Saturday, November 26, 2011

A small Friday Five

I missed the Friday Five over at RevGals this week but I read it on Google Reader (love, love, love that service!).  This time the Friday Five was on gifts that we have received throughout the year...only they couldn't be store bought gifts, more of the gifts that life brings.  Anyway, it got me thinking about the the gifts I have been given this year, tangible and intangible.  In the midst of that musing, it dawned on me that one of the gifts that I have received is one that I semi-wished for for years.  It's the gift of time.

I remember thinking a few times during my time as Youth Director that all I really wanted was just a few months off.  A few months to do nothing, to just enjoy life, to have space to think, to relax and to breathe.  So here I am, with just what I wanted and what do I find myself doing...wanting to work.  Ha!

I am grateful for the gift of time and the gift of perspective...even when I whine about it. 

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Like Lightening?

We were supposed to be heading Northeast today for Thanksgiving with Lil Bro, New Sis and Miss P.  A slight malfunction at home means we are staying home for Thanksgiving.  (Everyone is okay, just a house problem.)  That change of plans changed my plans for a little pre-craziness-of-Black-Friday-shopping.

After my chiropractic appt with K today, I was planning on heading down to two stores.  One to pay a bill, another to buy a Christmas gift.  School are out, which meant that Creative Guy was just going to hang around the office this morning as K and N worked.  After hearing that I was free for the morning, K asked if Creative Guy could hang out with me.  It was not a problem!

We stopped at Jamba Juice, enjoying a smoothie, some Pop Chips and a free sample of KettleKorn.  Creative Guy REALLY liked the KettleKorn.  Then down the road to stop number one.  In between talking with Creative Guy, watching the road and watching the guy in the car behind me, I took a turn a little too fast, which in the race car can be a fun thing!  As we were coming out of the turn I said "Uh oh!  The race car wants to go a little fast today!  It's been driving these slow roads for way too long, it wants to go faster."  Creative Guy responded with "Yeah!  It feels like it's speeding!".  He was laughing, so I took that as a good sign.  A few seconds later he piped up again, "I wish we had this car, then we would get to Filmore faster."  A child after my own heart.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

This morning at church...

Yo Momma and I have been attending a new church.  It's the same church were I work one day a week for the Youth Pastor as his Administrative Assistant (praise Jesus!).  A few weeks ago the church started promoting a new Sunday School class on Peacemaking.  We both looked at each other and said "I want to go to that class."  So we bought the books and have been going to the class.  It means getting to church an hour earlier, but seeing as how that time is two hours later than when we had to be at old church, it's not a problem.

This morning we pulled up and someone we knew as coming out to his car.  He looked at us as we got out and said "Brittany, did you hear what happened?  Did anyone call you?  There was a break-in last night!  They stole your computer!".  I immediately flashed on the envelope that has been sitting on my desk with cash and checks in it from an event and I went to see if that had been taken as well.  (It had not.)  Along the way I met several other people and learned that three computers were taken and the churches Suburban...which part of me isn't really sorry to see go.

Anyway, I breathed a little easier about the money, gave the Administrative Assistant a reassuring hug, took a quick look around the office and decided not to dwell on the break in and headed off to my class where we talked about finding peace with God.  In the midst of that class I found myself being used as an example, as in one person said "Let's say that I saw that something was going on in Brittany's life and I felt the need to confront her...".  Another person picked it up and I found myself the center of a discussion that wasn't really about me.  I told Yo Momma later that it was interesting that I was the safe one in that group to use as an example.  The conversation was good, the class is making me think, though I'm struggling a little with the author of book's approach to the topic of peacemaking.

Finally we got to the worship service...in the round!  All the chairs had been moved so that we were all facing the center of the room where the communion table was.  Instead of a sermon, the focus was on communion and Thanksgiving.  Several young ladies in the church read Scripture, several people prayed and then the floor was opened to the people in the congregation.  Microphones were passed around and people were encouraged to say what they were thankful for.  As I sat listening this group of people I started to think about what I was thankful for.  If the microphone was passed to me what would I say?  The more I listened to others, the more I pondered that question, the more I realized that I was grateful for the one thing that I have been struggling with the most...I am thankful for change.

