So it is only 5:36 this morning, and I am already just amazed where my mind has gone. It started as soon as I woke up. I won’t be saying why I started thinking this morning, due to HIPPA laws, but I am anticipating a more tight month with money, so I was concerned.
As my brain started to kick into gear and see how we can work things to make it all work out. So as I was wondering how this would work out, my mind went from thinking about it, to worrying about it.
It was crazy how fast I went there. I was barely awake and within seconds worry was standing at my doorstep. It was mind boggling! While I lay there trying to work out how we could switch things up to make sure it would all work out, the worry did not go away. It only became worse! And that is when I heard it. NO! It was not a voice, but I knew WHO it was. Again, God reminded me of how He has cared for me and my family. How it has not always been easy, but how in the end He has provided. I was embarrassed, because I know this! But it is amazing how fast worry can grab you! So I got up and started reading again this morning. Today I was at the story of Jesus turning the water into wine at a wedding. I was struck by the craziness of the story. The wine is gone! A serious faux pas! Mary though had a plan. She tells the servants to do whatever Jesus says, and what he asks them to do is weird! Fill up those jars with water, then take a cupful to the “master of ceremonies,” this guy must have been like the DJ(?) When the servant does, the guy is like “yes!! Rombauer!” Sorry for those of you who don’t drink wine, all I can say that is not two buck chuck.
There it is again, Jesus asking us to do something that makes us go…..huh? And we can either go with it in one of two ways. We can either go with worry or with trust. Worry comes with stress and trust comes with….. well trust comes with a lot of things. Sometimes trust looks like peace, joy, feeling tentative or maybe even laughter.
I laugh every time I think of the crazy things I think God is leading me to do, and what people must think. But like the servant knowing that it was water in the cup, I am always excited to see the result of what I offer. He offered water and found it was wine. I offer words and find encouragement.
So as I’m sitting here, I am shaking my head, not sure of where this day will go. But yes….I’m laughing thinking that it’s going to be a crazy month full of writing, work, doctors, family, love and lots of lights…… Well it is Christmastime you know!
So I was thinking, December 1st I would be on it! But…. I missed the date. Ugh! Needless to say, it is all good, since today is officially the start of Advent. Who knew? Well obviously not me.
So when I received, Shine; STEPPING INTO THE ROLE YOU WERE MADE FOR, I immediately wondered what I had gotten myself into. I really felt like I had just stepped into an Andy Hardy movie and was being told that we were going to “put on a show”. As I read further, I understood why. Allison Allen is an actress who has been on Broadway, and even a featured performer on the Women of Faith tours. Now if you’ve never been in drama or wanted to be an actor, don’t worry, the analogies that she uses are so clearly presented that you don’t have to have a theater degree to understand.
“It was my goal in life to be beautiful,” she told me. Well my friend, I couldn’t help but think, you have reached your goal. Ericka Vega is a buddy that I’ve known for a couple of years now, and I wondered what she was up to these days. I messaged her on FaceBook and invited myself over for an interrogation… I mean an interview.
As I called on the kids and got various answers, I heard something curious from our girls. They tended to follow what their friends wanted to do. Our first girl wanted to be a mermaid, and all of a sudden we had five who wanted to be mermaids. The interesting thing was when other professions were brought up, some changed their mind and many of them chose to be something different. Oh except for the one who wanted to be a doctor AND a mermaid.
I live in California. Now before you get all excited, I am not blonde, and I do not have a tan. I feel lucky to live here though. The natural beauty in this state is astounding. I love our mountains, forests and beaches. All of those picturesque places that draw people from all around the world, are wonderful, but I have grown to love our flat, hot and dry central valley. 
So my husband was teasing me. I know that is not surprising, but he doesn’t typically get to tease me in this way. You see, I do not tend to use profanity. Actually, I don’t even use it as all, except on those rare occasions when it slips out under duress. Or sometimes to shock my children. Anyhow, he was giving me a bad time because I had used two cuss words in a small story that I had written. It was not a big deal, but I did it because it made sense for the character. That is of course, if sea otters could talk. 
Cheryl Mendoza 