Elissa Budd

Character is a huge part of everyone’s life.

It is who you are!

It’s what you do when nobody is watching.

It’s thinking about others.

It’s taking responsibility for your actions.

It’s not running away.

It’s dealing with the hard stuff.

It’s telling the truth.

This whole last weekend my dad has been going insanely crazy about getting all the leaves picked up in the front and back yard. So yesterday Daniel and Sarah did the front (without telling Stina or me) so that we would have to do the back yard my ourselves. That was not very nice. The back was a lot worse than the front. When I got home from church today they  had raked the back for us so that we only had to put the leaves in a bag. That was so sweet of them, But I bet it’s because they have no life!

Stina and I were talking the whole time. I love her so much. We were laughing so hard. I really don’t know what I would do without her! She is a big part of my life.  We thought it sucked to be picking up leaves on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Today’s weather has been amazing!

I thought that this would take no time at all. There were like eight spots where we had to pick it up. Stina and I thought that we could get it done in twenty minuets. We were determined. We even bet our dad that we could get it done, well He bet us one-hundred dollars. He had no hope in us He thought it would take an hour. We did it in thirty-five minuets, Now that’s GREAT.

Now we have ten bags of leaves. That is a lot of leaves.

What are you determined to get done?

What should we do with the leaves?

I have two more days left in Solid Rock. We have Bible devotions every week before classes start. Tomorrow I get to do it. I am very nervous and a little worried.  I am going to be talking about rejection. That’s a BIG subject. I know that I have struggled with that, so I can just share from my heart. It might not be easy, but I really want to impact the kids.

The kids love it when I give the devotions. It normally takes awhile to get them to be quiet for the other two people who do it, but when I do it, it turns silent when I get up there. I think it’s because I relate to them more. They really look up to me.

I hope that I do great. I hope I can change these kids lives. I am getting very excited!

Today I told Solid Rock that I am not coming back next semester. (I have been working in the office for the last year and a half.) This makes me very sad. I cried. I really didn’t want to quit, but working there is not good for me. I feel God is not wanting me there right now; maybe I will come back in the future.

I am very broken-hearted about it. I am really going to miss the kids. I know they are going to miss me. I always hear the kids say “I wish Elissa was one of our teachers,” or “Elissa is so cool, ” Etc.

My idea of what my role should be is different from my boss’s idea. This causes a lot of strife. My boss last year treated me so differently and I felt like my gifts were being used and that I was appreciated. This summer my old boss left and I got a new one. I feel I don’t get treated with respect.  I use to love waking up early and getting ready. I was always so excited to be there. Sometimes now I wish I was not even there. This year I feel that whatever I do is never good enough for my boss. This makes me so sad because I know that I do a wonderful job.

I love my new job. I am always so excited about going there. I never want to be too early or too late. That’s how I roll. I try and take a little nap before I go and I am always worried that I am going to be late.  I kept praying before I got this job that I would love it. That it would pay good money and that my co-workers would be more mature than those I worked with in other places. I feel God has fulfilled my wishes.

It’s all going pretty well. It keeps me very busy. I NEVER have time to look at my phone or even get a drink.

I was suppose to have six days of training. The other day a couple people called in sick. I had walked in and everyone was going crazy (or maybe it was me!!!). My boss came and told me that I had my own tables that night. I freaked out. I was scared.  I didn’t think that I could do it or even do a good job. I was supposed to have two more days training. That didn’t happen. They thought that I was ready.

It was a bad night. 1. One of the old people mad me cry. She was being so rude. I don’t like when people are mean to me. 2. I went back to the kitchen and my nose started to bleed. 3. I had dropped a tray carrying things back and broke a couple cups. I just wanted to leave. I sucked at it “that day”. I thought that they were going to fire me!

Today I had been praying all day that it would go well. Praying makes things go a lot better. I am trusting God that I am going to love this job. I am doing the tables by myself now, no help. I feel I did a better job tonight than I have yet. I am still very slow. That makes me so sad.  I got a blister on my finger cutting things up today, does that show that tell you how hard I am working?

I think that it is very important to enjoy your job.

Pray is very powerful!