Several years ago I was invited to present a Lenten moment based on Psalm 22:1-18, 25-31. The following is my presentation.
God was present with Jesus even as He hung on the cross and died. He must have cried as He watched - tears of sorrow and of joy - as His Son took on our sins - mine and yours - the sins of the world so we could have eternal life. Perhaps God's sorrow was in the darkness that fell upon the land, in the temple when the veil was torn from top to bottom. It was there when the earth shook and the rocks were split.
God is present with us in the good times and the bad. We may be more aware of His presence in the bad times because then we really lean on Him.
I have thought about God's presence in my preparation for this moment. The first things that came to mind was the song lyrics, "Surely, the presence of the Lord is in this place. I can feel His might power and His grace."
I have seen God's presence in my life many times. His presence was in the people who surrounded me and encouraged me as I walked a very unplanned path - through divorce. There were people who helped me know that I was ok and that God loved me all through that walk. One person was always at the other end of the phone when I needed to talk to her. She shared Bible verses with me many times. There were many others, especially the members of the church choir.
I went through a somewhat less traumatic time when I was fired from a good job in 1991. I had the chance to resign but decided that was not the path I wanted to take. The first Monday when I had no job to go to, it was raining outside. That matched the tears I was shedding inside. When I finally made my way out to my living room, I was amazed to find little arcs of rainbows reflected on the carpet, the walls, in the mirror over the fireplace. They were everywhere. It was as if God took my hand and said, "Look here, I am here. It is going to be fine." I can tell you where those little reflected arcs came from - a butterfly with three crystal prisms hung in the kitchen window. The sun was shining through those prisms and the little reflected arcs shown all around. I had lived there for nearly two years - and the butterfly hung in the window all that time - and I had never noticed the reflected arcs of rainbows before.
My son Tony planned a mission trip with Little Lambs Ministry to the Ukraine in 1994. His wife, Lisa, asked me why I didn't go with him. I told her I had no time off at my job, really didn't have the money to pay for a plane ticket, and just couldn't possibly go. When I got a very nice-sized tax refund, I looked at that check and decided to see what would happen. I gave 10% to the church, had enough money left to pay for my plane ticket, buy a Nordic Track, and enough to pay me for the two weeks I would miss work. My Visa came in good time. Don't you just love it when everything works together so something wonderful happens? It happened here.
Of course, I could never have gone to the Ukraine, if it had not been in God's plan for me. I have asthma and seldom spend much time outside or in places that don't have air conditioning. I would be outside nearly 100% of the time. I would need to take my medications and my nebulizer - and then depend on God to keep me healthy. And He did! It was a trip that changed my life. I no longer take cold water to drink nor hot water for a shower for granted. That trip made me very aware of how blessed we are to live in this country.
God allowed me to go on one more trip to Ukraine in 1995 only 19 days after Don and I got married. I've been asked to return but it has not been in God's plan for me to go back. Without God, I cannot go there and be healthy.
Have you ever wondered if what you are doing has any effect on anything or any one? Have you ever wondered if you really are who you seem to be? I had those feels in about 1998. I was working at the cardiologists' office. Those thoughts were bothering me. Several days later, I got a note in the mail from one of the nurses who had shared some family problems with me over lunch one day. The note began, "BJ, I was compelled to write this." I spoke to her later and asked about that. She told me it was the absolute truth, she was compelled to write me. Her note was God's reassurance that I was where he wanted me to be.
So you see, God is present every day. You may see His presence in someone's smile, in a note that says just what you need to hear, in the touch of someone's hand. His presence is there when things come together in a way you simply could never have imagined or dreamed.
We can help change people's lives when we are present for them. We can share smiles, hugs, handshakes, joys and sorrows with the people around us. We can share words of encouragement with those who are far away via email or a letter. We can be present for people by praying for them. These things help us practice the presence of God because we are doing His work here on earth.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Jobs Part 3
Early in 1989 I saw an ad for a supervisory job at University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics (UIHC) in the communications department. The wages were more than twice what I was making at LeFebure and the benefits were great! I sent a resume', was interviewed and got the job. I started in early March. It was considered a "professional" position so there was a two-year probationary period.
The Comm. department included the telephone center and this was where my job was located. The man who interviewed me was the manager. I did not realize that I would have a direct supervisor, a young woman who had very recently graduated from college. I was not aware of this until I came to work the first day.
My responsibilities included interviewing, hiring, firing and scheduling the phone operators. There were eight fulltime and a large number of students working part time. The telephone switch and computer systems were both new to me.
Pressure and stress seemed to fill my days. The manager informed me at 18 months that I was not doing a satisfactory job and I probably should think about quitting. I've never been a quitter so I told him I wouldn't quit. He was a great procrastinator and I figured he might never get around to firing me - but he did.
