For those of you who are on Facebook, you probably saw that I was recently promoted to Assistant Manager. The last few weeks have been interesting, to say the least, and filled with a myriad of emotions. It has also been an opportunity for me to gain some perspective on myself and the good and bad of how I operate.
One of my first reactions was certainly excitement at getting promoted, but it was quickly followed by an almost overwhelming sense of how much I still didn't (and don't) know or feel comfortable with. I literally have to be able to run the branch completely on my own. YIKES! That is an awesome level of responsibility that I have never really had to handle before. I did have some chances at Mutual to run the branch on a Saturday, but that was fairly easy with minimal complications. Saturdays tended to be deposits and withdraws with the occasional new account or CD. Now, I need to know all of the day-to-day operations for the branch. It also means that I have to make decisions regarding check acceptance, especially when the manager is gone. Having taken a bad check before, this is kind of scary. There are still some ways in which I feel inadequate, but let me move on to some other insights.
While I might not always feel up to the challenge, I have a manager and regional manager who believe that I can do it and they are very supportive. My manager is confident that I am capable and that helps me believe that I can do it. She has also been a tremendous support when I do make mistakes. One of the biggest differences between this job and my last job is the attitude towards mistakes. At Mutual, mistakes meant that you weren't good enough and there needed to be a plan to fix the problem in the future. The policy also allowed for some interpretation of what did and did not constitute a problem that needed fixing. In my case, I ran into a situation where every misstep was a performance issue. When the policy requires 60 days with no mistakes to reset the discipline track, and when every mistake is considered to be the same type of problem, it becomes nearly impossible to avoid dismissal. At Communitywide, mistakes mean that you are not perfect, just like everyone else. Yes, the mistakes need to be fixed and there needs to be an understanding of how and why the mistake happened so that it can be fixed, but there is a strong belief that it will be fixed and there is no need for formal disciplinary meetings and action plans. There was a period where I made the same mistake on 3-4 loans. Of course, I didn't find out about the first one until after the 3rd or 4th one. My manager helped me address the issue and understand how I could avoid the issue in the future. It is great to have the support and encouragement of those above me when I make mistakes.
It also helps knowing that the former Assistant Manager made the same mistakes at one time. Replacing Robin has been tough to say the least. She has been with the credit union for over 20 years and has done just about everything at one time or another. She knows a lot more than I do and part of the feelings of inadequacy stemmed from that. However, I have realized that this is the first time I have been this high on the corporate ladder. I can't be expected to know everything to the same degree as someone who has been on the ladder much longer than I have and has been higher up the ladder than I am now. It's like comparing an acorn to an oak tree. The acorn will eventually become an oak tree if given the proper care, but it's not an oak tree now and it would be unfair to expect it to be an oak tree now. I often fall prey to the "but I'm not as good as..." mentality. Lately I have realized how unfair that way of thinking is to me. I can't compare myself to Robin and to expect myself to be as good as she is now. It's like expecting me to go from acorn to 100' oak overnight. It isn't going to happen.
One of the final insights right now is in my response to God concerning the promotion. When I was dismissed from Mutual I was angry with my bosses for treating me unfairly and I was really upset with God for allowing this to happen. It seemed like God just let me fail; like He had let me down and forgotten me when I needed him most. When I got promoted, I was pleased as punch with myself and the recognition that I was good enough. My focus was inward - looking at my skills and how good I am. God didn't really enter the picture. It wasn't until the Sunday after getting promoted that I realized how wrong I was. The pastor talked about how good God is and how He provides us with so many good things. As the pastor preached, I could only acknowledge God's handiwork in my promotion. Instead of thinking that I was so good, I should have been thanking God for blessing my work and allowing me to find favor in the eyes of my superiors.
