Book Review: Finding Your Path

Posted on by

fyp_book_cover_6.jpgI met Mitch and D.K. Raymer through the Thursday Thirteen. They both seemed like kind and gracious people, were genuine Christians, and I noticed Mitch often posted helpful job tips. My husband is in business and my oldest son was a business management major in college, so these caught my eye. At some point I noticed that Mitch had written a book called Finding Your Path: Your Path to a Job. It looked like something that would be good to pass along to my sons, but I never got around to ordering it. Then came a Thursday Thirteen in which Mitch offered a free copy of his book to thirteen people who signed up for it, asking only for our thoughts about the book when we were done. So I signed up right away! I received my book in the mail, told my son about it and left it on his desk, but kept forgetting to pick it up myself. So I finally put it on my Spring Reading List and just finished it this morning.

According to Mitch’s blog:

This book introduces Christian principles that will not only help you find a job, but find Christ, too. It is not intended for degree-holding professionals – they’ve already found their career path. This book is written for you, the backbone of America’s workforce. If you are:

  • a high school student who is not going on to college
  • a college student looking for part-time work
  • a SAHM who wants to supplement your family’s income
  • a blue-collar or service worker looking for “an edge” before your next job interview
  • a middle-aged worker facing a career change
  • a retiree re-entering the workforce
  • anyone who wants to brush up on your job hunting skills

Mitch has been an administrator and Human Resources director, reading thousands of applications and interviewing thousands of job-seekers. This book grew out of some of his experiences, finding that some did not know the basics about preparing for a job interview. Mitch is imminently qualified to write this book” he has been on the other side of the desk and knows what employers are looking for.

The first few sections of the book establish some basic foundational principles: how to have a relationship with God and know your sins are forgiven, how to grow in Him and depend on Him and seek His wisdom in “finding your path,” several character issues such as honesty, self-esteem (not based on false flattery but in the security of knowing God created you and has a plan for you), fear, humility, integrity, patience, God’s love and provision. As I read this part, I thought, what a great way to start! These issues are helpful in all of life as well as in finding and keeping a job.

The next section helps determine which path to follow by asking questions and giving advice about interests, aptitude, skills, levels of responsibility one would be comfortable with, needs, wants, and priorities. Two of my favorite passages in this section are Exodus 31:1-5:

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,

5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

and Exodus 36:1:

Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.

It was an encouragement for me when I was a young person to learn that God didn’t just call people into “full-time Christian service,” but He also called and gifted all of us for the particular task He has for each of us. Mitch’s section here is very helpful for someone trying to determine just what skills God has gifted him with.

The next detailed and extremely practical section defines the tools one needs when job-hunting: resumes, cover letters, letters of reference, and examples of each. Then he moves into how to find job openings, how to proceed in applying for a job, what to expect from the interview process and how to present oneself during an interview, the best way to follow up an interview. Sprinkled throughout this section are helpful business etiquette tips.

I think Mitch did a wonderful job with this book. The words “practical” and “helpful” came to mind often as I read the different sections. There are many nuts-and-bolts tips and a foundation of faith: he not only starts out the book establishing Biblical principles, but all throughout the book he reminds the reader that God is in control and will guide and help him in this process.

This book would make a wonderful graduation gift or a great tool for anyone seeking to “find their path” in today’s job market. I highly recommend it.

Works-For-Me Wednesday: Organizing quotes, jokes, poems, anecdotes

Posted on by

wfmwheader_4.jpgI’ve collected a lot of quotes, jokes, poems, anecdotes, etc. on various topics over the years. I used to just save them in a folder with my saved e-mail, because most of them I received via e-mail. If I found something somewhere online that I wanted to keep, I’d copy and paste it, along with the source, and send it in an e-mail to myself to put into the folder.

But it was getting harder to find particular ones I wanted, plus all the saved mail was causing my e-mail provider to load slowly. So I have been working on taking all of these things and organizing them into Word documents.

Each member of our family has a folder with their name in “My Documents” on Microsoft Word. In my folder I created another folder called “Topic file.” I created several subfolders in my topic file for Holidays, Seasons, Marriage, Raising children, Trials and afflictions, Prayer, Missions, etc. — I add categories as I come across things in my files. Some of the folders are further subdivided into categories: Holidays, for instance, has subfolders for various holidays. In most of the folders I have a page for quotes; in some I have a page for jokes. There is a page for shorter poems but longer ones often have their own page as do anecdotes.

