Finding My Place.

I couldn’t go to church on Sunday, so I listened to a podcast by James McDonald about Finding My Place. He said that three things really define our “places” in life – our name, location or relationships, and our jobs.

So who am I? What are my names?
1. Melissa. Melissa is Greek for “Honey Bee” which I think fits me well. I am mostly sweet, prone to being ADD, and can have a sharp tongue sometimes.
2. My middle name is Joy. I like that. My joy is in the Lord. A lot has changed in my life recently – and for a couple of weeks, my joy was on the verge of being MIA. But when my perspective is right, I know right where my joy is: in the Lord. In who He is, in my relationship with Him, in His word, in walking through life, hand in hand with Him.
3. My last name is Krauss. It is German for “Curly.” As in curly hair. I do have curly hair. But more than that, my last name has become synonymous with the Army and Cowboys and the School District, with hard work, intelligence – both in books and problem solving, and with a general desire to serve.

So who am I? What are my titles?
1. Ms Melissa. My GAs call me this. Some of them do, at least. It kind of makes me feel old, but then I realize that I am about 10 or 15 years older than most of my girls, and it’s okay if they call me Ms Melissa. It is special.
2. Sissy. Jeffy is the only one who calls me this regularly, but some variations include Sis, Sister, and Missy. It indicates my relation to those who are family. I am the youngest, the only daughter.
3. Project Administrator. When I tell people this is part one of my job title, they give me a blank look and say, “So what does that mean?” Usually I tell them that I plan meetings and send a lot of e-mails. But it’s more than that. I “yell” at people when they don’t do their homework. I am the face of this implementation. I balance three or four calendars.
4. Change Management Coordinator. This is part two of my job title. This is the fun part. This is the part where I walk around the Admin building and say hi to people (I usually end up in the IT department, talking to my Bro or Lunch Club). I update Twitter and our websites and created the Gold Star. This is the side where I can be creative and have fun.

So where am I? Where do I physically do life?
1. Halfway between Palmer and Wasilla. That’s where I live. Really, they blend together so well that it’s like one big city. Wasmer. Or Palilla. Hahahaha.
2. Palmer. I work in the School District Admin Building, a converted elementary school. I have one of 10 windows in the whole building by my desk, which is quite nice. My desk is large, located in the Business Services department, and unless you asked Darjon, you wouldn’t know where I was. Though now, other people know too. Word gets around.
3. Wasilla. Church is in Wasilla. Sunday School, Big Church, GAs, etc.

So where am I? With whom do I do life?
1. My parents. I’m their “roommate,” so to speak, except I don’t pay rent or buy food. Or pay utilities. So I guess I’m their daughter who moved home after graduating from college and deciding to NOT move to India. They challenge me and pray for me and speak Truth to me and let me watch Project Runway on their big TV.
2. Ms Linda, Janelle, Jackie, and other women from church. They have taught me so much about life, and following the Lord, and being a woman after His heart. They continually challenge me to grow and love Him more. I see so much of God in their lives.
3. My girls. Twenty of them, first through sixth grade. These girls light up my life! Their enthusiasm and prayer requests and stories and everything just brings me such joy! I’m usually tired by 7:00pm on Wednesdays, but these girls don’t let a week go by without blessing me, and I pray that I bless them, too. Dates with them start next month! I can’t wait.
4. Work people. Ken, Terrie, Charity, Nancy, Darjon, Justin, IT, Cindy, Jade. Oh man, Jade sent me the funniest picture. At work, my mom was teasing me about my braces, since I was talking with a lisp. Jade found a picture of Sid the Sloth from Ice Age, being followed by three dinosaurs. She asked, “Are the IT guys the dinosaurs?!” It was really funny, but I told her she’d have to ask the IT guys.
5. Heather, Kristina, Han, Jade, Sydni, Rhonda. Coffee or lunch or planking or talking or whatever the case may be, these are my go-to-girls.

So who am? What do I do?
1. Craft. Mostly crocheting, but I’m branching into other things, mostly thanks to Pinterest. I’ve begun sewing more and have a quilt in the works. There’s a chair waiting to be reupholstered. There are some tiles that will soon be coasters. Mostly there’s that tub of yarn though.
2. Teach. Mostly my Girls in Action, but sometimes Sunday School, too. And sometimes a Change Management session or two. I love teaching. I love the preparation and creativity and the acting and artistry of it. But I don’t know if I want to actually have my own classroom anymore. I don’t know. The Lord will guide, but what is the desire of my heart in this? Still searching.
3. Missions. I do missions. In Alaska, and the USA, and the world. Africa. My heart has been Africa since high school. I don’t know why. But my heart has always been Africa. Obsessed? Probably. The Lord is so Good, why NOT tell others about Him?!
4. That MSBSD Job. I really do enjoy it: creating cool forms with Adobe, running meetings, professional wardrobe, etc. People are always surprised when I tell them I like what I do. But I do! I like what I do! Well, only when I’m not bored. Because when I’m bored, I turn to Krochet Kids or something else that would likely get me fired.

Who are you?