As I continued to think about my attitude towards God, I was troubled by the stark contrast in the two cases. Getting dismissed from Mutual was somehow God's fault, but I alone got the promotion at Communitywide. I had nothing to do with getting let go and God had nothing to do with me getting promoted. I was quick to blame God for the bad in my life, but ignored His influence on the good in my life. It is an admittedly sad commentary that I could so quickly blame God when things went wrong and yet completely ignore Him with things went well. Sadly, it seems to be a problem that I, and I would guess some of you, struggle with. When everything is going wrong, we turn to God because we need help and the problems are bigger than we can handle, but not too big for God to handle. When everything is going well, we look at how good we are handling all that comes our way and we forget that God paved the way for us. God is there to help us through the difficult times in our lives and guide us past the cracks and potholes in the road. He is also the one who makes the smooth drive along the perfectly paved road possible.
I am filled with gratitude for the promotion, both to my superiors and to God. I know I still have much to learn, but there is much that I already know. I know that I have the support I need to succeed, especially if I remember to rely on God for His guidance in my life.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Christianity and Politics
Christianity needs a divorce. The marriage between theology and politics that the evangelical right embraces needs to come to an end. I am finding myself increasingly frustrated by the comments coming from religious leaders on the right side of the political spectrum, and I find myself needing to push back against their version of Christianity because it is NOT my version. Let me say that everyone has a right to believe as they choose and vote based on their personal beliefs. I respect everyone's right to choose how they want to live, personally. I have a serious problem, however, when people try to tell me how I should live and that I am a bad person and doomed to hell because I don't buy into their particular brand of Christianity. As such, I would like to address a few BIG problems that I have with those on the Christian right.
Chick-fil-a and Starbucks
Up until a few weeks ago these two businesses were just that, businesses. Then some in the media (not necessarily the right-wing media) decided to make a big deal out of comments that Dan Cathy made expressing his support for "traditional marriage" and it turned into a big mess. Some people starting talking about no longer eating there, but I never saw anything advocating a nationwide boycott of Chick-fil-a because of Cathy's comments. As a response, Mike Huckabee decided that there needed to be a "Chick-fil-a Appreciation Day" to show how much America supports Cathy's stand for "traditional marriage" (yes, I know that I am simplifying the story here). Now we have a major story and Chick-fil-a has gone from being a company that makes a very good chicken sandwich to a political statement on gay marriage. Eating at Chick-fil-a = opposed to gay marriage. It's really that simple and so I won't be eating there (more on the why later).
On the other side of the coin Starbucks, Target, JCPenney and other companies have made statements or used spokespersons that indicate a support for gay rights and so there is some talk of boycotting those businesses. One Million Moms already launched a boycott of JCPenney for their use of Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson. The big issue here is that I do not want my shopping choices scrutinized for their political ramifications. If I shop at Target that does not automatically mean I support gay rights; it means that I like the quality of the products that they offer. If I don't shop at JCPenny, that does not automatically mean that I oppose gay rights; it means that I don't really like their selection and price compared to other clothing stores. If I eat at Chick-fil-a, I do so because I like their chicken sandwich and waffle fries, NOT because I am trying to make a political statement. Sadly, eating a Chick-fil-a is now and for the foreseeable future an overt political statement on the issue of gay rights.
Gay Rights and the First Amendment
"Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
That is the first part of the 1st Amendment, the part guaranteeing freedom of religion. When it comes to the civil rights of gays in this country there is no secular, non-religious argument to support banning gays their due civil rights. Every argument I here starts with a basis in the Bible. Opponents of gay rights want to quote Leviticus and Romans and 1st Corinthians as reasons to ban gay marriage. Okay, fine, your church does not have to recognize their marriage and you can deny them communion. However, that is strictly because of your religious views. When people want to deny gay rights because the Bible says it is wrong, they are making a purely religious argument that flies in the face of the 1st Amendment.
Let me be clear, I do not have a problem with churches that do not want to recognize a religious blessing of a gay union. I do have a problem with people who want to deny gays the 1,100 civil benefits available to heterosexual couples. Why should a deeply committed, monogamous, homosexual couple be denied the same rights that my wife and I have? Why should the homosexual survivor not get the death benefits from the military that a heterosexual spouse would get? Why should a homosexual couple be denied the tax breaks for married couples? How about the ability to make end of life decisions? If I am on life support, the ultimate authority rests with my wife as to when to pull the plug. Why should a gay couple not have the same rights?
