My New Adventure

Hi.

Hope you are well.  At least as well as I am.  Which is, well, well.


It was a bright and stormless morning

Went to work on Wednesday.  Did my deeds.  Met some very nice people and enjoyed the frantic variety of transactions that is The Complaint Desk.

God allowed me to hit one of the company's highest goals at about 4 PM.  Just as I was doing the final paperwork on the deal, I was asked to follow a manager to an office.

Where I ... let's just say ... I ... hmmm
made my final departure from the company.

The final straw was a complaint from a customer about my following company policy, from my perspective.  But it doesn't matter.

I didn't rob/steal or grab anybody or lie/cheat or go ballistic or exhibit any moral turpitude.  My years ended in a bloodless coup de grace.


Objections were to no avail, so I fell back on God's advice and gave the two people in my exit interview a firm handshake, said "God bless you" and rode off into the afternoon sun on The Bike.

The ink was already dry on the final page of that chapter of my life.


Thankfulness

I'll spare you any self-aggrandizing BS about how this isn't upsetting and how my rock-solid faith in God or my bulletproof pre-planning make losing this job of little or no concern.

I'm on the far side of 60 and I have joined the zillions of others who lack the means to support themselves.  Temporarily.

The 40 months at this latest job have provided me with tremendous insights into people and how to deal with them.  Precious lessons that supplemented my earnings.

Prior to this job, I could not tell when a person was lying to me.
Seriously.

Now, I am WAY better at knowing when someone is "shining me on."

I have friends of almost every sub-culture and persuasion.  People I like, respect, trust and enjoy; in spite of deal-breaking differences in world views or behavioral choices.

You do not have to be like someone to like someone.
You don't have to do what others do in order to work with them.
You do not have to agree with company policies before you obey them.

Your company does not have to affirm you or praise you or cater to you.
They only have to pay you for your work.

You can quit any time you want.
And you can be fired any time they want.

Trust me on that.


Good News

As I was watching a beloved pileated woodpecker (think: Woody Woodpecker) in The Dancing Deer Forest -- what I routinely consider to be a moment of connection with God or at least His creation -- the phone rang.

After a couple of previous e-mails this morning, I was invited to return to my local radio station to fill in for the vacationing afternoon guy.

God is already being gracious to me.


Called my now-previous employer and learned I have more vacation days accrued than I thought.  A pleasant surprise for my final paycheck next week.

Also learned that I will be eligible (probably) for COBRA insurance for half what I paid the last time I was laid off, in 2006.

That's good news.


The Best News

But the best news is my firm conviction that God has not abandoned me.

My job was not Eden or heaven.  I have not been harshly ousted from the presence of God nor have I been separated from His love or care.

I have merely lost a job.  One where my hours changed weekly; rules were changed bi-weekly; managers were changed quarterly; and, workers were disrespected daily.

A lot like where you work, right?

Life is tough.

If jobs were easy they wouldn't call it "work."


Being Unemployed

This isn't my first lack of a rodeo.

Here are a few things I have learned over the years:

I am going to go to bed and get up on a regular schedule.
I am going to make finding a job my job.

I am not going to whine.
I am not going be portray myself as a victim, because that isn't true.

I am going to thank God for the many wonderful people with whom I have labored the past three years.  (I thank God that I wrote a thank-you note to "Alice" a week or two ago, after her many examples of kindness and helpfulness.)

I am going to thank God for teaching me that I could learn new tricks, survive failures and live on less money than I imagined.

I am well.  By God's grace and by working hard.

(Oh.  I was gonna tell you what I was gonna do.  Sorry.  Here goes...)


I am going to:

eat breakfast daily
not take naps
apply for jobs

take Sunday off
eat at home
go to church

enjoy an occasional ride on The Bike
keep in contact with family and friends

and remind myself that God loves me and that my life -- even unemployed -- would be sheer heaven to bazillions of people who will never catch a glimpse of anything as lovely as a pileated woodpecker in The Dancing Deer Forest, as seen through the wall of windows in my enormous, delightful home.

I have no complaints.
You don't either.
Trust me on that.


The Future

Haven't a clue.

God does.  Although He knows the plans He has for me, I do not.

So be it.  That's why He is God and I'm not.
He's WAY better at it than I am.
Trust me on that.

As His plans unfold, I'll keep you informed.

He has not forsaken me, nor will He ever do so. 

I have lost a job.
Not my hope.
Not my God.
Not anything but a hard-earned paycheck.

I am well.
And I shall be.

How will you be when change changes what you fear might change?  Where is your hope for the future?

Better choose wisely.

Ultimately, only God is worthy of our trust.

You'll see.