A Day Like No Other (P)

It is my first time. Getting laid off, that is. One by one led into the conference room, then to our desks, out the door and finally welcomed to the Legion by those who were led before us. To be followed by even more. It can't seriously be only Monday. It feels like a whole week went by today. Just shy of 10 years with The Company. This is not how I wanted to go. It seems there is no rhyme or reason but I'm sure thoughtfully planned out more then I'll ever realize. It's not like it's uncommon. A lot of people I know have lost jobs at one time or another. It's tough your first time because you are brought to terms with the fact that it "can happen to me". Still kind of numb as I'm sure the people who are left are. Tomorrow they still have to go to work, surrounded by empty cubes and offices, their friends gone. Well, OK, not gone (we didn't die), but it sure feels that way a little. Nothing like trying to e-mail someone, moments after you see them walk by, only to have your e-mail sent back. It's like an execution. Now I know why it's called the chopping block, because it really feels that way. A home that you lived and walked freely in that you're no longer a part of. Business will go on without me/us.

All good things do end. I doubt I will ever work with a group like that again. Even though we had to go, I'm glad we got to go together. I hope the people left can pull together quickly and become something stronger.

It hurts.

It sucks.

It really DID happen.
I trust that this is God's will for me. It's a blessing. It was clearly out of my hands and now as I move forward I hope to leave it in His hands. A clean slate for all, a chance for us all to "realign". I pray my vision can be God's vision for me. Thank you Lord for this opportunity to see you at work, for me to put my trust in you. Let me be a passenger in this ride and not a road block. Help me to love and serve without fear or judgement.

Thank you Lord for all the wonderful people this job has allowed me to know and love. If you are reading this and you are one of them please know you will be thought of often and remembered always.
Love KT (in Christ)

I like to call this one "The Last Supper" The best way to end this post. It would take forever to add all the pictures I would like to and it still wouldn't express the relationships that were formed.

Do Not Worry

Matthew 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Open and Honest

Some people are more open and honest about themselves then others. There are things we all keep to ourselves to some extent. Not that I necessarily think anyone is lying to me (at least no more then they are lying to themselves ;o) Why am I on this subject? Well, it's just nice to be able to relate to others and the trials/struggles they go though. Some people either don't seem to have those same struggles or simply don't offer up their personal lives for (can't think of a word, review and comparison are the only ones coming to mind and yet they don't seem to fit 100%. I know we should never compare ourselves or anything we have to others because we always run the risk of judging them or ourselves.)
I remember a time (long ago... ;o) when I was teaching aerobics. It was a VERY early morning cycle class with loyal participants. I always tried to follow my mood and do something different to keep me and my class entertained, so one morning I decided to hand out little pieces of paper and pencils to take prayer requests. I had my class fold them up and throw them in a hat. No names. When I got home from class I opened them up and started praying for them and thanking God for the opportunity to do so. It was beautiful. People asking for their/other peoples health issues, jobs issues, martial struggles, etc. At the end, one piece of paper had really caught my attention. It was a piece that was folded up several times into a tiny little square with nothing on it. I prayed for that person, whoever they were. Can you imagine a heart folded up that same way? Were they afraid of being exposed/judged? Could they not find anything that needed prayer? Did they not believe? It's OK that they did want to share. It gave me the best opportunity to lift that person up to God and let Him decided what they needed. For myself, when it comes to sharing and prayer, I believe the squeaky wheel gets oiled. ;o) God is patient, He has all the time in the world for me to open my heart to Him. Fighting it is futile, He'll get his way sooner or later.
Matthew 11:22-25
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Haylie (S)

Good-Bye Indian Summer, Hello Winter

McConn household signs of winter:
- Saw frozen water outside AKA ice.
- Found space in three car garage for at least my car (yes, the Neon is STILL in there!)
- Achieved pasty Minnesota white.
- Heard first Christmas song on radio, changed stations QUICKLY.
- Saw my breath.
- Finally put on an actual winter jacket.
- Bought plastic for windows.
- Haylie's obsession with birthday is finally validated, I should probably start planning.

At least the days will start to get longer in a little over a month (silver lining, right?!?)

Will We Ever be Happy?

It seems like there are a lot people who are not happy with our current president. Though he won election after no one seemed happy with our last. With this election, no one seems completely happy with either candidate. I have said myself that I can't wait for another 4 years so we can hopefully have better choices. Then I started to think, have we as Americans ever really been happy with our presidents? Sure Lincoln and Washington we good ones right, but that so so long ago does anyone actually remember why? Why does it seem that for the last two decades (or more) we've been bitching? Here's an interesting article I found. Maybe it will shed some light on the expectations were putting on one human being. No wonder they fall short. The peace we can have...God is ruler over all!

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/14/opinion/op-greenberg14

She DOES Look Like Me (P)