EIGHT YEARS AGO TODAY....

January 2003 brought with it a year of changes in my life. In October 2002, I was employed by Jewish Hospital as an official member of the Jewish Hospital Medical Center East (Jewish MCE for short) Start Up Team. The center was still under construction when I was hired. I was thrilled to be a part of something so new and so exciting! Once the center opened I would be working as an Emergency Room Registrar. I was literally over the moon! For months I trained downtown with the rest of the girls hired on as registrars. We did classes, got to know each other and had a GREAT time! In December I was asked by my boss to do 3rd shift once the center opened. I had never worked 3rd shift before but I was up to the challenge. Jewish MCE was scheduled to open in January so I worked 3rd shift registration at downtown Jewish the entire month of December to prepare and I LOVED it! I was in my element. The people I worked with were amazing and I had some great on-the-job training. I LOVED the excitement of the ER. Every minute was different and you never knew what to expect...except expect the unexpected. WOW that was a mouthful! LOL

So back to January of 2003. The beginning of January we opened Jewish Hospital Medical Center East.


The Atrium & Chandelier



I was honored to be a member of the Start-Up Team. I was THRILLED to be working at this state-of-the-art center. My boss had entrusted me with doing some very important work during my shift and I knew that meant she believed in me and trusted me. I had new, great friends. We were all a family at MCE. I had never been a part of something so wonderful before. All of this gave me the strength to FINALLY, ONCE AND FOR ALL, leave a bad relationship I had been in for 7 long and horrific years. I now had the strength and the courage to walk away and never look back. I had found myself again. I believed in myself again. I was part of an amazing family of friends. I felt exhilarated! Life was finally, after so long, looking up!!


At work, I shared space with the security guards. They were all great guys and I enjoyed working so close with them. It was ALWAYS entertaining to say the least! At the end of January, one of the security guys permanently switched shifts. A new guy from 1st shift took his place. His name was Joe and I knew nothing about him. I had seen him off and on during training before MCE opened but that was about the extent. I was somewhat apprehensive that night going to in to work not knowing what to expect from "the new guy". As I mentioned, my boss had put some extra responsibilities on me during my shift so my "busy" work usually kept me on my toes for the first half of my shift, not to mention having to register my patients as well. The VERY FIRST night with the "new guy" was horrible! He was so rude! He made it a point to tell me how boring I was compared to what the other guards had said about how fun and cool I was to work with every night. He was so cocky and full of himself. I was so annoyed! I couldn't imagine how terrible it was going to be to work with him every night! I knew things had been too perfect....


Over the next 6 weeks, things began to change. Joe was paying quite a bit of attention to me, picking on me, taking the time to talk with me and get to know me. He had brought his dog Justice up to work on his day off to meet me; his friends also just happened to show up that day...coincidence...I think NOT! LOL He began calling to check on me at work on the nights he was off and bringing me dinner or blizzards to surprise me. He was being NICE. Attentive. Flirty. Caring. Spontaneous...like the night he took me up on the roof during one of those pretty Christmas-like snows so that I could see the view. It was so romantic. We met at his other job, TK's, for drinks one night when he called after his shift and asked if I wanted to come down and hang out for a little while. He called me late at night one night while he was at drill just to see how my day had been. We started hanging out a little bit outside of work. We were even talking about us and a few of our friends getting a house together. We were all wanting to move out and I needed to be closer to work. We went to the car show together then hung out at his friend's apartment and my best friend Jaime had rode there with us. It got late and I was exhausted. His friend Matt told us just to stay instead of risking driving home so tired. I have been up 2 days after all. Dang 3rd shift wrecked havoc on your sleep! That night I fell asleep sitting on the couch with Joe's arm around me and my head on his shoulder. I rested a hand on his chest and he put his hand over mine. I slept like a baby. Looking back now I think that is the exact point I fell head over heels in love with Joe Hardin.


Then suddenly and without reason, Joe became distant. Standoffish. Sometimes just cold. I was so confused and upset. I had begun to trust him...to like him...and now was getting...NOTHING. I didn't understand.

That brings me to "Eight Years Ago Today". Joe and I had a little argument at work that morning. On a typical morning, I would get off work 30 minutes before Joe but I would hang out until he got off so we could walk out to our cars together before going home. After our argument and because I was already frustrated with him, I clocked out and just left. I managed to glance back at him as I walked out the doors and he had such a strange look on his face. I hadn't even said goodbye. Just clocked out, picked up my things and headed for the door. As I glanced at him and his sad face he says "You're leaving without me?" in a voice so sad I knew he meant it. Due to the fact I was so angry at him and his mixed signals, I just shook my head and left. Inside I felt horrible because I knew it had hurt him. So on my long drive home the guilt took over and I decided to apologize..via text message of course since he was still at work. The rest became history....

KC: Sorry I left w/o u. I just have a lot on my mind.
JH: Like?
KC: stuff...nothing I can't deal with I suppose
JH: you going to tell me
KC: If you really want 2 know...I just don't want to freak u out. do you still want to know?
JH: lay it on me
KC: what exactly R we? Just friends? Dating? I guess I am confused
KC: I hope I didn't mess up asking but I don't know so I figured I would ask u
JH: what do you want?
KC: U R Someone I could really c myself with - u know I think u r great but what do u want?
JH: so do u want to date
KC: I would LOVE 2 - are u asking?
JH: yes
KC: well then - HELLLZZZZ yeah!
JH: well then - it's official
KC: I couldn't be happier! U?
JH: yes! even happier when we move in together!
KC: we move fast don't we? ha ha
JH: whatever do you mean?
JH: Good night babe
KC: nitey night sweet dreams!

