Day 25 of Unemployment

Yes, its been 25 days since I had a job. If you want to keep up, you need only count the days since February 29. The unemployment office is no help. They will be deciding over the next 25 days whether or not I am entitled to receive unemployment. The good news is that the time off work gives me additional hours to dedicate to grad school and my other writing endeavors.

God bless Starbucks. As you see above, they allowed me my very own pot of French-pressed Arabian Mocha Sinani (my favorite blend) for the price of one cup! The problem is that this happened at about 8 tonight, and I have to be up at 5 a.m. tomorrow. Needless to say, I'm currently wired.

I want to share what I was working on tonight, as I believe it hits on a place where all of us find ourselves:

I believe that the power of Christ is more powerful than the power of the mind. But I cannot deny my past: when I convince myself that I am about to sin and there is nothing I can do about it, I always fall to temptation. How can I recognize that Christ is bigger than my sin and still fall? Why am I unable to escape such a vicious cycle? I empathize with Paul, who had this to say about such matters:

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

I have read these words many times over. How true they ring each time. My sin is not the real me. It is not the correct representation of my identity, as I am a new creation in Christ and not a slave to my sinful nature. It can, however, disrupt my progress. Just as sin separates lost souls from their Creator, it also interrupts the communication of sons and daughters with their Father.

But recognize that an interruption is not an eraser.

Hoping this encourages someone who finds themselves stuck in that vicious cycle. Remember friend, you are not your sin.

Easter

HE IS RISEN!

DEATH COULD NOT KEEP HIM IN THE GRAVE!

HALLELUJAH!

CHRIST IS LORD!

Day 10 of Unemployment

10 days down and counting...

The bright news is that I attended a career fair at my future graduate alma mater, UALR. Unfortunately, I found nothing that interested me. But I did have a phone interview that was intriguing. We'll see what happens. This is me in the lobby of the hotel where I had the phone interview. The suit was strictly to impress people at the career fair. I had a Navy recruiter stop me and say, "Hey man, nice suit." I replied with a genuine, "Yours too."

Yesterday I made chocolate covered pecans. I highly recommend. Sadly, in a short spurt of generosity, I gave them away.
Oh, how I regret that decision. I supposed I could make more. But what if I don't have time tomorrow? What if my schedule piles up, and I get swamped wi--wait. I'll be able to make them tomorrow. Never mind.

Not having a job rocks.

Day 5 of Unemployment

Should have put this up sooner, as I am currently on day 10, but I have a picture I wanted everyone to see.

It snowed again on Friday. I had no soda in the house, and I had a pregnancy craving for a Coke (which is strange because I typically prefer a soft drink with a doctorate). I live about a half mile from a Kroger. Instead of risking a car wreck in the snow, I decided to walk.

It was cold. My face tells the story. Nonetheless, the coke was everything I hoped it would be.

Day 4 of Unemployment

When you're not working, time becomes available to spend on your hobbies. One of mine, as some of you don't know, is cooking. This is a picture of my lunch from today. Carrots, strawberries, brown rice, and pecan-crusted salmon (sort-of my own recipe). If any of you want to know how to make it, let me know and I'll post the recipe.

I also got to spend some time talking about church stuff with Grant and Nathan. I really wish I looked forward to Easter more than I do, but there's so much work that needs to be done between now and then (I hope to have a job by then, otherwise I think my pastors will make me very busy).

It's supposed to snow again tomorrow. Considering that snow won't get me off work and that I have no friends in walking distance, a snow day will mean nothing to me. If conditions are driveable, bring it on. Otherwise, no thanks.

Either way, I plan on getting up at 7 (this is early when you have no job) and working on school. And I think I'll finish my last box of thin mints. I polished off my first box in 24 hours. Honestly, I impress myself.

Day 2 of Unemployment

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I'm unemployed. Well I am. Me and a fellow marketer were laid off on Friday (single tear). I'm keeping busy. Yesterday I finished an assignment for school that's not due until the end of the year. I filed for umemployment (which reminded how glad I am that I'm not going to hell because I got a glimpse of it at the unemployment office). I went and caught a movie. Then I had class again last night.

But today, on day 2...I ain't doin' jack. Even the jobless deserve a snow day. This was the view outside one of my decks this morning.

And no, my heat is not turned on.