The Secret [Raise]

I’m mixing things up today. Question first, story after. I have to know: How many of you guys have Direct Deposit? If you have DD, how often do you check your paystubs?

From the time I got my first job until about 2 years ago, I was pretty much against the direct deposit. Granted, at the time, I thought “they” just sent your check “somewhere” and hoped it “ended up” in your bank “account”. Account definitely needed the quotations for emphasis. Thank you parents for making me Worrywart Wanda! Because of those “live checks,” when I didn’t have time to head to the bank, I would have weeks upon weeks of paychecks just sitting around in my room, chillin’. When I started working at my current company about two years ago, my check, which was physically bigger than the DD stubs, annoyed the heck out of my boss who then inquisitioned me into getting DD. But now that I have it, I honestly don’t know how I ever lived without it.

With the live checks, I would always look for some egregious error. Missing money. Wondering who the ef “FICA” was and why this person got a generous portion of my pay. I wanted to be her. Or him. With DD, you would think I would be extra cautious, but I’m not. I’m pretty reckless actually. I just hop onto online banking and make sure the money is there. And you’d think since I’m Non-Exempt, I’d make sure that I got my OT paid, but nope. I just kind of ballpark some figure that should be there and am pleasantly surprised when its higher. Point is, I don’t really focus on how much makes it into the account. Just that there better be some money in the account on Thursday morning or someone is getting an angry letter.

Anyway, what does this have to do with the title of my post? I pretty much opened a pay stub for the first time since starting this new role in August of 2009, just so that I can check to see how much I was contributing to my newly opened 401K and was BLOWN AWAY by what I saw. I really loved the blue that they chose as the background. KIDDING. Oh, it was depressing to see all of those deductions, but my OT was looking kinda cute in the right hand side. My pre-tax pay was looked mysteriously HIGH for some reason. So, being the nerd I am, I multiplied this amount by 27 (the number of paychecks that we are getting this year) and noticed that the base salary was definitely greater than what I signed on for.

I went from ecstatic to confused to just plain happy in about 3 seconds. I don’t know if any role just doles out raises without notifying their employees, but a raise is a raise is a RAISE. I wanted to go thank my boss, but then I went back to my state of confusion and stayed there for a bit. I mean, wouldn’t I get a review or something? So, I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t just playing Jedi mind tricks on myself (it happens a lot…) To end this roller coaster of a story, the OPERATIVE factor is that there are 27 paychecks this year (thanks to the three-fer), meaning what I thought was a raise was just another paycheck.

How embarrassing would that have been if I went into my boss’ office with tears of gratitude?

[Via http://investingnewbie.wordpress.com]

Hard Time For Graduates In The Current Job Market

Graduate Job Search

The current job market scene for the fresher or the fresh graduates in India is not incredibly encouraging the way it is in the rest of the world. The situation is the same for both the blue-collared workers as well as for the white-collared ones. The blue-collared workers require upgrading their talent in vocational training. Most of the blue-collared employees are working as the temporary workers and in some unorganized sectors. However, even though there are numerous of them all around those without employment opportunities.

The employment factor, of these employees, also needs to be taken into consideration. Whether or not they meet stringent industry standards? In order to tackle this shortage the government has linked up with various technical and vocational institutes and sectors to upgrade the employees in these skills.

In last few months, the job market scenario at least for white-collared employees was booming. Almost all the student even before they were graduated had an Entry Level job in hands. They had choice to pick and choose the employer they wanted depending on the various factors like the salary, the location, the benefits offered to them, even the growth potential, the sort of training that company offers to them, whether or not they will get any opportunities offsite and certainly the overall job security the job offers them.

Similar was the situation for the experienced hands. If you were not happy with the current work conditions or with your manager all you needed was to do just float your bio-data to a few job consultants and it was easy to have landed yourself with another new job. Most of the companies were in the overhauling mode and they required loads of employees. Levels of attrition were high and none of the students or graduates remained unemployed for much a long time.

However, looking at the recession in US things does not seem to be same any more. Almost all the companies are talking about cutting cost and making each and every penny go a longer way. Otherwise, the better option is to cut down the staff and just keep sufficient people at work. Hence, there is no buffer, or staff waiting in wings and even people waiting on bench. Only the ITES and BPO sectors still need fresh people that also at entry level. So if you have experience in hand there is no chance for you in this sector.

Few months ago the industries those were considered to be rising high are no longer considered as so. Therefore, the sectors like the real estate, insurance, and finance are no longer hiring people at the moment. Similar is the situation of automobile industry. There are very less new buyers and therefore manufacturing has slowed down.

Reduction of expenditure and the pink-slips to the employees are there to stay. Few of the IT firms that gave the joining letters to graduates have even delayed them. And have asked the people to wait till they get any further intimation as the firms are getting new projects and the current staff can easily manage the projects.

If you intend to have more information on job related issues, you can visit Save My System service site or visit our website for job search. For further assistance you can visit our London job website.

[Via http://savemysystem.wordpress.com]

