Spiritual Lessons
Bushels
and Blessings
I’ve mentioned before, in previous posts, that I
worked at a place called “Bushels”. (A small local Mennonite store with a
deli/bakery.) In this post, I’d like to
give you just a little bit of back story as to how I actually ended up there
and where the Lord took me in it.
I’ve grown up a very conservative Christian girl, to
which I have never once regretted. That being said, my dad has never really been
supportive of “women in the workforce”. As young women, our focus should be at
home. Being “keepers at home” is one of the things listed to teach young women
in Titus 2:4 and 5. It is important. But it also isn’t a sin for women to work
outside the home either. My dad has always been very protective of his girls,
as any good father should be, and I knew as a young girl growing up, that if I
would ever work outside my home someday, it would have to be a very special job
that met certain requirements. A safe environment being one of them. And somewhat
conservative surroundings another. Because my heart was to both obey and respect my dad’s
wishes, and I assumed therefore, that I would probably never have a “real job” anytime
soon (other than our local housecleaning business). With a desire to please my
dad, I asked the Lord one thing- that if He ever wanted me to get a
job outside my normal home environment, that He would open the door in a way
that my dad would be more excited about the idea than I even would
be. With that being said, I was pretty sure I’d be jobless. J But those were my requirements and I
held to them.
In the spring of 2013, I found my life changing
unexpectedly, and began to pray about new things. Getting a job was one of
them. I mentioned it to my dad and just continued to pray about it. I remember when
“Bushels” was first brought to my mind. I thought to myself, “Aw, it is perfect.
Conservative and safe.” I remember conniving at one point, to maybe get my dad
to have the Mennonite family (who ran the store) over for dinner. Besides we
were already somewhat acquainted, and had been meaning to have them over
sometime anyways. It would be the perfect way in! But, the Lord never gave
me peace to push for it. In fact, He told me to leave it alone and wait for His
will and timing, whether that was Bushels or not. So I waited. About 3
months.
Unannounced to me, my dad went into the store early
that May and while ordering deli meats & cheeses, had a conversation with
the man who would later become my boss. Apparently, the fact that he (Mr. Jeremy)
needed extra work here and there came into the conversation, and my dad
mentioned that his daughter (which would be me) might be interested. My dad
never told me and about a week later, I got a call. “If you are still interested
in working part-time, let me know in the next few days.” What? I was never so
surprised. So I quickly began to pray about it and consulted my dad. Honestly, at
first I was a little nervous about the idea, but my dad had full confidence. And
believe it or not, my dad was more excited about it than I was!
When the Lord
told me to wait, I waited, and He dropped the perfect job into my lap.
I asked the Lord that my dad would be supportive and
excited about a job that met certain specific requirements, and He answered
that request.
The Lord gave me Matthew 14:27- “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer: it
is I; be not afraid.” And there was peace.
So began my almost 2 year career at Bushels. And I
learned so much. And more than just simple things like, how to slice the
perfect thickness of a piece of Havarti cheese without it crumbling apart, or
getting your pound of sliced meat down to the exact ounce on a deli scale, or how to make the perfect deli sandwich in less than 30 seconds, or how to make food labels and package cinnamon rolls efficiently. There were so
many life lessons. Like, learning to be more confident in who I am as an
individual person. I’ve always struggled with that. But I was no longer
introduced or perceived by others as just “the youngest Bickish girl” – but instead,
as “Lynea”. I could no longer hide behind my family. I didn’t have my outgoing
and bold older sister leading the way! No, instead, I had to step out of my
comfort zone. And while learning to be an individual outside your family circle
seems a small thing, it actually made a big difference in how I carried myself
as a person.
The Lord also gave me many different opportunities
to witness and talk with people. It challenged what I believed and why I
believed it; to be able to “give an answer for the hope that lieth within [me]”
and to defend my faith for myself. I built relationships with many different
people and learned how to reach out to them. It was a blessing and a joy. Although
there were hard and lonely lessons too. Such as, realizing and learning to be okay
with the fact that you are different than “the average Christian” or professing
Mennonite and therefore rejected as the “outcast” of the group. Which, isn’t always
fun. J But certainly
worth it. (Please consider reading my previous blog post: Outside the Camp.)
In the fall of 2014, the Lord began to close the
door to the Bushels store. His timing, again, was perfect. I was tired and busy beyond
belief, and my family was getting ready to move. It was time. And by December I
gave my notice. Some things in life are only for a season, and Bushels was
one of those. But it certainly was a blessing in many ways and I am thankful
for everything the Lord taught me during that time and how He used it in my
life.
Recently, I was asked to help fill in at Bushels again for several days during the month of April. Due to certain circumstances, they
needed extra help. I was a little hesitant, and the long drive and long days
certainly didn’t seem that worth it to me. But the Lord not only opened the
door, but actually had to end up pushing me through it. I think He knew that He’d have
to, because I wouldn’t have walked through it again willingly of my own accord.
J And again, He
proved faithful in regards to this little work place. He gave me one of the
neatest opportunities to talk to one of the young Mennonite girls there that I
used to work with. Just being able to share more of my faith with her, and
actually watch her listen and consider what I had to say. It thrilled my soul
and I came home smiling to myself, because I knew why He had wanted me to go back.
The truth is, waiting on the Lord is a wonderful
place to be. As young Christian women, let’s not settle for what the world
tells us is normal! Let’s not settle for what even most “Christians” will
criticize or shove down our throats! Who says you have to get a job in "the real world" by the time you are 18? Or go to a Christian or secular college? It's okay to
be different than the majority. It’s okay to stand alone, if need be. To stand against the strong tide of society. When He sets a standard for us, no matter how
impossible it might seem at the time, we can trust Him to provide through it. Is it wrong to get a job as a single young girl? No. Is it wrong to go to college? No, it certainly isn't. But when Christ sets a standard for us, it is wrong to endanger that standard by compromise. We
don’t have to compromise! So many young girls I know are choosing to settle.
Don’t! Whether that is a job opportunity you just can’t get peace about, or
maybe a standard that has been somehow crossed in some way, or a decision that goes against your convictions, or maybe a young man that
just isn’t His perfect will for your life and you know it; it isn’t worth
settling for.
Psalms 27:14 says- “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine
heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
We can wait, because He abides faithful.
We can stand against the normality of our modern culture, because He gives us the
courage to. We can go on in His perfect will for our lives, because He is our strength.
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| This is me (on the far right) with some of the other girls there. |
Last Spring, 2015, I remember praying one day. My family had just sold our house and were preparing to move to a new location and build. There was already a special place between the Lord and I where I'd always go to pray at night. I'd shed a lot of tears there. Shared my heart with God. And it was almost sad to think of leaving it behind, although I know God is not limited by a "prayer closet". So I remember asking the Lord if I could have a new special place to pray in our next home. Outside would be nice. I thought, especially in the summer time. But also some place that felt safe and somewhat secluded. And so I left my request with Him. I knew He'd have the perfect place in mind if that is what He desired. And then I kind of forgot about it.
A bench might seem like a small thing. But it meant a lot to me...and reassures me of both my Father's love for me and that He cares so much about what I ask Him for. He is such a good Heavenly Father. Sometimes I wonder that He could love everyone so much as I know He loves me. I feel like I must somehow take up all His time. I'm so needy. And He is always there. Always working on my behalf. And yet, God is so amazing as to care and seek all men in this same way.