I use many of these things in personal correspondence, but I also use many both in my blog and in a newsletter for our church’s ladies group. When I use something, say, for instance, a poem about Easter, in parentheses after it I’ll put whether it was used on my blog or the newsletter and the date. This has been a great help because previously I’d have to leaf through past newsletters (all the May ones, for instance, to see if I had used a certain Mother’s Day poem yet).

This is a work in progress. So far as each holiday or season approaches, I go through my files and pull out everything on that holiday or season and then put them in Word documents and then create folders for them. That way it is not overwhelming trying to do all this at once. As I find new quotes, etc., I want to use, it is handy to find or create the file it needs to go in.

I thought about organizing it a little differently: making a folder for jokes, a folder for poems, etc., with topic categories within each folder, but organizing it by topic seems to work best for me. It has been a big help already in finding that certain story or quote I want without having to dig through a lot of files.

I don’t have many quotes from books in my files yet. I have a few books that I quote from often with little pieces of paper stuck in the places I like to quote. 🙂 That might be the next project after this one: getting some of those written out in a Word document and then into the right category. I also have things like this in paper files in a metal filing cabinet (from the days before computers 🙂 ) that I need to go through and transfer to the computer some day.

I’d be interested to hear if anyone has a different way to handle this kind of thing.

As always, visit the Works For Me Wednesday creator and hostess, Shannon, at Rocks In My Dryer for great tips on a variety of topics. We’d love to read any tips that you have as well!

Psalm Sunday: Psalm 14

Posted on by

I am late with Psalm Sunday this week. We were busy til late Sunday evening, and I had fully planned to do this yesterday morning and just forgot, I guess because my Monday morning I usually already have it done.

psunday.png

Psalm 14

1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.

7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.
This is another of those Psalms that seems pretty straightforward — there is not much to say about it — it says it all! 🙂

Verse 1 did remind me of Romans 1:16-32, which traces the progression of people who “do not like to retain God in their knowledge” (v. 28) and are then “given over to a reprobate mind.” I used to think “reprobate” meant “really sinful” unto it was explained to me that it meant “unable to make sound judgment.” That explains some of the weird and unreasonable views and decisions in this day and age, I think. Sometimes I hear and read things that make me shake my head in wonder at the blindness. I think when people do not acknowledge God, as the first verse of this Psalm says, that opens them up to corruption, abominable works, and a lack of doing good.

Romans 1 also says,

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Man tends to glorify himself and his own “reasoning” powers these days. “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse…” God showed evidence of Himself clearly, yet people refuse to see it, choosing rather to explain away God’s majestic and marvelous creation by contrived theories of evolution.

Is there no hope then? There is always hope until the Lord returns again. “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three…” (I Cor. 13:13a). There is hope in the mercy of God, shown to all of us. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9). And there is hope in His Word: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Psalm 119:130). May we faithfully share God’s Word, praying that it will give light to darkened hearts just as it did to ours.

More thoughts on this Psalm can be found at Butterfly Kisses.

An April Day

Posted on by

Spring

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You’re one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
A cloud comes over the sunlit arch,
A wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you’re two months back in the middle of March.

—Robert Frost

The past few April days have felt more like the middle of March…or even February!

The yard sale went well, though not quite as well as I’d hoped. I made about $100, Jesse made $20-something. I had come all set up for sitting in the sun, wearing a lightweight dress and having brought sunscreen — but we were freezing! We boxed up what we didn’t sell and are thinking about having another yard sale later on after we have a chance to sort through the attic. Or we might just give it all to Salvation Army — by the time you itemize it and get a receipt so you can claim it on your taxes, I think you probably come out about the same.

I thought families with boys would snap up some of the toys Jesse was selling, but I kept hearing parents say things like, “You have enough toys!” I understand that feeling, too! It’s funny what we get sentimental about — Jesse had about four “army sets” as we called them. One of them looked like a big tank from the outside but folded out into a flat playset for army men and Hot Wheels type tanks, etc., with little hills, turrets, roads, etc. He spent so many hours playing with those spread out all over the living room floor. I thought about saving them for grandkids some day — they are just neat play sets that I don’t think anyone makes any more, plus one day they might think it is neat to play with something that was their dad’s. But I was torn, so I didn’t say anything. Only one sold at first, so I thought we might get to keep the rest. But the last three sold in the last 15 minutes. 😦  Oh, well — I try to remind myself they are just things and hang on to the memories. One friend said it signified “the end of an era,” and I guess that’s part of it — knowing that my youngest is growing out of favorite toys.

