Love you, but ...

A lot of people have asked me how I like the new job.

"I love it," I say. "Everything about it -- the people, the environment, the work, everything."

As crazy as I am about it, there's one problem: I am NOT a morning person. I'm sure most of it stems from my late bedtime, but it's hard to get 8 hours of sleep (and I've determined I need every minute of it) when Pete gets home late and we don't eat dinner til 8:30 or 9. I can't go to bed immediately following dinner, so that tacks on AT LEAST another half hour. Plus, I'd like to have some kind of chit chat with my lifelong companion, so that adds another chunk of time. Before I know it, it's 11 p.m. and I'm lucky to get 6 hours of sleep. I get up around 5 to leave time for my commute, and by 8 a.m. devotions, I'm struggling to hold my head up. All I can think about is how I should have taken those naps when I was a kid.

"One day, you'll WANT to take naps," Mom would tell me.

"No, I won't," I said. "And I'm not tired."

Stupid, stupid kid.

In an attempt to remedy my heavy eyelids, I did a quick Google search: "tips for keeping eyes open." (Not a coffee person, either, so that's out.) Here are my search results:

1. A website called Positive Performance Coaching says there's a lot to learn when you're waiting your turn in a cycling competition. You should watch for the following: "Who is the smoothest?" "Who keeps looking over there shoulder?" (Yes, "there," not "their." That's the second spelling error I've found on the first page.) And finally, "Who is riding like a squirrel?" I have no idea what that means, but I keep picturing a squirrel on a bicycle with nuts in its basket.

2. Tips for keeping your subjects' eyes open when photographing a group of kids. Suggestions: photographing in the early morning before the sun interferes; counting to three at which point everyone should have their eyes open (wait, this is NEW advice?); and not worrying about whether people are looking at the camera, as long as their eyes are open wherever they are looking.

3. A management site that inspires companies to "keep their eyes open for innovation." Among the recommendations: "Make brainstorming a religion. Practice it every day, weave it into the cultural fabric of your organization." That's what we need! A religion based on brainstorming! Pretty sure we already have that. ... Oh, and another recommendation I mustn't fail to mention: "Encourage boyish pranks and wild play in the office. They don't just pump up the team, but also create an atmosphere where you naturally take chances and solve problems." Yes, now I'm positive this was written by a guy. I envision Jim Halpert putting Dwight Schrute's stapler in a globe of Jello.

4. Kissing -- eyes closed or open? "The answer is not straightforward," Kissing Advice says. It depends on the length and intensity of the kiss, as well as your environment. My favorite part of the site is the ad for laser vision correction at the bottom. If you can't SEE your kissing partner, you don't have to worry about it!

5. A thread of comments about struggling to keep both eyes open when shooting, courtesy of NortheastShooters.com. One member offers the following advice: "Put some scotch tape on the glasses over your non-dominant eye." A commenter known as "Jack Daniels" has a different approach: "If you see two guns like I do, just shoot the one on the left all of the time." What a marvelous idea! I can't think of a better strategy than shooting from the gun you THINK is the real one. But wait! Member "P-14" has an even better idea: "I keep both eyes open when shooting, unless I have to aim." Sorry, P-14, the smiling emoticon tacked onto your post doesn't make me feel better. 

Other results took me to sites about keeping your eyes open under water, explanations of certain idioms and protecting your eyes while you tan. I gave up after that.

The only time it's OK to be cold

It was 63 degrees today -- 5 days before Christmas. A white Christmas, my foot. I may detest being cold, but how am I supposed to build a snowman and crave wassail if it feels like spring?

Mom, Dad and Emily came to visit this past weekend for Christmas at the Library, an event that the Billy Graham Library puts on. Touring the library was my favorite part, even though that part isn't specifically for Christmas. The tour follows Billy Graham's journey from a farm boy to national recognition, but keeps God at the forefront just like he wants it. It really makes me proud to work at BGEA. What an honor.

The only thing we didn't get to do was take a carriage tour. It was an hour and a half wait, so maybe next time.

And here's a picture that my friend, Tiffany, took at a nearby intersection (the entrance to the town of Hemby Bridge).

