Peace in Small Doses

I went hiking last week up north at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve. Turns out the trails there connect to both Lake Ramona and Lake Poway, so a lot of exploring can be done. I hiked along the creek bed and then took a trail that wound around the Lake Poway dam and then went around the lake itself. It connects to a trail to Mt. Woodson, which I'll be returning to do very soon!
It was very pretty. The wildfires are starting to bloom in abundance, and the clouds were a beautiful contrast in the blue sky. That's something that I've noticed about this area, when it is sunny out, the sky is BLUE. No haze of heat to make it seem almost white (although the marine layer does dim it sometimes). Most days, the sky is gorgeous!! The view from above Lake Poway was incredible, and I can only imagine what the view will be like from the top of Mt. Woodson.
Enough about that. While I was hiking, I was doing a lot of personal reflection. The topic of God's purpose in my life, and using God's gifts has come up a lot in conversations at life group lately, and in sermons in church, and it has been difficult for me to clarify these in my life. I've had a hard time coming to terms with/being ok with where I am in life, and knowing that God's plan for my life is what is happening NOW, and not where I will be down the road. I think I received a little peace, though. I did come to realize that all these great things in my life right now would not be if I were anywhere else doing something else. This awesome church family, living with my best friend, getting these braces done, new friends and experiences every day by living in new places...I'm enjoying all these things, and it's ok that I'm serving food at Olive Garden in the meantime. I've met so many people in professions who say "Oh, I did that for years after college before I got to where I am now. It was a great time, and I don't regret it." I don't think I'll regret it either, and it's all part of the plan, so I might as well enjoy it! I'll be back in school soon enough and on to another profession, but while I'm still unsure of what that is, I should be out in the world trying new things and learning what I like and dislike in my life and from others' lives as well.
As for spiritual gifts, I know to a certain extent what some are, but I should be putting more energy into discovering and understanding them so I can use them to their fullest extent. I know I am compassionate, and a good listener/confidant. I know also that I am a patient teacher (although I do not feel patient internally at times). I also have a strong sense of fairness/right vs wrong, and desire to help those causes that cannot help themselves (i.e. conservation, being stewards of the earth, plants and animals) But how to best put these to use? That is where I need to work on stamping out indecisiveness in some parts of my life, so I can say, "Yes, these are my strong points, and I am going to use them in this way" Ready, set, Go!