Sharia Law and the First Amendment
I find it absolutely hysterical and pathetic that Tennessee is considering a ban on Sharia Law. Do these lawmakers not understand the part of the 1st Amendment that I quoted earlier? If, and that is a VERY BIG IF, Muslim believers managed to gain a position within a government (local, state, national) where they would be in a place to enforce Sharia Law on individuals outside their faith, then it would immediately be challenged by the ACLU and every Christian leaning political group in the country and I have no doubt that the courts would strike it down. If Muslims want to follow the tenets of Sharia Law in their own personal lives, that is their right. Not too many people have a problem with Jews following their laws of a Kosher diet, so why are we making such a big deal out of people who want to follow Sharia Law in their own lives.
At the same time that evangelicals on the right seem afraid of Sharia Law being imposed upon them, they seem completely oblivious to their own actions. The right-wing evangelicals are actually trying to do the exact same thing. They are trying to pass legislation that comes as close to banning abortion as possible; they want to severely restrict birth control; in short, they want to pass laws based on their religious views. They have this crazy idea that any attempt to deny them the ability to pass these laws is the same as denying them their 1st Amendment rights. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Passing these laws would actually violate the 1st Amendment rights of every individual that doesn't agree with them. If you don't believe abortion is right, then don't have one. If you think all forms of birth control are wrong, great, you don't have to use them. But, you have no right to tell others that they cannot use birth control or that they cannot get an abortion.
Culture Wars and the "Proper Christian" Loyalty Test of the Week
One final big point for this post. Why is the legitimacy of my faith based solely on how I answer a few specific questions? In order to be a "Christian" as the right-wing evangelicals would define it I must hold to all of the following statements:
1. Abortion is wrong in all cases and should be banned
2. Homosexuals are sinners and should not be given any civil rights
3. Environmentalists are wrong, we don't have a global warming issue.
4. We need to get prayer back in schools and teach a proper Christian perspective of history
5. Our nation is a Christian nation and the Founding Fathers were great Christians
6. Always and only vote for Republicans.
Failure to agree with all of these statements and a few others that they choose to toss out there from time to time are essential to being a Christian. If I agree with the first two statements, but disagree with #3, too bad, I'm not a proper Christian and I am going to hell. If I should vote for a Democrat, I'm eternally damned. The problem here is that many people who believe in Christ and call themselves Christians do not support all of these statements.
In fact, some of us disagree with most, if not all, of these statements. Some of us would argue that the stance taken by many Republicans actually goes against Biblical teaching. Republicans seem to have this idea with regards to money that "what's mine is mine, so go get your own." The problem here is that this idea seems in direct conflict with the story of the rich man. When he asked Jesus how to get into heaven, he was told to sell everything and give it all to the poor. Note that in this story Jesus makes no statement about which poor people should get the money. There aren't any tests for who deserves the charity. One could argue that the Republicans efforts to restrict and even eliminate welfare means they are damned to hell. Personally, I won't argue that because it is not my place to judge strictly based on a few political positions or answers to certain questions. It would be nice if the right-wing evangelicals understood that as well.
Chick-fil-a and Starbucks
Up until a few weeks ago these two businesses were just that, businesses. Then some in the media (not necessarily the right-wing media) decided to make a big deal out of comments that Dan Cathy made expressing his support for "traditional marriage" and it turned into a big mess. Some people starting talking about no longer eating there, but I never saw anything advocating a nationwide boycott of Chick-fil-a because of Cathy's comments. As a response, Mike Huckabee decided that there needed to be a "Chick-fil-a Appreciation Day" to show how much America supports Cathy's stand for "traditional marriage" (yes, I know that I am simplifying the story here). Now we have a major story and Chick-fil-a has gone from being a company that makes a very good chicken sandwich to a political statement on gay marriage. Eating at Chick-fil-a = opposed to gay marriage. It's really that simple and so I won't be eating there (more on the why later).
