Samantha’s Weblog

Attempting to be serious…..

Centerpieces November 23, 2009

Filed under: Wedding Stress — milagrosfarias @ 10:15 pm

I have been going crazy with this whole wedding thing.  I never wanted a big wedding and here I am planning a huge one so everyone can be happy!

So our theme kind of evolved from the colors.  My favorite color is purple.  Phil’s is green.  So I decided to use that as a basis for our wedding.  Then all of a sudden, Phil thought “Grapes!”  Grapes are a wonderful fruit that has both green and purple.  So this evolved into a Mediterranean theme.

My issue is that I cannot make everyone happy with the centerpieces! I want something different and not huge.  We aren’t traditional and I don’t want something “blah”.  So I am trying to get all these ideas together.  I found great invitations and favors, but I am blocked on the whole centerpiece thing.

I may have found something today that will appease the major people involved, but will this make me happy?  Must make one.  Arg.

Could we just eat standing up?

 

Thoughts on Ministry/Callings/Worship November 16, 2009

Filed under: Thoughts on... — milagrosfarias @ 10:59 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

An phone conversation with my best friend is the spark of this blog entry.  Since I am trying to get back into blogging again, I decided to tackle this lovely issue.  It really isn’t a issue for many, but it is something she has caused me to consider.

I have been in and out of our church’s ministry for awhile now.  I started helping in our youth group in 2004 and rose the ranks of leader. I have always loved music and when we began our youth church, I went into the worship team.  It had always been an awesome place and time for me.  It was the thing that brought me and my fiance together.  Thursday nights was practice and was always the highlight of my week.  I transitioned from youth church band to young adult church band.  I even became the assistant vocal director.  This was my favorite position in ministry and a position I took very seriously.  Eventually, I had to step down due to my increased school work load.  I was seeing that it was impossible to do it all and needed to scale back.

I must admit, that I have always been headstrong and very outspoken in our group.  It had caused me to butt heads with the vocal and band director a couple of times.  I know there is a entry or two that has been about these times.  After stepping down, it was very hard to get into the rhythm of things.  I felt very excluded and hurt by actions of those in the group.  I eventually stopped going and have been embittered by things that have happened.  It took some time to cope and get back to level ground, but there is somethings that will never be the same.

So, to back track slightly, my best friend was telling me about how the young adult band has begun to audition people who are interested in joining. She makes a point of saying, “Just in case you wanted to go back.” My response is automatically, “No.” It’s said in the flattest of tones. She asks, “why?” I feel that this avenue is closed to me at this point in my life.  Not only this ministry, but ministry in general.  Technically, I can’t go into ministry if I wanted to, but the point is I don’t want to.

People have said that I am needed back, but I don’t think so.  I am not needed like I once was.  I don’t feel the pull like I once had either.  Some may call this pull God’s calling on my life, but I don’t feel that. It’s very tough to explain and understand because as I say this, I know one thing. I know that when I sit in the young adult service and look up at the stage, something in my heart hurts. So as I say that I don’t feel the need/ the call/ the pull, I also can say that my heart breaks while I am not on that stage singing until my lungs are gasping for air. So the big question is, what am I feeling?

Every person has some great plan for their life.  I have always known this fact.  I have always known that God calls people into his service and uses their gifts.  I don’t know how I fit into that.  I don’t know really what else to say. If I am to go back to this thing called ministry, I must then get over myself and just do it.  Yet, I know I can’t physically and emotionally do that.  ARG, I am just further frustrating myself with this mindset.  I am ending this now.

 

A new beginning… November 15, 2009

So I know I have been MIA for a while now.  The last update wasn’t my happiest and it’s been a whirlwind since May. It was an interesting post-college summer.

The Job Search: Trying to find a job was difficult.  I sent out ten applications and never got a reply! I wanted to watch that movie Post-Grad because I felt I could relate.  I ended up putting in my application twice in Elizabeth.  The second time, I actually got a response! It was tense for a couple of days.  I was trying to get all my paperwork in and trying to make the deadline of the board meeting.  I ended up missing it.  My heart and spirit was crushed, but they ended up calling an emergency meeting in which I passed and became an official teacher.

Unemployment: I ended up getting unemployment and had a work free summer.  No job and just time for me.  It was restful.  It caused me to have to stop moving and I went a little crazy. I had been non-stop from the first day I stepped on my college campus.  I worked as well as taking 6 classes at a time. I never had a break, so unemployment was my rest.  Of course, it ran out before I got my job!  It caused some stress, but I don’t think I was ever as financially stable as I had been (until now of course) when I was on unemployment.

My First Job: I am a 7th grade Language Arts teacher now and I love it! It’s been very interesting.  The first marking period ends on Tuesday and it’s been a full, fun time.  Halfway through the marking period, I also became a 6th grade Language Arts teacher. I am doing double duty now. I am also teaching after school. It’s a little crazy and stressful, but I am getting into the flow of it.

The Love of my Life: This October 8th made 4 wonderful years with my boyfriend Phil.  Four days before our anniversary, we went to see Blink-182!  They are our favorite band and probably the band that we thought we would never see.  When they reunited, we definitely knew we had to see them. We went to Madison Square Garden and sat in the Floor Section.  I was so happy and thought that nothing could have made that night any better.  Boy, was I wrong.  We got home and Phil said he wanted to give me my anniversary gift.  On my porch, Phil asked me to marry him.  Of course, I said yes!  He is now my fiance and we are planning on getting married on May 8th.

The Wedding Countdown: According to the countdown, we have 174 days until we become man and wife. I am excited.  I have my dress.  The bridesmaids have their dresses. We booked the reception site.  We have the church.  We have the pastor.  DJ: check.  Cake: check. I haven’t completed my list of things to do, but I hopefully will get everything done by May 8th.  I got my days off for a short but sweet honeymoon.  I am trying to stay calm and not stress to much.

Life is good.  I can’t complain.  I told Phil after the shock had set in from being engaged, “I am getting everything I have ever prayed for.”  I cried and am so very thankful. I could cry at this very moment.  After the hard years and the hard times when I didn’t think things would get better, I am standing triumphant and successful.