Preparations

So as I've been planning out my last few weeks on land, I've been paying attention to my last days at each of my jobs. July 3rd will be my last day at Artisan Design Gallery. :( July 4th will be my last day at Bare Minerals(Woohoo time and a half to kick me off!) July 5th will be my last day at Crosspoint as the 4:30 Worship Leader ;(((( And Victoria's Secret is still TBD, just because I need to keep my insurance, but I'm unfortunately very close to putting in my 2 weeks notice to the job I've had the longest. It's been 5 years and 9 months since I started working at Victoria's Secret, and it's going to be bittersweet leaving this job. On one hand, I'm going to be EXTREMELY relieved that I don't have do deal with those dishonest shoplifters and irritated customers that just can't seem to let anything go right on their visits. On the other hand, I'm going to miss my regulars and the family that I've built through being with this company. I've learned so much through VS, and I've got a lot of respect for everyone who has each job that they have taken on in that place. It takes a very patient and loving person to work retail and enjoy it. It takes an even MORE patient and loving person to encourage a woman about the size she is wearing, whether it's a shirt, pants or bra, and to furthermore make her feel CONFIDENT. Sometimes a Woman's confidence is all you need to boost to make her feel special(And sometimes that means boosting the sisters, too!) As I was working yesterday, something came across my mind. Through the frustration of trying not to die in our horribly laid out back room, I looked at each of our mannequins, and something just struck me. Each of them were different. Some were grey forms. Some pink. Some clear. Some were plastic. Some cloth. Some satin. Each and every single one of them did the same job, just differently. They all wore clothing. Or lingerie. The plastic ones didn't give at all, but the pink cloth ones had a little extra cushion where the bra went so that it would give the illusion of a great pushup when a bra was put on it. Others were even only busts or booties. We've got some on the floor that are mostly full bodies, minus arms, feet, and heads. But like I said before, they all fit the same purpose of displaying the merchandise. Each of them were just a little different. Some were great for unlined bras. Some were great to enhance the look of a pushup. Some were going to be good for bright colors to be displayed, and others were better choices for the more normal and muted colors to be displayed. The ones out on the sales floor showed just how nicely our leggings fit. Some were meant for certain things, but that didn't make them any less valuable. That's just the same way I feel about this race problem we're having. Whether the form is grey, pink, black, white, yellow, fluorescent(Sorry guys, I'm TRYING to tan my legs), olive, brown, clear, They're all here for the same purpose. Those of you at Crosspoint will recognize this, and see that this is WHY this is a part of my thought process right now. Those who have heard and read the bible might also recognize this - as well as christians. I would encourage you to visit crosspoint.tv and watch the new Unwritten Series to see where the other part of my heart is at this point. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." - John 13: 34-35 When Jesus came, he did not come to start a religion or to separate us. Nowhere in his teachings did he say "Your RELIGION is the most right, or MY RELIGION is the most correct." No no no! Jesus said "The only way to the father is through ME[Jesus... not me. I can't save you unless you're like... falling off of something and I'm nearby. Sorry.]." Did he say a single thing about how any race was more important than the other? Or social status? NO! In fact, he SOUGHT OUT the least favorable of people just to prove that it didn't matter WHO the heck you were. What mattered was that our instruction was to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Simplified. Demanding, yes. Oh my gosh, you guys have to listen to Pete's message. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go listen. He describes this SO much better than I do. But I follow his thinking 100%. Anyway. The other thing that frustrates me is how people cannot seem to get over the fact that they HAVE to put each other in their place. Black, White, Anyone of a different race, Cops, Civilians, Crooks, People in general. Yes, it's our sinful nature, but WHEN is it going to be more important to be known for our compassion and LOVE than being able to put someone in their place? Because I'm anxious for that day. Instead of all these stupid hashtags about #blacklivesmatter and #bluelivesmatter, how about we start and continue with a new one? #ALLLIVESMATTER !!! We are all here to do the SAME PURPOSE. Just differently. Just like those Mannequins. Instead of displaying bras and panties(Though some of us obviously do THAT well, too #angels #angelstatus #iwannabeahealthyweightandonabeachincuteswimmingsuits) We're displaying LOVE. We're supposed to be getting along because it's more important to have peace than it is to cause an issue. We CAN agree to disagree. That's okay, as long as it is not in favor of something harmful. We're all different sizes, different colors, and do things a little differently, but the main goal is still the same. To display something good. To display Gods love. To everyone. REGARDLESS of who they are... And yes. That means terrorists. That means we love the unlovable. Because MAYBE that might change just ONE of their lives. And that might make ALL the difference. It could. One more quick little story, and I'll get on with my Preparations for Disney... Hailey Hunt, You'll like this one. There was a Grandson and Grandfather walking along a beach. The Grandson noticed that hundreds of starfish had washed ashore and were dying as the tide receded. So as they walked, he would pick one up and toss it back into the ocean. After a while the Grandfather paused his Grandson and said "You know you can't save all of them, right? There are hundreds, Maybe even thousands..." The grandson said "No, But I can save this one." He tossed one into the ocean and picked up another. "And that one... And that one..." Sometimes, it takes just one. Martin Luther King Jr., JK Rowling, Einstein, Franklin Roosevelt, Taylor Swift... The list goes on. Each of those people had VASTLY different goals. MLK: Color fairness. Accomplished through PEACEFUL protest(though yes, there was some dissonance) JKR: Saving Orphans from Institutions. (She never meant to be famous, but what she's DOING with her fame from HP is Phenomenal and life-changing!) E: discovering things that made life make sense,(e=mc2 ... I don't math, but for some people this is SUPER important) FDR: uniting a country under fear (Fireside Chats led our nation through crisis!) And TS: Manages herself well! (She stalks her fans, gives them presents, and hangs out with them!) But each of them did these things for the GOOD of others. They display love. And it CAN take just one person to make a huge impact. So why don't we all band together and make a GARGANTUAN impact with OUR display of love and good? Ok, I'm stepping off my soapbox now, to update everyone a little more on my Disney stuff. I'm going to be shutting down my Bank Accounts soon, and I've opened a new one! My two reasons for this: 1.) My normal bank isn't anywhere near port. 2.) They let me personalize my card. LOOK LOOK LOOK! I'm putting THIS on my card!!! ISN'T IT CUTE?! Kristoff is a Hufflepuff! Anna is a Gryffindor! The only way it could be more perfect is if I would have gone with THIS image: Look, there's even a tear in the space/time continuum in the ice!!! But I didn't because it was just too small for a card. It's time for me to sadly say goodbye to the Hogwarts card. But I've got that image on the back of my phone, so It's all good. Moving on. I bought myself a new suitcase. I'm extra excited about this one because I can fold it all the way back up after I've taken all my stuff out of it, and it's smaller than a briefcase! I got it from The Container Store, and they only had 7, so I had to get one. It's bigger than what I was GOING to use, which is GREAT! I'll have more room for more... crap. :/ meh. Anyway, this also means that I can put boxes and things in there for storage. Woot! I've got several I thought I was going to leave behind because they wouldn't fit neatly in the suitcase I own. Now they will, and they'll be better bases for what I'm packing. OH! I called AT&T the other day and asked them about cellular coverage. Puerto Rico and a few of the Virgin Islands. I should be able to have Domestic connections there, so I can call my mom from the beach. Woo! I'm going to double and triple check, but or now, this is what I'm going on! Also, I think something is wrong with my phone, so I'm going to have to stop by AT&T later and see if they can't fix it. For now, that's all.