Grace and Gratuity

So I got a job at Ihop! This is a great blessing since I need to get the funds to get a car. I'm grateful and I have been doing a good job (according to my standards) anyway everything has been going well, but the Saturday before last everything went TERRIBLE! The manager has really been on my back almost like she wants me to quit. Whatever happened, the day did not go good. The manager and I ended up getting into a big argument, I cried, got sent home, cried some more and just really had no idea what was going on. When I went home I didn't feel to bad, but my feelings were kinda hurt and I was a little humiliated from crying in front of so many people. The good thing was I got to go to church that Sunday.

The following week fell into the same downward spiral. That spirit was still around me in the restaurant: tired ungratefulness, a total resistance to the environment and the management of the establishment.  So this past Saturday I wanted to be good, keep a good attitude, but I still found myself reacting: talking about the manager to co-workers, mocking her and telling others about the treatment, how stupid it all is. It didn't help that they we're quick to point out the negativity as well. Anyway, after yet another incident with this manager the frustration could not be contained any longer, it showed in my entire mood now. so I went in the bathroom to cool my head off. (Well pray rather, and ask God "What the heck is going on?")

The best tip I've ever gotten!

 The revelation I got was to stop being a reactor. I realized all I was doing was reacting, and doing it quite negatively. God  was saying you are the actor. You make things happen. When my spirit changed, I began to change the situation. I made amends with the people I shared dirt with by being extra nice, I started being extra helpful just because, and I became dedicate to the one small section I had even though it was so small. Surprisingly the manager let me wait on one other table, someone else gave me a party table (8 or more) which meant gratuity pay, and by the end of the day a party table of 15 came and asked for me specifically to be their waitress. Because my attitude changed the entire situation changed.

That day I learned: Be the actor, we have the power to reign over situations, not just react to them. Also when we give grace, grace is extended to us.

I'm grateful for the gratuity of God and the grace that was shown by all involved. When we praise God we also have to be thankful for the vessels He uses. Love people. Be good servants, wherever we are.

P.S.  Also, a small thing happened while writing this blog. This is not the final draft that I originally had. The one I was working on got erased by the computer. I was done writing it, had edited it to perfection (which doesn't happen often) and when I clicked to put the image in, a screen popped up: "Internet Not Connected" alerting me that the wi-fi had went out. When I tried to recover the work I did, it didn't work, abandoning so much meaningful content. I went back to the draft in the system, it still had a relevant paragraph, but not nearly as much as it was. That was entirely heartbreaking and almost "made" me want to abandon the whole blog post altogether. However, just to know that this post was worth sharing from when I originally started writing it, I determined in my spirit that this message would get out TODAY. The small incident goes so well with the point of the post. Situations have the power to frustrate, but we must must realize that we are more powerful. When we make up our minds to go forward and prevail in a positive attitude everything lines up accordingly.

Press on! Life happens, situations try to press, but it is us who are ultimately in charge of the outcome. Our attitude determines our latitude, and it all works better with gratitude! Be faithful! There will be distractions, but with faith on our side all things work together for our best, always.