I am thankful for change.  I am thankful for the conversation that God and I had back in May that lead to this upheaval in my life  I am thankful for time to rest and rediscover the meaning of the word "bored".  I am thankful for the opportunities I was given in my previous job and I am thankful that the transition has been a little rough in areas and easier in others.  I am thankful for a new place to worship that is offering me solace as I wait on God and grieve and for the people who have been welcoming and loving.  I am thankful for people who remember my name during communion, even though they have only met me a few times.  I am thankful for my 6 hour a week job.  I am thankful for friends who listen, even if they don't get it.  I am thankful for blogger friends who leave notes of encouragement and support as I whine.  I am thankful for the struggle to trust fully in God's plan and for the freedom to cry out to God in the midst of that struggle.  I am thankful for my family.  I am thankful for a place where I am finally beginning to feel fed again.  I am thankful for black and white paisley printed duct tape and the way it holds my guitar case together.  I am thankful for the nudge from a friend to get that guitar out of it's case and start playing again.  I am thankful for this journey, right now, the ups and downs, the laughter and the tears, the wondering and the regrets.  I am thankful for the memories of what was and the vast ocean of possibilities that is to come.   

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Taking a stroll along the job posting road

There are several sites that I frequent these days.  They all have job postings in common.  Sometimes the things that I read there are very amusing.

Greenpeace is a big employer these days.  Their headlines always have fun little asterisks and exclamation points throughout.  **Save the whales! FT!**  Usually the slogan "Be the change" accompanies those items.

There are plenty of other groups using asterisks and exclamation points to draw your eyes to their listing.  **Fight____!  FT/PT! *$10-12/hr*!**  It does draw my eye...just not my attention for long.

Chipotle! is hiring! everywhere!  They are pretty aggressive with their job postings as well.  Daily there are notices about the "Job fair!  Saturday!" and in case you forgot it's at "Chipotle!". 



 One of my favorite job postings is the Medical Marijuana Drivers or Consultants listings.  Yep...that's one I will be avoiding.

Most postings are pretty straight forward.  "Administrative Assistant", "Sales Manager", "Graphic Designer".  These kinds of postings I get.  I understand what they are saying.

Then there are the ones that are a little more complex.  "Administrative Assistant II"--does that mean it's the second level?  Not executive?  Not entry?  What's the "II" mean?    While we are on that subject, what is an "Office Specialist"?  Do you have to have some extra knowledge of Microsoft Office?  I found out that it's just a fancy title for Administrative Assistant.  "Assembler, Icer".  That one sounds dangerous!  WAIT, it's for a bakery as in assembling and icing cakes! Oooohhhh...maybe I should go back to school for culinary arts...if I can just bake.  I don't really want to cook.  

I could go be a sign waver/dancer.  Or maybe a part time seasonal bell ringer.  Hmmm...if I was really daring I'd try out for the bad girls club...it's a TV show, I swear!  On the Oxygen network or something.  I could get paid to do a study about shopping.  Something about those links always make me a little nervous though.  How do I know they are legit? 

If I was better with numbers, I could have a job in a flash.  There are lots of requests for Accounts Payable staff or Payroll Specialists.  Same goes for Web Developers, Gamers and anyone who knows what iOS, Java/PHP, Analog IC, CNC or NOC means.  (There are more, my head just started spinning and I had to stop.) 

Yep, there are a lot of jobs out there with some pretty interesting descriptions.  I wonder, if I got really good at deciphering all the job postings, would someone pay me to tell them what they mean?

**Don't forget Chipotle!  Now hiring!  Job fair this Saturday!**

Monday, November 14, 2011

What I know

I believe that I have been led on this journey of trust and faith. 

I believe that God called me, clearly, to walk down this path.

I know that it took me about two years to make the final decision.

I know that it wasn't easy and hurt a lot.

I know that it still hurts.

It hurts every time I think of people that I used to see daily.

