my curiosity has brought opportunities to learn about others and have experiences that I am thankful for...and Friday nights I am reminded of shabbas and the months I spent learning about Judiasm, learning Hebrew, and the Old Testament...I took beginning Mandarin, very cool, and not as difficult as one might anticipate...seven years of Spanish, high school into college...and I have been learning beginning Cat and that's really something...did you know cats will slowly blink their eyes when they are feeling content?  And if you return the blinks, they'll engage with you?  KCB is very vocal, not loudly or obnoxiously so, but her sounds all have meaning.  When she is trying to make a point, she'll say 'wow', and when she is irritated that the Friskies can takes time to open, she'll repeat 'wrah'.  I think I've been hanging out with her too much....meow

I am grateful for the Lord coming into my life when He did.  In retrospect I can see clearly the puzzle pieces and how one led to another and another, each being a conversation, or a friendship, or a relationship, an experience, and they all roll up to the blessings in this life I'm living today.  

He answers my prayers, in His own time.  For two years I prayed for His guidance, to show me where He wanted me to live, and what sort of job I should seek.  After days and weeks of house and job hunting online, one morning on my way to work He said, Be still. All of a sudden I felt an absence of pressure and a feeling of peace.  He always has everything in control.  It was clear I needed to stop searching and thinking and being concerned about time and income and where I should live next, and to just ...  Be Still.

I continued to pray for a new job; the group I was with was a private investment firm, but my innermost happiness is based on knowing I'm contributing in some way to improving people's lives. I prayed every day, each way, God, please put a job in my path that is closer to home (I had to Be Still on wherever home was to be) and one that is dedicated to improving people's lives.  One night an email arrived and it was for a job I was perfectly qualified for with a company ten minutes away from my current home having a mission statement containing the words "improving life, improving people's lives".  I've been there for two months, and every day I thank Him on the way in and returning home, for guiding me there.  He does answer prayers.