The Best Plan for a Uni-Friendly Job

Many jobs don’t gel with university, as I’m sure readers are aware. University demands most of the five day week, and, as if to annoy your further need for cash, has a knack for interspersing itself in little hour to two hour blocks from day to day. Some days you may only have one lecture, but it renders your day completely unworkable. Then there’s the added stress of assignments, study and reading of the materials required for your subjects. Work demands seven hours out of a day, leaving you to have to do all this in the evening. I know for a fact that after a full day’s work, I’m absolutely buggered. All I want to do is laze in front of the television until bed time. Another problem is that work doesn’t allow for personal failings on assignments, those crunch times when you need a day to quickly chalk up an essay, the day before it’s due. And don’t give me that ‘But I never do that, I have a strict work ethic’…because, well, it’s just not true. Everyone’s had one of those. It’s one of the downsides of pursuing an education. So, how can a job fit into all this? Well, I’ve been happily employed all through my university life (I’m beginning second semester soon), indeed have had my job since the last quarter of 2007, year 11 of high school. When I graduated I had to rearrange my working schedule, as the holidays were fast coming to a close, where the bank account received a daily dose of $16. I achieved squeezing a job into my university life by purposefully leaving a day open in my timetable. Take this down: Rule 1: Keep one day free of university (possibly even two if you can) when enrolling in subjects. Now unfortunately this might negate your day of rest that you had planned, but you have to make sacrifices to get the sweet green. In my case it was a Thursday for first semester, then a Wednesday for second. The next useful tip is, if you are looking for something in retail (which I recommend for part-time with uni), is to apply for either Thursday nights or Friday nights, respective of whether the job is suburban or within the CBD. Rule 2: Opt for Thursday/Friday Night Shopping. In a way this is like a second day of pay. Unfortunately a downside to this is after university you’ll dive straight behind a cash register for four or five hours, so essentially you’ll have to be mopped up off of the floor when the night is done. There will definitely be no study that night. And if you have a really early lecture or something the next day, you may want to skip this tip. But if not, it’s more money in your wallet. The next piece of advice I can give is apply also for one day of the weekend. If you seriously are a T-9000 and are capable of going for both days, then good luck to you. Though for most human beings, you’ll need one day’s rest, hell, even God needed a day to break open a six-pack and let his stomach sag out from under his singlet once upon a time (re: Genesis). Another cool perk of many retail jobs (this tip is also just for retail predominantly, as many places don’t work weekends), is that you get double pay on weekends. Cha-ching! Rule 3: See if you can get a day on the weekend too. The last piece of information I’ll give is for the resume. When you’re assembling it, be sure to put your grades of both school subjects and university subjects. If they see good grades, the employers will assume the person is a student, upon which they can pay them less. Or that’s meant to be the thinking. Although most university-goers are adults, so you will most probably receive full pay. But, it throws them off to see school grades, and perhaps the people will take the bait. Also another point, is in regards to when and if you are employed – use your university knowledge! Demonstrate to the workplace that you know stuff. I’m not saying turn into a smartass and try to show people up to be dumb, but just discuss what you’ve learned with your coworkers. These topics make for good water-cooler chat, and gets you admiration and interest. Might even go towards that promotion. Rule 4: Be sure to include your grades on your resume and while in your job demonstrate prowess in your field of study. And those are my tips for juggling a job in between uni-life. Try to get your resume into as many places as possible as well. Really put yourself out there. Good luck.

[Via http://meatballs24.wordpress.com]

What to do to become Ticket Booking Agent of IRCTC?

IRCTC stands for Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd.  It is in charge of catering services on trains and railway stations across India. IRCTC provides its official Site, where it provides service of Internet-based rail ticket booking. IRCTC offers E-tickets and I-tickets which are basically like regular tickets except that they are booked online and delivered by post. You can also become authorized IRCTC e-ticket booking agent and also get opportunity to earn lucratively by providing travel solution constituting flight ticket booking, bus ticket booking, car rental, hotel booking, cruise ticket booking, and jet charter services to your customers. If you want to become IRCTC Ticket booking agents, then contact the Mr. Deepak on 9810418253 or at deepak@hintechsys.com for more details.

If you want to become IRCTC Ticket Booking Agent, then have some important things like your own computer, internet connection, printer and also must have cash, credit or debit card.  Before the application, you require some necessary documents like your Passport, Driving license, Voters ID, PAN Card, PF Statement/PF Book, Ration Card, etc. and also attached copy of Latest telephone bill, Latest electricity bill, LIC receipt in your application envelope. Affix on the form Latest Photograph of the applicant, Fill the attached forms with customer details. Or simply get the forms signed by customers and we will fill details at our office. Send a demand draft of the specified fee in order to register you as an agent. The fee structure may vary between Rs. 10,000 – Rs. 15,000.

Source : B4tea.com

[Via http://melanie4d00.wordpress.com]

Do You Trust God? (Part 2)

Farther along we’ll know all about it,
Farther along we’ll understand why;
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,
We’ll understand it all by and by.

In life we run into situations that just don’t seem to make any sense.  We try to look at the situation from multiple angles or we attempt to dissect it from various aspects, but at the end of the day we look up to God, unsure of what else to do because the situation still baffles us.  Anybody else ever experience this?

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died- John 11: 6, 13-15, 21
We always have to remember that there are two sides to every story, or there are often two parallel conversations occurring.  There is our natural conversation, but as Christians we always have to remember that there is usually a spiritual conversation occurring as well.  Jesus had one conversation with His disciples, that Martha and the others knew nothing about.  However, after some time passed everybody eventually understood why he allowed Lazarus to die.

We cannot judge our situation based on what we see. We cannot even question God on why He allowed or did not allow something to happen.  We always have to remember that God’s plan is bigger than us and He has the ability to see farther down the road than we can.  Do you trust that God knows best, even if your situation is not going the way you want it to go?

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life- Job 2:1-6

Here again God knows something that Job does not know.  But Job has to trust God.  Job had to believe that even though I am going through these things, that God knows best and no matter what I do, I better not do anything to dishonor the Lord.
In all this did not Job sin with his lips.- Job 2:10

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly- Job 1:21-22

Job knew he had to just trust God.  Because if anything was going to change it would be because God changed it.

So, Instead of getting mad and upset at your current situation; trust God. You may not be able to see exactly how everything is going to work out, but if you are patient you will see that God had everything under control.

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him- John 11:41-45

You never know how trusting God in your situation might help to draw somebody else to Christ.  Trust God it is worth it!

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days- Job 42:12-13, 15-17

For His Maximum Glory!

B.W.

[Via http://blwashington.wordpress.com]

Wanted: Senior Network Engineer

Do you LOVE to keep computers up and running? Does building a small business network sound like your idea of a good time? Are you certified in Microsoft technologies? Then give us a call! We are looking for the best Microsoft Certified Engineers in the Kansas City area to join our team.

Work is done either remotely from our downtown KC office or at the client’s location.  Great pay, great benefits, great opportunity to grow and a great group of purple people are waiting for you at The Purple Guys!

To learn more about the company, check out The Purple Guys’ LinkedIn company page!

Purple Guys Contact Information:

Jon Schram

1701 Walnut St., Suite 300

Kansas City, MO  64108

816.221.3900 x101

staffing@purpleguys.com

[Via http://thepurpleguys.wordpress.com]

#178 :: 'No! Actually I am a Normal Citizen!"

[Via http://ottobiography.wordpress.com]

An Open Letter, to the Internet.

Dear Internet,

let me start off by saying I miss you. I feel like a part of me is missing, like its been cut off and stuffed in a drawer. Or buried in a pet cemetery. Or eaten by a rather odd little man with no hair who likes to “read alone” a lot.

