Jobapalooza: My how the seasons change!

Welcome to Jobapalooza, where we are celebrating all things work. Why? Because I got a job!

This week has been all about celebrating getting a job, making the most of the few days I had left of unemployment, and trying to reflect on all I have learned or been blessed with during this season in my life. I took a look back at all my posts from this summer, especially those job related (you can view these here). Wow. It is crazy how quickly you forget how you felt during different times in your life.

First there was this post, about how I was both excited and sad to leave the BCM. I still am, and I have been gone for months. I am leading a dgroup there and it is wonderful to still be connected, but I miss my old job and working with Tommy and getting onto my students about going to class.

Then there was this post, about my first day of unemployment (read it, its funny). Ha! I wish the motivation would have continued all summer long! I would not still have so many projects that remain undone (and probably will for that matter) if I had still had that kind of energy by the end of the journey!

Then there were all of the tips about getting a job, cover letters, interviews, the dreaded caller ID, etc. It really was an all consuming part of my life. People would ask if I was enjoying myself, or they would look at me like "oh you have it so bad, you have free time all day everyday". THe truth of the matter was, I couldnt enjoy myself. My husband was hard at work with two jobs! I felt like I always had to be looking for jobs or working on a better cover letter or practicing for interviews, or contributing by cleaning the house or being wonder wife. It was an emotionally exhausting summer.

Then there are the things I have learned about myself through it all, like the fact that I am not good at setting my own schedule (i will only read blogs for 15 minutes... 2 hours later i get off the computer), I work better when I have a deadline (since no one is paying me to wash my windows, they just probably wont get done-ugh!), I have a natural inclination to be a hermit (once I am in the house for over 10 hours the chances of me leaving on my own accord are slim to none), and I hate lunch food. I have also learned I depend far too much on myself and my "abilities" and too little on the Lord and His Abilities. I am headstrong, stubborn, judgmental, and headstrong. But on the positive side, I take criticism well, desire to be held accountable, crave biblical community and my husband is my favorite living being.

I am still taking questions for the Q&A because I think there is still alot to glean out of this whole season of my life. But I know without a shadow of doubt that a big lesson I needed to learn, or prove rather, was that I trusted the Lord to be the Faithful Provider I say He is. As I have quoted before, and will probably quote again:

"I found Him faithful yesterday, He will not be unfaithful today." (Beth, Living Free)

And it is true... "if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself!" 2 Tim 2:13