Friday, July 27, 2007

Catch Up-New Job, New Car-Life's an Adventure!

Hi, Everybody. It is now the middle of summer. As you can see, my last post was in mid-March. That was about the time I was entering the whirlwind, which is just now beginning to settle down, I think. By the way, for those who are interested, I think there will be more of the series "I Will Build My Church," but I got diverted for a time. I'm writing this now to let you know (and to remind myself) that I'm still alive and well.

On March 5th, our hearing aid company, A Hearing Service, transferred ownership and became Accurate Hearing Service. It was a move long expected, as the former owner was ready to retire and travel, and didn't want to work all his life (though I'm sure he still finds plenty of things to do that help other people--he's that kind of a person). But as with many buyouts, the transfer came with many changes. The new company has a different emphasis, and, while I was welcome to stay during the transition, I needed to find a new job.

I was going to be 56 (I just turned so this past week), and that didn't bode too well for my job hunt. -- But God... - What, you say, does that have to do with anything? --I am so glad He does have to do with many things--in my job and in my life. For I believe He has helped me navigate through this time. First, as I prayed, I "heard" (still, small, inaudible but still loud voice) one thing: that I was to "Finish well." That meant I worked in the same place while learning lots of new computer things, etc. Meanwhile, other people who were praying for me "heard" things too. They (more than one person, and they hadn't "compared notes") heard that I didn't have to go out and look for a job, but that God would bring the job to me.

That was all well and good, but I was nervous. After all, my livelihood was at stake! However, that advice did seem to go along with what I'd heard--I was too busy trying to obey God and "finish well" to be able to also look for a job. My final day was to be the last Friday in June.

So what happened? I got a phone call at the beginning of June from family friends. I have known her for over 14 years. For some time they lived down the street from me. Her husband owns a small business, Omega Retirement Plans, Inc. He is an actuary and works with (what else?) retirement plans. His administrative assistant gave notice that she was leaving on June 15th. Would I like to come in and talk? Well, yes, thank you!

The upshot of it is that I was hired and began on June 11. All the upheaval and learning during the transition time in the former job proved to me that I could learn "new tricks," even though I'm not about to call myself an "old dog!" It gave me a confidence that things could work out, even though the new job required a lot of things I'd never done before.

There are several wonderful things about what happened. One is that I work for a boss who is every bit as nice as my brother-in-law. Ron is as patient as Darrell was (and that's hard to find). I am able to learn (and flourish) in a low-pressure but intellectually stimulating environment. I also am now working four days a week instead of five, and bringing home more pay. That is an interesting answer to prayer, for I have felt for some time that I am to spend time developing some other areas of my life that I've needed more time or energy for...and now I'll have it --once I learn my job better and have more brain-power to devote to other things.

One other detail. I haven't had a car since the winter of 2000. It gave up the ghost--I was beginnng to put repair money down a bottomless pit and needed to let go of that "black hole" at the time and just plain save money. The good thing is that I have lived within 15 minutes walking distance from work at all times. In the last year especially, however, I have been prayerful about whether to buy a car. I kept hearing, "Wait." Last January, a couple from church came up to me and told me they felt God wanted them to give me their used 1994 Honda Accord Sedan. I prayed about it, checked it out financially with my children (they know how my finances run because I want them to) and came to the conclusion that I should take it. However, the car needed fixed, and the couple didn't have the money and didn't want to give me a broken car. They prayed, talked to pastor, and put out an email without my knowing it, and people from church contributed so the car could be fixed up for me.

I am now driving a small red car that I love. It got to me in May--just in time to get used to the idea of having "wheels" again--and just in time to be needed to get me about 4 miles to a friend's home so we can go together to work on the other side of town. (She works near where I do.) This is a God-send, because my depth perception is not good and driving in the dark and in rain for a short distance is different from driving all the way across town.

So you see, not only am I alive and well, but so is God and His work both directly and through others in my life. He is always providing. I left one job on Friday, June 8, and started the other on Monday, June 11. I didn't lose one day of pay, and time off started accruing on my first day (for every 10 hours I work, I get one hour of time off). I just pray I will be as much of a help to Ron and Omega Retirement Plans as Ron and Omega are to me.

Well, there's more to talk about, but not today. It's Friday, and I'm going to do some other things on my day off. I'm thrilled I'm beginning to want to study and write again--I've missed these things for the last four months. Have a good day, everyone. 'Bye for now.


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