See, I have this thing that a lot of people have called a job. I also have an addictive personality, which is part of why it was so simple, so easy for me to become as addicted to you as I did. When you add the two things together, it makes for a not so happy boss.

I’ve been given the order to cut you down to zero at work. An Order. Its you or my job, baby, and you know how I feel about showers, and eating food, and a roof over my head and the ManBears’, and laundry detergent, and tapatio, and keeping my cat up to his eyeballs in tartar-reducing treats.

It doesn’t help that I try to catch up on all that I’ve missed during the day when I get home, sucked into your vacuum, your delicious delicious vacuum. And I want to catch up. I want to read the 132 (no seriously. that’s what I came home to today, after clearing it last night) unread posts in my Reader. I want to tumbl, refreshing every. single. minute. just in case I missed something amazing. I want to catch up on episodes of shows I dont even watch because I can. I want to spend hours reading the 9 hours of tweets I missed, responding late because I don’t want to be forgotten.

And that’s dangerous.

Never mind the fact that I would read twitter feeds all day long. Never mind the fact that tumblr is full of basically useless (if amusing) things (that totally made my relationship what it is today, which is a story for another time). Never mind the fact that I havent made art in months, that I havent unpacked from my move (4 months ago), that I havent called my grandparents since before new years (I did see them at christmas though!), that I haven’t exercised in long enough that half of my pants don’t fit over my big butt and love handles (no really mom. you don’t have to be nice. i know they’re there. i saw them in the HUGE MIRROR while i was getting into the shower the other day to shave my legs for the first time since new years, another thing I haven’t done in far too long).

Internet, I have to stop using you so often. I am turning round and slow. I have carpel tunnel and screen-vision. I have a click in my neck (an actual click that sounds when I move my neck out of that position) from hours of leaning slightly forward and down.

I need to start living the life I keep telling myself I want.

So Internet. Baby. Sugar-lips. Sweetums. I am not quitting you. I never could, but this (work mandated, boss demanded) cutback of hours for you can do me a world of good if I let it.

And I think I might let it.

With all my love and tired fingers,

Kat

ps. see you tomorrow.

[Via http://drawingcowboys.wordpress.com]

Hottywood's HORRORscopes: Week of March 14-20, 2010

When you’re in doubt about what tomorrow holds for you, there’s only person to turn to – HOTTYWOOD!  He can tell you if you need to avoid potholes, rugrats and three-way phone calls. 

Below are Hottywood’s cookie fortunes, as revealed by the moon and the sun, in addition to the itch on the bottom of his foot.   

Take heed.  Knowledge is power.

___________________________________________________________

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19 

All bullsh*t smells the same, no matter what asshole produces it.

___________________________________________________________

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Intimate moments will be awkward because everyone you touch will feel like raw ground beef.

___________________________________________________________

Pisces

February 19 – March 20   

Losing is the new winning.

___________________________________________________________

Aries

March 21 – April 19 

No one’s accepting your dinner invitations because nobody likes eating off plates guarded by roaches.

___________________________________________________________

Taurus

April 20 – May 20 

No one cares about you except the person watching you from the other side of the mirror. ___________________________________________________________

Gemini

May 21 – June 20 

Despite what your mother may have told you, being kind to people only gets you but so far unless you’re just plain ugly.

___________________________________________________________

Cancer

June 21 – July 22 

The good news is you’re not as stupid as you look…

___________________________________________________________

Leo

July 23 – August 22 

Having your picture compared to a wildlife wonder on National Geographic is not a compliment unless a lot of alcohol is involved. Then it’s just freaky. 

___________________________________________________________

Virgo

August 23 – September 22 

If the only thing you sweat is white liquor, there’s no wonder everyone keeps staring at you.

___________________________________________________________

Libra

September 23 – October 22 

Your next date night will be a disaster because the stench of your body will wilt the salad.

___________________________________________________________

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21 

Showing you chest hair is not going to get you a promotion, especially if you’re a hairy ass woman.

 ___________________________________________________________

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21   

One of your personality’s armpits will smell like feet and will probably cock block your next booty call.

___________________________________________________________

Quote of the Week:    “A vasectomy means never having to say you’re sorry.”

[Via http://hottywoodhelps.com]

Why I am not moving.....yet

Well I made the original goal to move out of my parents place by the end of March. I started with the original intent to find a new job and move not only of the house but out of the city. Since I don’t really have any ties that locks me into my home town, I was looking a for a fresh new start.
My life has been in a funk lately. To bring those who don’t know me up to speed, let me explain a bit. Since i left college I never really ever had a direction with my life. I have have lived life with very little to no thoughts to the future. I have worked my share of dead-end jobs. To be honest a couple of those jobs were not bad it just wasn’t what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I thought I caught a break when I got my current job as a IT Administrator. I love what I do, but with some respect issues and personality issues towards me has me looking for different job. had a long distance girlfriend for some time and that seemed to give me some focus and direction. Unfortunately for what ever reasons that didn’t work out. The easiest way to describe the aftermath of all this would be a downward spiral but considering I wasn’t really going anywhere with my life anyway. The more accurate description is that I spun my wheels faster.
The world just seemed more chaotic than it normally does. The usual meditation routine that I was going through to keep my ADD in check seemed to lose its effectiveness. The double-edged sword that seems to live in everyone’s life seemed it appropriate to kick my freelance IT work into full throttle. Working the hours equivalent to two full-time jobs, although it didn’t help my stress levels, seemed to make the chaos worth something. I didn’t matter that the world was spinning as long as I kept moving. All trying to put some money away for this big move that I have built-in my head.
Life throws curve balls on a regular basis. It most always seems this curve ball comes only to mess up your plans almost proving that you are not in control of as much of your life as you tend to think. My observation say that more times than no that these curve balls are not pleasant experiences. Somehow in a twisted set of events the curve ball I was just thrown does not appear to be all that bad, at least on the surface.
The relationship between my boss and I could be best explained in one word, strained. I wont go in to the details of why this is but I stated earlier that it was moved from bad to worse. During this event he attempted to undermine a third-party project that we were both working on. In doing this I had the opportunity to talk to an Apple.Inc Engineer. During our conversation I received confirmation that the work I have been doing was indeed accurate and correct. I also received a direction for the first time in a while. I am taking the steps to get certified in the IT field. Since I left college the thought of me going back to school as always been a thought rattling around in my head like a ball bearing in an empty paint can..The money and logistics have never really let me follow that thought. This certification and the work experience I have will open doors in my field and help me with both goals of me moving which will help with me continuing my education.
Needless to say have ordered a book to study to help me get my first certification. I hope a learn a thing or two but it should be mostly review anyway. I have a plan of which certifications and which order I plan on getting them. The moment I hit the order button on Boarders.com for my first book, the entropy of the world seemed to lessen just a small amount. I know in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t mean much but the fact that it gave me an obtainable goal, a direction, and managed to reduced I tiny bit of the noise in my head.
With this I my new refined action plan is still blessing over monster.com and careerbuilder..com and get my certifications. With any luck I get a job in my field in a decent location where I don’t have to travel all that much. Now if I could only get my ex out of my head but that subject is for another post.

