A very rough week for me...this week after Thanksgiving. I had a family crisis last Wednesday night and am still recovering mentally from it. I still haven't found any stable employment. I've gotten to the point we all reach when we've been unemployed for a long time. I know you have been there and know what it feels like to be struggling so hard and not receive any results from it. I am right now barely hanging on. If not for the support I've received from family and friends, I may have quit looking all together even though I know that it's a requirement for my state in order to receive unemployment.
Admitting this is my first step back, I believe, towards gainful employment. I know that I can't do this under my own power. I need the Lord's help and guidance. My prayer is that the Lord will open the doors to the right employer for me, that he will guide me towards the right path and continue to provide for my needs. I do admittedly feel like quitting until an ugly vision of my future stares me in the face. Sometimes I believe that God allows stuff to happen to shake us up out of our complacency. We do tend to take too much for granted until we don't have it any longer.
So I thank God for fulfilling all my needs and for giving me hope for the future.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Thirty first week-Counting my blessings
This week in honor of Thanksgiving and to give myself a break, I decided to start listing what I'm thankful for...I did that a little last week, but this week I'll expand it.
1) Enough food to feed me and my family. With all the drought and recent crop failures, this is no longer a "given" for many. Praise God for his provision and the bounty he provided for us.
2)Adequate shelter....With everything going up in price...this too is no longer a "given" as many are being left homeless due to rising taxes and limited resources. Yes, this is a prayer for all of us that are now struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
3)Internet access....Having the ability to work at home is definitely a blessing. Too many have to rely on library access and run the risk of exposing their personal information to the world...not that it doesn't happen when you're working from home, but it's more likely when you're working on a public computer.
4)Family and friends....Yes, I have drawn support from them, as they have from me. Many struggle without that support and fall through the cracks of society. Praise God for everyone of them! They keep me sane and encouraged to keep pressing on.
5) Support groups-both on-line and in person....I have utilized both in my ongoing search for that elusive employer. Their advice has kept me focused even when I felt ready to give up.
6) Opportunities to serve....I've kept my eyes open for these opportunities but haven't found any. Yet every day I gain knowledge to do what I can when those opportunities open up. I am thankful that there are opportunities out there even now, and that I may find one soon.
7) Libraries and other resources....The library has become my refuge and my resource for all sorts of information. I'm learning a lot, and admittedly will miss the time I spent there when I'm happily employed again.
8) Health....Yes I can be thankful that I'm relatively healthy. Unfortunately with this new healthcare law, it's going to make it extremely difficult to get the care I may need without going broke and/or compromising my personal identity.
9) Access to transportation....I am thankful for public transportation, but am annoyed by certain temporary agencies that discriminate in regards to taking employees because that's how they get to work. They are not environmentally geared, and neither are any companies that do the same thing. Enough said.
10) Revenue streams....I am thankful for unemployment compensation and for other revenue streams that help support me and my family as I press on to find stable employment.
Finally, and most important of all....I am thankful for life and I thank God for all his blessings. For without him, I am nothing.
1) Enough food to feed me and my family. With all the drought and recent crop failures, this is no longer a "given" for many. Praise God for his provision and the bounty he provided for us.
2)Adequate shelter....With everything going up in price...this too is no longer a "given" as many are being left homeless due to rising taxes and limited resources. Yes, this is a prayer for all of us that are now struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
3)Internet access....Having the ability to work at home is definitely a blessing. Too many have to rely on library access and run the risk of exposing their personal information to the world...not that it doesn't happen when you're working from home, but it's more likely when you're working on a public computer.
4)Family and friends....Yes, I have drawn support from them, as they have from me. Many struggle without that support and fall through the cracks of society. Praise God for everyone of them! They keep me sane and encouraged to keep pressing on.
5) Support groups-both on-line and in person....I have utilized both in my ongoing search for that elusive employer. Their advice has kept me focused even when I felt ready to give up.
6) Opportunities to serve....I've kept my eyes open for these opportunities but haven't found any. Yet every day I gain knowledge to do what I can when those opportunities open up. I am thankful that there are opportunities out there even now, and that I may find one soon.
7) Libraries and other resources....The library has become my refuge and my resource for all sorts of information. I'm learning a lot, and admittedly will miss the time I spent there when I'm happily employed again.
8) Health....Yes I can be thankful that I'm relatively healthy. Unfortunately with this new healthcare law, it's going to make it extremely difficult to get the care I may need without going broke and/or compromising my personal identity.
9) Access to transportation....I am thankful for public transportation, but am annoyed by certain temporary agencies that discriminate in regards to taking employees because that's how they get to work. They are not environmentally geared, and neither are any companies that do the same thing. Enough said.
10) Revenue streams....I am thankful for unemployment compensation and for other revenue streams that help support me and my family as I press on to find stable employment.
Finally, and most important of all....I am thankful for life and I thank God for all his blessings. For without him, I am nothing.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Thirtieth week-Frustrated and Angry
Yes, I know what you are all saying right now. Why isn't she working? I'm saying the same thing myself. I wish I was. I am frustrated and angry at myself. Yes, I know that I shouldn't be. The job market is very tough right now and is going to get even tougher once the new laws come into effect and we reach the fiscal cliff in January. I am feeling depressed which is not helping with my job search at all. I know quite a few of you can sympathize with me here. It's not easy.
Frankly right now I am feeling burnt out and ready to quit. I know that there are some out there that have been at this stage of the job search where it seems as if nothing is working. I have to believe even now that there is a stable job waiting for me. I am so tired of waiting for it, and know that my situation is worsening by the day. There is one ray of hope I have to cling to and that is that God knows my situation and has continued to hold me up.
