Did anyone see that episode of Seinfeld where George got fired but pretended like it didn’t happen then continued to show up to work until they said something? That’s kind of like what I’m doing.
I didn’t get fired. The 2 owners of my company decided to split ways. Together they can pay for an office admin and myself. Separately, they can only afford to hire their own admins. Currently they are still working in the same office until they can get their own separate space.
I was told I was getting laid off about 2 or 3 weeks ago, which was actually an answer to prayer so I wasn’t bummed about it.
However, I am still working here for a little while, but in the meantime, they have already hired a new office admin who will be doing all of my current work on top of her admin duties. So here I am training my replacement and handing off all my work. I spend my days sitting in a room with my 2 bosses who broke up and 2 office admins. I am just kind of here…existing.
It’s also worth noting that the new admin took my desk and computer, so now I have to bring in my laptop and sit at whatever desk is open…if there is one open…
It’s cool when I walk into work (between 10:30 and nobody really cares) and everyone looks at me like they can’t believe I am still coming in. I stay for about 4 hours, then I leave. I am waiting for that awkward conversation where they say, “Yeah….uhhh..you can probably stop coming in now.”
But until then, I will try my hardest to make it extremely awkward for everyone. Maybe I’ll bring in pancakes and forget forks. That would make it really inconvenient and awkward at the same time. What do you eat it with your hands? Who knows. Who cares.
ps. If you’re hiring, let me know!
My friend Peter is a wedding videographer in Northern Virginia, but constantly flies around shooting videos all over the country. He just recently posted this wedding video he did back in October and I thought it was pretty awesome.
If you need a wedding videographer in Northern Virginia, or anywhere, really, hit up Peter Von Kahle.
The Hays from Peter Philip Von Kahle on Vimeo.
I haven’t had an eye appointment in about 8 years. Some may say that is unhealthy and most would say that “some” is correct.
I got glasses about 8 years ago and wore them sometimes when I was driving. As I got older I wore them more often, at work and to see things, etc. Over those 8 years, I have never broken or lost my glasses. They were immortal. I guarded them like mama bear. 8 years without incident.
Months ago I saw a Living Social deal for an eye exam and new glasses. I knew my eyes were much worse than they used to be, and that I should probably upgrade my 8 year old prescription. Since I am without medical insurance, I bought the deal.
I didn’t use the deal until the month it expired. I can’t imagine why I delayed having blinding lasers burn holes in my brain through my pupils, or why I wouldn’t want to have machines blow violent puffs of air into my eyes every day. Why did it take me 8 years? This is great, I thought to myself.
A week later I was supposed to have my glasses. But the glasses store messed them up and it would be a few more days. During those extra few days, I lost my current glasses. In 8 years, I have never lost them, but the day before I got my new pair, I lost my glasses. My old friend. I have no idea where they are. I stapled “Have you seen me?” posters on all the neighborhood stop signs below the missing dog flyers. It featured me and glasses just having a good time together. Being able to see stuff was cool and I would miss that without my old friend helping me out.
But it occurred to me – isn’t it a little weird that in 8 years I have gone without an incident, and the day before I get my new pair, I lose the old pair? That months ago I bought this Living Social deal and happen to use it the month I lost my glasses? That the store messed up the prescription which delayed my new pair from arriving the DAY after I lost my glasses?
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed way too orchestrated. If I wasn’t a Christian, I would consider losing them one day and getting the new pair the next as a coincidence. But looking at the timing of it all, over 8 months time and all the events that happened just for me to be able to see – it looked a lot more like a plan of very specific occurrences.
It’s easy to think that God doesn’t care about the minor details of our life. That he isn’t Jehovah Jireh all the time, just for the big stuff. But He uses seemingly small things like a lost pair of glasses to remind me that my life is taken care of – that He has it under control for me. And when things looked like they fell apart, really they were falling into place.
God has literally provided for me in miraculous ways. I probably only realize it a fraction of the time. But even when it is too complex for me to notice, the love and care that goes into each and every detail is carefully constructed and executed by a God, a Father, who loves and care about every single detail of our lives. Stop and look around every once in a while.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15
12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
I love that these verses put into perspective all of our possessions and efforts. In the end, it’s all gone, but there are a few things we do here on earth that will matter in the long run.
Imagine that your good works here on earth consisted of feeding the homeless. That’s nothing to be ashamed of – that’s a noble thing to do in my opinion. But once they eat, what’s left of that interaction? In the end, that person will pass away at some point and what you did won’t matter so much. There has to be something more than that. I refuse to believe that we are here on earth to waste our time doing nice things for other people.
If you don’t believe in heaven or hell, living a life of charity is an enormous responsibility. It’s like scooping water out of a sinking boat with a spoon. That boat is going to sink eventually and you’re left with nothing. That person you’re helping will die and whatever you fed him won’t matter so much.
Letting the reality of that truth sink in key.
Francis Chan pointed out that there have been billions of people who have helped others throughout history but in the end, they all died. In most cases, no one speaks about them or the people that have helped them.
As a Christian, the works that do last that Corinthians talks about are eternal. It’s speaking the truth about Jesus’ steadfast love and living a life that has an eternal impact. It’s opening the eyes of those who don’t know who Jesus is or what He has done. The Son of God offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins so you and I could be forgiven. The Son of God raising from the dead to pave the way for us as Christians. Providing a way out for us.
It’s crazy to me that people could hate a God who offers the kind of forgiveness and love that God has offered. If your friend laid down their life for you out of love, why would you hate them? What has Jesus (not other people who claim to know Jesus), but what has Jesus, from the Bible, done to you to deserve that kind of hate?
Christians, let’s begin to live out the love that Christ has shown us. I don’t always do it well but it is certainly expected of us.
1 John 3:18 - Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Hosea 4:16 – “Like stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn. Can the Lord now feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?”
My small group is going through Hosea right now, which is a pretty awesome, but pretty convicting book of the Bible, so far. The first half follows the prophet Hosea as he delivers God’s message to Israel, who has been disobedient to God in every way imaginable. They have completely turned their back on God, and Hosea is letting them know that if they don’t repent, things will get bad.
The above verse stuck out to me because of the image it creates. “A lamb in a broad pasture.” The Lord wants to feed the people of Israel like a lamb in a broad pasture.
I envision a single lamb standing in the biggest, greenest field you could possibly imagine. Can that lamb eat everything in the field? Of course not. The verse isn’t talking about literal food, it’s referring to the blessings and full life that God has for the people of Israel, and for you and me.
A life with God (the pasture) is everything that the lamb (you and me) could want or need. Not only does that pasture meet our every need, but it also exceeds what we expect and can comprehend.
But like Israel, I am stubborn. It’s possible definite that you are, too. When we turn from God, like the people of Israel, we are not able to receive the blessings and fulfilling life that God has given us, because when we are out of God’s will, we are experiencing life outside of the pasture.
The pasture is always there and it never changes. Our stubborn, sinful nature leads us away to other things that promise to be even more fulfilling, but the truth is, it never quite lives up to its expectations. Those things leave us empty inside no matter how many times we run back to them.
Christians can wander outside of the pasture just as easily and seek fulfillment elsewhere, but through conviction from the Holy Spirit and even loving discipline, we are guided back to the pasture because we are the sheep and Christ is “the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” – John 10:11
I have been inside the pasture and wandered around the outside at times. But when I am in it, God is faithful and has provided for me in truly incredible ways. Everything I have in my life, the house I live in, the car I drive, the jobs and opportunities I have had, is because God has blessed me with them. When I am outside, it seems like life falls apart all around me.
Are you experiencing the life that God has for you, or are you looking through the fence on the other side?
Look Over here