-MR

[Via http://mindmumble.wordpress.com]

new to do list

i have been accomplishing quite a bit lately.

• i lost a noticeable amount of weight.
• i cleaned my room like crazy. big pile of clothes to get rid of. i never plan on wearing that size again.
• i have been helping with my mom.
• rebuilding a severely damaged relationship with him.
• working as much as i can
• starting to plan some summer/fall events
• interviewing for jobs
• thinking about what to do next in life
• researching order of the eastern star. grandma was a member. never knew much about it. interesting…

Today, I held a 13 month old who only weighs one pound more than my 5 month old nephew…. he’s gonna dwarf her…. she’s soooo cute, but lil!!! of course, he is the cutest baby on the planet. And they are wearing the same size clothes. She is getting much more use out of them!

Tomorrow is my bday. I like using my birthday as an excuse to make my friends get together. Today was no exception. Thanks to all who showed up. yay cool party. tomorrow i work on my bday, so we will see what happens there. And part of my celebration — seeing Alice in Wonderland with HIM was delayed until Thursday. Maybe tomorrow, but probably Thursday.

Life is good for the two of us. We are taking it day-by-day. Each day, we are doing better at communicating. We are practicing telling each other when we are annoyed or hurt or upset. I asked him to start thinking about the wedding in a *pre-planning* kind of way. There is no fire yet, but we need to know what kind of response we are going to send when it does happen. That is the best way to explain it to him. You Firefighter types get the analogy.

Mom is doing well. They are going to keep up the therapy until she gets better, but every day we are seeing improvement. We are thankful for that. I need to remember to keep updating her site.

I don’t think I got the most recent job I interviewed for, so I need to start sending out emails / letters again.

This post is pretty boring, but a good history / what have i been doing update. More timely / interesting things from now on. I promise.

[Via http://ryear.wordpress.com]

Marketing vs. Massage

It happened!  I received a response to a cover letter I sent out to a local Chiropractor about a CMP position.  We talked for about 20 minutes today, and I will meet with him Tuesday morning.

The job sounds perfect for me – going to events and doing chair massages while someone takes down health information on people.  In fact, I did this same type of thing for a local naturopathic doctor last year and just loved it.

As we talked, I mentioned that I was crossing over within the last year from Sales & Marketing to Massage Therapy, and how I am entering a new field that is unknown to me, the field of Health, Wellness and Medicine.  The more we talked, the more we both could see potential for perhaps doing a little of both.  He asked me which one I preferred the most, and I answered honestly, I love them both!  But the business/marketing plan that is still in my head and admittedly, needs to be brought out of my head into pen and paper, has my goal of moving forward in Massage Therapy this year so I can work and gain the entire 500 hour accreditation that the State of California now requires.  I am now at 160.

I would love to do them both, continue schooling, and be able to bring my dream even closer to reality – the dream of having QuietProductions Conceptual Marketing and Body Blessings BOTH become stable and active within three years.

I have been blessed to work word-of-mouth only in QuietProductions the last five years, and I truly built this business for my son.  I also invested in massage therapy school last year and truly do love the medicine of it all.  So, I am setting my intention on this interview next Tuesday, and will keep open to divine flow and intelligence being with me and entering into my thought process while we have the interview.

Thank you, God, for this new possibility!  And thank you, God, for perseverance.

[Via http://htrp.wordpress.com]

Trapped By A Paycheck?

In my favorite magazine, Experience Life, this month’s issue has an article entitled The Paycheck Trap. According to this article, over fifty percent of employed workers are dissatisfied with their jobs. (Spayde, Jon. “The Paycheck Trap.” Experience Life, March 2010.).

This subject does not surprise me. Over the years, I’ve met people who were not satisfied with, disliked or despised their jobs but continued working at them. I include myself. We all had our reasons, the number one being income. After a while, however, for me the displeasure of working at a job that I didn’t enjoy became bigger than the money and seemed to crossover into my personal life. My desires outside of work lessened to a point where I didn’t do them.

The Paycheck Trap captures some of what I have experienced. Citing the book, The End of Work as You Know It: Eight Strategies to Redefine Work on Your Own Terms, by authors Milo Sindell & Thuy Sindell, this article discusses what dissatisfied workers may face: From seeing no hope for their future, to fears of making a change or not having an income, to giving up on their life goals.

Usually for me, starting a new job is exciting: Meeting new people, learning the business, acclimating to a new environment…these characteristics of a new job keep me and my mind entertained for a while. At those jobs where I grew dissatisfied, however, after a period of time, I noticed my dissatisfaction creep up on me. At first, they appeared to be little annoyances. Then, these annoyances evolved into resentment. Sometimes I just got bored.

The Paycheck Trap offers mechanisms that may help dissatisfied workers cope with their present situation and guidance to move them forward to where they desire. These include, bringing your whole self and expressing your best abilities at work; highlighting your job achievements; planning for your future by searching for new opportunities, networking and saving money; or meeting with an executive coach.

Coping processes do work. At one of my former jobs, where I worked at for over six years, I got bored with it after six months. How did I last six years? I enjoyed organizing, which I brought to work and developed and maintained the office systems. My social skills came into play each day since I managed the front desk and I enjoyed talking with folks. After a couple of years, I made a business proposal to my boss and created a position with more responsibility and money. One of my coworkers and I created a walking plan: Two to three times per week, I took a bus from my home to hers then we walked to work. From work, we walked to her home and I took a bus home. I took night classes and on the following workday, I shared what I did at class.

