Time flies when...you're really busy! :)

Alright! Let's get to it! I got on here to type up a post, because I thought it had been "forever" since I had updated...but I just checked, and it hasn't even been a week...yeah...as the title says, "Time flies when you're really busy!" :D

Target!

I went to Orientation last Friday, and was acquainted with all of the values, beliefs and rules that make up the foundation of the wonderful store I love to shop at, and love to work for! :)

I have worked every day since last Friday! :D I was called in early yesterday, and asked to stay late, and I was scheduled to be off today, but they needed help, so in I went! Tomorrow will be my 7th day in a row! :D Woohoo!

I cannot tell you how excited I am as I get in the car and head toward my beloved store! :D God and I talk...ok, so it's mostly me talking...but I do listen too! :D...all the way to the store, and we prepare for the day that is to come! And I enter that retail paradise (ok...maybe I'm taking it a little far now...but it is fun! :D ) with a smile on my face, and a bounce in my step!

God is GOOD!!! He put me EXACTLY where He wanted me! And He is blessing me over and above anything I could have asked or dreamed - especially regarding working in retail! :P Something I would have never chosen for myself!

I will tell you a few things I have learned since starting at Target:

1. There are a lot more muscles, ligaments, nerves, veins, etc, etc, etc in my legs and feet than I ever thought existed. And I feel every one of them when I finally sit down after my shift! :D

2. The equipment (scanner, conveyor belt, plastic bag holder, etc) at checkout counters was designed for midgets (vertically challenged persons - whatever... :P)!

If I was 5 feet tall or under, I would be the perfect height to work at the lanes! :) As it is, I spend most of my shift looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame! :D

3. #12 is my absolute most favoritist lane to work! Don't ask me why, because I have no logical reasoning for it... I just LOVE it! And even without me telling them, that is where I have been put to work about 85% of the time that I have been on the lanes! :D

4. [Most] Target guests (We don't call them customers, because Target is supposed to be like their second home! :D) are an entirely different breed of human than any other type of shopper in the world. You know what makes them different? They are NICE! :D And when you smile at them, they become even nicer! And when you say something kind, they get even nicer! And when you laugh with them, they become even nicer! It's like a game to see just how nice someone can get before their heart bursts out their eyes, because it can't contain anymore niceness, and just has to ooze out of every pore available! :D

5. When a guest takes the time to look at my name tag, and address me by my name, it truly makes my day! I'm completely serious about this!

If you go to the store, and the clerk has on a name tag, use their name! Even if it is just, "Have a good day, (fill in name here)!" as you are gathering your bags to leave! It just makes you feel like a person! And it lets you know that they care! LOVE it!

I get more energy from a guest saying my name than...anything else (I can't think of an example of anything else at the moment, so I'm going to try to not look like a total idiot, and instead get you off on the rabbit trail that is this extremely long sentence, and hope that you are now thinking about why I am rambling rather than what the sentence was originally about! :D)

6. The economy has not affected Target guests...those people spend like nobody's business...Wow...! :) (Job security!!! :D)

7. I LOVE my job! :D

Ok...so I will shut up about my job at this time, and continue on with the remainder of the update! :)

The "Door of Support"

So, as we started sending out the newsletters and began praying about the supporters and such, I began to invision a way that we could watch every dollar of the support come in, and be able to watch it grow and truly appreciate all God is doing through His people! :)

Here it is!

It is on the inside of our front door! :D Let me explain it to you, since you can't fully be here to appreciate all the door has to offer! :D lol...

"God's Blessings" - The 1's place! There are 9 sets of velcro dots, and 9 strips of paper labeled $1 - $9.

"And Provisions" - The 10's place! There are 9 sets of velcro dots, and 9 strips of paper labeled $10 - $90.

"For the Journey" - The 100's place! There are 9 sets of velcro dots, and 9 strips of paper labeled $100 - $900.

And there will be one more sign that will be for the thousands, but that's one is very special (if not a little corny :D) and is being saved until we get the first thousand! :D

You see, this way we are literally able to see every dollar as it comes in. If someone sends $125, we will put a strip up on the hundreds chart, two strips on the tens chart, and 5 strips on the ones chart! It reminds us that every dollar truly matters - to God, and to the vision for the Lynn's! :D

And yes, the strips are wavy - and they match perfectly with the strips above and below them! :D It took forever to make them, but I love the effect that allows them to be entertwined! :D

Soccer, Track, and Life...Oh my! :)

Wow...between Davis' soccer practice and games, Samantha's track practice and meets, David's work, Sharon's volunteer efforts, Sharon and David's schooling and homework, my work schedule, all of our different LifeGroup, discipleship, church involvement, schedules, sometimes it's hard to remember what day it is, let alone what we're supposed to be doing, who's supposed to be doing what, and when they're supposed to be doing it! We are all like ships, passing in the night! :)

Davis...

...is doing great in school, and is still enjoying all of his teachers and classes!
...has his first soccer game (of this season) Saturday at 10:30, and he's thrilled!
...has had a bit of a cold for the past week or so, and we're hoping it gets gone SOON!
...is still enjoying all that he is a part of at church! They have such a good children's program, and awesome directors! :)

Samantha...

...is improving in school, and appreciates all the prayers coming her way!
...and I have started doing her devoted time together every morning, and are having an awesome time with Jesus (and each other) every day! :)
...is so excited about being a part of the track team at her school!
...has been invited (you have to receive an invitation to participate in track meets - maybe you knew that, but I had no clue until she got involved...) to the last two track meets (they've only had three!).
...has started working in the nursery with me on Sunday mornings and is loving it! :) She is a great help!

Sharon...

...is busy as a bee with all of her volunteering and working on the building of Ministry Partners :D
...had a cold a couple of weeks ago and lost her voice, and is still trying to get it back.

David...

...has a lot on his plate.
...has been sick for the last couple of weeks with a cold/sinus something, and just hasn't gotten his strength completely back yet - please pray that God will heal him to 110% soon!

Spooky...

...has a checkup and shots tomorrow... Poor baby! :(
...is my bestest little furry (ok...he's really not that furry...but you know what I mean... :D) friend ever!
...is having quite the time adjusting to the fact that I'm not at home as much as I use to be. But we make the most of the time we do have together! :)

The Lynn's...

...are going camping for Spring Break! They are leaving on Saturday after Davis' soccer game, and will return late on the following Thursday!
...will be leaving Spooky and me to have the entire place to ourselves! :D...ok...I think that got everyone! :D

One More Thing...

As I was sitting here typing all this, I was also having a conversation via text, with a friend, about guys and relationships and such, and God gave me "the sign." :D He gave me the thing to wait for that will tell me when I've met the one He has chosen for me! :) It's so simple, yet holds so much meaning for me! How awesome is that?!?!?! God is sooooo GOOD!!! Woohoo! :D

I will stop here. Mostly because I don't have anything else to talk about, and a little bit because I am about to fall asleep on the keyboard :)

I hope you all have an awesome rest of the week! :)

Love you forever!
~Vanessa

PS - After I finished the post, I just had to hit the wrong format button, and then had to spend ten minutes going back over this thing trying to make heads or tails out of it - yes, it really messed it up! - and I don't know if I got everything quite right, but I think it's close! :) Please give me grace if there are sections running together, or if there is bolds or italics in odd places...lol :)

Goodnight! :)