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.

Re: James Cameron has found Jesus

This story keeps coming to mind as well as a topic of discussion in the office today. But this passage in Mark 16 leads me to believe that Cameron and no one else will find Jesus among the dead.

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could embalm him. Very early on Sunday morning, as the sun rose, they went to the tomb. They worried out loud to each other, “Who will roll back the stone from the tomb for us?”
Then they looked up, saw that it had been rolled back—it was a huge stone—and walked right in. They saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed all in white. They were completely taken aback, astonished.
He said, “Don’t be afraid. I know you’re looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One they nailed on the cross. He’s been raised up; he’s here no longer. You can see for yourselves that the place is empty. Now—on your way. Tell his disciples and Peter that he is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You’ll see him there, exactly as he said.”

Save nearly $1000 a year on lunch

I have to admit, I’m no good at packing my lunch. With my schedule I tend to get home late and leave 15-20 minutes after I get up.
But Clever Dudette suggests individuals can save nearly $1000 a year with packed lunches as compared to buying lunches on the go.
The menu she suggests is probably a little bland for some but in reality whenever I go home for lunch I usually have one or two options and I change them up with a few different spices or seasonings.
I’ve also admired my friends I’ve gone to eat with who rather than look for the largest meal (like myself), look for the cheaper items on the menu. That in and of itself can save a lot of money.
Read the full entry here and be sure and read the comments for even more suggestions.

Comments

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I’ve never had an issue with it and it’s the same filter I have on this site.
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James Cameron has found Jesus

Well, he’s found a Jesus — his remains at least.
Titanic director James Cameron said at a press conference yesterday that he has found the remains of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene and a son named Judah.
Scholars and Christian’s everywhere are skeptical.
A documentary, “The Lost Tomb of Jesus”, will debut March 4 on the Discovery Channel.
According to NPR:

Cameron said he had never doubted the historical reality of Jesus:
“But the simple fact is there has never been a shred of physical, archeological evidence to support that fact until right now,” he said.
The tomb was discovered in 1980, in Jerusalem, several miles outside the Old City. There were scholarly articles about it in the late ’90s. Six of the ossuaries had inscriptions recorded and catalogued. The inscriptions included “Jesus, son of Joseph,” two different Marys, and “Judah, son of Jesus.”

I guess I’m missing the logic when Cameron said he never doubted the historical reality of Jesus and still thinks he can find his remains in a tomb. My view of history is that there would be no remains. Apparently Cameron is taking a more secular viewpoint of history.
But I guess that’s why they call it faith.
Listen to the full story from NPR