Stiles Machinery Donates to Skill Standards

The holiday season brought a nice surprise for the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America. Stiles Machinery of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the World, donated $2,500 to the Skill Standards work. Mr. Peter Kleinschmidt writes: “We made our decision to provide these funds because of our belief that skill standards are important to the advancement of our industry. We know the value of having a qualified workforce and that these standards will provide direction to employers, employees, and educational programs.”

Stiles has the distinction of being the FIRST individual woodworking industry supplier to make a donation to the Skill Standards initiative. All those who are participating in making this dream come true are grateful to Stiles Machinery for their gracious and generous donation.

[Via http://gheuer212.wordpress.com]

legal in Israel

today my dh and dd and I all got big full 2 page Israeli visas plastered into our passports.  they were presented to us at the ministry of the interior today by a delightful bleach blonde Israeli woman with blue eye liner and a sweet smile.  besides the running back and forth to fill out all the missing paperwork (that no one tells you ever that you need to do) and running around the corner to get photos and then back finally it was all done.  we are legal in Israel for a year.

the other amazing thing about the ministry is how it is organized.  I think Israeli people must be visually spatially oriented because nothing is organized.  overflowing boxes, binders, ripped papers everywhere, and everything is quite dirty.  everything is numbered but not in a sequence.  I have been learning so much about brilliance and visual spatial organization as it is associated with gifted kids and my dd is highly visual spatial- it is a mistake to assume everything is out of place or disorderly.  it is a mistake to assume that there is not genius in what seems to other like a random placement of objects in space and time.

if Israeli’s are highly visual spatial what does this mean about how they see the world and run their country.

anyway, I am happy we are legal in Israel!  it feels good!  go see the photograph of the exterior of the ministry and our celebration breakfast at Kadosh!

[Via http://echohush.wordpress.com]

2009 - What a year! What a year!

I know, I know, another boring year end post. But I have to admit, a lot of things happened to me this year that I really loved. I am going to try to remember as many of those that I can, because honestly, as the years go by, my memory is not all that it used to be. So let’s see…

I started on a new job journey. I don’t know if this is even considered a good thing. A lot of things happened at work that made me uneasy and well, basically stressed and unhappy. They hired me to do one thing, ended up doing another, and if that wasn’t enough, I ended up doing another job and finally the final one which I am now quitting at. Confusing? Read another couple of times. You’ll get it. So at the start of 2010, I’ll be jobless. The company itself has a lot of flaws, starting with an Malaysian Indian MOFO who thinks he’s bloody American and builds his company in Malaysia while stating its a U.S. based organization. Total bullshit.

This is also the year where El Rey and I strengthened our relationship. We went to the Netherlands to meet his family, travelled, argued, made up, got proposed, hitched and now expecting an addition to the family! This is also the year where we seriously looked into real estate options and found ourself a nice small condo which overlooks a beautiful golf course. Also, really disappointed at not being able to get the Type C Condo at Ara Hill.

Gambled almost every Friday. This is crazy, because we don’t really do anything much anymore…and just hang out, watch a movie, yum cha, gamble and well becoming old folks.

El Rey buying me really expensive gifts. And I mean, really expensive.

The joy and frustration of looking at furnitures and house decoration and renovating issues. We managed to secure our sofa, mattress (Slumberland), outdoor, dining table and little bits here and there. The entire renovation for the kit-bath is not even finalized or started.

The weeks of torture endured when El Rey goes on his work trips.

Low key birthday parties from the besties.

Learning to cook a “couple” of meals…with El Rey breathing down my neck for not cutting the onions the “right” way.

Travelling to the Netherlands, Thailand, Bali and more!

AS started his flight school and it was all he could talk about for weeks and now months and counting…

But overall, this year proved to be passing by extremely quickly. And I am now 25 years of age. When my cousin JO was 25 and me 23, I was still laughing at her mid 20’s crisis. Now that I’m here there is no such things as a mid 20’s crisis.

So now Year 2010. What will the year hold? I know in January I will be waiting for the good news! And in June I will be expecting and in August, the wedding party, then September, most probably off to Canada!

So what is my New Year’s resolution? To be a patient mother and try not to throw the baby out of the window when it cries for no reason.

Maybe I am going to start a week to week diary on how the pregnancy is coming along.

Oh and this is the first time I am announcing it to the world. So, please…let me do the announcement. Those who read will just need to be patient to tell the news!

Thanks in advance! And Happy New Year ahead!

[Via http://snkillerbeast.wordpress.com]

New Website Now Active!

We are proud to announce our new site for better customer service. As a thank you to our new and future clients, we are offering 10% off our services. Thats $20 to $40 off the creation of a great profile depending on the service requested.

Follow this link for more details Your Profile Now!® The 10% discount code is “newsite” to be used when paying for service through Google Checkout and is only good till January 10, 2010.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Your Profile Now!® Team

[Via http://yourprofilenow.wordpress.com]

Looking for a new position...

As the title reads, I’m looking for a new Java/Programmer position. I currently work in Guadalajara for an Indian company and am willing to relocate to La Paz, BCS. Even a freelance position would do it. If you are interested, please feel free to send me an email asking for my resume.

Here are some of the highlights:

Java SE 1.5 – 4 years of experience

J2EE, Struts - 3 years of experience

WebSphere App Server – 2 years of experience

Anyway, please don’t hesitate to contact if you feel like it.

[Via http://hildegrin.wordpress.com]

If you are happy and you know it!

Have you ever been around someone who is genuinely a happy person? A person that has not had a perfect life, yet somehow manages to use humor, not sarcasm, as well as a good dose of reality to deal with their life. With joy.

It is hard to find those people, but you can usually spot them like this:

1. They normally wear a smile. A genuine smile, that you can feel.( When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.)Job 29:24

2. They state the facts, they don’t exaggerate how bad that situation was, nor do they gloss it over. They just tell it like it is. 2 Cor. 12:6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

3. They are looking past the situation towards the next thing. For example. It isn’t just  about the situation, it is about what else is coming up. They realize that life still goes on, no matter how bad it may seem today… this too shall pass. (If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come) Job 14:14

4. They don’t gossip, they keep the nitty gritty stuff to themselves. Or they share only with confidants, not every person they come into contact with, or anyone who will listen. (For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.) 2 Cor. 12:20

5. They are encouragers, they see you, really see you. They know when you are hurting without you ever telling them, and they encourage you. They give you courage. (But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.) Job 16:5

These are the signs of a happy person. It is always important that we have atleast one of these people in our lives. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have 10 of them! What if we had 100 of them! Or if every person we came into contact with was one of these happy people! Ah, what a wonderful world this would be…

Have a great day!

[Via http://cunhvn.wordpress.com]

Christmas Songs Finale: Nat King Cole, "The Christmas Song"

From Mr. Velvet Fog (Mel Tormé) to Mr. Smooth as Silk (Nat King Cole).

Wikipedia sez:

Beginning in the late 1940s, Cole began recording and performing more pop-oriented material for mainstream audiences, often accompanied by a string orchestra. His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as “The Christmas Song” (Cole recorded that tune four times: on June 14, 1946, as a pure Trio recording, on August 19, 1946, with an added string section, on August 24, 1953, and in 1961 for the double album The Nat King Cole Story; this final version, recorded in stereo, is the one most often heard today),

Nat Cole’s 1946 rendition was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Mel only recorded his song three times.   It’s a shock to some that the diminutive Mel Tormé co-wrote the song with Bob Wells, and not Cole, because this song (like some others) has become synonymous with the black singer.

Well, I’m going out for Christmas dinner, and then will go onto see a movie.  That will be It’s Complicated, Up in the Air, or Sherlock Holmes.  I want to laugh this holiday.  Hope you have laughter–and love–during this holiday.

[Via http://thisblksistaspage.wordpress.com]

Job Tasted and Saw That the Lord Is Good

John Piper, in a sermon on Job 42, “Job:Reversal in Suffering”

Neither bad theology (in the words of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) nor good theology (in the words of Elihu) gives us the knowledge of God which changes a person’s heart. “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Psalm 34:8). There is a knowledge that only comes through tasting. Five seconds of honey on the tongue will show you more sweetness than ten hours of lectures about the sweetness of honey. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Until God gives you a taste of his goodness all the theology in the world will not give you a knowledge of his goodness that changes your heart and saves your soul.

Job Tasted and Saw That the Lord Is Good

When Elihu was finished speaking the truth to Job, Job said nothing. Only after God spoke (in chapters 38–41) did Job say, “I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee” (42:5). When God himself came to Job and spoke and took the initiative to make himself known to Job, Job tasted God! And his eyes were opened.

Now Job has a new sense of God’s reality. It is more than intellectual or speculative knowledge. It is the knowledge of the heart. He has tasted. And now he sees. And the result is a broken and changed man.

Job Confesses Three Great Truths

In 42:1–6 Job bows in reverent submission to confess three great truths.

1. In verse 2 he confesses the truth that God is absolutely sovereign: “I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted.”
2. In verse 3 he confesses the truth that God’s wisdom makes his own wisdom look like ignorance: “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
3. And in verse 6 he confesses the truth that he is guilty of despicable sin in questioning the ways of God: “I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

A Broken and Changed Person

Job is a broken and changed man. That’s what happens when you really see God. It happened to Isaiah: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips . . . for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). It happened to Peter when Jesus showed his power: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). It happened to the centurion when Jesus came to his house: “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof” (Luke 7:6).

