Dear Billie, I received your website update notice and just clicked over to look.Your page on the Christian Women Job Ministry article you wrote helped. Probably you guessed I ran into a problem I can't solve. I took the job in my church knowing there would be times to bite my tongue and not show my frustration and yes, even anger. So, although I bit my tongue and put a smile on my face, I wanted to be one of the "Yuckers". Thanks for the reminder not to be. I also enjoyed the paragraphs each of the ladies wrote. Give them my appreciation.
Let's Clean it up Together
Anybody out there been caught in a big crisis lately?
Did I hear you shout, “Lady, my life is one enormous crisis after another!”
The positive thinking books scold us into considering a crisis will reveal character; show others what we are made of, or portray us as a strong person.
I do believe that. But, at times, I have felt like a mouse caught in a trap. He was overheard muttering, “Forget it. I actually don't want this cheese. Just get me out of this mess.”
Sometimes in a crisis we feel just like that mouse…we are being held in a vise with no way out. Every time we speak up, we get overruled or declared out of order.
The question for today is how do we “detrap”a lifespan of crises? I figure there are three things we could do. A more sophisticated writer would not phrase it this way…but in language plain and simple, we can do one of three things. We can: Yell yuck. Call it a day. Clean it up.
The third option to work out a problem requires a big dose of determination. We clean it up. No matter how tired or dirty we get. No matter what others may think or do. No matter how hopeless we may feel. We clean it up.
We meet a lot of yell yuckers and watch others who proudly sign out. But every once in a while, if good fortune comes our way, we stumble across those who are in the cleaning up business. This can take place in a home, a church, a job, a community and even in a nation.
click on pictures for enlarged picture
Through Christian Women Job Ministry I have been blessed to bond with those who are in the cleaning up business. This includes the volunteer workers and women involved in this program.
Our ladies are being taught to identify their own problems. Then they are encouraged and empowered to have resources to clean up and escape their traps of hopelessness. Our teaching space is now at a new location on 117 Evans Street.
The mission of CWJM is to offer women real hope and help to discover and develop a realistic plan for personal, educational and career goals. It is a ten-week program. It does not end with only ten weeks; they are mentored for one year.
Eight ladies were interviewed for the session and six have remained. Small classes are the aim of the program.
click on pictures to enlarge picture
Mandy wrote about the madness of her life: “I awake into the madness that is my life…the magnificent madness. My mischievous boys whirl and tumble like tornadoes tossing about. They are a mystery to me, day after day, making my life sheer madness. Money eludes me, but happiness does not. Such is the modern world of a loving and Mad Mom.”
Katrina, our horse lover, wrote, “Gentle liquid brown eyes of my horse are full of understanding. They don't speak. They just listen. When jumping a fence, they do what you ask of them. You throw your own heart over the fence and they follow with grace and pride. It's all about one heart following another”
Letitia wrote about happiness. “I love to feel happiness all around me. We can experience happiness through our laughter and even our crying. Our world would be a better place if this emotion was surrounding us. Just imagine how happy all of us would be if we were kind to one another. Kindness repeatedly produces happiness.”
Amatullah wrote, “Anger has been around for a long time and has played a role in lives for good and for bad. In our society we have a lot of hostile people who don't know why they are angry. We must get rid of our aggressive anger for it is a quick way to destruction.”
click on pictures for enlarged picture
Lives have been changed both on the part of the participant and the volunteers. If you wish to learn more my email address is ggbb@comcast.net .You also could contact Linda Donnell at ldonnell@c-gate.net.
Could we pray? Father, forgive me for being a yuck yeller. Forgive me for signing out when the work is not completed. Fill me with wisdom to know how to clean up the messes around me.
Thank you for sending your Son to die for all my messing up. Thank you for putting me back into a right relationship with you as my Heavenly Father. Amen. (So be it.)
From Billie Buckley to the CWJM Class who never saw themselves as victims only as one who could see beyond today and take advantages of the resources afforded them. April 18, 2007