On the other side of the coin Starbucks, Target, JCPenney and other companies have made statements or used spokespersons that indicate a support for gay rights and so there is some talk of boycotting those businesses. One Million Moms already launched a boycott of JCPenney for their use of Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson. The big issue here is that I do not want my shopping choices scrutinized for their political ramifications. If I shop at Target that does not automatically mean I support gay rights; it means that I like the quality of the products that they offer. If I don't shop at JCPenny, that does not automatically mean that I oppose gay rights; it means that I don't really like their selection and price compared to other clothing stores. If I eat at Chick-fil-a, I do so because I like their chicken sandwich and waffle fries, NOT because I am trying to make a political statement. Sadly, eating a Chick-fil-a is now and for the foreseeable future an overt political statement on the issue of gay rights.
Gay Rights and the First Amendment
"Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
That is the first part of the 1st Amendment, the part guaranteeing freedom of religion. When it comes to the civil rights of gays in this country there is no secular, non-religious argument to support banning gays their due civil rights. Every argument I here starts with a basis in the Bible. Opponents of gay rights want to quote Leviticus and Romans and 1st Corinthians as reasons to ban gay marriage. Okay, fine, your church does not have to recognize their marriage and you can deny them communion. However, that is strictly because of your religious views. When people want to deny gay rights because the Bible says it is wrong, they are making a purely religious argument that flies in the face of the 1st Amendment.
Let me be clear, I do not have a problem with churches that do not want to recognize a religious blessing of a gay union. I do have a problem with people who want to deny gays the 1,100 civil benefits available to heterosexual couples. Why should a deeply committed, monogamous, homosexual couple be denied the same rights that my wife and I have? Why should the homosexual survivor not get the death benefits from the military that a heterosexual spouse would get? Why should a homosexual couple be denied the tax breaks for married couples? How about the ability to make end of life decisions? If I am on life support, the ultimate authority rests with my wife as to when to pull the plug. Why should a gay couple not have the same rights?
Sharia Law and the First Amendment
I find it absolutely hysterical and pathetic that Tennessee is considering a ban on Sharia Law. Do these lawmakers not understand the part of the 1st Amendment that I quoted earlier? If, and that is a VERY BIG IF, Muslim believers managed to gain a position within a government (local, state, national) where they would be in a place to enforce Sharia Law on individuals outside their faith, then it would immediately be challenged by the ACLU and every Christian leaning political group in the country and I have no doubt that the courts would strike it down. If Muslims want to follow the tenets of Sharia Law in their own personal lives, that is their right. Not too many people have a problem with Jews following their laws of a Kosher diet, so why are we making such a big deal out of people who want to follow Sharia Law in their own lives.
At the same time that evangelicals on the right seem afraid of Sharia Law being imposed upon them, they seem completely oblivious to their own actions. The right-wing evangelicals are actually trying to do the exact same thing. They are trying to pass legislation that comes as close to banning abortion as possible; they want to severely restrict birth control; in short, they want to pass laws based on their religious views. They have this crazy idea that any attempt to deny them the ability to pass these laws is the same as denying them their 1st Amendment rights. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Passing these laws would actually violate the 1st Amendment rights of every individual that doesn't agree with them. If you don't believe abortion is right, then don't have one. If you think all forms of birth control are wrong, great, you don't have to use them. But, you have no right to tell others that they cannot use birth control or that they cannot get an abortion.
Culture Wars and the "Proper Christian" Loyalty Test of the Week
One final big point for this post. Why is the legitimacy of my faith based solely on how I answer a few specific questions? In order to be a "Christian" as the right-wing evangelicals would define it I must hold to all of the following statements:
1. Abortion is wrong in all cases and should be banned
2. Homosexuals are sinners and should not be given any civil rights
3. Environmentalists are wrong, we don't have a global warming issue.
4. We need to get prayer back in schools and teach a proper Christian perspective of history
5. Our nation is a Christian nation and the Founding Fathers were great Christians
6. Always and only vote for Republicans.
Failure to agree with all of these statements and a few others that they choose to toss out there from time to time are essential to being a Christian. If I agree with the first two statements, but disagree with #3, too bad, I'm not a proper Christian and I am going to hell. If I should vote for a Democrat, I'm eternally damned. The problem here is that many people who believe in Christ and call themselves Christians do not support all of these statements.
