Secret Shopper

I was one of the tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands that were effected by the government shutdown.   So...I had to get creative.  Anyone who knows me knows I can't sit idle to save my life.   Really...I don't think I could even if it saved my life.  I have wwwwwaaaaaayyyyyyy to much energy.

So the first 3 days I sat at home....I sat, and I sat, and I sat. I had to do something.  I started searching the web.  What better invention every existed?  The world wide web.  You know you can search ANYTHING!

I had to find a way to make some quick cash.  I knew I could babysit (I'm practically a professional babysitter).  I registered for some childcare websites.  Then my sister mentioned secret shoppers.  She had told me about it for apartment shops but I wanted more than that.

Over my time as a secret shopper, I will share with you some of my experiences, and what I liked and didn't like and WHY!   Why is the all important questions.  Customer service is huge and I think many places are struggling to find good employees who understand what good, no GREAT, customer service is.  

Join me on this journey.   It's been a fun ride so far and I look forward to what all is to come.

And just in case you're wondering.  I was off for 3 days because I was not essential, but then magically I was essential and worked the rest of the furlough.  But even still, I think good came out of it because now, I can make a little extra cash and doing something with my down time.  

As I always said with my peeps overseas "we gotta find the silver lining".  Secret Shopper was mine during the government shutdown.

"Surely I Am With You Always"

What an amazing promise today!

The fire alarm went off this morning in Kim's officer and there was nobody else there.  Just to be careful, Kim went outside, coffee in hand, and enjoyed the crispness of the morning air.

K, who will be 3 in December, talks to Jesus when she wakes up in the middle of the night.  They talk about K being a princess (hehe) and playing dolls together and whatever else pops into her mind at 3 in the morning.

There were cupcakes this evening when my family gathered to honor Grace.  K told her momma that she was saving Grace a cupcake for when her and Jesus come home.

Oh...the faith of a child.   But a stark reminder...HE is always with us.  

We may be too busy to recognize it, but He's there.
We may be too self-absorbed in our own self, but He's still there.
We may be having too much fun doing our own thing, but He will always be there.

Just look around.  Just stop.   Just listen.  Just feel.   FEEL!

HE is with you ALWAYS!

Hardest Week of my Year (Every Year)

15 October 2013 a few parallels to 15 October 2009

well, maybe one, the Dodgers are in the National League Playoffs.  (Yes, I grew up in San Diego but my ENTIRE family has always been Dodger fans). 

But the differences are much more real

I am home and have been for the last 10 months.  The longest I have been stateside in 9 years.  
I am all alone in a strange city.  Yes, I know it well, but it still feels like a foreign land.
I may not get paid (yup, I'm a Federal employee) at the end of the month.  
I'm single with no prospects in sight...talk about lonely.
Grace Debbie Shedd has now been in heaven for 4 years and there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of her. 

15 October of every year starts the longest week of my life.   

15 October 2009 - my sister lost her first daughter to this horrible disease http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/trisomy-13 
17 October  - my ex-husband was born
19 October  - This year would have been my 11 year marriage anniversary

Before heading to bed tonight, I opened Jesus Calling by Sarah Young today and the devotion said this:

"Pain and problems are opportunities to demonstrate your trust in Me. Bearing your circumstances bravely - even thank Me for them - is one of the highest forms of praise".

"When suffering strikes, remember that I am sovereign and that I can bring good out of everything.  Do not try to run from pain or hide from problems".

"Joy emerges from the ashes of adversity through your trust and thankfulness".

I have always been so busy, working, every year since we lost Grace and since my marriage ended almost 6 years ago.   But this year, I don't have anything.  Not really even a job (unless by some miracle the government reopens).   So I have to face this week head on.  I can't hide behind anything.   I won't be too busy to acknowledge the heartache that I'm feeling,

My emotions are gonna be raw this week, they're gonna be more real than probably they ever have been, and I know that God is going to refine me, make me stronger...and continue the process to make me more like Him.  

If you think about it this week...will you pray for me?  

And will you please pray for my sister Kim?   She is by far the strongest woman I have ever met but I know she would covet your prayers tomorrow.