I am a Service Employee

What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees. Deuteronomy 10:12,13

I have been in my current job for nearly 24 years under union contract with Service Employees International. As a licensed Pharmacy Technician, the "service" which I provide while performing my job is beneficial to those who receive the medications which I help to prepare under a licensed Pharmacist's supervision.

Due to the sad state of our country's economy, there continues to be an increasing amount of hardships people are facing throughout the United States. We have seen businesses close their doors for good, large corporations have called it quits, and we have seen far too many people lose their jobs. Without an income, the domino effect continues and many have lost their vehicles to repossession, and some have lost their homes to forclosure. Very few can claim complete immunity from the effects of the sad state of our nation's economy. The very city in which I am employed recently ranked number ONE in having the most housing forclosures in the entire nation!

Unfortunately four days ago, the fear of these economic uncertainties hit closer to home for me and my "family" of numerous co-workers when our very own employer began issuing region-wide notices for job layoffs as well. You see, even the nation's largest HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) isn't immune. Fears regarding the future became anxiety producing, even in this long time service employee. 'Will I still be employed in the future?' 'For how many more years will I be able to "serve"?' 'What should I do?' 'Should I consider the severance package?' 'How shall I prepare for the unknown?' 'What if....?'

I can easily become confused and start to panic while losing perspective but Moses makes it clear here. In a basic explaination of what God expects from us, we are to (1) Fear God, in other words, have respect for him. (2) Walk in all his ways by following him. (3) Love him. (4) Serve him with all my heart and soul. (5) Observe his commands.

I don't have the right answers. Only God knows the certainty of our future and God wants me to put my faith and trust in him and only him, and God wants me to continue to give my absolute best in my abilities of providing the best service that I am able. Putting all fear of job layoffs aside, while under the sterile compounding hood each day, I will continue to pray for blessings over each and every i.v. medication I prepare -- making each i.v. order with tender loving prayer. I will continue to pray for each patient specifically, and for their families. And I will continue to pray for the nursing staff and medical doctors who serve those patients as well.

Dear Jesus, I thank you for your constant love, for hearing my prayers, and for keeping my mind focused & my hands steady while I am at work preparing the i.v. orders. Only you know what the future has in store for all of us Service Employees who are facing potential job layoffs. Whatever happens, help me to accept it as Your Will. In the meantime I am truly honored to be YOUR Service Employee. I have a new understanding for what that means now! Thank you for all of my many blessings, and I ask for your blessings upon my co-workers who provide service right along with me! Thank you Jesus! Amen.

Number One Songs!

New songs sometimes become big hits and they make the Top 40 on the music charts. Sometimes the song moves into a better position and can make the Top 10! Sometimes if the song is a REALLY big hit it can become the #1 song and it might even remain in that #1 position for weeks or even months on end!

Sometimes when I am feeling low, I listen to Christian music and that lifts my spirits and makes me feel a whole lot better. Unfortunately more often than not, I forget to rely on those uplifting Christian songs! How silly is that!

So I will make it a habit and I will sing to the Lord for he is highly exalted....The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God and I will praise him, my Father's God and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:1-2

Dear Jesus, this 'hit' will always be #1 with me and will remain in my heart always!

The Driver's Seat

Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

Soon after we married, my husband and I realized that if he is behind the steering wheel we often end up in silence in our travels together. My backseat driving eventually pushes Tom's patience beyond his limits. And Tom is a very patient man!

"Watch out!" is what spews from my lips as I brace my hand against the car door. I gasp in fear as I press my foot against the floorboard. I lean towards the center of the car in my perception of his getting too close to the edge of the road or the vehicle in the next lane as Tom passes them up. "How fast are you going?" I question, as I lean to check the speedometer. I have clenched my shirt while gasping for air and claimed to have "nearly had a heart attack." My fears cause me to want to have control. It goes unspoken, it's best if I take the driver's seat when we travel.

I allowed Tom to take the driver's seat with no hesitation on a recent getaway trip to San Francisco. I was suffering in a deep emotional depression and didn't have the desire to be in control. As I sat in the dark of night and the darkness in my mind while in the passenger's seat, Jesus had me realize something.

Jesus wanted me to know that my life could be less fearful but the choice is mine to make. It's all about control. With certainty, there will be fearful situations in life from time to time. (mental illness can cause tons of fear in itself!) But Jesus had me question myself "do you trust?" I was trusting Tom to take the wheel for a change. (And he didn't crash!)

Many things are not within my control and my attempts at trying to maintain control only proves to be frustrating. (If not for me, then those around me!) Jesus wanted me to know when to say enough, trust, and give control over to Him.

How easy is it for you to give up control?

Dear Jesus, please help me to be less controlling. I want to place my trust in you and be less fearful. Amen.

Comfort Food

Sometimes when I'm really sad or really frustrated I buy my favorite comfort foods to indulge in. I have a variety of favorite snacks I enjoyed as a child and I remember eating them with my mom! -- Bugles, Chicken in a Bisket, Fiddle Faddle, Cheez-Its, Ruffles or Lays potato chips eaten along with a homemade ice-cream soda, Shrimp Chips, Animal Cookies (the ones in the small box with a string-handle) and individual ice cream cups eaten with that wooden stick/spoon. And these are just a few of my comfort foods!

Sad to admit but sometimes "I really NEED a drink" and sometimes I will have a soda with Rum or some orange juice with Vodka. Junk food and/or alcohol is comforting to my mind and tummy for the moments but instead of leaning on these methods of comfort alone, I need to remember the comfort which Jesus has to offer my soul.......

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.... 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Turning to God for my comfort is better for my health too! I indulged in an assortment of comfort food over the past 11 months and I've gained 10 pounds because of it! Yikes!