In fact, some of us disagree with most, if not all, of these statements. Some of us would argue that the stance taken by many Republicans actually goes against Biblical teaching. Republicans seem to have this idea with regards to money that "what's mine is mine, so go get your own." The problem here is that this idea seems in direct conflict with the story of the rich man. When he asked Jesus how to get into heaven, he was told to sell everything and give it all to the poor. Note that in this story Jesus makes no statement about which poor people should get the money. There aren't any tests for who deserves the charity. One could argue that the Republicans efforts to restrict and even eliminate welfare means they are damned to hell. Personally, I won't argue that because it is not my place to judge strictly based on a few political positions or answers to certain questions. It would be nice if the right-wing evangelicals understood that as well.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Update
It's been awhile since I wrote an update here, so I thought some news might be welcome as there have been some fun events recently. If you haven't seen the photos of Facebook, Renee and I recently took a trip to Europe. We went to Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest with Contiki on a 12 day trip. Contiki is a tour company specifically for 18-35 year-olds. In other words, everyone would be close to our age. There were originally 51 of us on the trip. We had 5 leave after Prague and 12 leave us in Vienna. We did pick up 4 in Vienna. There was a good international flavor to the group as we had people from New York, Chicago, San Francisco, the Philippines, Japan, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, and a tour manager from Italy. The group definitely had a wild side add spent many a night out at the clubs. We did stay out a few nights, but usually not as late as most people. The sights were incredible and we would love to go back some time. While every city had its own appeal and sights that we missed, I think we both felt like Prague was our favorite spot. Prague had a great mix of Old World charm and modern charisma. The people in Prague were very proud of their culture and tradition and felt that they were as good as Paris or London or Rome. Umm...they are! So many Americans focus on Western Europe and getting to Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, but they are missing some great treasures in Central Europe. Prague Castle is the largest fortress in Europe. It completely dominates the landscape in Prague and it looks quite comfortable doing so. Vienna was the capital of the Habsburg Empire, one that dominated Europe for centuries. There is a vast collection of Imperial silver that was truly stunning to behold. Berlin's history is so interesting, especially in the 20th century with WWII and the Cold War. Budapest has many springs that feed numerous baths that are definitely worth taking in if you have the chance (we did).
Work continues to go well for both of us. Renee has been an RN for over a year now and she continues to find her groove on Med-Surg. Recent renovations at the hospital have brought private rooms to the floors and computers in each room that allows for computer charting. Definitely a plus for Renee. I have continued to grow at the credit union and developing my skills with loans. I have been taking apps for awhile now and working with processing indirect apps. Now I am developing a comfort level with closing loans. I have closed some loans and it is not as hard as I thought. As I grow I am finding that there is a lot to remember. It is a challenge to remember it all and we all forget things from time to time. Fortunately my bosses understand that and they are great about helping me remember things. My co-workers are truly a blessing to work with.
Church is adjusting again as we are getting to know our new worship leader. He started in March (right before the Europe trip) and so we have only been together as a band for about 4 weeks now. The feel is different, but that is simply a result of having a different leader. Each leader has their own style and we are quickly working to find the groove again. I also recently purchased a new Martin guitar. It has a great sound and I love it! I think I am done buying guitars for quite awhile, although there are always accessories and pedals to buy.
That is all for now. Looking forward to summer and having fun with family and friends. Probably not much traveling to be done this summer, but we will find time to relax and get away from Warsaw.
Work continues to go well for both of us. Renee has been an RN for over a year now and she continues to find her groove on Med-Surg. Recent renovations at the hospital have brought private rooms to the floors and computers in each room that allows for computer charting. Definitely a plus for Renee. I have continued to grow at the credit union and developing my skills with loans. I have been taking apps for awhile now and working with processing indirect apps. Now I am developing a comfort level with closing loans. I have closed some loans and it is not as hard as I thought. As I grow I am finding that there is a lot to remember. It is a challenge to remember it all and we all forget things from time to time. Fortunately my bosses understand that and they are great about helping me remember things. My co-workers are truly a blessing to work with.