Before Job saw God in this way, he had esteemed himself somewhat highly and had not hesitated to assert his righteousness. Now he sees himself more clearly. And what he sees drives him to repentance.

If we don’t feel grieved for our sin, and deeply unworthy of God’s goodness, then we need to pray earnestly that God would show us himself—that he would cease to be a mere doctrine that we hear with our ear, and instead would become an awesome, infinitely holy, dreadful, and wonderful Sovereign that we taste and see with our hearts.

To read or listen to the rest of this sermon, click here:

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

December 25 Job 42

December 25

Job 42 (ESV)

Job’s Confession and Repentance

42:1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

2 “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
and repent [1] in dust and ashes.”

The Lord Rebukes Job’s Friends

7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8 Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what the Lord had told them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

The Lord Restores Job’s Fortunes

10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil [2] that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money [3] and a ring of gold.

12 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations.17 And Job died, an old man, and full of days.

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

Is this the Role of Mid Level Manager

In my previous posts, I tried to communicate with all of you about the hidden pain and agony of a Mid Level Manger of any Corporate Sector… Here I am giving a small example:

Bill Tepfer, earned a business degree from the University of Delaware in 1990. After that, when he joined with Shademaster Tent & Awning Supply as an an associate service-department manager, his common responsibilities were all those of the mangers. He has been told and groomed like the other company, he was also very proud to work with the company and the company had also got many successes under his supervision. He was devoted enough to do anything for the betterment of the company. This level of devotion towards the company had lead him to a miserable and quiet odd situation.
One fine morning, he was told to determine the party responsible for not flushing the second-floor toilet!!!! by his supervisor, Service-department manager Milt Trautwig. Can you think of it!! It’s fact.

Yes, on the contrary, starting out answering phones as a customer-service representative, he quickly climbed through the ranks, promoted to lead operator in 1994, to junior associate service-department manager in 1997, and to his current associate-manager post in 1999.

So, for the JOB only a Business Student needs to work as a Caretaker as well…

What do you think!!

[Via http://bluevisiontech.wordpress.com]

A pet for Job?

Job 41:5  Will you play with him as with a bird,
or will you put him on a leash for your girls?

I really appreciate the sarcastic humor we find in the Bible.  In Job 41, God is asking Job if he would like to bring this creature, called a leviathan, home as a pet and play with it? Put it on a leash and let his girsl play with it?  I don’t think I would!  This Leviathan was “a large creature, identity unknown”. Some Bible commentaries say that the Leviathan is a crocodile or even a whale, but that does not fit with the description we will read later in the chapter.

The main point here seems to be that if Job can’t stand against this creature, then how does he think he can he possibly stand against God who created this creature?

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

promise of a lifetime.

this aren’t parfait right now. probs everything but. but I’m still clinging to the promise of a lifetime. because He hears my every prayer. He holds my tear drops. He mends my wounded heart. He said He’d never leave me. And He has always kept that pledge. He makes a symphony out of my melody of pain. He’s the lover of my soul. He still loves me more than I could ever imagine, even though I’m struggs. I want Him to help me fall apart and take me into His arms. Because it’s hard to be broken without glue to mend.

God is in this. God is working in my brokenness. Maybe He won’t calm the storm. But He’ll calm my heart. He’ll be right there with me. He is right here with me, even when I can’t see or hear Him. He calms my heart, even when I feel everything but calm. He is my peace. He is my rock. He knows everything is going to be alright. I want to believe what He knows. I need to believe what He knows. I don’t want to call him a liar. I do that too much. He isn’t a liar. He is Lord. I want Him to be Lord of me.

I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. -Job

I want to have that kind of faith. I want to offer all of me. I want Him to be ALL this heart is living for. I want to value Him more than I value life itself. I want to trust Him. I want to believe everything He says. He is The Truth and he speaks the truth.

I want my hands to lifted to the God who gives and takes away. No matter what. I’m not about hypocrisy. I’m about authenticity. I don’t want a double heart. I want a God focused heart. I want my broken heart to still sing. No matter what. Even if He takes it all away, He’ll never let me go. And I’ll still be His.

I want to cling to His promise. I want to cling to His Love.

adhering (or attempting to at least),

coop

[Via http://annamariecooper.wordpress.com]

Commanding eagles to fly

God to Job:

“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars
and spreads his wings toward the south?
Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
and makes his nest on high?”
In Job 39, we see a list of animals that Job can’t in any sense govern or rule. Adam was given dominion over the animals in the garden, but this dominion was lost after the fall of the human race into sin. God’s point is that Job has no control over these creatures, and doens’t even  know the extent of their activity.  God is sovereign over every move. How crazy to think that Job could control the flight of birds.  And crazier still to think that his strength could match a horse’s great power. Time has come for Job to admit his lack of control and God’s complete control.  Round 1 over. Round 2 in Chapter 40

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

December 21 Job 39

December 21 

Job 39 (ESV)

39:1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?
Do you observe the calving of the does?
2 Can you number the months that they fulfill,
and do you know the time when they give birth,
3 when they crouch, bring forth their offspring,
and are delivered of their young?
4 Their young ones become strong; they grow up in the open;
they go out and do not return to them.

5 “Who has let the wild donkey go free?
Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 to whom I have given the arid plain for his home
and the salt land for his dwelling place?
7 He scorns the tumult of the city;
he hears not the shouts of the driver.
8 He ranges the mountains as his pasture,
and he searches after every green thing.

9 “Is the wild ox willing to serve you?
Will he spend the night at your manger?
10 Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes,
or will he harrow the valleys after you?
11 Will you depend on him because his strength is great,
and will you leave to him your labor?
12 Do you have faith in him that he will return your grain
and gather it to your threshing floor?

13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,
but are they the pinions and plumage of love? [1]
14 For she leaves her eggs to the earth
and lets them be warmed on the ground,
15 forgetting that a foot may crush them
and that the wild beast may trample them.
16 She deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers;
though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear,
17 because God has made her forget wisdom
and given her no share in understanding.
18 When she rouses herself to flee, [2]
she laughs at the horse and his rider.

19 “Do you give the horse his might?
Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him leap like the locust?
His majestic snorting is terrifying.
21 He paws [3] in the valley and exults in his strength;
he goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
he does not turn back from the sword.
23 Upon him rattle the quiver,
the flashing spear, and the javelin.
24 With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground;
he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’
He smells the battle from afar,
the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars
and spreads his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
and makes his nest on high?
28 On the rock he dwells and makes his home,
on the rocky crag and stronghold.
29 From there he spies out the prey;
his eyes behold it from far away.
30 His young ones suck up blood,
and where the slain are, there is he.”

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

His Mom

I want to be like her.  Today and every day of my life.

When I think about her I think maybe I could just change jobs to try to find some semblance of happiness here.  Like, maybe I could cut down to part time in my current job, that way I’d keep my foot in the counseling field.  Then I could get another job as a care-taker to old people.  That’s what I did for five years right before taking the job I’m in now.  I find it to be very fulfilling, un-stressful work.

Or maybe I could work at Cold Stone.

So, I’m thinking maybe – since I’m at a place where something’s gotta give, I can’t keep going on like this – I could try adjusting my work situation here for a year or so, before going all out and flying the coup (i.e. America).

I think of this on the heels of thinking about his mom, because she’s held a variety of jobs, working hard, and thriving in each one.  She says on her FB page, “I’ve made keeping up with life’s changes my full time career.”

She emanates joy and peace.  And I want that.  Just like she’s got.

[Via http://thebackofmymind.wordpress.com]

Praise and preparation to hear from God

Dr. Kim Riddlebarger:

Having considered the greatness of God’s purposes, throughout the balance of chapters 36 and 37, Elihu is moved to praise God for all his goodness, seen throughout the glories of creation. “God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’? Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song. All mankind has seen it; men gaze on it from afar. How great is God-beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.” Elihu has no idea that he is speaking not only as a worshiper of YHWH, but as a prophet as well. Elihu is about to hear the very thing he has been trying to describe through his words of praise–the voice of God. And without knowing it, he has prepared the way for the coming of the Lord in the whirlwind.

In chapter 37, Elihu continues to praise YHWH. He has no idea of what is about to happen. “At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.” Continuing his praise of the Almighty, we skip ahead to verses 20-24 and the end of Elihu’s discourse. “Should he be told that I want to speak? Would any man ask to be swallowed up? Now no one can look at the sun, bright as it is in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?” Elihu’s speech now ends. He has directed Job back to where he started–the gracious and sovereign God. Elihu has also prepared the way for the Lord. For the next words we read in Job in 38:1 are “Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm.” Everyone has spoken. Job, Bildad, Eliphaz, Zophar and Elihu have all had their say. Now the Lord will come and speak and whole the earth will be silent! Here is the wisdom all have been seeking. For the suffering and obedience of Job points us ahead to the doing and dying of the man of sorrows, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the very wisdom of God incarnate. In him, we find all that we need, including the resolution to the mystery of suffering and the revelation of the saving purposes of God. Amen!

