April 27, 2004
-
Once again I have been missing in action and for two weeks which may be a record. It’s been a combination of things including both being busy and not being motivated to be on the computer other than for email and for some research. We decided to get my In-laws a new tower for Mom & Dad’s Days so I did some research and came up with a pretty good buy from Dell Small Business. They doubled the memory for free (to 256M), doubled the hard drive (to 80G), and threw in a CD Writer rather than a regular CD Drive. It has a Celeron CPU that I wouldn’t normally buy but is plenty for what the In-laws use the computer for. Total delivered price was $385, which included sales tax. I spent a couple of days moving files and settings from their old computer and reloading their software onto the new one. I set it up Monday of last week and haven’t heard anything but praises (for the computer) so it must be doing its job. I now have their old one on standby for a couple of weeks until they decide we got everything off it and then I’ll take out the components I can keep as spares and then trash the rest of it.
Due to serious budget cuts and other government priorities, the Corps of Engineers is ready to cut the workforce from around 700 people to 500 people in this area. With 21 years of service I shouldn’t fear losing my job at this point but it may mean having to go into Pittsburgh to work rather than the field office I go to now. I worked in Pittsburgh for around 1-1/2 years and have no desire to return there, especially when parking is probably around $8 a day which translates to a $80 pay cut over a two week pay period. God is my source and I’m leaving it all to Him but I feel sorry for all those who will lose their jobs or have to take pay cuts to lower positions. The general public seems to thrive on the stereotype that government workers have it made and I don’t suppose that will change anytime soon but I do know a government worker or two that read this blog that would disagree with that statement. I did get out to a couple of field sites last week for a day each and I’m planning another trip out this week as the work continues even if the future doesn’t look all that great.
I should mention that the government is offering cash incentives to leave and/or retire and early retirements to try and soften the blow of the cuts but the cash is being offered to the workers they need while the engineers, whom they need to reduce, are ruled ineligible. As for early retirement, I’m too young to take a 50% pay cut and I’m not feeling like I should go out and look for another job at this time to try and make up the difference.
I have also been busy trying to write a song or two. For the series we just completed on Saturday Night we had different artists paint pictures during the service depicting their interpretation of the sermon. For the new series starting, on the beatitudes, some of us will write songs or poems depicting our take on the weekly beatitude though they will be composed before hand and not during the service. We have talked of putting them on CD if they turn out well enough for use within our Saturday Night congregation.
Well this is getting kind of long so I will close with the thought from Matthew 5: “Blessed are the poor for they shall see the kingdom of God.” Those of us who can see just how useless we are without Him and just how weak we are without His strength and will allow ourselves to be emptied that we might allow Him to fill us will see His salvation and will be used by Him to do great and mighty things for His kingdom!! May we all become “poor” that His richness might flow within us to those who wander around seeking something to satisfy the stirring they feel inside for something bigger and better than the world has been able to offer
God IS Good!
Go Ahead! Say It! Believe It! Confess It!
You're Invited!!
Go to The Prayer List , don't forget the others in need!
"Next to the wonder of seeing my Savior will be, I think, the wonder that I made so little use of the power of prayer." - D.L. Moody
Due to some confusion as to where to send prayer requests I want to clarify that you can use the email link at Isaiah56 (The Prayer List) or use this link (Click Here). Please include your xanga address so I know who you are!
Comments (8)
As a fellow government worker, I can agree that most of us work very hard. We have had a hiring freeze for the last 26 months. As people quit or retire they are not being replaced. In addition some sections of my department (Soical Services) have had terrible cuts, even whole sections eliminated. For example an excellent program that sent trained counselors into the home (at the request of the parents) to help develop better parenting skills have been cancelled. The list goes on and on. In the meantime the federal and state government have added new, costly welfare programs that further stretch our increasingly limited resources.
Thank goodness, the Lord IS in charge. I recently came across a diary I kept from December of 1991 to the summer of 1992. At that time I was teaching in a Christian School. I was earning $15,000 a year and still had a child in college in another state. As I read the diary it impressed me over and over how God met my every need at a financially difficult time in my life (I had taken a $2,500 pay cut to move up here to be near my aging parents). Good is good, and He will carry us through every circumstance. You are in my prayers.
Carol
hugs, Dale. i'm sure everything will all work out.
~janny
p.s. you are such a blessing to all who know you. dont forget it.
I am praying also that things work out for you.
It hardly seems fair. Praying for you.
May we all become “poor” that His richness might flow within us to those who wander around seeking something to satisfy the stirring they feel inside for something bigger and better than the world has been able to offer - AMEN! that was wonderful.
hello,greta site!keep on runnin the race for Jesus!:)
elvie
like you attested...leave it to Him
God bless!
Comments are closed.