Still More Interviews?

My interview with Kim at UOP went well yesterday...at least *I* thought so. Now, she wants me to talk to 2 more people, peers of her boss. I think they are IT management, but I am not sure. And as of this morning, she has not yet told me when it will be. She expects to make the final decision in a week or 2. A week or 2? Come on! OK, I need to be patient and trust God for His timing.

I led choir practice last night. I enjoyed it. We only practiced the 4 hymns for Sunday morning. I begin picking the songs this week. I will choose hymns for a couple of weeks before we sing any choruses. I will begin practicing one this next Wed. Which one? I don't know yet. Any ideas?

Substituting in Art tomorrow. Oh yeah. That's me. Mr. Artistic. Well, it'll be a new experience.

Answer To Prayer

Light in the Desert has asked me to be their interim music/worship leader. I don't know for how long, so we are both just trusting God to guide us. They do want me to introduce some new choruses, so that is one thing I have learned from the Nazarene church.

Now, we'll see what happens tomorrow at UOP.

Second Interview Coming

So, I have a second interview with the hiring manager at Univ of PHX Wednesday morning at 9:30am. So, Katie, it is my turn to try and wait on the Lord. I suppose I should ask them if I can take bathroom breaks, huh?

I am meeting with the Personnel Committee tomorrow night at Light in the Desert Church. They want to iron out the hiring expectations for an interim worship leader. I have already written to the music guy at our church and asked about copyright agreements and locating choruses as I begin to think ahead for branching out from hymns. If you look back through past posts, you will see that I have quoted more than one that I really liked from CrossRoads.

I substituted in 7th/8th grade today. That is a new experience. And that's what my TX teaching certification is for, secondary. Hmm.

Coming soon. Answers to Lindsay's tag. Well, I think so.

Good Time Had By All

We had a great time at Brian Regan on Friday night. There was an opening act: Tom Ryan (I think). He did a clever bit about baking soda. You know, sales were down, not as many people baking. So, one guy said, hey, what if we tell people to buy a box, pour it down the drain to keep it smelling fresh. Another said, yeah, or maybe they could just open it and set it in the fridge to keep it fresh. So, now the other spice makers are going to try and match their success. But how many people buy basil? He said he had a box handed down from his grandmother.

Then, it was time for Regan. He was hilarious. For his encore, he did the cup of dirt science project routine, including boxen and moosen. He was never still on stage. He started off holding the mike in one hand, water in the other, moving a stool off to the side of the stage with his feet. People applauded and he said if he knew that was all it would take in PHX, he could do it for 2 hours.

No other job news since my last post. I expect to hear from UOP on Monday about a followup Tues or Wed. Nothing yet from the Motorola contacts. No decision yet by Light in the Desert Church about interim music. I will tell them this week that I will be attending my own church until they make a decision.

Interview Results and More

Let's start with the interviews I had this morning. I had 3 different interviews, each with 2 persons. As you can imagine, there was some duplication of questions, but I felt comfortable with all of them. I would guess one dude was in his forties, but the others were 30s and 20s. I have a followup interview next Tues or Wed with the manager of the org. She said it has been narrowed down to 4 candidates for 2 positions. So now, Katie, I am again trying to calm myself and wait on God's guidance.

Tonight, Kathie and I are going to see Brian Regan. Do you know him? The folks have his CD. In his refrigerator bit, he muses about salesmen seeling fridges like used cars..."This refrigerator had a meats drawer. And what you do with that, you would put meats - whatever varieties that you would choose - these would be your meats. So there's no requirements on the types of meat. You could pick bacon, marbled meats; there's an endless selection. And this [fridge] had a crisper-- for crispy things."

And of course, there's the famous mixed words bit... "I’m just trying to go through life without looking stupid. It’s not working out too well. Sometimes you’ll say the right thing but at the wrong time and feel stupid. Something like: “You, too!” I was getting out of a cab at the airport and the driver goes, “Hey…Have a nice flight!”

“You, too! You, too, you have a nice flight, too…in case you ever fly someday.” Don’t anybody look at me; I’m a moron. Don’t know when to say the “you, too” phrase. I can’t handle it.

I never learn. Like a waitress will bring my meal. “Hey, enjoy your meal.”

“You, too. But you don’t have one, do ya? I’m a dufus. If you do eat enjoy it when you eat it if you have a break or something, later. If you get an opportunity.” That’s all I’m trying to say. That’s all that I’m driving at. Really…if you think about it. That’s all. I don’t know what I’m saying.

Do you ever start to say something and in the middle of what you’re saying you decide to say something else completely? There’s already words out there. These friends were leaving the other day and I started to say “Hey, take care,” and I decided to say “Good luck” instead like half way through, so it came out neither.

“See you later, Brian.”