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

December 18 Job 37

December 18

Job 37 (ESV)

Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

37:1 “At this also my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2 Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
and his lightning to the corners of the earth.
4 After it his voice roars;
he thunders with his majestic voice,
and he does not restrain the lightnings [1] when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders wondrously with his voice;
he does great things that we cannot comprehend.
6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
7 He seals up the hand of every man,
that all men whom he made may know it.
8 Then the beasts go into their lairs,
and remain in their dens.
9 From its chamber comes the whirlwind,
and cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
and the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They turn around and around by his guidance,
to accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of the habitable world.
13 Whether for correction or for his land
or for love, he causes it to happen.

14 “Hear this, O Job;
stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know the balancings [2] of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, spread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?

21 “And now no one looks on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—we cannot find him;
he is great in power;
justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24 Therefore men fear him;
he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

Action this you bastard

So today is my last day at my job, and then I will be embarking on a bout of emloynessness. So to some up, things I like about my job (as a part time call centre worker – oh the joys):

1. Being able to say things like “have you tried switching it off then on again?” and being able to feel part of the IT Crowd.

2. The grey area – the area that allows me to give to the nice and take from the dickheads. PS: I dont care how long youve been with the phone company, you’re still an arse. On the other hand, if you accept that youve made a lot of calls this month, or it is actually the companies error, I’ll apply whatever credit I can to your account. No problem good friend.

3. Putting the law of karma into my own hands – Do good to nice people, arseholes get nothing.

The things I hate about this job:

1. Bad coffee outlets all around. I’m no coffee connoisseur, but I believe that’s just milk.

2. Racists. “Oh thank god, you’re Australian”. Well done arsehole, I will not be unbarring your account.

3. 35-45 age bracket of men that call me darling. Patronization will get you nowhere.

And the most peculiar thing? How a custoemr can talk on the phone for 10 minutes, you can hear every word that their saying, and still not comprehend the reason they have called or what they need. It’s a strange feeling, and I’ll miss that feeling of complete and utter confusion.

So my word of advice to the people in Bombay who will be taking over my calls – good luck guys, and remember, you are the directors of karma now – don’t let me down!

[Via http://actionthis.wordpress.com]

The "Righteous Sinner" Gets "Refined"

John Piper explains Elihu’s view of suffering in Job 36:6–15

The helpful thing in these verses is that Elihu makes clear that there is such a thing as a righteous person who still has sin that needs to be revealed and rooted out. To call a person righteous does not mean that the person is sinlessly perfect. There is a “righteous sinner.”

This is helpful because God himself called Job a righteous man in 1:1, and Job won his argument on the basis of his reputation as a righteous man. And yet at the end of the book Job repents and despises himself. So Job is righteous (by the testimony of God!) even though he has sin remaining in him. He is not among the wicked.

Elihu looks at these two groups of people, the wicked and the righteous, and he distinguishes the different roles that suffering has in each. We’ll start reading at verse 6:

He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right. He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings upon the throne he sets them for ever, and they are exalted.

Now if he had stopped there, he would have sounded exactly like Eliphaz: the wicked suffer and the righteous prosper. There is a sense in which this is true in the long run. But the question plaguing Job is why the righteous suffer in the short run. So Elihu goes on in verse 8:

And if they [that is, the righteous] are bound in fetters and caught in the cords of affliction [so Elihu admits right away that the righteous are not always with kings on the throne; they do suffer], then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly. He opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.

In other words the righteous are far from sinlessly perfect. There is much of the old nature left in them, and from time to time this old nature of pride breaks out in actual sinful behavior—as it did with Job when he accused God of being his enemy. This is what Job repents of at the end of the book.

Suffering Refines the Righteous

Elihu’s teaching, then, is that affliction makes a righteous person sensitive to his remaining sinfulness and helps him hate it and renounce it. Suffering opens the ear of the righteous (v. 10). The psalmist said the same thing in Psalm 119:71, “It was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.” There are dimensions of godliness that the righteous can only learn through affliction.

So the new slant that Elihu gives is that the suffering of the righteous is not the fire of destruction but the fire that refines the gold of their goodness. For the righteous it is not punitive but curative.

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

December 16 Job 36:1-15

December 16

Job 36:1-15 (ESV)

Elihu Extols God’s Greatness

36:1 And Elihu continued, and said:

2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar
and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;
he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives the afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but with kings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they are bound in chains
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
10 He opens their ears to instruction
and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword
and die without knowledge.

13 “The godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in youth,
and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
and opens their ear by adversity.

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

New year? New job? We need a Junior Social Media Planner..

Sooo… here at Dare we’re after a Junior Social Media Planner to join our lovely social media team. We’re part of the planning department but that doesn’t mean you’ll be writing endless powerpoint presentations, just thinking and not doing. The role is a lovely mix of concepting, strategy, techie thoughts, community & profile management and blogger outreach. You’d be working on the long term social media strategies for our clients, as well as the big campaigns we produce here.

Last week, Daniel (our other Junior Social Media Planner) spent a day like this:

New Look: inviting bloggers to the SS10 press launch in London; inviting bloggers to a day trip to Paris to see the new collection; coordinating the content plan across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the blog; sending out SS10 look books to bloggers; planning the campaign ideas around the flagship store launch.

Barclaycard: updating their music Twitter feed; planning ideas around the new tv advert (the big digital campaign itself and what we’ll do on all the Barclaycard profiles); looking at ways to measure it all; working with the tech and the IA department on how the new campaign pages will integrate social media; updating the Barclaycard Facebook page.

Of course I’m going to say it, but Dare is a brilliant place to work. There are about 180 of us, we’re just off Oxford St and we get free beakfast. We just won Digital Agency Of The Decade and we do work like this. We have a knitting club.

We’re after someone who knows the platforms inside out, knows what makes a good social media campaign and most importantly understands how social media can benefit a brand. You don’t need years of experience, but someone from a social media, PR or techie background would be brilliant.

Email the lovely lucy.hodge@daredigital.com with your cv if you’re interested or if you’d just like to know more. I have actually written a proper job description, as well as this endless waffle. Lucy can send this over.

Thanks

xx

[Via http://helenium.wordpress.com]

Considering silently

Dr. Kim Riddlebarger continues the commentary on Job 34:

God gives all life. God judges with perfect righteousness. He knows all the facts. He does nothing capriciously or improperly. Job needs to consider this matter carefully, since he claims to believe this, as do his friends.

To even question God’s goodness is folly. In verse 29 Elihu asks, “But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over man and nation alike, to keep a godless man from ruling, from laying snares for the people. `Suppose a man says to God, ‘I am guilty but will offend no more. Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’ Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know. `Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me, ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’ Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man! To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” Notice that Job remains silent. He does not reply. He realizes he may have said too much and overstated his case. His words come close to sounding like those of an angry pagan.

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

December 14 Job 34:21-37

December 14

Job 34:21-37 (ESV)

21 “For his eyes are on the ways of a man,
and he sees all his steps.
22 There is no gloom or deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God [1] has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets others in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place for all to see,
27 because they turned aside from following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he heard the cry of the afflicted—
29 When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or a man?—
30 that a godless man should not reign,
that he should not ensnare the people.

31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33 Will he then make repayment to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore declare what you know. [2]
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.’
36 Would that Job were tried to the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

Guilty As Charged

Well I’ll just put it right out there I’m faced with a few charges:

Negligence.   Drunk and Disorderly. Stalking.

I’m accused of  neglecting this blog.  In my defence, I initally had lack of internet, progressing to just a general dark period. 

I arrived home Thursday.  I got written Friday and Saturday, which is where my second charge arrised.  There were appetisers and bottles of wine a piece, unexpected high school teacher reunions, dancing (on stage), tittie bars, the standard kebab trip – there were crazy times.    There was an incident however, which caused some concern.  On Saturday night, I encountered The Boy in a pub.  I looked at him, he looked at me, he looked down, and he walked off.  I proceeded to message and call him a lot, getting no/rude responses.   I cried all the way home.   I guess all that reflection on the Old Times wasn’t as harmless as I thought it was – I remebered him that way.  I assumed he had missed me – would be happy to see me.  That was pretty foolish (I still partly believe it… or at least I want to).  Now I’m feeling a bit heartbroken … how is this happening over again?   Quite the terrible ending to an otherwise good weekend.  And a horrible start to the week.

When brings us to the third and final charge.  I’m accusing myself of stalking – though I guess it depends how you look at it.  When myself and The Boy would fight – it was generally accepted that we would call and call and call until the other person agreed to talk.  When we broke up – neither of us gave up.  When I was seeing someone else – we still called.  Now I call. I message.  I email.  Just casual and catch up.  And I get nothing.  So I fire up some abuse, spill a bit of my soul out – a few sentences.  I go back to casual – silence again.  I go all out -  ‘ i miss you, i’m hurting’ the whole fucking sop story. Nothing. 

And now I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what I’m doing in the first place, chasing this taken and ex Boy. 

… I don’t know. I have nothing more poetic or meaningful to add to it.  I just don’t know.

What really gets me is I don’t know where I stand … and that is something that I loathe.  