It hurts every time I hear stories of the current situation.

I know I made the right decision.

I know God is leading.

I know that somewhere down this path I will see the growth and the reasons why.

Still, right now, it hurts.  Even if it was a choice of my own making, it still hurts.

My skin isn't very thick, yet.

I feel pretty fragile these days.

Moving on isn't as simple or easy as I had hoped it would be.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Just going to dinner

Yo Momma, G.G. and I went to dinner last night.  Fresh Choice was the choice.  :) 

When I sat down, I noticed a man sitting at a table with papers all around him.  It reminded me of someones office, which I found kind of strange at Fresh Choice on a Friday night.  I didn't ponder it much and went about enjoying my Fettuccine Chicken Noodle Soup...I love that soup!

Sometime later the man was joined by another man who was talking on his cellphone--which was on speakerphone.  His conversation started to get louder and louder with the person on the other end trying to remain calm.  There was a family with 2 kids at the table right next to this guy and yet still he was getting louder and louder until all of a sudden he says loud and clear "Well the s***heads down at the county office told me to file this piece of paper!!".

With that a gentleman at the table next to me was out of his chair and storming across the restaurant to the man on the phone.  I tried really hard not to stare as the gentleman looked at the guy on the phone and said "This is a restaurant, not your office.  Watch your language and keep it down.".

Guy on the phone was much quieter after that.  The family at the table next to them visibly relaxed and the gentleman came back to his table.  We made eye contact and I simply said, "Thank you" because he really did need to know that other people in the restaurant appreciated his actions.

The moral of the story...don't treat a restaurant like your business office...and don't mess with gentlemen who aren't afraid to confront rude behavior.

Just a quiet night at dinner with Yo Momma and G.G.  Chivalry isn't dead.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Stream of thoughts...

I need a job.  2nd interview went OK.  I wasn't enthused, it was easy to see.  While I could do the job, I wouldn't love it and that makes it a dilemma.  Not that one always has to love their job but...

Anyway,  I applied to two other places this week.  One is with a local school (which I would LOVE!!  Almost afraid to say how much I would LOVE to work for the local schools).  The other is at Costco.  Who knows.  At least applications are going in.  A job coming back to me would be lovely.

I'm painting a bedroom over at G.G's house.  It's slow going, but it will get done.

I realized today that I'm struggling with living at my parents house.  I LOVE them.  Really, really do.  They have been fantastic.  Yet looking at my space I realize that everything I own is either in a box in the garage or shoved into this room.  I want to organize and make things look good but there's no place to put anything and so it all just gets plunked down wherever there is room...which there isn't much of these days!  Things will work out, just needed to whine a little bit.

Had lunch with K and Adventure Boy today.  He was full of questions.  "What does 'vocational' mean?  Where is heaven?  What does 'whatever' mean?"  There was another word he asked about but I can't remember what it was at this moment.  He did say that he thinks heaven is a town...in Jesus' heart.  His brain is working on overload!

This morning I woke up to the news of the protesters/riot/college students at Penn State having their say.  I am gonna be 100% honest, I'm dismayed by the whole thing.  As one who did Safe Church/Safe Child training on preventing child abuse in churches, it completely amazes me that three men in positions of leadership seemingly did little to nothing to stop an abuser.  Especially if one of the men actually did walk in on an incident and turned around and walked away as has been reported.  The mama bear in me just can't fathom it.  I realize I'm getting everything through the media and there could be incorrect information but something tells me there is probably a lot more to the story.  This could get uglier.  One statement that caught me this morning, again, on the news, was from a reporter in the throng of the protesters saying "not all Penn State students are angry about the coach's firing, but the one's we talked to wouldn't on camera for fear of retaliation by other students."  What?  There's something majorly wrong here.

Okay, now that I'm all fired up, I'm gonna go eat dinner.  One GREAT thing about living at home...Yo Momma makes dinner.  :)

Oops!  I forgot one thing!  I'm usually a Star$ girl.  However, on the way home today Star$ was on the left hand side of the road and Peet's on the right.  I figured I could deal with Peet's today...just in a coffee mood.  I think I have a new favorite coffee.  Caramel Pecan Mocha.  Oo-de-lally!  That was goooooood.