As with other articles from Experience Life, I learned something. Having a different perspective, focusing on what gifts I can bring, what I can learn from others and taking action can make all the difference in whatever circumstances I presently experience.

[Via http://thefreedomtoenjoyliberty.wordpress.com]

Marketing Specialist (Dallas TX)

MARKETING SPECIALIST – 1005003911

Tenet, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals and numerous related health care services. Our mission is to be recognized for our commitment to our people and partners who provide quality, innovative care to the patients we serve in our communities. It’s a spirit you can experience first-hand and it’s a philosophy that can enhance your own approach to health care and your career goals.

Description:

Tenet is currently seeking a Marketing Specialist for the Business Development team located in the Corporate Headquarters Office in Dallas, Texas. The Marketing Specialist will be responsible for the following:

•Review hospital marketing and advertising materials for compliance (the MARS process)
•Hospital and IT liaison for the MARS process
•Continued assignment and maintenance of the MARS training course
•Online collateral library/Reach 3: deploy self-service marketing collaterals
•Simple web banner creation
•Landing pages – pulling and editing copy from hospital pages, user interface, coding, design and launching
•Quarterly internal marketing promotions: package and distribute corporate led initiatives
•Quality: Oversee and backup for PowerPoint presentations, posters and ads. Will also need to run the large format printer and/or coordinate with outside vendors
•Quarterly internal marketing promotions: package and distribute corporate led initiatives
•Update all marketing program and vendor spreadsheets
•Logo library: handle requests, update and maintain
•Additional duties will include, but not be limited to the following:
◦Gather data and create reports, slides, charts, graphs, etc for senior management presentations and functional reviews
◦Maintain master vendor spreadsheet

Qualifications:

•Strong Microsoft Office, especially expertise in Excel and PowerPoint
•Strong Adobe CS: Illustrator, Photoshop and Acrobat (InDesign experience helpful)
•Strong math and writing skills
•HTML, user interface design and knowledge of content management systems
•Detail oriented
•Highly organized
•Ability to handle multiple jobs and timelines
•Fast-paced
•Ability to shift gears quickly
•Strong interpersonal skills (to work with clients and vendors)
•Strong work ethic and self-motivated
•College degree and previous corporate experience preferred
Job: Corporate
Primary Location: TX-Dallas
Hospital/Facility: 401-Dallas, TX

Job Type* : MGR
Shift Type* : Days

[Via http://marketingjobsdallas.wordpress.com]

Job Posting: Head, Art Services Unit with Canada Council for the Arts

Head, Art Services Unit

Competition: 4600 (Internal/External)

Status: Regular full time

About the Canada Council for the Arts

Join our team and play a role in supporting Canadian creativity. The Canada Council is a dynamic, highly-respected national agency with a mandate to promote the study and enjoyment of, and production of works in, the arts.

We offer competitive salaries and benefit package.  For more information about the Canada Council for the Arts, please visit our website at www.canadacouncil.ca .

About the role

Under the direct supervision of the Director, Arts Disciplines, contributes to the strategic planning and long range development of the Arts Discipline Division; facilitates the ongoing management of programs of the Arts Disciplines Division; manages the production of documents related to the architecture of programs and provides information on the Canada Council and its programs; delivers administrative and grant-related policies and procedures in an efficient and cost effective manner; manages the activities of the Registry Centre at the Canada Council; leads the ongoing development of key business tools; manages the activities, budget, and staff of 11 employees of the Arts Services Unit; and performs other related duties.

Basic requirements of the position

• a university degree in arts, public or business administration or equivalent combination of education and 10 years of professional practice and experience;

• five years’ experience in service delivery, management and administration, preferably in an arts related environment;

• excellent interpersonal, negotiation, collaboration, business analysis, communication and team-building skills.

• ability to motivate staff and to deal with conflicting priorities and differing points of view; and strong planning, organizational, analytical, risk management and policy development skills.

• This position requires the use of both official languages. The requirements in the second official language are: an advanced level in oral and reading comprehension and an intermediate level in writing.

This position is located in Ottawa and the incumbent travels less than 10 days per year.

How to apply

Send the completed Application for Employment form quoting the competition number listed above and a copy of your resume to the attention of Roch Brunelle, Human Resources, prior to the closing date by either:

• email: competition1@canadacouncil.ca
• fax: 613.566.4323
• mail: 350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5V8

[Via http://wreckhouse.wordpress.com]

Quite Fond Of My Name Tag... Actually. Get Your Own, Pal.

Dun dun dun DUN!

I’m getting old tomorrow. For the next few months when random people ask me how old I am… It’ll take me what seems like a full two minutes to give them an answer. Why? Because I’m getting old. My biological age. My number. It’s changing.

“So! How is work going?” YOU MAY ASK. (…or maybe not. doesn’t matter. i’m telling you anyways.) Work is grand so far… I seem to be getting the hang of things… and. yeah. I dunno. I have no words right now. BLAH.

I really like my co-workers and managers.. and the people I come in contact are very interesting. Of course I’m all over that because of my creep-ish staring/studying thing. BUT rest assured I am not the only creeper. Actually.. there are many men who come into work who are legit creepers. I hope I’m not the only girl who’s experienced the old biker dude who comes in and asks to buy your name tag.. (Seriously!? Wha..?) The weird one who constantly uses your name and smiles in a creepy way.. AND the guy who looks like a construction worker but then after two seconds of ordering food, starts asking you if you like your job and says he’s opening a day care, so “If you ever get unhappy here, com’mon over!“.. That’s.. a little weird. Maybe it’s true. Still a little weird.

Honestly, my personal favorite was the guy I met during the class I had to take in order to get my food handler’s license. My friend, Leah and I went together since we both needed to take the class for work.. We purposefully sat away from everyone else, because face it, when you’re working fast food, and you’re going to a class where everyone else who works fast food will be attending… you’re not in the BEST company. But of course, a guy came and sat down right next to us and started making conversation.. He told us all about how the night before he was passed out, and his cousin drew kitty whiskers on his face “There’s still some on my cheek… do you see it?” Yeeah. Sharpie. Attractive. In between each video we had to watch, he’d turn in his chair and just stare at us, or talk about random stuff. “Do you girls already have jobs?” ….don’t you? And if not, why are you in this class? Better yet, why are you spending $20 on this class? Afterwards we were standing in line to get our IDs when he came up, and touched my arm (I nearly peed myself. I had no idea he was behind me.) He asked to use my phone. I said no. He gave me a sad face. It creeped me out. Then, Leah and I ran to my car. No, we literally ran.