I’m operating on the assumption … the possibly very naive and incorrect assumption … that he still has feeling for me, he still wants me.  That is why he can’t talk to me and won’t see me – he’s afraid he will miss me, want me.   And this is exactly why I NEED to see him, so he can realise this.  Or maybe not. Maybe I’m just a crazy obsessed stalker and the feelings are completely one-sided.  I really don’t know.  I’m just trying to put it on the back burner of my mind.

On a cheery note – one christmas present down! 22 to go!

It is wonderful being home.  Catching up with old friends, being at home, being able to relax and eat healthily. 

I went to the gym today and God it was a good workout!  I’m thinking of becoming a gym junkie.  The twice a day plus a run kind.  Keep me busy.  Should also find a job.. it’s hard when I’m relocating again in a week.

I am craving cuddles and sex and romance and just kisses and nice words from a special someone – anyone.  This is dangerous … now is the time to be keeping me guard.  I’m still a fucking wreck.

I’ve got a shitload of Borings:  sitting around at home, computer games,    but Not Borings have been in somewhat short supply:  Red Wine is about the only definate.

[Via http://audacitytheorist.wordpress.com]

Elihu calls Job’s bluff

Dr. Kim Riddlebarger comments on Job 33:

In the first 7 verses of Job 33, Elihu extends a challenge of sorts to Job. “But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say. I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue. My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know. The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Answer me then, if you can;prepare yourself and confront me. I am just like you before God; I too have been taken from clay. No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy upon you.” Repeatedly, Job had demanded a trial before God, but then complained that such a trial would overwhelm him. Now Elihu calls Job’s bluff. Let Job argue his case with another mere mortal. Let Job respond to Elihu’s arguments. In effect, what Elihu is saying is, “You want a trial, Job–I’ll give you a trial!”

In verses 8-11 Elihu does his best to summarize Job’s main point. “But you have said in my hearing-I heard the very words-’I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free from guilt. Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy. He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.’” Yes, Job is innocent, in the sense that he has not sinned as his friends have accused him. But Job is still a sinner–a justified sinner–but a sinner nonetheless. In the process of protesting his innocence and demanding vindication, Job’s righteous anger and indignation (not wrong in themselves) have become conceit, which according to one writer is “incredibly bald and arrogant [as seen] in Job’s final words”.

It is one thing to defend your conduct. It is another to demand your rights, especially when, as a sinner,  Job has only those rights given to him by a gracious God in the first place! Elihu now points this out.

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

December 11 Job 33:1-11

December 11

Job 33:1-11 (ESV)

33:1 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me, if you can;
set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of clay.
7 Behold, no fear of me need terrify you;
my pressure will not be heavy upon you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he counts me as his enemy,
11 he puts my feet in the stocks
and watches all my paths.’

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.

It is such a relief to be back in the office again, doing a job that I know I am good at.  Last week I was asked if I wanted to continue with sales. I said no, and in turn got my old job back!  I am now back to my old job of production manage/office manager/office mule and believe me I am so much happier for it.

I shall definitely have more time for writing again.  Even here at the office.  I can get more done in less time than the boss ever has, and started off my return with having the paper finished an hour ahead of schedule.

The wind outside groans as it twists around the buildings as though it has been torn apart mercilessly.  On occasion a sheet of tin slaps down sharply as the wind screams around town.  Sharp white flakes fly through the air in a restless attempt to fall to the ground.  The cold, the bitter restless cold, forces itself upon you, raping  bare skin of its warmth. Even the clouds, low slung and seeming not to move at all, are struck with the legarthy of winter’s first kiss.

[Via http://shadowflame1974.wordpress.com]

10 of the World's Greatest Jobs

Paradise island caretaker

Ben Southall, 34, of Petersfield, beat out nearly 35,000 applicants from around the world for the dream assignment to swim, explore and relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef, while writing a blog to promote the area. He was selected for the $111,000 gig – a six-month contract to serve as caretaker of a tropical Australian island. He now has to live rent-free in a three-bedroom villa, complete with pool.

Before getting the job he had to spend four days on the island for an extended interview process, which required applicants to snorkel through crystalline waters, gorge themselves at a beachside barbecue and relax at a spa. He also had to demonstrate his blogging abilities, take swimming tests and sit through in-person interviews.

(Link) Luxury bed tester

A student from Birmingham City University has landed her dream job…literally! Sleeping on the job and having a lie-in will no longer be a problem for a girl, who has been selected to test out luxury beds for a month and get paid for it.

Roisin Madigan, 22, is earning £1,000 to sleep in designer beds every day for a month. The student is helping with a “sleep survey” carried out by luxury bed specialists Simon Horn Ltd. The company sells luxury Savoir Beds, originally made for the Savoy Hotel. General manager Craig Roylance said Roisin will not only provide an objective view of the beds on sale, but will also be part of a look into what brings a good night’s sleep. She will spend 10am to 6pm in beds in the company’s showroom in Edgbaston, and then will blog about her experiences. (Link | Photo)

Resort waterslide tester

Surely the envy of any desk-bound office worker, Tommy Lynch has travelled over 27,000 miles this year for his job, testing holiday resort waterslides. Mr Lynch, 29, works for holiday giant First Choice, checking the height, speed, water quantity and landing of the flumes, as well as all safety aspects. In 2008 Mr Lynch testedwaterslides at holiday villages in Lanzarote, Majorca, Egypt, Turkey, Costa Del Sol, Cyprus, Algarve, Dominican Republic and Mexico. This year he will quality control First Choice’s new splash resorts in Greece, Turkey, Florida, Jamaica and Ibiza.

Liverpool-born Mr Lynch, whose job title is lifestyle product development manager, was recruited to identify the very best pools to be featured in First Choice’s new Splash Resort collection. He also ensures potential new resorts are up to the company’s standard. (Link)

Professional prostitute tester

Jaime Rascone is no different than the rest of us in that the erstwhile DJ needs to grab the occasional odd job to make ends meet. But the Chilean lothario has beat all of us by holding the type of fantasy job that just sounds too good to be true: Quality Control in a brothel.
Rascone, an occasional male model and DJ, first happened upon Fiorella Companions in Santiago, Chile while working on a story about the country’s sexual revolution. He was offered the gig by Madam Fiorella, who needed somebody to provide that final “interview” in her hiring process. It goes like this: girls who are interested in working as VIP escorts for Fiorella have to undergo interviews, psychological testing, and a photo session. The applicants are whittled down to a final six, who are then fucked one after the other in a single day by Jaime. He takes diligent notes on, say, how they moved their hips and whether their groans were adequate, and makes recommendations to the madam. There is even paperwork involved. The strain of the job is actually such that he can only do it once a month, testing around seventy girls or so a year. (Link 1 | Link 2)

// //

Wine tester and blogger

Imagine moving to the heart of Sonoma County, where every day you’ll come home to more than 450 wineries along the beautiful northern coast of California. Picture living rent free, learning the intricacies of making the perfect wine, and capturing and sharing the entire experience for your network of Twitter followers. Now imagine getting paid $10,000 a month to do it. Listening? Hardy Wallace of Atlanta, the first person to submit his application, was the winner for the position at Murphy-Goode Winery— a $10,000 p/mo for six months, rent-free job updating Twitter and Facebook with his winery lifestream. Theinterview process was simple: submit a YouTube video explaining why you would be good for the job and wait to see what happens.

(Link 1 | Link 2)

Candy taster

Another one of the world’s best job has gone to schoolboy Harry Willsher, 12, chief taster in a sweet factory. Harry’s job is to test top secret recipes. He got the job after winning a contest at Swizzell’s Matlow to find a recruit. According to him, after his first tour at his new job, he felt like having tepped into the book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. He wowed judges by describing the flavor and smell of his favourite sweet, the Drumstick lolly. The Derby firm, which also makes Love Hearts, Rainbow Drops and Parma Violets, has now given the youngster chief taster overalls and business cards. As well as sampling the sweets, he will also monitor their development at the company’s factory in New Mills, Derbyshire. I don’t know if it’s the best job, but it’s definitely the sweetest. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Condom tester

An Australian manufacturer called for applications for what it claims could be the world’s best job – condom tester. Durex marketing manager Sam White was hiring Australians over the age of 18 who could apply for one of 200 positions as a condom tester. Unfortunately the position is not paid, but successful applicants would receive a free $60 selection of Durex products and will be required to provide the company with honest feedback about the products’ performance. One of the lucky 200 testers would win a $1000 bonus. Maybe the bonus is not that great, but one thing’s for sure – it’s a job where employees won’t mind taking their work home and burning the midnight oil. We are sorry to inform you applications are closed. (Link 1 | Link 2)

World of Warcraft Tester

Do you Play World of Warcraft? And if so, do you play well? Can you farm 200 gold an hour and hit level 80 in under 2 weeks? If the answer is yes, you can apply for the job that about 12 million players only dream about, as a Wow game tester! There are in fact several Blizzard jobs posted on their website. The Blizzard employment database has dozens of mmorpg jobs available, mostly WoW employment opportunities. They are currently hiring for several game tester positions forWorld of Warcraft , under the QA department. They are in particular looking for foreign language testers, so if you speak any other language besides English, don’t hesitate to apply to start your Blizzard career. And, yeah, you will be required to play at least four hours a day. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Director of Fun at a museum (age 6)

A six-year-old boy who wanted to become the director of York’s National Railway Museum landed himself a job – as the director of fun. The ambitious youngster got a plum role at the National Railway Museum after applying to replace retiring boss Andrew Scott. Sam Pointon sent a handwritten letter headed “Application for director” asking for an interview at the centre, in York. The letter listed his credentials for the role, including his expertise on his train set. “I am only six but I think I can do this job,” wrote Sam. “I have an electrick (sic) train track. I am good on my train track. I can control two trains at once.” Staff was so impressed they appointed Sam an honorary “Director of Fun” and his job will be to bosses how he thinks they can ensure the museum is the most fun place for kids to spend a day out.

