Jobs

I got a call earlier today from a friend who has had all she can take with her job. I could tell she had been crying. She asked that I pray for her, and also asked if I knew of any openings anywhere. I really feel bad for her because I know from experience that working in an environment where you aren't happy can make you miserable even when you aren't at work. It is hard to leave it at the office.

I have to say I am very blessed in my job. Not only do I like the work I am doing (most of the time), but I truly like the people I work with. I have said on many occasions that working in a good Christian workplace makes all the difference in the world. I have a boss that is truly interested in hearing what I have to say. I have co-workers whom I enjoy being around. Don't get me wrong, there are days that I would like to walk out of the office and never come back, but those days are few and far between (most of them during tax season).

I have had jobs where I was anything but happy. I absolutely hated every minute of my first real job. I was an admitting clerk in the emergency room. It was low paying, high stress, and I couldn't wait to leave everyday and I dreaded going back. After that I worked in customer service at a bank. I liked the work and the people, but the bank was bought up and I was "downsized".

The next three months were spent in misery at a job that was doomed before I ever started. I never really knew what my job was there. I was supposed to be an accounting clerk, but the person that preceded me in the job left before I started, and no one there knew how to train me. The company closed not long after I left.

I went from there to what was a wonderful job - for awhile. I was the office manager for a local company that was involved in mail order. After a couple of years there I realized I was nothing more than a babysitter. I had no real authority, and I could see that I never would. I couldn't make any decisions with out running them past the business manager and the plant manager (also the business owner). I ended up being miserable there, especially after Stephen was born. The hours during the holiday season were really long - I remember one 80 hour week. That was hard to deal with when I had a young son at home.

I decided after three years there that I couldn't handle it anymore and started searching for a new job. I looked for quite a while before sending my resume to a PO box for a job that I had no idea if I could even do. That is how I ended up here and I have been here ever since - six years this coming September.

On another note - I didn't do the first task in The Beck Diet Solution last night. I will try to get to it tonight though.