When we checked out our apartment in April, we were surprised to learn there was no air conditioning. It's Southern California! How can there be no air conditioning? No, really, they said, we're so close to the ocean that it's always cool. Huh. But okay, I can take the word of someone who's lived here longer than me.

Then – shocking! – we have the hottest summer that people in this area can remember. Sigh…

Did I mention how much I hate being hot? Or that I got a temp job doing physical labor in a warehouse? Or that it's almost October and no one thought the heat would last this long and it's still too hot to sleep at night?

Yeah, I might be a little grumpy.

On the other hand, I'm trying to remember that heat brings impurities to the top so they can be scooped off. High pressure heat rather than temperature heat can do that for people, helping us to let go of the less-than-wonderful qualities we've let grow in ourselves.

For instance, I'm reminding myself that life isn't always an upward curve. Just because it's good and getting better doesn't mean it won't slide backward. It does, and that's often when you learn new things. I'm learning a little bit more about humility having a master's degree and working in a warehouse.

But interestingly, I've also gotten a little confidence boost by working outside my own business. The people I'm working with are really nice and very complimentary of my work. It's nice to be told every day that I'm appreciated. You don't get that when you work alone.

And it can't be bad for my personality that I'm pushing myself to do something I don't want to do – like work in a warehouse when I'd rather be home writing and growing my business.

I don't know what God is doing with our lives this year. I won't say I like it. But I really do hope that the metaphor in the Bible of gold and silver being refined by fire is what has been happening with us. I can't see if I've done any growing yet, but hindsight is 20/20 so… Maybe I'll be able to look back in a year or two and be glad.

Meanwhile, I still can't wait for summer's heat to quickly fade. I need a rest.