Ok, maybe this isn’t the best job in the world for an adult, but it certainly rocks the world of a 6 year old. (Link)

Bike rider-photographer for Google Maps

Google (GOOG) has hired two lucky young men to ride around France on dopey looking tricycles snapping up photos of historical sites that are inaccessible by car. This three-wheeler is a sight with its long pole holding nine cameras, a GPS, a computer and a generator. But the contraption tooling around the French capital needs all that gear to do its job – adding three-dimensional images to Google’s Street View Maps.

The riders, wearing Google tee-shirts and white helmets, are visiting well-known sites such as the Chateau de Versailles, west of Paris, the Jardin du Luxembourg on the city’s Left Bank or Les Halles, in the busy centre of the French capital. (Link)

[Via http://habibualhaque.wordpress.com]

Jesus in the OT :: Job

The book of Job gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

The story of Job is a fascinating account of what happens in a realm beside the physical. The facts of the account are as follows. Job is an perfect and upright man, one who feared God and eschewed evil (Job 1:1). Yet, he loses his Wealth, His Family and His Health. And even in such dire circumstances, Job refrains from cursing God but instead glorifies God by blessing Him.

Job prefigures Jesus in that Jesus is THE PERFECT and UPRIGHT (not only sinless but blameless) God made Man Who feared God (demonstrated by His keeping of the commandments – John 15:10) And eschewed evil (there was no sin found in Him – 1 Peter 2:22)

Jesus lost
His Wealth (Treasures of heaven (Matthew 6:20 & Revelation 21),
His Family (His Father, whom He had to address as My God, My God, why have you forsaken me (Psalm 22)) and
His Health (He was marred beyond recognition and his body was crucified, his blood was shed (Isaiah 53))

In Job 4:12-14 – Job sees an image and trembles in his bones. At the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His day, the heavens and earth will shake (Haggai 2:21; Isaiah 13:13) when it receives its King.  Interestingly, Job in Hebrew (Iyyob) means the “Persecuted One” and in Aramaic it means “To Come Back”.

In Job, Jesus is the Persecuted One who will Come Back as King of kings and Lord of lords.

[Via http://thepauls.wordpress.com]

Tim Tebow Theology

To say Tim Tebow has been an outstanding athlete for Florida and a wonderful role model would be a gross understatement.  While some college athletes get busted for drug use or arrested for public drunkenness and fighting, Tim Tebow proudly and confidently speaks about his Christian faith.

Before Florida’s loss to Alabama (yes, I was pulling for Alabama. ), CBS showed a clip of Tebow who said that everything that happens is God’s will.

I can’t accept Tim Tebow’s theology.  And I hope with life experiences (He’s still young.) Tim will re-think his theology too.  I invite anybody who thinks that everything that happens is God’s will to, among other things:

1) walk through a pediatric intensive care unit

2) walk through a cancer clinic

3) visit an area raged by a natural disaster (attend all the funerals of the deceased)

4) study the holocaust

5) do a google search (or Bing search) on genetic disorders

6) read the book of Job, the lament Psalms, and particularly Ecclesiastes

The world does not need our “defending God theologies” so much as it needs Christians and churches responding to the world’s suffering.  Of course, a less sure theology would be in order too.

In his book Defending God:  Biblical Responses to the Problem of Evil (p. James L. Crenshaw cites Psalm 77:4

I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints.

There is a sharp contrast between the Psalmist’s moaning about God and Tim Tebow’s defending God.

Surprisingly, the book of Job ends with God defending Job, who has given God down the road, and with God being upset with Job’s friends, who have been defending God and attacking Job for letting God have it.

Job 42:7

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eli’phaz the Te’manite: “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.

[Via http://liberalbaptistrev.wordpress.com]

Feeling like you've been abandoned by God?

Dr. Kim Riddlebarger on Job 30:

Men who are regarded like dogs by polite society, now look down on Job. His present predicament and degree of suffering is almost beyond words.

But what is worse, Job feels as though he’s been abandoned by God. In verses 16-23, Job cries out, “and now my life ebbs away; days of suffering grip me. Night pierces my bones; my gnawing pains never rest. In his great power God becomes like clothing to me; he binds me like the neck of my garment. He throws me into the mud, and I am reduced to dust and ashes. `I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me. You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand you attack me. You snatch me up and drive me before the wind; you toss me about in the storm. I know you will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.” Job feels as though God is persecuting him. He also feels as though God has abandoned him during his time of greatest need. But what Job fails to grasp–and which will soon be revealed to him–is that he is on the verge of being guilty of the exact same thing as his three friends–he seeks wisdom through his own experience and observation. Yet we do need to cut Job some slack. As Kline reminds us, “it must be remembered that [Job] was not a man of stone but a man of flesh, and still being crushed by the serpent’s coils.”

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

December 7 Job 30

December 7

Job 30 (ESV)

30:1 “But now they laugh at me,
men who are younger than I,
whose fathers I would have disdained
to set with the dogs of my flock.
2 What could I gain from the strength of their hands,
men whose vigor is gone?
3 Through want and hard hunger
they gnaw the dry ground by night in waste and desolation;
4 they pick saltwort and the leaves of bushes,
and the roots of the broom tree for their food. [1]
5 They are driven out from human company;
they shout after them as after a thief.
6 In the gullies of the torrents they must dwell,
in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
7 Among the bushes they bray;
under the nettles they huddle together.
8 A senseless, a nameless brood,
they have been whipped out of the land.

9 “And now I have become their song;
I am a byword to them.
10 They abhor me; they keep aloof from me;
they do not hesitate to spit at the sight of me.
11 Because God has loosed my cord and humbled me,
they have cast off restraint [2] in my presence.
12 On my right hand the rabble rise;
they push away my feet;
they cast up against me their ways of destruction.
13 They break up my path;
they promote my calamity;
they need no one to help them.
14 As through a wide breach they come;
amid the crash they roll on.
15 Terrors are turned upon me;
my honor is pursued as by the wind,
and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.

16 “And now my soul is poured out within me;
days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 The night racks my bones,
and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.
18 With great force my garment is disfigured;
it binds me about like the collar of my tunic.
19 God [3] has cast me into the mire,
and I have become like dust and ashes.
20 I cry to you for help and you do not answer me;
I stand, and you only look at me.
21 You have turned cruel to me;
with the might of your hand you persecute me.
22 You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it,
and you toss me about in the roar of the storm.
23 For I know that you will bring me to death
and to the house appointed for all living.

24 “Yet does not one in a heap of ruins stretch out his hand,
and in his disaster cry for help? [4]
25 Did not I weep for him whose day was hard?
Was not my soul grieved for the needy?
26 But when I hoped for good, evil came,
and when I waited for light, darkness came.
27 My inward parts are in turmoil and never still;
days of affliction come to meet me.
28 I go about darkened, but not by the sun;
I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.
29 I am a brother of jackals
and a companion of ostriches.
30 My skin turns black and falls from me,
and my bones burn with heat.
31 My lyre is turned to mourning,
and my pipe to the voice of those who weep.

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

Work From Home - Intro

Work from home, make money from your Website, join affiliate programs, summer jobs, seasonal jobs, get paid to take online surveys, get paid by reading email, get paid by surfing the Web, money making tutorials, earn revenue by placing ads on your Website, advertisement programs, get a fee to refer customers, receive commission for offering custom builds, etc.

This is where you will find the companies that often hire home-based workers. The types of jobs listed in the
WAH Jobs section include :

Data Entry
Administrative Assistant
Virtual Assistants
Legal Transcription
Medical Transcription
Customer Service Reps

Freelance Writers
Proofreaders
Editors
Translators
Telemarketers
Online Tutors

Job Board

Current work at home and telecommuting job listings can be found on the Job Board. These listings include jobs in various industries and are updated often.

WorldWide Resources

While most of the jobs and resources on this site are for people in the U.S., the Telecommuting section contains resources from all around the world relating to telework, telecommuting, freelance work, working from home, and making money online.

Freelance Work

The Freelance page provides links to current freelance work projects in many different industries as well as a list of popular freelance sites.

Home Business

This section contains information about starting and running your own Home Business.

WAH Search

The WAH Search section provides details on some of the best sites to search for work at home jobs.

You’ll also find lots of other great resources including articles, books, classifieds, and more.

Have a look around! If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please contact us.

