Others
I woke up at 1:30 PM today. I am not feeling like going to work today. I know that will pass when I actually get out the door, but still...
I'm so tired. I want to take a day off, but I can't. I am still in bondage to debt.
And, yesterday didn't make things easier.
I needed to get an oil change. I had just paid my credit card bill and thought the money was on my credit card. When I got the oil changed and they asked for payment, they said my card was declined. When I checked online to see for myself, it turned out that the credit card company had already taken the interest payment out for the month and I only had nearly half of the credit I paid available.
So, I did what I could do and I took advantage of my back-up funds that Uber offers to those who make over $700 in the previous calendar month. They give you $150 if you need it for emergencies, but you have to pay it back with every earning until it is paid up after that, meaning I had to make $150 yesterday to pay it back before I could use it again, or even get paid.
I still am $45 in the negative right now. I deposited what was left after getting gas last night, then went to work to repay the funds. But, at least my oil is changed.
Around midnight, it started raining hard. It is hard enough to see at night without it raining hard, too, so I shut it down and came home.
Uber contacted me yesterday about a report of "swerving" from a customer. I explained to Uber that the reason I had swerved was due to a big box in the middle of the road. I had no idea if anything was in the box, and I had felt it was safer to avoid running over the box rather than risk tearing up my vehicle and delaying the trip for the rider, who was on her phone at the time and did not see the box I was swerving to avoid. Uber wrote back that they understood and that I am good with my account.
I drove a couple from the Airport that were from Los Angeles. They were coming to watch their son graduate. They were also fellow Uber drivers where they are from.
I earned nearly $20 in tips for showing him how to use the app to get a "return fee" for items they find in their vehicles and have to make a special trip to return the item to the owner.
I have never used it. I just return it and hope for a tip, which only happens about half the time. But, he is in a much larger city and it happens a lot for him, so I suggested he get his $20 return fee like the app allows you to.
He said, "You can do that?"
I showed him how.
He upped my tip and said it was worth it for the education and future profits.
I have nearly $20 in cash tips saved up. I'm going to Walmart today to get Sugar, Mousse for my hair, and tea for the day, since I can't make any because I don't have sugar. I will get something to eat while I am there, with the money I have left.
One thing I have learned is that it is not my job to make anyone else "Happy". If someone is not happy with me, then it is their own insecurity that needs to be checked. The only person who can make someone happy is God, and without God, Happiness is fleeting. True Happiness is found in doing service to God.
If you are sad, focus on doing good in service to God. Help someone else in some way. When you do good to the "least of these, my brethren", you do good to Jesus. The more you focus on others needs, the more you are not thinking of your own. Ironically, it begans to heal your brokenness and sadness, and misery.
So, If I do good for someone else, it is not to make them "happier". It is to provide for their needs so they can see the goodness of God, and then realize that they need God in their lives as a result.
Lord, God of Everything, Holy and Good,
Thank You for the open doors You provide each day for me to survive. Thank You for watching over me and for loving me in spite of myself.
Help me to have what I need to survive another day on this earth.
Please help me out of my bondage. I need Your guidance, support and provision. Without it, I am not going to make it.
Keep me sustained and healthy, that I might be able to serve You more.
Give me more opportunity to serve You and make me better today than I was yesterday.
Be with my children and my lists,
In Jesus's Holy Name, I pray, Amen!
Ephesians Chapter 5
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;