Church is adjusting again as we are getting to know our new worship leader. He started in March (right before the Europe trip) and so we have only been together as a band for about 4 weeks now. The feel is different, but that is simply a result of having a different leader. Each leader has their own style and we are quickly working to find the groove again. I also recently purchased a new Martin guitar. It has a great sound and I love it! I think I am done buying guitars for quite awhile, although there are always accessories and pedals to buy.
That is all for now. Looking forward to summer and having fun with family and friends. Probably not much traveling to be done this summer, but we will find time to relax and get away from Warsaw.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Abortion, Contraceptives and Republicans
I need to get a few things off my chest here because the current debate in American politics is completely frustrating me, specifically the Republican right as represented by Rick Santorum and his like-minded associates. The Republican evangelical right has been up in arms for years about federal funding supporting abortions. They even got a bill passed that bans federal dollars from paying for abortions. Now they want all federal funding cut from Planned Parenthood because federal funding allows them to use more private money to pay for abortions thus indirectly supporting abortions. They object to abortion on strictly religious moral grounds. I can respect their beliefs, but that does not mean that federal dollars should not be used to support abortions.
What about the pacifists? We should pass a bill that no federal dollars can be used for military action unless they meet the strict definitions of a just war. Just war advocates have argued that there has never been a just war (that includes WWII). So federal funds should not be used for the military because that violates the religious moral beliefs of a significant portion of the American populace.
What about the death penalty? Many Americans are opposed to the death penalty on religious moral grounds. So we should pass a bill that no federal dollars can be used to pay for execution of criminals because that violates the religious moral convictions of many Americans.
Why is it that abortion can be denied federal funding simply because some people object to it on religious moral grounds? Why does abortion get special treatment? I don't like abortion, but I didn't support the Iraq war and I think we need a very restricted use of the death penalty. I can't keep my money from being used for wars I don't support or to execute criminals that I don't think should die. So why do the evangelical right-wing Republicans get to keep their money from being used for abortions?
The Republicans would have us believe that this is a debate about religious freedom and not trampling upon their religious freedom. If this is about religious freedom, then why are they so desperately trying to impose their religious beliefs on all of us? Why are they trying to ban abortions and deny women access to birth control? That is their viewpoint only. They don't have to get abortions or use birth control. However, not all of us want to be the Dugger family. I respect their right to live as they believe. They do not have a right to impose those beliefs on me.
I believe that I am called to be a good steward of the resources that God has given me. That means that my wife and I use birth control because we believe that we are called to provide a good home for the children we choose to have. That means proper food on the table, decent clothes on their backs, and a sturdy roof over their heads. It also means parents who are happy and do not resent their children. As such, there are some things on our bucket list to do before we have children. That is following my religious convictions.
I could go on for quite some time on this subject, but I don't want this post to go on too long, so I will end now, but I will probably be back with more on the current state of politics in this country.
What about the pacifists? We should pass a bill that no federal dollars can be used for military action unless they meet the strict definitions of a just war. Just war advocates have argued that there has never been a just war (that includes WWII). So federal funds should not be used for the military because that violates the religious moral beliefs of a significant portion of the American populace.
What about the death penalty? Many Americans are opposed to the death penalty on religious moral grounds. So we should pass a bill that no federal dollars can be used to pay for execution of criminals because that violates the religious moral convictions of many Americans.
Why is it that abortion can be denied federal funding simply because some people object to it on religious moral grounds? Why does abortion get special treatment? I don't like abortion, but I didn't support the Iraq war and I think we need a very restricted use of the death penalty. I can't keep my money from being used for wars I don't support or to execute criminals that I don't think should die. So why do the evangelical right-wing Republicans get to keep their money from being used for abortions?
The Republicans would have us believe that this is a debate about religious freedom and not trampling upon their religious freedom. If this is about religious freedom, then why are they so desperately trying to impose their religious beliefs on all of us? Why are they trying to ban abortions and deny women access to birth control? That is their viewpoint only. They don't have to get abortions or use birth control. However, not all of us want to be the Dugger family. I respect their right to live as they believe. They do not have a right to impose those beliefs on me.
I believe that I am called to be a good steward of the resources that God has given me. That means that my wife and I use birth control because we believe that we are called to provide a good home for the children we choose to have. That means proper food on the table, decent clothes on their backs, and a sturdy roof over their heads. It also means parents who are happy and do not resent their children. As such, there are some things on our bucket list to do before we have children. That is following my religious convictions.