[Via http://earn500day.wordpress.com]

December 4 Job 27

December 4

Job 27 (ESV)

Job Continues: I Will Maintain My Integrity

27:1 And Job again took up his discourse, and said:

2 “As God lives, who has taken away my right,
and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter,
3 as long as my breath is in me,
and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not speak falsehood,
and my tongue will not utter deceit.
5 Far be it from me to say that you are right;
till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
6 I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go;
my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

7 “Let my enemy be as the wicked,
and let him who rises up against me be as the unrighteous.
8 For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off,
when God takes away his life?
9 Will God hear his cry
when distress comes upon him?
10 Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call upon God at all times?
11 I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
what is with the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 Behold, all of you have seen it yourselves;
why then have you become altogether vain?

13 “This is the portion of a wicked man with God,
and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:
14 If his children are multiplied, it is for the sword,
and his descendants have not enough bread.
15 Those who survive him the pestilence buries,
and his widows do not weep.
16 Though he heap up silver like dust,
and pile up clothing like clay,
17 he may pile it up, but the righteous will wear it,
and the innocent will divide the silver.
18 He builds his house like a moth’s,
like a booth that a watchman makes.
19 He goes to bed rich, but will do so no more;
he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.
20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;
in the night a whirlwind carries him off.
21 The east wind lifts him up and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.
22 It [1] hurls at him without pity;
he flees from its [2] power in headlong flight.
23 It claps its hands at him
and hisses at him from its place.

[Via http://bible-daily.org]

Tis' the Season for Aviation Job Scams

Hard times often bring out the best in people. Some help others, some try to “pay it forward”. This year however, there is an element that will be more than happy to take money from those who can least afford to lose it. These people are professional aviation job scammers preying on unemployed pilots.

I know we are all familiar with the usual scams, such as the famous “Nigerian Prince” or the fabulous foreign lottery you just won that you never heard of, but this year some of the scammers are becoming much more professional and roping in even seasoned aviation job hunters. Heres a good example.

Recently, a company has called pilots posing as Falcon Air in the UAE. Often they will call pilots unsolicited and offer the opportunity for employment. Many of us pilots fall for this since is it not unusual to get a call from a company that many have seen your employment profile online. These scammers even go as far to ask for the usual documents and conduct a phone interview. They even know the pilot “nomenclature”. Once they have your “trust” they then try to get you to either pay a “processing fee” or get other credit card or SSN information to get employment. DONT FALL FOR IT!!!! It is a classic “Phishing” scam!! More than one pilot has nearly given all his personal information to these guys. If you get a call or email from these guys ignore it or hang up.

How do we protect ourselves from scams like these. Especially sophisticated ones by phone or email.

 I have a few tips:

1.) Beware anyone who calles you unsolicited…In this job market, employers have literally the pick of any of thousands of people. The chance they are going to call around just to look for employees is fairly slim. Im not saying it doesnt happen, but it’s VERY rare these days. Make a note of the number that has called you. It’s easy to find out whom it is with a “reverse number lookup” on the web. I often use Google. Some phone numbers are already known to be scams and this will save you a lot of time and trouble. If someone calls and appears to be legitimate, ask LOTS of questions. Red flags might include things like not telling you which company they are calling from, evading questions or nervousness on the phone. It goes without saying to NOT give any personal information like SSN or credit cards to ANY party over the phone. Anyone asking your for money can automatically be considered a scam. There is also a site called Ripoffreport.com where you can look up any company that may contact you and  Google is always there as good reasearch tool.

2.) Many scam artists use the “cut and paste” method to pose as legitimate companies…A favorite of the phishing emails are ones that look like they come from legitimate companies. Clicking on the links often take you to what looks like a real web site. BE CAREFUL!! It many be an attempt to get personal information. The best way to avoid this is to first check the “more details” area of your email. If it’s from a strange email address watch out. When in doubt, Google the email address, you might be surprised what you find. Some also say if the email is from a Gmail address its a scam, but some companies use it to keep from being overwhelmed by resumes. It’s still up to you to perform ”due diligence” on any email you receive. The second way is to look at the header bar if you click on a link. The header shows the source of the web page. Look a little strange? Probably a scam.  Lastly check for spelling and grammatical errors. For some reason (probably because many scammers are from overseas) the spelling and grammar tend to be very poor. This is an easy catch for a potential scam.

3.) Do your homework before accepting any job offer or giving any information..Many if not all companies these days have SOME kind of internet presence. Pretty much any company out there that you type into Google is going to have some kind of internet history. Beware companies where you can’t find out any information about them. While it’s not unusual for new start-ups to not have a presence, any company that tells you its been “around for years” and doesnt have at least one hit on the search engines should be a cause for concern. There should be at least a corporate filing (if applicable) somewhere. If it’s VERY recent when the story given you was different WATCH OUT. The same goes with the people who may call you. In this modern age, you can pretty much find out almost anything you need to know in a couple of key strokes. If someone tells you they are a “billionaire” and you find their address is in a trailer park, that should also raise some red flags. (Much of this is based on a very recent incident).

4.) If a call or email you get raises serious concerns like safety or national security report it IMMEDIATELY…Some scammers have gotten so bold that they have resorted to “death threat” emails. These emails attempt to extort money from people by THREATENING TO KILL THEM. I know of at least 2 people who have gotten these emails. Of course its an extortion scam. Such emails should be immediately reported to the FBI and TSA (if necessary). Likewise job offers that pay only in cash, involve foreign purchases of US aircraft without a good explanation or documentation, ask inappropriate questions or involve national security should be logged, saved and reported to TSA . We all have to look out for each other. This type of scam could be the worst kind involving persons who want to do harm to this country.

It’s a very tough market out there right now and the people who are preying on desperation and emotion are the worst kinds imaginable. Lets all make sure they dont take one dime of our money or our identity as we look for work.

[Via http://helpclintfindajob.wordpress.com]

New Job - Junior Java Developer - Central London - 30k

My client are seeking a Junior Java/JEE developer (min 1-2 yrs experience) for a permanent position in Central London.  The successful candidate will be working on a public facing web-site that represents a new paradigm in scientific literature publication. You will work in a team of highly skilled passionate developers, it is a superb chance to learn new technologies and receive mentoring from experienced programmers. 

The successful candidate will be expected to have:

 * Experience in Java based web development (preferably with a web framework of some sort).

* Excellent face to face communication skills.

* A university degree, preferably in a numeric based field (e.g.  Computer Science, Math, Physics).

 The candidate will ideally be familiar with:

 * An ORM technology (e.g. Hibernate) as well as Stored Procedure (SQL) development.

* Agile Methodologies (e.g. Pair Programming, Standups, Test Driven Development).

* A RDBMS (e.g Oracle).

 The candidate should at least have an interest in:

 * Spring (MVC, I/O)

* Templating Engines (e.g. Velocity).

* Build Tools (e.g.  Maven), Source Control (e.g. SVN) and Web Application servers (e.g.  Tomcat).

Please send recent CV to b.cranford@clearview-itrs.co.uk quoting reference 2264. Please email if further information required.

[Via http://londonjavacommunity.wordpress.com]

Another day

I’m really just deadweight at work now.

It’s not really my fault. There is far too much in this post to ever be justified by its awful salary. The fact that I have another lined up in London has just made me become comatosed.

Will not sleep properly til I get my official offer letter through. Then my new life begins in the New Year; how exciting…

Well, off to work.

[Via http://thoughtoverflow.wordpress.com]

Winds of Change

Winds of Change

Three years, one profession, two companies, two fields of practice, numerous reports, hundreds of issues, 100 officemates, hundreds of thousands of income but where am I now? I don’t know.

Just recently, my name got longer again by three letters, apart from being a Certified Public Accountant, I am now a Certified Internal Auditor. But, what has changed after gaining another certification? Not much, not a promotion, not even a pay raise, only a longer name. Don’t get me wrong for I am not complaining, I am just looking for something, a place where I can find happiness, fulfillment and prosperity all at the same time.

“The wind is always blowing on your direction”, a friend once told me. Well, life has been very good to me, and I’ve always been so thankful for it. I was able to enter one of the country’s most prestigious university, I got into the most sought after program, I graduated with good grades and passed the so-called most difficult board examination in just one take, so yes, life has been very good to me but I’m not saying that I have a perfect life, I know there are others out there who are more blessed than I am, and they might react on this article, but I digress. I too have my own fair share of difficulties and hardships but only a few or maybe no one among my fellows saw those things.

But as I entered the concrete jungle of the real world, life wasn’t that good anymore but again the people around me didn’t see that. How will they notice such, when I received a call from the country’s most respected auditing firm four hours after being enlisted as a professional, how? They didn’t know how hard it is to prove one’s self, to establish who you are in the business world when you are just at the beginning of your career and you are nothing but a mere dot at the bottom of the food chain. Other people will only see that you took an out of town trip, that your closet is full, that there’s a more than a dozen of shoe boxes kept under you bed but what you’ve gone through and what you’re going through? No, most people don’t know that, they don’t know the thigns you had to go through.

