Signs and Other Good Things

Yesterday at work I received a box of paperwork from an instructor that needed to be placed in candidate files. The arrival of the box was nothing special but the box itself possessed a feature that delighted my heart. The box was hand delivered and unsealed, but the packing tape from it's previous purpose wasn't your standard clear stuff so it caught my eye. It had hibiscus flowers printed on it and the words "Hilo Hattie's," the name of a Hawaiian gift shop. I then looked at the old shipping label. The box was originally sent from Honolulu to someone other that the person who sent it on to me. A little piece of Hawaii found it's way to me through at least 3 degrees of separation. I took it as a sign.

A sign of what? That's not exactly clear. But things like this seem too perfect to be mere coincidence. Ever since my last trip in November all the signs seem to confirm that the next turn my life will take leads to Hawaii. It's such a huge life change and that can be a scary thing. But God seems to be placing signs all along the way that are leading me to Hawaii and telling me that life there will be good.

A cardboard box is hardly a sign significant enough to uproot an entire life. There have been other, larger signs too. A friendship formed with a wonderful girl on my last trip. Someone who has offered encouragement, advise, and a place to stay two weeks from now as I make a practice run at life on the Island. Reconnecting with two dear friends from California days that now live on Oahu, also offering me a place to stay for part of my next visit. I will go to church with them and meet their community, hopefully creating more connections that can carry over to the time when I call Oahu home. Another old friend I haven't seen in 12 years finding me on Facebook who months ago relocated to Oahu. A college friend whose life seems to be steering her back to Hawaii and in need of someone to live with and share expenses. I think I know someone who might fit the bill.

There is already a community of people in Hawaii that have reached out to me with so much hospitality and friendship. People who offer such wonderful support and needed resources to me as I make my decision about moving. I am thankful that God has brought each of these people into my life at such a pivotal moment. It makes the decision so much easier, so much clearer.

I am excited to see how my trip plays out in a few weeks. I think a lot of great and important conversations will happen. I am excited to see what other wonderful surprises God has up his sleeve.

When Reality Sets In

For months now all the news seems to to be focused on one thing, the economy. While all the news is hard to ignore I haven't really felt any of the sting of the current crisis in my personal life. When you live is a big city with new construction going on all over and new businesses setting up shop in these new structures it can be hard to believe just how bad things really are. But than I turn on the TV or read the headlines and all of them say the same thing. Another bank going under, another business laying off thousands, and on and on. The future looks uncertain in so many way.

Before today the only person I knew personally to be effected by this economic down turn was my mom. She works as a florist part-time, just to have a little extra money for shopping and fun. The shop were she works has been struggling to bring in the kind of revenue they used to. After all, who buy flowers when funds for even the necessities are low? My mom's employer cut back her hours to make up for the down turn. Thankfully my dad has a well paying job that can support a comfortable life on its own so it hasn't been too detrimental.

Than this morning I got an email from a dear friend of mine that was laid off from her job last night. This is the first person that I have known to lose her job as a direct result of the economy. While she has a supportive family and her fiance has work to support them for the time being there is still a lot of fear about the future. She mentioned a job fair that she went to recently and a whopping 1200 people showed up for 125 job opening and that was only on day one of a two day fair. With so many others in the same place and more being laid off daily it is hard to find a word that best describes the challenge of finding work these days.

So today I feel a mix of emotions. I feel sorry for the struggle my friend now finds herself in (not to mention the millions of other Americans there with her). I feel thankful that I have a job that seems to be secure enough to last till the economy starts to climb again. I am a bit worried about what the future holds when all the sources seem to agree that we still haven't hit the bottom yet. I am hopeful that our new president has the vision, passion, and wisdom to lead us to better days. I am inspired to do what I can to help those that need it, after all ones luck could change at any moment in times like these and I would want others to be there for me.

So lets take care of each other. And we will make it through, hopefully better for it.