So there you have it...the story of how Joe and I came to be. My fairytale. We still laugh about how we began dating over text messages. I was as giddy as a teenager that morning. I have no idea how I ever settled down to sleep. I doubt I did. I remember heading straight to Jaime's house with the news. Singing and dancing all over her living room. I was over the moon.


And 6 months later we did move in together along with a few friends. It was a blast. Our life has been far from perfect but it's been more than I could have ever dreamed it would be. I have the LOVE of my life and I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that GOD guided us to one another. Joe came along out of the blue...at the exact right moment. That just doesn't happen by chance.

To my hubby, Joe I love you so much and I wouldn't trade a second of our 8 years together. You are my everything. Happy Dating Day Anniversary my love. You have and always will complete me!

FYI..it's Tracy Byrd not George Strait...but I didn't make the video. LOL

Joe and our friend Sheree @ work...we had close corridors with security! LOL

Joe's car I decorated at work on his birthday...he got me back later though.


State Fair 2003


At The Zoo 2003


Joe's Birthday Party I had for him at the hotel with our friends







DAY 8

LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS

Love is as strong as death, it's jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire. - Song of Solomon 8:6

Jealousy is one of the strongest drives known to man. It comes from the root word for zeal and means “to burn with an intense fire.” Scripture pointedly says, “Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, but who can stand before jealousy?” (Proverbs 27:4).

There are actually two forms: a legitimate jealousy based upon love, and an illegitimate jealousy based upon envy. Legitimate jealousy sparks when someone you love, who belongs to you, turns his or her heart away and replaces you with someone else. If a wife has an affair and gives herself to another person, her husband may have justified, jealous anger because of his love for her. He is longing to have back what is rightfully his.

The Bible describes God as having this kind of righteous jealousy for His people. It’s not that He is envious of us, wishing He had what we have (since He already owns everything). It’s that He deeply longs for us, desiring for us to keep Him as our first love. He doesn’t want us to let anything take precedence over Him in our hearts. The Bible warns us not to worship anything but Him because “the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24).

With this established, we will shift our focus to the illegitimate kind of jealousy that is in opposition to love – the one that is rooted in selfishness. This is to be jealous of someone, to be “moved with envy.”

Do you struggle with being jealous of others? Your friend is more popular, so feel hatred towards her. Your coworker gets the promotion, so you can’t sleep that night. He may have nothing wrong, but you became bitter because of his success. It has been said that people are fine with our succeeding, just as long as it is not more than theirs.

Jealousy is a common struggle. It is sparked when someone else upstages you and gets something you want. This can be very painful depending upon how selfish you are. Instead of congratulating them, you fume in anger and think ill of them. If you’re not careful, jealousy slithers like a viper into your heart and strikes your motivations and relationships. It can poison you from living the life of love God intended.

If you don’t diffuse your anger by learning to love others, you may eventually begin plotting against them. The Bible says that envy leads to fighting, quarreling, and every evil thing (James 3:16, 4:1-2).

There is a string of violent jealousy seen throughout Scripture. It caused the first murder when Cain despised God’s acceptance of his brother’s offering. Sarah sent away her handmaiden because Hagar could bear children while Sarah could not. Joseph’s brothers saw he was their father’s favorite, so they threw him in a pit and sold him as a slave. Jesus was more loving, powerful, and popular than the chief priests, so they envied Him and plotted His betrayal and crucifixion.

You don’t usually get jealous of disconnected strangers. The ones you’re tempted to jealous of are primarily in the same arena with you. They work in your office, play in your league, run in your circles … or live in your house. Yes, if you aren’t careful, jealousy can also infect your marriage.

When you were married, you were given the role of becoming your spouse’s biggest cheerleader and the captain of his or her fan club. Both of you become one and were to share in the enjoyment of the other. But if selfishness rules, any good thing happening to only one of you can be a catalyst for envy rather than congratulations.

He may enjoy golf on the weekend while she stays home cleaning the house. He boasts to her about shooting a great score and she feels like shooting him.

Or perhaps she is constantly invited to go out with friends while he is left home with the dog. If he’s not careful, he can resent her popularity.

Because love is not selfish and puts other first, it refuses to let jealousy in. It leads you to celebrate the successes of your spouse rather than resenting them. A loving husband doesn’t mind his wife being better at something, having more fun, or getting more applause. He sees her as completing him, not competing with him.

When he receives praise, he publicly thanks her for her support in aiding his own success. He refuses to brag in such a way that may cause her to resent him. A loving wife will be the first to cheer for her man when he wins. She does not compare her weaknesses to his strengths. She throws a celebration, not a pity party.

It is time to let love, humility, and gratefulness destroy any jealousy that springs up in your heart. It’s time to let your mate’s successes draw you closer together and give you greater opportunities to show genuine love.

TODAY'S DARE

DETERMINE TO BECOME YOUR SPOUSE'S BIGGEST FAN AND TO REJECT ANY THOUGHTS OF JEALOUSY. TO HELP YOU SET YOUR HEART ON YOUR SPOUSE AN DFOCUS ON THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS, TAKE YESTERDAY'S (FRIDAY'S) LIST OF NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES AND DISCREETLY BURN IT. THEN SHARE WITH YOUR SPOUSE HOW GLAD YOU ARE ABOUT A SUCCESSHE OR SHE RECENTLY ENJOYED.

(In your Love Dare Journal or a notebook) How hard was it to destroy the list? What are some positive experiences that you can celebrate in the life of your mate? How can you encourage them toward future successes?