SO. Doesn’t it sound amazing?! It’s not necessarily all bad, because no matter how disturbing some of these guys have been, they’re always somewhat entertaining and provide great stories.

[Via http://voteforcoffee.wordpress.com]

Work stress

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he
had just finished a rough first day on the job, a flat tyre made him
lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient
one-ton truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in
stony silence.

On arriving he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked
towards the front door, he paused briefly at a tree, touching the
tips of the tree. When opening the door he underwent an amazing
transformation.

His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small
children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterward he walked me to the
car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I
asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

Oh, that’s my trouble tree,” he replied. “I know I can’t help having troubles on the job, but one thing’s for sure, those troubles don’t belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again. “Funny thing is,” he smiled, “when I come out in the morning to pick them up,
there aren’t nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night
before.”

[Via http://india03022010.wordpress.com]

Purpose!

What is ? Self preservation? To progenate? To maintain status quo ?

What is motivation? Does purpose motivate? Or motivation defines purpose?

Work is never easy. If play is ones work, then even play will become harder. And that is why when you work, you earn. Earning is with deserving. You deserve , when you work. And when you earn a well deserved reward, it is satisfying.

That is the purpose. To earn.  Fame, Fortune and respect. By hooks or by crooks. More by hooks and less by crooks may be, because purpose is long term. And Monuments do not get built on fickle foundations.

I work because I want? Or I want because I work? Does it matter?

Then what is purpose?

Is the purpose of one’s existence is to want in life? from life? Is that the ultimate answer tot he ultimate question?

Even if it is not, the philosophy works fine enough for young professionals. Or rather, workers. We want, so we work, and then demand. And then the cycle continues.

[Via http://exmiasententia.wordpress.com]

"What's a life without dedication?" - Rebelution

Hey everyone, or should I say no one.  Pretty sure I still don’t have an audience yet, but anyways, I am sorry for the lack of posts over the past few days or maybe it’s even been weeks now. Not sure.  So disappointing, I know you were probably in Sean Grimm withdrawal, don’t worry though, it happens to the best of us.

So let’s cut to the chase and quit my blabbering.  Tonight, or this morning perhaps, I decided to write about dedication.  As you see in my title, the line comes from New School Reggae Band, Rebelution, who originated out of Santa Barbara, California.   Rebelution is an awesome Reggae band that really makes the genre of Reggae like-able for all audiences, you should definitely check them out.  You won’t be disappointed, I promise.

Anyways, dedication.  What about it?  Don’t you ever wish you could just lay around all day and do nothing? And sometimes don’t you get that wish? Laying around on the couch surfing the channels and stuffing your face with countless piles of junk food, life feels good.  For a few hours at least.  I don’t know about you, but after a while, laziness really gets to me.  Dedication is a necessity to life.  Without it we would all end up homeless on the street and probably left out to die.  We would fail out of school, be fired from work, become dangerously unhealthy.  The United States of America would never have formed, all of the wonderful luxuries we enjoy today would certainly not be possible.  You see, dedication really does make the world go round, pardon the cliche.

If you’re not dedicated, what’s the point?  If you’re just going to half-ass your school work, what’s the point?  Don’t you want to put everything you have into education to ensure the best possibilities you can have in your future?  If you don’t work hard in the gym and return faithfully, what’s the point?  Without dedication in the gym, there will be no progress.  You’ll be just as scrawny or heavy as you were when you first decided to change.  That got far, didn’t it?

Over the past few months, I’ve come to realize that every day is a gift from God, and not making the best of those 24 hours is probably one of the worst things we as human beings can do.  If you don’t want to be disappointed in yourself and feel like you’ve underachieved, there’s only one thing you can do – stay dedicated.

Here are some tips for staying motivated and keeping that ever so necessary essence of dedication in order to ensure your healthiness and true happiness in life.

1.  NO Excuses – This one is a biggy, figured I should start it off with a bam.  No if’s, and’s, but’s about it. Just do it, get the job done.  Don’t put it off till later, because if you don’t want to do it now, chances are later you are going to be even less motivated or some other conflict could arise.  Do yourself a favor and get the job done.

2.  Take some time to stop and think about the gift of life – I don’t think I have to or really can elaborate too much on this one, because life has a different meaning to each and every one of us.  However, I do know that to each and every one of us, life is really all we have, and we only get it once.  Don’t waste your time here on planet earth, because if you do, I promise a few years down the road you will regret it.

3.  Write down your goals and place them in various locations that you will see multiple times on a daily basis – The thinking behind this one is obvious – “repetition is the father of learning” – Lil Wayne.  In order to make a good action a habit, you just have to keep doing it and keep reminding yourself.  No one said it was going to be easy.

Alright, it’s almost one a.m. here and I have a big summer job interview tomorrow at a country club.  Readers, if there are any of you out there, I hope you enjoyed this post and got something out of it.  I will do my best to get another one out as soon as I can.

Goodnight World

[Via http://soflakid.wordpress.com]

<b>Thank you KoKo</b>

One of my artworks which depicts a comic version of me and my girlfriend.

Before taking on my current career (which I will not mention in this blog under any circumstances), I was a graphic designer back in my hometown. Graphic Design has been a calling for me ever since I finished high school. I love drawing ever since I was at a very a young age. To be honest, my brother Evan is my first inspiration to learn drawing (mostly cartoon characters). I doubt he knows it but yes, my brother is the person who had instilled in me the interest in drawing which after many years later evolved into my love for Graphic Design.

My brother is actually horrible when it comes to arts especially drawing. Simply put that he fails miserably in that area. Nevertheless, when I was at very young age, he will usually entertain me by taking a piece of paper and a 2B pencil which were pretty much abundant as my mom was a teacher back then and had an endless supplies of stationaries. He loves to draw figures of Ultraman (which was the only drawing he was good at..LOL) then and believe me, at that point, my whole world changed. From there onwards, i took a deep interest in drawing.

I love drawing but don’t get me wrong, I’m not into fine arts or anything of that sort. I’m love drawing cartoon characters, creatures that I see on television or comic books. Ever since I learned how to hold and use a pencil, I began my journey towards the world of drawing. From scribbles, to simple shapes, to robots which resembles more like cardboard boxes stacked together, to simple humanoid figures. From that point I started to trace cartoon images from comics and books as well as magazines. My mum’s teaching reference text books from school was also a source of inspiration.