Bath time surprise

Mom told me a funny story about Emily this past week. Emily is afraid to be upstairs by herself, even in the daytime. The other day, she was in the bathtub upstairs and Mom had to run downstairs. Emily told Mom not to leave her up there by herself and then presented a very good argument why not: "What if the Rapture happens and Jesus comes back when I'm nekkid in the bathtub?" Mom told her He won't come back while she's nekkid. Her theory is that He'll wait until the one split second when no one is bathing or using the bathroom.

Goodbye fall, I miss you

Even though it hasn't been that cold lately, all the pretty fall leaves and plants are gone. I took these pictures a few weeks ago, a couple of days before it got all windy and forced me to rake. Boo.

Practice for children indeed

Zoey was annoying me last week, so I did this:

I tried to convince her that it was funny and she should let me do it again, but she wasn't having it.

P.S.

I forgot to add pictures to my last post. These were waiting for me on the kitchen table when I got home Wednesday as Pete's way of congratulating me. :) Earlier that day, I was thinking, "I'd really like some colorful fall flowers around the house." So, Pete, whenever you read this, I've decided that's 100 brownie points for you.

Those four little words

I've waited a year to say four words that I got to say Tuesday: "I got the job."

Overall, I've really enjoyed my job at The Enquirer-Journal, but I've been restless the past several months. I've been there for more than three and a half years, but have little to show for it. I have more responsibilities, I've gotten my master's and I think I'm a better writer, but no one to my knowledge has received a raise. Plus, health insurance went up, so I'm actually getting paid LESS than when I started. We also have one less reporter and one less editor than when I started, so as the "senior reporter," a lot of the extras fall on me -- typing in religion news, making sure all social news (wedding and birthday announcements, etc.) is in and editing endless briefs. It's not hard stuff, but it's time consuming.

More importantly, I feel like I rarely get to use my seminary degree. When people ask what I want to do with it, I tell them my education was good for personal growth and that I hope to write more about religion. I've been saying the same thing since I graduated in December 2009 and the words don't come out easily. I'm fulfilled when sharing my faith and feel like I could be making a lasting difference, but I have so few occasions to actually do that through my writing with so many other things vying for my time at work.

In the past year, I've pursued four jobs that didn't pan out. Then right at a month ago, a woman from SES (my seminary) emailed me about a job opening: an Internet writer/editor position with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. I was excited about the job description but didn't know if it was another dead end. I applied for a job with BGEA back in February and received the nicest rejection letter I think I've ever read, complete with a Bible verse. I figured if I didn't get a job with them then, I probably wouldn't now, but I had to try. The job sounded so exciting. ... In fact, just last night, I looked back at my email to see what exactly the name of the job was that I applied for the first time. I knew the job description was at least similar, but I couldn't remember the exact name. When I found my old emails, I realized that it was the same job I just got! I applied for the same job twice but with two very different outcomes.

It's funny how there have been so many miracles along the way. When the woman from SES told me about the job, I applied that night, then expected a long wait. I got an email within the week, asking when I would be available to meet with them. Everything since then has been such a blessing. I've met some wonderful people and really look forward to working with them and in a new environment. The commute is longer, but I think it'll be worth it. The main person I interviewed with said they had interviewed several qualified candidates but just hadn't found the right person. I thought, "Oh no, what if I'm not the right person?" I knew I would be disappointed, but kept praying that if this is where I'm meant to be, it will work out. I met with more people the following week.

After I got the job, the interviewer told me that the day after we met the first time, he was in a business meeting where there was talk of freezing all the open positions. One guy brought up the position I applied for and said they should still fill that one.

I've also been thinking to myself that God would probably let me get below X amount in my checking account before presenting a new job opportunity. I don't know why I kept thinking about that number, but I wouldn't put it past Him to let me get in a somewhat uncomfortable place to show me who's boss. I just paid the mortgage and sure enough, I'm in that zone. I still have my savings account, but I'm trying not to touch that. At least I won't have to keep watching my account shrink for much longer. :)

If I'd gotten the job with BGEA several months ago when they first posted it, I wouldn't have participated in some great newsroom projects at work and I wouldn't have pursued the web editor job with WORLD Magazine. (I got to the top three!) WORLD plans to publish a story I wrote for them, and I might have a foot in the door for future freelance opportunities. ...

So those four little words -- "I got the job" -- have now turned into those three little words that I've known all along but now appreciate even more: God is good.