! I look forward to updating you on my progress!!
Thank you Lord for continually giving me motivation and encouragement through your presence!!
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
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