Category: reflections

Three years unemployed

Thrifty blogger Amy Lin has been unemployed for three years — and she’s not worried.

Almost 3 years ago I quit my 9-6 job to “take a break.” I quit not because I hated that particular job, but because I hated the 9-6 part. It also didn’t help that my commute was 3 hours round trip and I didn’t get paid well. I thought I just needed some time to figure out what I wanted to do. I was still under the assumption that I should be able to find something I loved to do and get paid well doing it. Hell I was even quoted in the LA Times saying something to that effect. Something about my generation demanding more from a job than just job security. We want the works: good location, cool coworkers, fun duties, excellent pay. I suppose I was naïve to think that I could be different and settle for nothing less. On the other hand, I’ve yet to go back to that life, so perhaps that dream is not so elusive after all. Only time will tell.

Lin suggests that everyone can adapt when there’s less to live on. And even being unemployed for three years she’s been able to build up a one year cushion in her bank account. I’ve been employed for three years and I don’t have a cushion.
Sounds like she’s doing something right.

Free day

Well despite several phone calls this morning suggesting otherwise, I’m off today. I’m taking a break between ending my old job (yesterday) and starting my new job (tomorrow). And what a nice day to do it. Granted it’s cloudy outside but I’m sitting in my downtown loft with the windows open, using my new Wi-Fi signal (thanks Martha and Dan) and enjoying some tunes (thanks OrangeNoiseRadio). I’ve got to run some errands later today but after our men’s breakfast at Whataburger (Thomas that’s the Texas equivalent to your gathering places like pubs and coffee houses — only they focus on beef :-)) it’s nice to sit and reflect on Smiley’s devotional.
Smiley talked about Demas, a very little known individual mentioned by The Apostle Paul only three times.

Luke, good friend and physician, and Demas both send greetings. (Col 4:14)
Epaphras, my cellmate in the cause of Christ, says hello. Also my coworkers Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke. All the best to you from the Master, Jesus Christ! (Philemon 1:23)
Get here as fast as you can. Demas, chasing fads, went off to Thessalonica and left me here. (2 Tim 4:9)

Smiley pointed out that the first two references were likely within a year of each other and the last was likely six years later.
So a man came and worked with Paul and Luke. He became active and became a coworker in the ministry and then just a short time later (six years) he’s deserted the work and started chasing the fads of this world.
How many times do we fight that temptation in our lives?
We don’t know anything else about Demas. We don’t know if he found his way back to the ministry or if he simply went his own path.
Maybe he was burned our bored with the ministry. I can’t imagine that since he was working with and following Paul. But then again, even great Christian leaders can fail.
Even pastors can fail. I’m sure Paul’s heart ached to know that someone who worked closely with him was following the ways of the world. But Paul seems to give the issue up to God.
Whatever happened we don’t know but I pray that we can each grow stronger in our walk and don’t “Demas Out” as Smiley put it.

Great weekend

Well I do believe this year’s birthday (28 – geeze) may have been one of the best. I’m really blessed with a great family and great friends.
I think what may have made this year’s birthday so great may have simply been spending it with Laurie and the fact that I really didn’t expect anything for my birthday yet I got a number of great, thoughtful gifts, especially from unexpected places.
Friday night Laurie and I babysat for her brother and sister-in-law in Forney. Jake and Brooklyn are definitely one of a kind. I taught Jake how to play checkers and he didn’t want to do anything else the rest of the night. Now I need to teach him chess and see if he can beat me 4 games to 1 in that as well.
Brooklyn on the other hand went right to bed after dinner at Chick-Fil-A and sharing her ice cream cone with me. That was a fun and very messy experience.
Saturday morning Laurie and I had our first wedding shower at our parent’s church. I was the only guy in the room until my cousin Delaina brought her six-month old son Matthew to the party. I made sure to hang out with him for as long as I could. Of course me holding and feeding Matthew at a wedding shower had all those church ladies talking.
I’m quite certain that everyone believes Laurie and I will have our first child well before my sister Kara and her new husband, Tim — which is somewhat understandable considering Kara’s only 22 — but we’re in no rush either. Give us a year at least.
Saturday evening Laurie and I returned to an old haunt, Schezuan Pavilion for dinner.
I spent many birthday’s there in high school and it was great to be back — especially with Laurie. Their Chinese buffet is still one of the best on my list.
After dinner we went to watch Amazing Grace and I loved it.
It really opens your eyes to the true meaning behind the song and the abolitionist movement in the U.K.
Granted, I’m a big baby but there were several points where I got teary eyed watching the movie.
It was also great to see a movie with a pretty strong Christian message that didn’t suck.
I thought the editing was a little weak at times and it occasionally reminded me of a Hallmark movie feature but otherwise I thought it was a great true story with actors who came across as truly passionate in their craft.
I’m a big fan of Albert Finney since his role in Big Fish. I thought he played the role of John Newton with great passion and skill.
Definitely a must see. (read more on the WDL blog)
Sunday of course was another great time at encounter, followed by Jose helping me install my new Sirius satellite radio and then Laurie joining me for entry Sunday night.
All in all, a full, busy and tiring weekend but well worth it — and no pictures on my part to remember it by. Doh.

Books for my birthday

It’s my birthday today and Laurie and I had a great wedding shower this morning, thrown by ladies at our parent’s church.
I don’t think I’ve ever opened so many gifts on my birthday. Thanks so much for everyone who was there and everyone who brought gifts. I think our gift registry is about 70% full now.
But I got a couple checks for my birthday and I think I’m going to go buy some more books for my 30 in 2007 campaign.
I’ve finished four or five already. Not quite on track to reach 30 but I think it can be done.
If anyone has some suggestions give me a call but I think I’m going to head to the bookstore in a few minutes and see what intrigues me.