I could go on for quite some time on this subject, but I don't want this post to go on too long, so I will end now, but I will probably be back with more on the current state of politics in this country.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Time for an Update
I know I don't post much here, but generally that is because not much happens in my life. It's usually rather boring - eat, work, sleep, and play a little bit. However, there have been a few happens of late.
For starters, change is coming to my church once again and I'm not completely sure about it. Our Director of Creative Ministries (read music, arts, media) and Youth is leaving. This means that I have to adjust to a different worship leader again. Under our current leader, I have really been able to grow as a musician and learn more about leading worship and making worship truly musical. Under prior leaders we all pretty much banged out chords and played straight rhythms. Now there is syncopation and actual lead guitar in the mix. I have even had a few chances to play lead parts. Through it all, I have been able to gain much more confidence in my overall playing abilities and I have really started to have fun being part of the band. The music we play now has a much higher degree of musicality to it that is refreshing. I do not know where we will go with our new leader, but I hope we continue to work with more complex rhythms and lead parts. I know not everyone in the congregation understands that intricate beauty of what we do on Sundays, but I do and I find it a more significant and poignant offering of my musical gifts. It's one thing to simply strum chords in a regular pattern; it's an entirely different thing when those chords become the background for an intricate lead part or they become syncopated with odd changes. I guess I just have to trust that God is in control and everything will be okay.
The other significant event was my 6 month review at work. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous after my last job ended so badly. Fortunately I have a great boss and terrific co-workers. I had a great review and I am feeling very confident in my work. As with church, I have been able to expand my skills under my current boss. In addition to tasks that I was already comfortable with - processing transactions, managing the vault, opening accounts - I have also been working on loans. I can now take and input an application into the system, including indirect applications that come from car dealerships that we work with. I can also check to see that a car loan has proper insurance coverage and completely handle all aspects of paying off an auto loan. I am also starting to learn how to close a loan. There is a lot to remember and it seems to grow with each day, but I know I can manage thanks to very encouraging co-workers. God has blessed me with a much better place to work and I am ever thankful for it.
I hope that the year will have more good news to share and you can bet that if it does, I will be sure to write about it.
For starters, change is coming to my church once again and I'm not completely sure about it. Our Director of Creative Ministries (read music, arts, media) and Youth is leaving. This means that I have to adjust to a different worship leader again. Under our current leader, I have really been able to grow as a musician and learn more about leading worship and making worship truly musical. Under prior leaders we all pretty much banged out chords and played straight rhythms. Now there is syncopation and actual lead guitar in the mix. I have even had a few chances to play lead parts. Through it all, I have been able to gain much more confidence in my overall playing abilities and I have really started to have fun being part of the band. The music we play now has a much higher degree of musicality to it that is refreshing. I do not know where we will go with our new leader, but I hope we continue to work with more complex rhythms and lead parts. I know not everyone in the congregation understands that intricate beauty of what we do on Sundays, but I do and I find it a more significant and poignant offering of my musical gifts. It's one thing to simply strum chords in a regular pattern; it's an entirely different thing when those chords become the background for an intricate lead part or they become syncopated with odd changes. I guess I just have to trust that God is in control and everything will be okay.
The other significant event was my 6 month review at work. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous after my last job ended so badly. Fortunately I have a great boss and terrific co-workers. I had a great review and I am feeling very confident in my work. As with church, I have been able to expand my skills under my current boss. In addition to tasks that I was already comfortable with - processing transactions, managing the vault, opening accounts - I have also been working on loans. I can now take and input an application into the system, including indirect applications that come from car dealerships that we work with. I can also check to see that a car loan has proper insurance coverage and completely handle all aspects of paying off an auto loan. I am also starting to learn how to close a loan. There is a lot to remember and it seems to grow with each day, but I know I can manage thanks to very encouraging co-workers. God has blessed me with a much better place to work and I am ever thankful for it.
I hope that the year will have more good news to share and you can bet that if it does, I will be sure to write about it.
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