The answer

This whole process of looking for a job has been full of life lessons.  Having a specialized skill and abilities has been a comfort and advantage for me. Knowing that it was a matter of opportunity and effort, knowing I  would find the right job God has for me if I only trusted Him and His word. What a great benefit this has been to my inner soul. I had mentioned in a previous post that I finally pursued a company that I was not to sure about and how it was a surprise to find out that what I had heard and thought were misconceptions. Well, starting early next month I am their newest employee! It has been a long road and many doors were closed along the way, but this door opened and I know this job is the one God has planned for me.

Some of you may know that my son Ben is graduating form college next month and he has been pursuing employment along with me. Melodee and I have been praying daily for Ben to find the perfect Job for him also.  This last Friday we both received job offers within minutes of each other. Ben's in Houston, Texas working for an oil company and using his language skills and mine here in West Tennessee, in the Fluid power industry. I do think that God has a sense of humor. lol.

My heart goes out to people who have no particular skills and need a job desperately.  I will always look at unemployment in a different way and will be willing to help those people anyway I can.  God also has shown me that prayer is the key to a calm heart and soul. We can cast our burdens on Him and  know that He is not only able to handle it but is also able to do something about it! What a great thing that is! I know that we all have different inner makeups, but to know, I mean really KNOW that God loves us and will answer our prayers is something I will take away from this whole process. I pray that this is something you will learn too! (Not through unemployment, but in His special way, to your special circumstances)

I want to thank you all for prayers and support and I will be a better person and follower of Christ because of them.


I said to the Lord "You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you."  Psalm 16:2

Suprises

I was sitting at my desk on Monday when my cell phone rang. It's a job recruiter telling me about a job opening. (I'm trying to remember if I had sent this company a resume and I don't remember them at all.) She then asks me if I know anyone  I could recommend for the job....... I'm thinking, is this really happening?  She tells me that she had called me a couple of years ago and I had helped her with a couple of names of people to call.  I tell her that I know someone who might be interested in a Fluid Power job in the Memphis area..........ME!  I have a phone interview with this Fluid Power company on Friday.

I  had been resistant to calling another company in Memphis that I know because of things I had heard about them in the past. Well, I finally did call them. (Isn't that how God works: the first will be last and the last will be first?) I met with the sales manager last week here in Dyersburg, and then went down and met with the "big dogs" today. I was really surprised. The things I had heard were not even close to the truth, and I had a great interview!  They want me to come up with salary, vacation, and sales territory proposals and get together next week to see what we can work out. WOW.

One thing I have learned during this whole process is to not "count my chickens until they hatch," but it has been a very encouraging week!

The Lord says: "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you."  Psalm 32:8

Things are slow

I don't have much to say today, other than it is still a waiting game........ I am not very good at waiting because I am a problem solver. If something around the house breaks, I fix it. If the car has a problem, I fix it or get it fixed. If it is a relationship issue, I confront it and try to get it worked out.  I want to get the unemployment situation fixed, and I can't! I talk with recruiters, apply for jobs on line and it is like a black hole. I do have 2 good prospects, but there's not a definite offer yet. Everyone says that I am well qualified and it should not be a problem finding a job, yet here I sit, wanting to fix it and it is out of my hands.

I am learning to be better at this waiting game, I guess. God is growing my patience skills. We had a pipe break under our house, and it flooded the whole space.  I crawled under there (which I hate to do) sliding on my stomach in inch-deep muck to fix it. We have a large house, and it was as far from the opening in the back of the house as you could get. I finally got to the pipe, but I hadn't brought the right tools to fix it. I yelled for Melodee, and she was able to throw me what I needed from a small vent. Just when I started to fix it.........my flashlight died!!! I yelled again from under there, and she rescued me again with another flashlight. I was able to finally  get the job done.

As I was crawling, inching my way back to the entrance in elbow-deep sewer goop, I thank the Lord because I had been calm, and indeed I had not lost my cool throughout the whole process.  Our God is great, and He continually teaches us new lessons, even in the midst of hard times.

