The following are scenes from the ACTUAL office, where I work IN REAL LIFE. To protect the identities of those involved, I have referred to the persons as the characters from the show, "The Office" which they most closely resembled at the time.
Scene #1: Charles digs through a box of candy. Charles (to Jim): "Banana Laffy Taffy!! I love banana Laffy Taffy! This makes up for the fact that you screwed everything up for us today." Charles leaves the room and Jim sits there speechless with his eyebrows up.
Scene #2: Michael Scott: "Group hug! Oh no, we're not all here today. Well, when all of us are here, we'll have a group hug!!" Stanley (me): "I'm going to be sick that day."
Scene #3: Creed (answers phone): "Good morning, Dunder Mifflin, Creed speaking." Pam (me): "Hi Creed, it's me Pam." Creed: (silence) Pam: "You know, YOUR COWORKER." Creed: (silence) Pam: "I was wondering if you've had a chance to work on our calendar for this month. I need to make an appointment and I need to know when I'm working so I can schedule it outside work time." Creed: "Are you trying to reach another Creed? I'm not sure who I'm speaking with." Pam: "Creed!! Give me a break! I've worked in the desk in front of you for two years now! When I introduced myself as YOUR COWORKER, who did you think I was talking about? You don't work with anyone else named Pam." Creed: "I don't know, I thought you were someone from the field." Pam: "You have got to be kidding me." Creed: "Jim asked me to get the calendar out last week, but I haven't started on it yet."
Scene #4: Michael Scott (to Dwight and Andy): "I'm going to have a customized hot tub installed in my house. It's going to be purple and gold striped for LSU; and it's going to be big enough to seat all of us. You all can come over wearing your speedos and we'll sit in it to watch the game." Dwight and Andy: (Silent, looking at each other in disgust.)
Scene #5: Kevin: "Hey, these dates are different. This program isn't working." Phyllis (me): "Maybe our coworkers in Kansas City changed the date parameters." Dwight (after searching for the answer for several minutes): "I know what the problem is! Our coworkers in Kansas City must have changed the date parameters!!" Phyllis (shakes head, rolls eyes, puts headphones on)
Scene #6: Ryan: "I'm really sick. Can I go home now?" Jim: "No, it's only 2:30 in the afternoon." Ryan (in all seriousness): "No, I really need to go home. I'm sick in the head."
Special Note: All my real-life co-workers are males (as if it wasn't obvious).
I first heard this song over a year ago on a DC radio station. The band was being interviewed to promote a concert they were doing, so they sang "Washed By The Water" live on air. That was the day I started loving Needtobreathe. I was hooked on the beat, the vocals, and the lyrics. Only last week did I realize it had a deeper meaning. Here are the lyrics for reference:
Lyrics to Washed By The Water : Even when the rain falls Even when the flood starts rising Even when the storm comes I am washed by the water
Daddy was a preacher She was his wife Just tryin to make the world a little better You know, shine a light People started talking Trying to hear their own voice Those people tried to accuse my father Said he made the wrong choice Though it might be painful You know that time will always tell Those people have long since gone My father never failed
Even if the Earth crumbles under my feet Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me I won’t never ever let you down I won’t fall I won’t fall I won’t fall as long as you’re around me [ Washed By The Water Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]
For the past year, I thought that the chorus meant, "even if bad things are happening, I am still cleansed by Jesus and He is faithful." Only the other day did I think about the lyrics more deeply.
Even when the rain falls Even when the flood starts rising Even when the storm comes I am washed by the water
The rain, the flood, and the storm are the source of the water. The trials, the trouble, the bad things... they are the source of the cleansing. The phrase "blessings in disguise" comes to mind. It is amazing that when you are going through a major trial, that can be the thing that Jesus uses to cleanse you. I really believe that there are some lessons that we would never learn unless we had to go through the hard times. Even though humanity is typically the cause of the hard times, God always knows how to put them to good use.
The storms won't last forever. As a reminder, God sends us a rainbow every once in a while so we can think about His promises- hope found in Him. And when He dries up the water, we are clean and ready to move on. And hopefully at that time, we have learned the lesson we needed from the rain.
"And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." (Genesis 9: 12-17 NIV)
Popcorn balls in Fall... Crunchy leaves on a hayride... Scarves, jackets, and hats.
Untitled
The more steps I take Doors open in front of me The longer I walk I realize You're carrying me The further I go I see this is Your will for me
And all along You knew I would be here now And the things I'm going through Are not in vain, because now I know that it's Your will And Your will is worth the miles
I've traveled and I'll travel Through this world and so much pain But I know that You restore You heal and I regain Strength found in You And joy through and through.
I'm giving you my heart, and all that is within I lay it all down for the sake of you my King I'm giving you my dreams, I'm laying down my rights I'm giving up my pride for the promise of new life
And I surrender all to you, all to you And I surrender all to you, all to you