By the age of 10, after I was good at drawing simple humanoid figures, I then began to draw fanarts of my favourite comic characters (x-men, spiderman..etc), cartoon characters (silverhawk, transformers, sonic the hedgehod..etc) and even Japanese Super Sentai characters like Masked Rider Black, Mask Man, Flashman.

When I turned 12,I refined my drawings even further as I found 4 friends in my class who had the same interest and talents that I have. We became good friends and started to draw together whenever we can in our school exercise books. We commented on each other’s drawings whenever it is needed and we helped each other to improve in our drawings.

After a few years later, my family and I moved back to my hometown in Kuching (by the way before that I was in Miri) leaving my drawing buddies. That didn’t stop me from drawing though. Soon enough, I had a new partner in crime – my cousin Ronald. We were always together drawing whenever we meet up at our grandmother’s house in Kenyalang Park. File holder, pencils, pens, erasers, rims and rims of A4 papers were our weapons of war. We will draw for hours and hours and we will usually exchange our artworks as both of us admired each other’s artworks. Those were the good ol’ days.

Then, once Ronald and me had grown up and had found other interest in life (girls, girls and girls ^-^) we slowed down and in the end we stopped drawing..nevertheless, the love for comics, animes, drawing cartoons, animations never died off ( I believe even for Ronald). I then took interest in Digital Arts which made me taking up Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. As i was learning my way using these two applications, I discovered and fell in-love with Graphic Design. After finishing high school, I knew what I wanted to be..a Graphic Designer. Through great effort, I manage to finally start climbing the ladder up towards that dream. I got a job as a desktop artist in a local magazine publishing company.

Nevertheless, unfortunately, life itself has different plans for me as somewhere along the line, my career changed drastically and I am no longer in that path towards reaching my dreams. Looking back, the thought of “what lies beyond me should I stayed on that course, if I never left my graphic design career” does comes creeping inside of me every now and again but, I believe that life has something up it’s sleeve for me and everything happens for a reason.

After all that, my interest and love for graphic design still holds tightly onto me. I still do some digital arts whenever I have the time. I will never forget that part of me, as I will never forget that first time I saw my KoKo (Meaning big brother in Chinese Hokkien ~ referring to my older older brother Evan) draw those Ultraman figures on that piece of paper with that 2B pencil.

Thank you KoKo. I never got the chance to say thank you for giving me something precious.

[Via http://ericthehand.wordpress.com]

Yeaaaaa...

So from the looks of the stats on this account, it seems as though I am still getting faithful readers logging on everyday.  And I know it’s not me viewing the page, because wordpress has made it clear to me that they don’t count my views…  So since there are still some faithful readers, then maybe I need to update this thing.

It’s been a month and half since I’ve moved here, and I can’t believe that it’s going to be two whole months when I start my job come March 22

So, yes I have a job.  But no I don’t want to put the name of the company on here or tons of details until I’ve starting working.  Yea, I’m a little shy about putting anything in writing until it’s actually happening.  But, I am VERY excited!  I also have a interview on Sunday for a job during the summer, abroad!  I am super stoked about that as well…

All that’s left right now is a waiting game until this job starts.  Which is starting to suck a little.  After being so busy for so long, I figured that a break away from working would be just what I needed.  And yes, the first month here passed really quickly because it really felt like I was a tourist here and that this all was just a vacation.

I think that during the past couple of weeks it’s really hit me that I’ve actually moved here.  And because of that, I feel like I should be doing something significant, like work, in order to warrant myself being here.  I keep reminding myself that it’s only a few weeks before my job starts, but I’m starting to become a little bit impatient.

I know once I start working full time that I’ll feel a little bit more settled here.  It’s weird…  As I look around my room at all my crap I feel so overly settled, but then at the same time I feel so unsettled.  Eeeek!  Blah.

There are a couple things to look forward too…  I am planning on visiting my aunt and uncle in Massachusetts within the next couple of weeks!  And I’m contemplating a ski trip  At the end of the month my friend Lauren is coming to visit!  I am looking forward to that soooo much!  I really am starting to miss my friends quite a bit.

I do though love NYC a lot.  When I first got here and was out walking around looking at apartments and going on interviews I couldn’t help but think that this is a place where I could see myself living for quite awhile.  I can’t imagine how content I will be once I am working!

On a less pensive note…  How many cop cars need to go by at this hour!?  Living in NYC has really given me a deep admiration for the FDNY and NYPD.  Those people are everywhere, doing everything, at all frickin hours!  And they are damn quick too!  There literally must be two cop cars for every block…  And I’m not even exaggerating.  While writing this blog post 5 police cars with sirens blaring have gone by…  I’ve gotten used to it by now, and become accustomed to sleeping through almost everything.

Okay, okay… enough jib jab.  Pictures will be posted tomorrow, I promise… of ice skating adventures and acting silly in the snow!  Now I just have to steal Fay’s camera to get le photos

[Via http://simplyjulia.wordpress.com]

A short update . . .

Well, seeing as how I havent made a new post in over a month, it seems that Im due. So heres the deal. February was a busy month for me. Some of the highlights included the Proclaim Choir Tour, road trip to Rochester with Tom, and getting a new job. Yep! I got a new job here at AFLBS. One of the ITs left for a new job and there was a need for someone to manage the Bible School website. That would be me now. I have my work cut out for me. I’ve got lots to do and I love it! You can see the site Im working on at www.aflbs.org. Im hoping to roll out some big site updates in the next couple weeks so stay tuned if you are interested!

[Via http://radiofreq.wordpress.com]

"But He Is Not There" (Job 23: 10 - 11, ESV) by Carley Evans

Job confesses that God “knows the way that I take;” and that he is unable to hide from God’s sight. Job recognizes that of whatever he may be guilty, God is already aware. For God sees and knows all.