Full circle

It is funny sometimes how things can work. I worked for a company for 10 years and enjoyed being there. Five years ago I left that job because of frustration with the owner. The owner is now leaving and the new management called me about coming back to work there. I went down and had an interview and it was very encouraging to see all the people that I had worked with for all those years: the hugs and smiles, getting caught up on our kids and life in general. The interview went well and they told me they are going to give me an offer in the next few days.

Isn't that how God works? You never know how He can bring blessings into your life. I am not counting them yet until I have the job offer in hand, but I was blessed and encouraged by the process. Not only to see people I know and have cared for in the past, but to be honest, it is nice just to be "wanted". It's good to not have to play games but to have people recognize my talents and see the benefits of having me back!

It is still a test of my faith and I am still praying that God will give me the faith I need.

Love the Lord all you Godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to Him. Be strong and courageous all you who put your hope in the Lord.  Psalm 31: 23-24

May we all be loyal, strong and courageous!

Emotions

I have never been unemployed in my life! When I turned sixteen  I started working at a pipe manufacturer in Woodlake, CA and I have been working ever since. It is hard not to be confused as to what the deal is. In my mind it is a no-brainer but yet here I wait for some contact from all the jobs I have applied for. It is hard to get up and not be working. I think I might be a little depressed, which is not a feeling I have very often. :(

I am truly blessed though, I have a lot of options and the main issue  here is whether we are to stay  in Dyersburg or will we have to move. There are many unemployed people out there without any options. God has a wonderful plan for us but what is it? Have you ever thought how great it would be to know God's plans for us ahead of time? I have thought about this and I think that we would never become who God wants us to be if we knew his plans ahead of time. Do you think that I would be on my face before him praying for direction if I already knew what the plan was? God makes us more like Jesus as we seek him. The truth is it is not the job that is important to God, but it's trusting Him in the process. That is how God refines my soul. I just don't like the heat as he "cooks" all the sin out and replaces it with Christ likeness in me, but would I become the man God wants me to be without it?

So I remain confused, mad, and hurt, yet I also remain willing to let God work it all out through me.

Am I going or staying?

I will be honest, it has been very difficult to be upbeat lately.

I thought that I had the inside track on a couple of jobs; now one is dead and the other  seems close to it.  I started this process thinking that this should be a piece of cake, I am good at what I do, I am confident, get along with people and most people like me.  So it has been hard to face rejection.  Many questions surface in my mind: what did I say wrong or didn't say at all?  Do they want me to be honest or tell them what they want to hear?
As I have sat here all day looking on line for employment and not finding any in West Tennessee, I wonder what God is doing. I was confident that He wants us here, well I tell myself that, but I am not so confident anymore. Is that wrong? We are involved here in the community and with my 96 year old dad here it would seem that this would be the best place for now.........

I cried out" I am slipping" but your unfailing love O Lord supported me when doubts filled my mind. Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.  Psalm 94:19

Lord renew my hope!

Pride

Well this has has been an interesting week. I heard back from the company in Pittsburgh and they didn't like me! They thought I didn't research their company enough before the interview. Here is the deal, I did research it and read all about their products and history on their web page. I have thought about the interview now for hours and I can't figure out what they are talking about. Then it hit me, they have a new product that is for bio fuel and ethanol filtration. During our discussions I mentioned that fact that there are several ethanol plants in West Tennessee, I was told we don't do ethanol, just bio-diesel.  I said I was pretty sure that it does mention ethanol on the web page. I was told emphatically that it doesn't.

So I guess I was a little sure of myself, and I am a confident person, so the vice president of the company may have been upset that I would contradict him( In a nice way). Well I went to the web page today and low and behold in bold letters it mentions ETHANOL FILTRATION. I started to cut and paste it and send it to the guy in an email but what good would that do. I know I might feel better, but would it bring God glory?  I think not.

So here is the deal, I thought I would have two job offers by now, I mean who wouldn't want to hire me? I have learned an important lesson, I can't trust in my ability, I have to trust in God's!

Pray that the second company will come through this week, if not I don't know what is next.