Lord, I do thank you for the many avenues of support I have in the church. I thank you for good friends and family, for food, shelter, electricity, the access I have to the Internet and the knowledge you give me daily. I pray for those who like me are struggling with frustration and anger over the job market and the current economy. I also pray for our fractured nation that your Will will be done. Strengthen your servants, Lord and help us find sustainable work quickly that will support us and our families for the days to come. Amen.
Friends, my best advice for you and the one I need to take to heart myself is: Keep pressing on.
Frankly right now I am feeling burnt out and ready to quit. I know that there are some out there that have been at this stage of the job search where it seems as if nothing is working. I have to believe even now that there is a stable job waiting for me. I am so tired of waiting for it, and know that my situation is worsening by the day. There is one ray of hope I have to cling to and that is that God knows my situation and has continued to hold me up.
Lord, I do thank you for the many avenues of support I have in the church. I thank you for good friends and family, for food, shelter, electricity, the access I have to the Internet and the knowledge you give me daily. I pray for those who like me are struggling with frustration and anger over the job market and the current economy. I also pray for our fractured nation that your Will will be done. Strengthen your servants, Lord and help us find sustainable work quickly that will support us and our families for the days to come. Amen.
Friends, my best advice for you and the one I need to take to heart myself is: Keep pressing on.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Twenty ninth week-All is Ashes
I'm reminded this week of the tough road I have ahead of me. A road that has been made even tougher today in light of the election yesterday. I've been batting around the libertarian ideas of freedom and respect for other people. I like those ideas. I know that here and now my freedoms are being severely limited due to the fact that:
1) I'm still too choosy about who I share personal information with and why. Every time I apply for a job on-line I sometimes feel like I'm being electronically raped. It's not a good feeling and one that will get worse in another year or two with the implementation of the Individual Mandate part of the new healthcare law.
2) I'm battling an uphill battle with people that are more qualified and more willing to work for peanuts just to have a job. I'm getting close to that point in my search but I'm not there yet.
3) I can't choose where my information goes after I apply and have the feeling people are judging me about the now huge gap in my job experience.
I miss the days when I could step into a place of business and apply via paper. I'm sure that there are still some places out there that still do that, but they are very hard to find. I am very discouraged now and the feeling that all is ashes surrounds me. I know quite a few of you are having the same experience. How do you pick yourself up? One good thing to remember is that there is a job out there for you. The key is to keep pressing to find it and open yourself up to new opportunities. I'm still learning to do that myself.
1) I'm still too choosy about who I share personal information with and why. Every time I apply for a job on-line I sometimes feel like I'm being electronically raped. It's not a good feeling and one that will get worse in another year or two with the implementation of the Individual Mandate part of the new healthcare law.
2) I'm battling an uphill battle with people that are more qualified and more willing to work for peanuts just to have a job. I'm getting close to that point in my search but I'm not there yet.
3) I can't choose where my information goes after I apply and have the feeling people are judging me about the now huge gap in my job experience.
I miss the days when I could step into a place of business and apply via paper. I'm sure that there are still some places out there that still do that, but they are very hard to find. I am very discouraged now and the feeling that all is ashes surrounds me. I know quite a few of you are having the same experience. How do you pick yourself up? One good thing to remember is that there is a job out there for you. The key is to keep pressing to find it and open yourself up to new opportunities. I'm still learning to do that myself.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Twenty eighth week-Overwhelmed
Natural disasters, like Hurricane Sandy, have a way of overwhelming your resources if you're not careful. I've been reminded this week how really blessed I am. There are too many out there now that have been adversely affected by this and many that have lost everything. It kind of puts things in perspective for me when I realize what I could have lost. My job search has been slightly derailed by this as I lost power for a period of time. Fortunately I am now back up and working steadily.
Here's a lesson for today....I learned to be very sensitive to other people's needs. Make sure you're available to meet those needs if you can. Yes, I'm still struggling, but by tuning my energies into finding out what I can do to fill someone else's need instead of focusing on what I need....maybe I can eventually find the right position for me. I've realized through this period of unemployment that the more you listen to others and focus on the positive aspects, the better you feel about yourself.
It is a bit overwhelming when you let yourself listen to all the negative voices that tell you that there are no jobs out there for you. There are things you can do....I tell myself this daily. Staying positive even when it looks like you have nowhere to turn makes a difference. Yes, I know it's hard....especially at this stage of the "game" when it feels like you're pushing against stone. Sometimes you just have to do what you can. Pray continuously for the right position where you are needed. That's key for me. If I don't feel like I'm needed, my work definitely suffers as a result. I believe that is what most of us in this situation feel too. We want to feel needed and be able to contribute to the community we live in. We don't want to be a burden to our government, but we are now because we need its support.
Here's a lesson for today....I learned to be very sensitive to other people's needs. Make sure you're available to meet those needs if you can. Yes, I'm still struggling, but by tuning my energies into finding out what I can do to fill someone else's need instead of focusing on what I need....maybe I can eventually find the right position for me. I've realized through this period of unemployment that the more you listen to others and focus on the positive aspects, the better you feel about yourself.
It is a bit overwhelming when you let yourself listen to all the negative voices that tell you that there are no jobs out there for you. There are things you can do....I tell myself this daily. Staying positive even when it looks like you have nowhere to turn makes a difference. Yes, I know it's hard....especially at this stage of the "game" when it feels like you're pushing against stone. Sometimes you just have to do what you can. Pray continuously for the right position where you are needed. That's key for me. If I don't feel like I'm needed, my work definitely suffers as a result. I believe that is what most of us in this situation feel too. We want to feel needed and be able to contribute to the community we live in. We don't want to be a burden to our government, but we are now because we need its support.
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