I never was a bum, I am gainfully employed before reaching 21 and that was also the time when I began experiencing the bittersweet taste of life in the real world. From being a high school Queen Bee, I am now an “Ass”ociate, working my ass up to wee hours in the morning to fix the financials of clients. I don’t give orders anymore, I take them and I am paid to follow them, whether I like it or not. I must surrender to the pointless demands of the boss. I must listen to whatever it is she has to say for after six months, I’ll be at her mercy, whether to be kicked out or remain as an “Ass”ociate, I remained as an “Ass”ociate. After, tremendous adjustments and numerous sacrifices, judgment day came, this time the wind didn’t blew my way, it was so against me that it almost break me, no one knew for I need to put a face, a strong face, a defense mechanism. So I left, companies left and right we’re calling but offers weren’t that lucrative ’til one company called up for an interview and before the day ended, I’m hired. I’ll begin in less than two weeks, I was also shocked. Is the wind blowing towards my direction once again? I thought so but no it’s not, for here I am writing this blog, ’cause I’m not doing anything. Maybe, I should be blamed for I work too fast? But why too fast? It is because this is a pencil pushing 8-hour job that is not putting my skills into its best use. It is insulting everyday, my name is too long for what I am doing, call me conceited but that is how I feel, I am too good for this.

Am I fighting destiny? Maybe, this is not where I am supposed to be that’s why the wind seems to be against me or there is a lesson I need to learn. I’m not saying that I hate bosses and taking orders, I know that’s how the cycle goes and we need to learn by under going such cycle neither am I biting the hand that is feeding me, it pays my bills and takes me to places but I need a purpose, something worthy of my time, something that could make me feel proud of myself that I was able to put into use those two certifications that I worked so hard to attain, is that too much to ask?

Maybe, tomorrow the wind will blow my way once again, I’m not losing hope. Maybe, tomorrow I’ll receive the call that can give me happiness, fulfillment and prosperity.

“Lord, help me keep the faith that one day the wind will once again blow my direction, that I’ll be able to find fulfillment in my career, happiness for myself and prosperity. Anyway, thank you for this job.”

[Via http://eliterinkers.wordpress.com]

Drainage...DRAAAAAAINAGE

This is the time of the semester where I am utterly drained and ready for everything to end. I’m sure it doesn’t help that I had an absolutely inhuman workload this semester (dissertation, teaching 3 classes, lab work, and job hunting) and the end of the semester marks the beginning of an awesome trip to SE Asia. 7 more working days until I’m free. 7 more….7 more…

My university (and my college in particular) uses two online systems with which to organize course materials, submit assignments, and track student progress. No doubt many of you in higher education are familiar with the demons LiveText and/or eLearning. Now that many of my students’ assignments are rolling in, I’m beginning to see what poorly designed, expensive overpriced pieces of shit these platforms truly are. As much as my students have grumbled about how much they hate these systems, I’ve assured them that it’s infinitely worse on my side of the coin. Not only have I had to wrestle with the inconsistencies and minutiae of such  clumsy beasts and battled intermittent outages, but I also had to endure a few hours’ of “training” at the onset of the academic year. Yes, hours. The few morsels of information gleaned from these so-called training sessions could have been bestowed via a brief e-mail, so of course it made sense for me to waste a few perfectly good hours with Captain Incompetent at the helm. These training sessions were obviously for people who still think AOL is at the cutting edge of computing. It sickens me that someone, somewhere is making an obscene amount of money, profiting from my (and others’) misery, all in the name of this elusive goal of “accountability.”

If anything, this semester has taught me why so many of the professors I know drink the way they do. Sigh.

[Via http://haphazardmusings.wordpress.com]

Easten Europe Economic State

This information was prepared by the Latvian Ministry of Economics.
On 29 September, the Ministry of Economics informed the Cabinet of Ministers on Latvia’s macroeconomic situation and stressed that further growth and economic recovery would be determined not only by global economic recovery, but also by the effectiveness of the Latvian government’s economic policies.

According to the International Monetary Fund’s corrected prognoses, the world’s economy has begun to recover from the unprecedented recession of the last decades. Nevertheless stabilization is not unequivocal and the expected recovery is going slowly. Financial conditions have improved faster than expected mainly due to active measures undertaken by countries. New data indicates that the shrinking of the economy has slowed down. Notwithstanding positive tendencies, the global recession has not been fully overcome, recovery is slow, and financial systems have not fully stabilized.

The Economics Ministry’s economic prognosis for 2009 and 2010 is based on weak external demand and a shrinking internal demand. If the 2008 economic recession was determined by a decrease in internal demand, then the main factor in 2009 has been reduced external demand. Most likely, the 3rd quarter of 2009 will reveal a sharper GDP decrease then first two quarters. However, it is anticipated that GDP reductions will gradually diminish until mid-2010, when Latvia’s economy will hit the lowest point of its recession. Compared to the previous report on the macro economic situation Latvia, the prognosis for 2009 remains constant, and anticipates an 18% decrease of GDP. The government will continue to consolidate the state budget in 2010 and plans to substantially reduce government expenditure. As the result government and private expenditures will continue to fall. Restricted access to credit will restrict investment. Weak internal demand will decrease the volume of imports. On the other hand, as external demand grows in the second half of 2010 and manufacturer competitiveness improves, it is expected that export levels will exceed the 2009 figures. Despite positive tendencies for the second half of 2010, overall GDP could face a 4% decline in comparison with 2009.

Latvia’s economic recovery could begin in 2011, if the world’s financial markets fully stabilize andcredit availability is renewed. This would provide a positive stimulus for domestic business and
ensure a steady growth in demand for products and services in Latvia’s primary export market countries. GDP growth in 2011 is expected to increase by 1,5% in comparison with 2010. According to Economics Ministry’s experts, labour market recovery is expected a year later then the recovery of overall economic growth. It will be based on productivity and not on the number of employed. Social problems related to low employment will remain an issue for the next 3 to 4 years. The decrease in demand for labour will experience its biggest reduction in 2009 and 2010.

It is projected, that in 2009 the number of people employed will decrease in all sectors, and unemployment figures, in comparison with 2008, will increase sharply.

[Via http://marketfinancetime.com]

Trying Something New

I think we all need to try something new every now and again.  I’m a fan of it, aren’t you?

So in the spirit of trying something new, I’m looking around for a new path.  A new career perhaps?  A new way of getting things done.  And I’m not sure where this new search is headed.

I’m looking at going back to school.  Need to solidify that this next week, but it is a real possibility.  And if I get all the paperwork done correctly, I’ll be going back to school to learn something completely unrelated to anything I’ve ever done in the past.

Something entirely new.

I’m looking at jobs I never thought I’d look at.  Desperation?  Perhaps.  But perhaps it is time to look under a new leaf.

I had a friend who up and quit a decent job to try something new.  His new path has been rocky and unsure, but I can honestly say I’ve never seen him happier.  He quit lots of things he was really really good at to go off and do something he really really wanted.

He’s one of my heroes for that.  He chose it, I’ve had it forced off onto me.  But we have to play the cards life gives us, because leaving the table isn’t an option.

I’ve had a few friends, some quite close, decide to leave the table.  I don’t think it worked they way they intended.  It is messy, it doesn’t ever work the way you intended.  Or at least I hope not.  I’d hate to think my friends intended to leave the mess they did.

So I’m looking down a new path, and right now it has lots of twists and turns.  I’m still not sure where it is taking me, nor am I sure where I’ll end up.  But do we ever?

[Via http://runwolf.wordpress.com]

Webpage Concepts

Lately I have been working on a few webpage concepts for the Radioactive Energy Drink. I have created a set of six designs over the past three-and-a-half weeks. Each set was designed in Photoshop with a final copy as both JPG and PNG files. I did not find anything task too difficult while designing these concepts. I take that back; I did have a compression issue. I am not able to compress the raw PSD file small enough to send via email. However, the JPG and PNG files were sent with ease. Now it is a matter of waiting for client approval.

[Via http://graphixthatmove.wordpress.com]

Job How To Save Money On Protective Clothing And Stay Safe At The Same Time Posted By: Chris Harmen

Some people will try to get away with not wearing necessary safety equipment because of the added costs. While they may get away with it for a while, eventually luck will run out. We can only hope that it isn’t serious. However, there are several ways companies and individuals can save money on coveralls, plastic aprons, and other safety items.

Consider Using Disposable Coveralls And Safety Items

There is a significant difference in price when comparing traditional safety clothing to disposable items like plastic aprons. If they’re used wisely, have good quality, and can be purchased for a reasonable price, disposable safety clothing items can be far more affordable. This is particularly true when working with substances like oil, which can completely ruin fabric clothing in a relatively short amount of time.

Also, just because disposable safety garments are disposable doesn’t mean they can’t be reused. As long as they aren’t soiled, torn, or damaged to the point that the level of safety has been hindered, plastic aprons, coveralls, and other items are fine to reuse. To prevent cross-contamination onto other surfaces, simply take off the plastic aprons and protective gear and place them in a sealable plastic bag until needed again.

Getting More From Steel Toed Shoes In An Indoor Setting

Steel-toed shoes are extra heavy and have the extra protection workers need in an industrial setting. However, some of the chemicals, liquids, and even particulates can find their way inside, ruining the shoes. This can translate into a lot of money wasted replacing safety equipment that would otherwise still be quite usable.

To prevent this problem, throwaway shoe covers are ideal. They slip right up and over the bottom portion of shoes, easily keeping out particulate matter such as sawdust and protecting against chemical spills. Also, because they’re easily put on and taken off, the mess can be kept to the work area, eliminating the need to replace carpets, tiles, or other flooring.