I wrestle some times with saving for posterity vs. keeping sentimental things.  We really don’t have much in the way of mementos from either side of our family, and I’d like to keep some special things for posterity. But I try not to keep anything that I don’t really think anyone will be interested in or that might break down over time — I figure it would be better for someone to go ahead and enjoy that now, so I give it away. And I remember my kids weren’t much interested in boxes of faded old toys at grandparents’ houses, so I only keep things in great condition that might be timeless in its appeal.

The fellowship also went well. There were a few less than usual, but it was “cozy.” I think our new youth pastor is doing a great job with the kids. His new wife was away for the weekend, and I had been looking forward to having her over, so I was a little disappointed there, but my friend Carol came over for a little while — she teaches first grade and usually just hangs out in her classroom while her kids are at fellowships since she lives too far to make it worth going home and coming back in that time period, so I told her she was welcome to come if she wanted to. So it was good to “visit” a little. 🙂 Before she became a teacher here we used to volunteer once a week at the school, and I really enjoyed working with her and getting to know her — I’ve missed our visits!

I told myself with all the busy-ness of the last week that I was giving myself today “off,” so I am sitting back enjoying my nice clean house and catching up on e-mail and blog-reading. While I was in the shower I was looking at the freshly-painted ceiling and thinking, “We ought to have people over more often!” Not for a while, though — we both need to recuperate! I wish Jim could have taken off today — I don’t know when he’s going to have time to do taxes.

I usually keep up pretty well with the regular weekly housework — meals, dishes, laundry, bathrooms, floors, etc. — and an almost-weekly “extra” job thanks to tackle-it-Tuesday. But somehow I need to incorporate some of the “extra” jobs into a regular routine so we’re not having to catch up on everything before company comes. Yet I don’t like a real rigid system, like every first week of the month this and this are done, etc.

After I got out of the shower this morning, I started having pretty bad muscles spasms in my back. I don’t know if I wrenched something this morning or if this is the result of working the last few days. After an Absorbine Jr. patch, ibuprofen, and a heating pad I am able to move a little better (did you know that when you blow your nose you use muscles in your back? I never knew that until blowing my nose sent a spasm across my already-spasming back!) I guess it is a good thing I hadn’t planned anything for today!

Walking Through the Flames

Posted on by

A young woman’s faith in the midst of finding out she had a brain tumor* reminded me of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith. They knew God could deliver them from the fiery furnace in and they resolved to believe in Him even if He didn’t. Since then a song has been running through my mind based on that passage in Daniel 3.

“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).

Walking Through the Flames by Jeanine Drylie (words are here):

*I originally had links to her blog, but it is no longer online.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: Hobby

Posted on by

photohunters2mo1.gif

Theme: Hobby | Become a Photo Hunter | View Blogroll

It’s been a busy day — and I am late with my photo hunt!

Needlework has been one of my favorite hobbies, and this piece was one of my favorite pieces to do. I made it before Jeremy was born, 22 years ago.

Needlework bears

Here is a close-up of the detail I love about this piece. I don’t know if it will show up well, but the little iced cookies are raised and the little cupcakes have french knot icing. I love the stitching for the grass and fringe on the blanket as well.

CIMG0557

It’s kind of sad that the boys have outgrown it and there is no place for it in the house now. I hope when the grandkids come along to have a room for them when they come over, so it will be back up then. 🙂

Most of the needlework I have done had been cross stitch, but most of that has been for gifts. I haven’t done any kind of needlework in ages — I wonder how well I’d be able to see it now.

One of my favorite hobbies has always been reading, as represented by two of our four bookcases:

Two of our four bookshelves

You can see to the side there evidence of one of Jason’s hobbies, golfing, though he hasn’t done much of it since getting out of high school.

And finally, one of my favorite new hobbies is computing. This is where I visit with all of you. 🙂