“Take…luck! Take luck and care. Take care of the luck. Good luck taking care of the luck that you might have…if you have luck, take it, care for it. TAKE LUCK CARE OF IN IT WHEN YOU TAKE LUCK CARE OF IN IT…[continues to yell nonsense words – lots of ‘em].” You’re sure to see them again."

We are excited. Kyle and Lyndsay gave this to us for Christmas.

Interview Tomorrow

I have 3 30-minute interviews tomorrow at University of Phoenix for a Project Manager position. I am really trying to not get my hopes up. I have also submitted my resume to 2 consulting firms that do business with Motorola.

I do *not* think that I have been tagged. Lindsay said I was, but if it is on her page, I have not been able to check it regularly. Sometimes, it locks up Dad's and my browsers. I will consider answering those questions, but feel no compunction to do so. So there.

Another Fun Blog

Well, of course, I meant outside of those blogs listed in the WBI. This one is stupidcriminalfile.blogspot.com, and it's about.... I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to investigate for yourself.

I Should Not Have Watched

Do *NOT* watch 24. It is too stinkin' addictive. I tried to save my parents, but it was too late for them. Kyle didn't like it too much, but then again, it *is* Kyle. So, now we understand Rick and Denise's story about almost burning something in the kitchen because of 24. I am *not* happy about this. We may even have to watch the previous seasons.

Two Chinese Boys

Check out the videos at twochineseboys.blogspot.com. Funny stuff that you may have already seen, but worth a visit.

But Wait...That's Not All

OK, I picked a new blog template because Susan fussed at me and it's just time for a change. Hopefully, this will display correctly on both Macs and PCs. It's looks OK on both to me.

And that's not all. My first boss at Motorola has given me a tip on a place to submit my resume. I'll do that. And University of Phoenix still might have an opening. I was a substitute teacher 2 days last week. And I will probably accept an interim music job at a local Baptist church.

And that's not all. Some of my past posts have been a little downhearted. This does not mean I..we.. are not truly blessed beyond what I..we.. deserve. I kn ow more about our extended family than ever before thanks to these blogs. I'm..We're.. going to have a granddaughter in 10 weeks. All our parents are alive. Our kids both married Christians. God blessed me with a loving and supportive wife who opened my eyes by asking if there weren't things that were positive in my life. God is still in control, and loves us in spite of ourselves. Amen.

As The Good Book Says

Where is the right job? It seems to be a slightly depressing day. At least it is Chorale night, so that always helps.

I am reminded of Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof.
We don't eat like kings, but we don't starve either. As the Good Book says, "When a poor man eats a chicken, one of them is sick. " Where does the Book say that? All right, all right! It doesn't exactly say that, but someplace, it has something about a chicken.

New Blog Coming!

The grandparents are finally working on entering the WBI. Thanks to Katie for getting them set up. The blog name will be announced soon. Well, as soon as Katie tells them how to log in. Hopefully, they'll post more often than Kyle and Alison.

Discouraged, disillusioned, disappointed

Well, yes, that does kind of describe me, but it was actually describing Israel at the time of David. This was when David wrote Psalm 118. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" and "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."

As today's sermon noted, each of these talks about living in the "present tense." Yesterday is too late and tomorrow is not promised to us. And, the quote of the day, aimed directly at me: God has strategically placed you in your life's circumstances. He has a reason why you are where you are right now.

How long before I get it? I was telling Kathie this morning that I feel I am treating God as a heavenly job search agency. It seems to be my most dominant concern. Why can't I rejoice and be glad in each new day God gives me? He *is* in control. And I know that, at least in my mind. Lord, I can only say that I am glad you love me in spite of myself. Thank you that you are good and your love endures forever.

Pine-Cone Drop

Pine-Cone-Drop
Originally uploaded by UncleRWalker.

Here we are just before the Pine Cone dropped on New Year's Eve in Flagstaff, AZ. Kyle's father-in-law has a cabin up there, so we spent the holiday weekend with his new family. I know we had a good time, and I am sure they liked Kathie, but who knows what they thought of me. Come on. You know what I'm talking about. I'm not called Crazy Uncle for nothing.

Bow The Knee

Last night at Chorale, we worked on a new song that is too convicting. Don't you hate that? As you might guess from the title of this post, it is called Bow The Knee. Let's take a look at the lyrics.

"There are moments on our journey following the Lord where God illumines every step we take. There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us as we try to understand each move He makes. When the path grows dim and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.

There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall, the cold and lonely winds won't cease to blow. And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel; we are tempted to believe God does not know. When the storms arise, don't forget we live by faith and not by sight.

Bow the knee; trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see. Bow the knee; lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity. And when you don't understand the purpose of His plan, in the presence of the King, bow the knee."

See. Sometimes God just has to whop me upside the head to get my attention. I don't understand why I am going through this, but either I believe God has a plan for me or I don't. OK, I can't see a path right now, but I can turn to Him and bow the knee.