But for Job, it is the opposite. He looks for God. “Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive Him.” (Job 23: Job knows God is at work on both the left and right, but as for himself, he can “not see Him.” (Job 23: 9) He laments, “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat!” (Job 23: 3)

Job knows that God “is unchangeable, and who can turn Him back? What He desires, that He does.” (Job 23: 13) Job desires to “lay [his] case before [God];” but since he can not find Him, he is at a loss as to how to present his arguments. And though Job states that he “keeps [God's] way and does not turn aside;” he equally admits, “I am terrified at His presence; when I consider, I am in dread of Him. God makes my heart faint; the Almighty terrifies me.” (Job 23: 11, 15 – 16)

Job “knows that [God] can do all things, and that no purpose of [His] can be thwarted.” (Job 42: 2) God is unchangeable. God is terrifying. Only Job’s Redeemer is able to turn God’s wrath from his soul. So, Job stops his questioning and complaining.

Finally, he says, “I heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42: 5 – 6)

[Via http://lambskinny.wordpress.com]

Scottsdale Locksmith

 

If you are trying to find a certified locksmith to perform on your automobile, property or commercial property, you'll wish to make sure they are a member from the Master Locksmith Association of Phoenix, AZ. The Master Locksmith Association has been around since the mid 1950’s and has locksmiths in all towns from the valley, which includes Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert and Scottsdale. It is a way to recognize when a locksmith has been properly trained or not.

A member of the Master Locksmith Association is trained to the highest standard. They will know how to operate and install nearly every kind of lock accessible on the market. There are lots of distinct standards that must be met to be a member. One is to have some carpentry abilities. This really is in order in order that if doors need to be fixed due to a broken lock, it might be accomplished in a timely manner rather than having to hire somebody else. They need to also have some public relation and communication expertise. This is in order so that when they are on the job, the customer can feel at ease getting them in their property.

Besides given proper skills to function as a professional locksmith in phoenix az, we also provide classes on new lock technology when it can be introduced. We need to make certain that all of our certified locksmiths are trained in all types of locks, such as biometrics and keyless entry systems. By attending courses on new locks, our members are continually up to date and ready to assist you with all of your needs.

A wonderful reason to employ a member from the Master Locksmith Association is that they are the ones that will train new locksmiths inside the future. To be able to operate your own and successful firm you should be part of a locksmith association. They will take on apprentices to guarantee the function of locksmiths is always required and readily offered.

 

Chandler Locksmith

[Via http://tempelocksmith.wordpress.com]

Social Media and Jobs

I have been busy with my work today as an assistant to a top executive. There has been highs and lows during the one month of employment. I guess everyone goes into these chapters in the careers.

Nowadays, I have used twitter to expand my network, and they say it’s true that you have an active account to stumble on job opportunities on-line especially in international organizations, which I really want to be part of.  And the same time, I would agree on the articles that I’ve read from Yahoo Hot jobs, that you need to be heard in the social media, and try to follow possible HR twitter accounts and click the given links for possible job opportunities.

I will continue using my Twitter account to spread message about my interests about the environment, politics, diplomacy, fashion, entertainment, and going green lifestyle.  I’ll go and tweet…

[Via http://sethiel.wordpress.com]

Job 30-31

What if?

“Isn’t God looking, observing how I live? Doesn’t he mark every step I take?“ – Job 31:4 MSG

What if I were in Job’s shoes? What if I found myself in a similar situation? Could I respond the way Job did? Would I be able to claim my innocence with unwavering confidence? No, I would probably be able to come to come up with more than a handful of reasons for why I was going through what I was going through. I could find plenty of things for which I was guilty and deserving of some kind of punishment. But not Job. Just take a look at his speech in chapter 31. Job continues to claim his innocence, and he does it by giving a list of possible options for sins that might result in the kind of suffering he is enduring.

If I have stolen…

If I have coveted…

If I have lusted…

If I have taken advantage of…

If I have been selfish and unmerciful…

If I have not been generous…

If I have showed no compassion…

If I have abused the defenseless…

If I have been greedy…

If I have made prosperity my god…

If I have enjoyed watching others fail…

If I have not shared with those in need…

If I have tried to hid my sins…

If Job had done any of these things, he would have understood why he was suffering. But he stood before God and men as innocent. Could I say the same thing? No, I’m afraid not. I would be guilty. In fact, I would never have played the “What if” game that Job played. Too dangerous. Too risky. Too condemning. I have done all of those things and more. I know it and God knows it. Because, just as Job stated in his rhetorical question at the beginning of his little speech, “Isn’t God looking, observing how I live? Doesn’t he mark every step I take?” (Job 31:4 MSG). God knew every detail of Job’s life and He knows every detail of my life. But what is amazing for us as believers is that we get to stand before God as righteous – justified and pure – all because of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. God looks at me through the blood of His Son and sees me as righteousness. I have had Christ’s righteousness imputed to my account. He sees me as guiltless and therefore, He does not condemn me. I am positionally righteous. But we both know I still sin. Which is why I am called to become progressively righteous. Paul commands us to “lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God” (Ephesians 4:1 NLT). In Colossians he tells us, “So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, [act] like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ–that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your [real] life–even though invisible to spectators–is with Christ in God. [He] is your life” (Colossians 3:1-3 MSG).

Yes, God is watching us. But He is also indwelling us and empowering us. He is providing us with all we need to live the life of righteousness to which we have been called. Peter reminds us, “Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received!” (2 Peter 31:3 MSG). We have all we need to live a life of righteousness. And even when we fail and fall, which we will, we have the right to bring our sins before the throne of God and confess them. And “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9 NLT). So in actuality we can stand before God just as Job did and say, “If I…” The key is confession and repentance. Our sins have been paid for in full on the cross. There is no more punishment for sin. We confess our sins not so we can incur God’s wrath and judgment, but so that He can cleanse us and make us more into the likeness of His Son. He progressively makes us more righteous. Over in 1 Peter 1:16, we are told by God to “Be holy, because I am holy.” God is not telling us to become something new. He is not telling us to change who we are. He is telling us to become what we already are – holy, set apart, and uniquely His. Peter tells us, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:10 NIV). We are to live like what we are. We have the power within us to change everything about us. So that we can actually stand before God and say, “If I…”

Father, thank You for the indwelling presence of Your Holy Spirit. If I did not have Him living in me I would have no hope. I would be sin-riddled and guilty as charged – with no hope for ever standing before You as righteous. But because of what Jesus did on the cross, I have a new power within me that allows me to recognize my sin and then confess it to You so that You can cleanse me from it. So as I confess those sins, I can stand before You as Job did and claim my innocence. That is amazing! Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

[Via http://kdmiller55.wordpress.com]