Purchasing Separates Instead Of One Piece Suits

In some instances, such as in a paint booth for example, one half of the suit gets far more soiled and requires replacing much sooner than the rest of the outfit. Instead of wasting money and throwing out the entire thing, consider purchasing the pants and shirt separately. This way, the wearer only needs to replace the damaged half and can reuse the other half. This can end up saving thousands of dollars every year, but keep in mind that it depends on the job being performed. If it involves particulate matter or dangerous gasses, it might still be wise to use a one-piece suit to ensure these substances can’t make contact with the skin.

Protective garments such as coveralls should always be used with safety in mind first, but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to save money. With these tips, companies and individuals from all industries can save a significant portion of their budget to spend on other things.

job

employment

employment

Chris Harmen writes for MPE Safety Apparel, a provider of plastic aprons and safety garments. They have sold disposable Tyvek coveralls since 1987.

job: sales jobs

Article Source: www.articlesnatch.com

[Via http://jobqvkjvt.wordpress.com]

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (the Audience Business)

Application deadline – Friday 4 December 2009, 12 noon.

The Audience Business, Edinburgh’s audience development agency for the arts and cultural sector, is recruiting an Administrative Assistant to provide wide-ranging operational support, including financial administration, office management and company communications.
The successful candidate will be a proactive and efficient person, an excellent communicator with the ability to prioritise a busy workload, and will have experience in office administration and database maintenance.

For more information and an application form, visit www.tab.org.uk , call 0131 243 1430 or email alexandra@tab.org.uk

Fixed term contract : January 2010 to March 2011(initially 21 hrs. per week, full time from April 2010)

Salary scale: £12 – 14k p.a. (depending on experience)

The Audience Business strives to be an equal opportunities employer.

[Via http://creativeculturescotland.wordpress.com]

It's What We Do

It can be hard to find something to be thankful for during this current economic recession.  Perhaps you or someone you know is struggling to stay employed or worse, the job you had is no longer there.   Some Thanksgiving celebration it’ll be.  Or will it?  I guess it depends on your perspective.  It reminds me of a short story I wrote several years ago that might help put some perspective on the employment uncertainties we are all facing and maybe help you find some additional things to be thankful for this week.  Happy Thanksgiving!

 

It’s What We Do – A Short Story by Paul Kulpinski

The town of Billet Falls has always been this way for as long as anyone can remember.  It’s a town, not unlike many others.  It’s full of people who are all busy doing the things they do in the places they do them.  There’s the banker who works at the bank.  The butcher who works at the market.  The nurse who works at the hospital and of course the Mayor who works at City Hall all working to keep things running along smoothly and without disruption, because that’s the way it’s always been done.  The people of Billet Falls liked living life that way and no one ever dared to try living life any differently.

It was the first warm day after a particularly long cold winter when Mr. Lincoln and his family moved to Billet Falls.  Their home, while new to them, had previously been occupied by the dry cleaner who ran the laundry near city hall.  It was a beautiful house, located right in the heart of town.  So it was that after unpacking their belongings, Mr. Lincoln decided to conduct some business and establish themselves as the town’s newest residents.  His first chore was to open a bank account, so he went to the bank and met the banker.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lincoln”, said the banker.  What do you do?”

Mr. Lincoln noticed the family pictures on the banker’s desk and replied, “I do the same things you do.”

“Oh, you’re a banker too?” asked the banker with a tone of concern.

“Not at all.  I rear two beautiful children with the help of my lovely wife,” said Mr. Lincoln.

This puzzled the banker who replied, “Oh, that’s nice, I guess.”

The next morning, Mr. Lincoln decided to buy some fresh bread and pastries for his family’s breakfast.  So he ventured out early to the bakery where he met the baker.

“Welcome to Billet Falls Mr. Lincoln”, said the baker.  What do you do?”

“I am a father.” replied Mr. Lincoln.

The baker chuckled, “I see, and do you do any work?”

“Oh, there is a lot of work to do rearing two beautiful children.  Without the help of my lovely wife, I don’t know that I could get all of the work done!”  exclaimed Mr. Lincoln.

This confused the baker who was left to wonder as Mr. Lincoln walked back to his home in the heart of town with his fresh bread and pastries whistling a happy tune in the morning sunlight.

By the third day, Mr. Lincoln began preparing for a far-away trip he had scheduled so he stopped by the barber shop where he met the barber.

“Have a seat, Mr. Lincoln” said the barber inviting him into the chair by the front window.  “I’ve heard all about you.” As indeed word was spreading about the strange ways of Mr. Lincoln and his family.

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” said Mr. Lincoln.  “Then you know about what I do.”

“Well, no not exactly.  What is it that you do?”  asked the barber as his scissors began snipping away around Mr. Lincoln’s head.

“I’m the husband of a beautiful lady who has the deepest green eyes and who embodies that joyful feeling of a cool summer breeze,” said Mr. Lincoln with admiration.

“That doesn’t sound like a lot of work,” commented the barber as his scissors snipped on around Mr. Lincoln’s right ear.

“We’re quite busy actually, what with our two little one’s there’s barely a moment where we’re not doing something new and amazing!”

This wasn’t quite good enough for the barber so he pressed on.   “That’s nice, but what’s your real job,” he asked.

“I can’t think of any more important job than that!”  Mr. Lincoln thought for a moment then said, “Perhaps after the children are grown, I’ll find one.”

After Mr. Lincoln left with his fresh haircut, the barber turned the sign on his door to “CLOSED” and collapsed into his barber chair, stunned by what he had just heard.  If what Mr. Lincoln had said was true, this wasn’t good for Billet Falls.  For as long as anyone could remember, the people of Billet Falls knew each other by what they did and the very important titles they held because of it, like the banker, the baker and of course the barber.  What could it mean to be just a father?  The barber thought long and hard and it could only mean one thing.  So he went to the police station where the police officer worked and after talking for a moment, they went to the hospital where the doctor worked and after a while they went to the accountant’s office where the CPA worked and soon a large crowd of the people of Billet Falls, not knowing what to do about this new threat to their way of life went to City Hall where the Mayor worked.

The Mayor was outraged to learn that there could even be one citizen of Billet Falls who was not working at doing something productive.  So the Mayor marched off to Mr. Lincoln’s house in the heart of town followed by the banker, the baker, the barber, the policeman, the doctor, the accountant and the large mob of the other townspeople of Billet Falls which had become quite agitated.

The Mayor pounded on the door of Mr. Lincoln’s home.  When the door opened he demanded to know what Mr. Lincoln did.

Once again, Mr. Lincoln calmly replied,  “I am rearing two beautiful children with the help of my lovely wife.”

“What does it mean to rear two beautiful children with the help of your lovely wife?” blurted the Mayor.

“It means that I build model rockets with my son.  It means that I have tea parties with my daughter.  It means that my two beautiful children, my lovely wife and I take regular picnics in the parks around Billet Falls.  It’s that simple,”  said Mr. Lincoln.

“Ah, ha.  So you are unemployed!” the Mayor said accusingly.

“No, not at all!  I fly airplanes for the airline at the airport.” declared Mr. Lincoln.

The townspeople gasp in unison and then shouted in relief, “Oh, you’re a pilot!”

“No, I’m a father,” insisted Mr. Lincoln.  “It just so happens that I fly airplanes to earn money.”

A low murmer arose from the crowd as they grew uneasy again.  “I am no different from any of you,” Mr. Lincoln added.

But this did nothing to calm the crowd, until the fireman spoke up, slowly.  “So, you’re saying that because I am rearing my son that I am a father, who happens to put out fires for money”?

“Exactly,” said Mr. Lincoln.

Then the nurse spoke up, “I don’t have any children, Mr. Lincoln.  Does this mean that I am no body?”  There was a great commotion, as the crowd now believed that Mr. Lincoln had been defeated and maybe life could return to normal.

“Not at all,” said Mr. Lincoln.  “You’re someone’s daughter and perhaps even someone’s friend, correct?”

“Yes” she said.

“Then you are a daughter of two people who love you very much, who happens to take care of sick people for money,” said Mr. Lincoln.

The Mayor, still frantic about maintaining order in his town shouted, “How can we have a town full of fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends and neighbors?  We will never get anything done!  The town will collapse!”

But Mr. Lincoln knew that would never happen.  “Mr. Mayor” he said, “jobs come and go but the relationships you have with your family, friends and neighbors will outlast them all.”  Then Mr. Lincoln extended his hand to the Mayor, “my name’s Tom.  Tom Lincoln.”

The Mayor stammered slightly, then with a laugh he shook Mr. Lincoln’s hand firmly and replied, “my name’s Robert James Turner.  My friends call me R.J.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, R.J.,” said Mr. Lincoln.

And with that handshake, the matter was settled.  Before long, the people of Billet Falls began to think of themselves as fathers, mothers, sons and daughters; friends and neighbors all of whom did this or that for money.  Did the town collapse?  On the contrary.  It thrived as an amazing thing happened – some people actually decided to swap the jobs they did for money, because the banker really didn’t like banking and the plumber hated water.  What would have been the scandal of all scandals in the history of Billet Falls in the past, was now a minor event because Susan was a better banker than she ever was a plumber and Henry became the best plumber the town of Billet Falls had ever known.

© 1999, 2009  Paul Kulpinski

 

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