Prayers for Colorado

My heart breaks for all those affected by this tragedy and my thoughts and prayers are with friends, families and those affected by this senseless act of violence.

Violence such as this should not exist in the world and those people, nor any people deserved it.

What prompted me into writing this post (three posts in three days is kind of a shocking thing from me, usually I'm not this good about blogging) was thinking about the shooter.

Now before I continue on this train of thought I want the blog-a-sphere to understand that:

I DO NOT IN ANY WAY CONDONE WHAT THIS MAN DID.

I BELIEVE THAT HE DESERVES EVERYTHING THAT IS COMING TO HIM AND MORE.

THERE IS NO PARDONING HIS ACTIONS.

Now that I have that out there, thinking about this tragedy made me think of what could cause a human being to get to the point where they want to walk into a crowded movie theater and start taking innocent lives? And if there is any way to change it?

There is absolutely no excuse for taking another human life and he not only took one but many and then, what I find positively sickening, walked calmly out of the theater as if he didn't just commit such a heinous crime.

It really made me consider what in his life pushed him to do this, and maybe more information will come to light as more time goes by, but for now what I've heard from various news reports is inconclusive at best (just what they have been telling the public, this really is all just me musing I don't know too many details about this at all) so of course it is going to cause people like me (those of us absolutely fascinated with human behavior) to speculate. And of course tragedies like this will bring up the "what if's" 

I advise you that if you don't want to read my ramblings about human behaviors and the what if's that go along with it then you should probably stop reading this post right now.

I just can't help but think what if there was a way to prevent this before it got out of control?

What if it just one person in his life could have made the difference for him?

What if there were stricter gun laws, would this still happen?

What if there really isn't an answer or a cause to why he committed such a sickening and unforgivable act and we should just resign ourselves to the idea that there are evil people in the world that do evil things?

Really what I think that I want to get across with this post, at least this is what tragedies such as this make me think, is we don't know what someone else is going through or what is going on in their head.

What can it hurt to be kind to everyone?

I'm not saying that what this bastard (pardon my French, but if anyone deserves such a title, he does) needed was a hug, I'm not that naive, no what I mean is if more people are kinder to one another then maybe just maybe senseless acts of violence will diminish.

I don't know, it all sounds a little foolish, but what do we know until we try?

I urge anyone that is nice enough to be reading this post to be kinder to our fellow human beings.

Life sucks bad enough so why not be nicer to people around us?

I know this all sounds a little preachy/like a primary lesson and I'm not the poster child for being nice to everybody I encounter, but this tragedy makes me want to try harder.

I wish I could remember where I heard, "Sometimes just a smile can save a life" but I feel that it is one of the truest statements I've ever heard.

Again my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this disgusting act.

And I pray that humanity can learn something from this instead of just writing it off and forgetting about it.

Much love, and praying for Colorado.

-L

You and Me Going Fishin in the Dark...

Ok....not really.

But this is yet another post about the Cowboy Grub

and that song is just one of those songs that makes me think Cowboy Grub

Lately I have had a lot of tables at my work ask me how long I have been with the Grub and they are always surprised when I mention that it has been four years. And come to think of it, it really has been a long time. I mean I started there when I was 16 years old.

Four years really is a long time to stick to one job, especially in the food service world.

But to be honest if I could go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

I have loved my time at the Cowboy Grub, it's been an adventure to say the least and because of it I have met some of the most amazing people, both coworkers and people that I have served.

I've learned a lot too from the people that I have encountered there.

There have been specifics and generals, and I thought that I would share some of my musings here.

I really have been thinking about this for awhile haha, it's funny what one comment from a few tables can do to you.

I've thought about what specific coworkers have taught me and what just serving people has taught me, and I'm proud to say that I have worked at the Grub for four years....I kind of think that that is an accomplishment of sorts.

I've mentioned how wonderful my fellow servers are before (like Dani and Rachel and Morgan and Molly etc etc etc) but I've only ever gone into the specifics of what I have LEARNED from them maybe once if even at all. And I feel like I should shine a light on that aspect of my life.

From my fellow servers I have learned:

• It is never that big of a deal. Just take a couple of deep breaths and go back out.
• Someone will always be willing to help you out, even if they need "a couple seconds"
• There will always be a sympathetic ear when you need to whine, moan and complain about particularly difficult situations
• There will also always be that person who will look you in the eye and say "Suck it up"
• Multitasking? It's a skill that is learned, not a God given talent
• Just breathe, everything will work out for the best (even if the best is your awful table finally leaving)
• True friendship means not whining about making 8 house salads for someone else
• A smile and a laugh go a long way with some people
• Pie can make even the most angry people happy at least for a couple of seconds
• And to round this list off: Don't mess with people's trays...if it's out it's probably out for a reason so ask before you put it away.

From my tables I have learned:

• Time is valuable
• Apparently water isn't a drink (everyone who works at the Grub will understand why that's funny)
• Only attractive people get hired at the Grub (I literally had a table tell me that a few months back, I cried I was laughing so hard)
• It amazes people how well servers can carry trays without always dropping the items
• It is always ok to say that your wife is the prettiest girl in the room
• Be nice to your server...only good can come from it

Like I said, if I could go back and do it all over again I really wouldn't change a thing.

The Grub has been a good place for me and continues to be a good place.

Much love!
-L

May Angels Lead You In

I don't know where this post is going to take me...but if you are willing to bare with me I feel like this needs to be written.

The Lord has a funny way of taking care of us. Really though, if you think about it, and I mean really think about it, sometimes His care comes in odd ways to say the least.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I've been blessed lately to be able to recognize some of these ways that He has taken care of me.

Lately I've found myself making some changes in my life that in truth have scared the crap out of me but strangely I have been calm as I have thought them through.

I credit this partly to my incredible friends. They are there for me. No strings attached. They will drop whatever they are doing and come to my rescue if the situation presents itself. My friends are entirely supportive of my decisions and they are part of the reason why these changes aren't as frightening to me.

In a couple of posts ago I mentioned that my mother and my grandmother like to say that some people are prayed into our lives. Well I truly believe that those people that I am closest with have definitely been prayed into mine. I don't know where I would be or even who I would be without their influence in my life. They keep me sane and make me want to be a better person. I have been taken care of in that aspect by the Lord. I believe that He shepherded these people into my life because He knew that there would come a time in my life where I would need them, and right now I need them. I so appreciate the friends that let me lean upon them, that in a way become a crutch for me. Now I'm not saying that I have become entirely dependent upon them, what I mean is that it is nice to know that I have their shoulders to lean on if I need to. And a couple of times in the recent past I have needed to lean on them, lean on their testimonies, lean on their belief that everything will be ok. And for that I am more grateful to them than I will ever have the ability to let them know.

I know that what I have coming up in my life won't be easy, it's supposed to be hard after all...if life was easy it wouldn't be hard after all haha, but I feel safer knowing that I have a close knit group of friends that have my back in any situation.

I know that the Lord has been there for me through my friends. They are truly angels in my life. But I know that I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't let go and let God. 

Sometimes it's scary to relinquish the control in your life but more often than not it is necessary. It is necessary to let the Lord take control every once in awhile. And truly it is so freeing to "cast all your cares upon the Lord" to trust that He has got this and will always be there arms outstretched no matter how many times you feel you have messed up. 

In all my years of Sunday school I have never truly understood the scripture that mentions the Lord's yoke being easy and His burden being light until I went to college. I have found that true happiness and comfort come when I cast my cares upon the Lord and allow for Him to take the control. And I am so grateful for that. I am so blessed to be a member of the church and to be able to have this wonderful, beautiful, forgiving gospel in my life.

Much love,
-L