Where I compute

Stray thoughts

Posted on by
  • Did you know there is a National Association for Information Destruction? Jesse and I were sitting in the car at a red light on the way to school this morning when a truck with that association’s logo pulled up beside us. The truck was from a company that sheds secure documents. I don’t know why, but the name of that association struck me funny — identity theft and the need to destroy certain documents are serious, of course — but having an association for destroying information sounded like an arm of the KGB or a militant anti-intellectual organization or something. 😀
  • I have to “brag on” my husband today. I mentioned earlier this week that we have a school-sponsored yard sale coming up this Saturday and we’re having the junior high part of the youth group from church coming over for a fellowship Sunday night. He took Thursday off to help me with some of those tasks that are hard for me to do. For instance, since TM, I can’t be on my knees for more than a few seconds. I can physically get on my knees, but then an odd sensation sort of like hitting your funny bone shoots through my knees. It’s hard to describe it — it’s not painful — but it’s disturbing, and every instinct is screaming, “Make it stop!!” So, I can sweep and mop, but sometimes the floors just need a hands-and-knees scrubbing. Jim did the kitchen floors, then cleaned the floor and everything in the half-bathroom except the toilet, getting one area around the faucet of the sink cleaner than I have been able to even with straight bleach. Then he went to the other bathroom — that one, for some reason, particularly attracts mold even though we have an outlet fan that we use during showers to reduce the humidity in there. The shower comes clean easily with Tilex, but there were areas around the tops of the door frames that weren’t coming clean for me. Jim tried to clean it, but decided it needed to be repainted. Some of the paint had been blistering and all of the woodwork just needed freshening up. So he ended up painting the doors, frames, baseboards, and cabinet — not something on the to-do list, but it has been needing attention and look so nice!! There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint.
  • At one point when he was on his hands and knees scrubbing, he asked me if I was going to take his picture and post it for a Works-For-Me Wednesday. 😀
  • Overall, conquering the to-do list is going well. It really did help to make a master list and look for things that could be done ahead of time. Maybe after about 30 years of being an adult I am finally learning how to do this kind of thing. 🙂 I just know that these days I can’t stay up til two in the morning in a cleaning frenzy the night before an event.
  • This has reminded me of a funny story from our early married days. We were having the youth group over after church — this was probably our first time ever doing so — and, of course, the usual furious cleaning had occurred the day before. During the fellowship while they were singing, I noticed I had accidentally left my can of Pledge and dustcloth on top of the bookshelf, which wasn’t that bad in itself, but my dustrag had been an old pair of my husband’s underwear with the Fruit-of-the-Loom stripe very visible. I was mortified. But to go to it and remove it at that point would have drawn attention to it, so I left it and hoped no one would notice. No one said anything. 🙂 It’s funny but now it grosses me out to even think about using old underwear to dust or clean — that stuff gets tossed when it outlives it usefulness nowadays.
  • I’ve also learned through the years that I usually don’t get everything on my list done, so I’ve learned to prioritize. It doesn’t look like I am going to get my curtains up, unfortunately. The fabric I ordered just arrived two days ago. I usually wash fabrics before cutting or sewing them, but the recommended care for this is dry cleaning — will they dry clean fabric on a roll? I don’t know.
  • I don’t think I’ll be doing the Friday Feast today. It wouldn’t take long to do, but these interactive memes are supposed to be….well…interactive. I really can’t take the time today to go visit around the other participants, so I’d probably better sit this one out. It’s funny how you sort of get to know different people who participate in the different weekly memes — I’ll miss my regular stops and the wave hello. Maybe if my day goes well and I get a lot done, I’ll be able to do it later on.
  • I’m off to peruse my Bloglines list, then it’s back to work. Have a good day!

Booking Through Thursday: Where Does the Time Go?

Posted on by

btt3.gif

This week’s Booking Through Thursday question is:

Have you ever missed an important appointment because you have become so engrossed in a book you forgot the time or were up so late reading that you didn’t wake up in time? Been late to work because you couldn’t resist the temptation and left the house too late?

I don’t think I have ever missed an appointment completely because of reading, but I have made myself run late a few times because I was reluctant to put a book down. I’ve also stayed up too late reading, then was tired the next day, then needed a nap and so wasn’t as productive as I should have been. I try to avoid doing that — but for some books it is just worth it. 😀

Thursday Thirteen: More One-Liners

Posted on by

thursdaybanner7.png

1. One good turn gets all the blankets.

2. Write all complaints legibly in this space –> [ ]

3. My friend got the Amish flu. First she got a little hoarse…then she got a little buggy.

4. If a book about failure doesn’t sell, is it a success?

5. For every action here is an equal and opposite criticism.

6. Two of the biggest problems in America are making ends meet and making meetings end.

7. It’s becoming more and more difficult to support the government in the style to which it has become accustomed.

8. Warning: Dates in calendar are closer than they appear.

9. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

10. Don’t judge a book by its movie.

11. TV news people have the hardest job in the world — trying to cram 10 minutes of news into an hour long show.

12. I misplaced my dictionary. Now I’m at a loss for words.

13. Here at First National, you’re not just a number: you’re two numbers, a dash, three more numbers, another dash, and another number.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Prayer request

Posted on by

I just read this afternoon that Heather, mother of the Emma Grace whose “Pray for Emma Grace” buttons you may have seen around, has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. I know the whole family would appreciate your prayers.