Which reminds me...of one of my favorite Disney movies...I think it's a movie night.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Sounds

There are certain sounds that I love.  Here are just a few: 

The sound of voices raised in harmonious song with or without accompaniment.

The sound of uncontrollable belly laughter either from children or adults.

The sound of snow falling on the ground in the still of the night.

The sound of guitars melding together in song.  (These Cd's are my favorite's.)

The sound of God's voice...that one has many different tones and textures...if sound can have textures.

And tonight, I heard another sound that made my heart melt.

A little voice calling out "Brittany, where are you?"

Friday, November 4, 2011

Friday Five: Time with Friends Edition

Kathrynzj at RevGals says:  "I have been spending my week with one of my favorite people and it has been a joy. As you can tell by our shoes lined up in the picture from our first ever visit together we have slightly different hobbies - those that require cleats and those that require... lavender Crocs. Despite our differences we have found commonalities in conversation and coffee; life and faith. This week we were both working but were still able to find the time to hang out in a really cool bookstore and see the autumn scenery at a nearby state park.

For today's Friday Five please tell us 5 things you like to do with friends. Are they local - do you hit a favorite coffee shop or nail salon? What about the friends who come in from out of town? Do you have a restaurant or museum you like to show off?  Thanks for playing!"
Time with friends is something that I have so enjoyed since being out of work!  I wonder some days how I had time to work.  :)  Here are my five things:
1.  Coffee, lunch or dinner.  Pick one, pick all.  I like 'em.  Depending on the friend we have many different places to hang out.  The young adult friends are loving to have birthday dinners at this place.  Usually the go to place, though is the Taqueria.  Many life conversations have happened at the Taqueria.  Sometimes lunch AND dinner in the same day!  Coffee with K is usually at Star$.  Coffee with LN can range from a lively discussion outside Peets or walking around the amusement park in #3...with behind the scenes tours 'cuz she works there!  It's just nice to hang out, laugh and talk.

2.  Game night with the Ladies.  Usually involves food.  Sometimes involves games...poker, Sequence, whatever we come up with.  Always involves lively conversation, laughter until someone cries (or pees a little but we don't care) and always involves some kind of margarita.

3.  Depending on the out of town friend, we could wind up at the beach, walking in the redwoods or at our local amusement park.  Right now we would probably be down at the beach trying to get a glimpse of the humpback whales that have been feeding along the coast.

4.  I loooooovvvvvveeee concerts.  My favorite moments this year have been at the two (yes 2), Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith Friend2Friend concerts that I got to attend with friends.  Aunt C used to be my favorite concert friend but she moved away.  Sigh.

5.  Long car rides or road trips have been some of my favorite moments with friends.  The goofier the better!  Yesterday was probably the perfect day.  A car ride with youth pastor friend T to meet Songfriend at a restaurant for lunch.  Nice!

Actually, anytime with hanging out with my friends is fantastic.  Just being known and loved by others is good!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Well...

Interview #2 is on Monday @ 1pm.  Trying really hard not to anticipate anything...but that's just not me.  This jeans and t-shirts kinda-girl doesn't have a lot of options for 2nd interview clothes.  Pants/skirts at least. So it works out nicely that I have a gift card to Macy's and am heading out of town tomorrow, driving past many malls along the way to my destination!  :)

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Update: Moving on...

I have a job interview tomorrow (Wednesday) @ 2:30pm PST.

It's not ministry related.  It's not for the job that I really wanted but it's not a bad job.  I'm not going to elaborate.

It's my first job interview in 11 years.  I am nervous. 

That is all.

5pm Wednesday:
Interview Done.
Feeling okay about it.
Wish I was better at forming quick answers.  Thought of all the perfect answers on my way home.  Sigh.
Will either here "no thanks" or "come for a 2nd interview".
Thanks Ruby and Wendy (and others!) for praying!  Definitely felt calm.