It was good because the stress and pressure were so bad that I would nearly be ill as soon as I got in the building for work each morning. There are always lessons to be learned from all situations and there were lessons with this. But that is another post.
The Comm. department included the telephone center and this was where my job was located. The man who interviewed me was the manager. I did not realize that I would have a direct supervisor, a young woman who had very recently graduated from college. I was not aware of this until I came to work the first day.
My responsibilities included interviewing, hiring, firing and scheduling the phone operators. There were eight fulltime and a large number of students working part time. The telephone switch and computer systems were both new to me.
Pressure and stress seemed to fill my days. The manager informed me at 18 months that I was not doing a satisfactory job and I probably should think about quitting. I've never been a quitter so I told him I wouldn't quit. He was a great procrastinator and I figured he might never get around to firing me - but he did.
It was good because the stress and pressure were so bad that I would nearly be ill as soon as I got in the building for work each morning. There are always lessons to be learned from all situations and there were lessons with this. But that is another post.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Jobs I've Held, Part 2
I did not work outside of our home after we moved from Kansas. I began volunteering at Starry Elementary School when Patti and Tony were students there. I subbed for the secretary and this led to being hired to work short term in several of the district's schools. Then I was hired to help supervise the students in the lunchroom and after lunch, on the playground. Some of the 5th and 6th grade students were taller than I (5'4"). This made it interesting in keeping everyone playing nicely. Some of the sassy girls were more of a challenge than the tall boys!
Patti graduated in 1977 and went off to college. That left Tony and me at home. Chuck was traveling for Collins at that time.
So I decided it was time to find a job. LeFebure, a company that made banking equipment (safe deposit boxes, ATM, modular safes, etc.) hired me as a clerk in the Traffic department on a half-time basis. There were four fulltime clerks; 2 were younger, one about my age, and the last was an older widow. We were involved in getting the papers to ship the equipment to customers. I worked half-time about five years.
Late in 1981, I began selling Mary Kay Cosmetics as something to keep me busy in the evenings. I took the opportunity to attend Mary Kay's annual convention and heard Mary Kay Ash talk about her company. It was all very positive and uplifting.
I was still at LeFebure and needed to go fulltime. A job opened up and I applied for it and was hired fulltime. My friend Janette began training me. Within about ten days the job of supervisor of Office Services opened up. Both the Traffic supervisor and Office Services supervisor worked for the Traffic Manager.
I interviewed with the Traffic Manager for the Office Supervisor's job. He asked me if I had any supervisory experience. I told him that I had supervised 36 fourth graders! He offered me the job and I accepted.
This was a very stressful time for me being in the midst of a divorce, going from part time to full time to being hired as a supervisor. There was no description of my duties. So I began writing a manual of my duties. No one told me that paying for the post office box was one of my duties. All my training was certainly on-the-job.
I dealt with telephone techs when there was a phone problem; ordered stationery and envelopes for sales, service, accounting and engineering; took care of office machines; supervised files personnel, the mailroom clerks, the telephone operators and the ladies in word processing. There were eleven or twelve people in office services - all women except for one man. In a personnel cut the man had been bumped from his job in tech service. When he applied, I hired him. He was one of my best employees and the most loyal.
My boss, the Traffic Manager, and I were given the task of replacing the phone system. We contacted the different phone companies with requests for proposals, went over them and decided on An AT&T System 75. LeFebure sent me to Chicago to AT&T to learn all about the new system.
I enjoyed every minute of the week's schooling.
The AT&T folks came in on a Friday night to install the new switch. My boss left about 10 p.m. The AT&T techs, salesman and I were there until about 1 a.m. They installed a computer on my desk so I could troubleshoot the system, also to assign phone numbers and make number changes when an employee moved to another job he/she could take the original phone number to the new location. The new phone system was the most fun of any part of the job.
When I left LeFebure in 1989, there was a binder filled with the duties of the Supervisor of Office Services. The next person to sit in that office would not be surprised that she was to see that the post office was paid for the post office box!
Patti graduated in 1977 and went off to college. That left Tony and me at home. Chuck was traveling for Collins at that time.
So I decided it was time to find a job. LeFebure, a company that made banking equipment (safe deposit boxes, ATM, modular safes, etc.) hired me as a clerk in the Traffic department on a half-time basis. There were four fulltime clerks; 2 were younger, one about my age, and the last was an older widow. We were involved in getting the papers to ship the equipment to customers. I worked half-time about five years.
Late in 1981, I began selling Mary Kay Cosmetics as something to keep me busy in the evenings. I took the opportunity to attend Mary Kay's annual convention and heard Mary Kay Ash talk about her company. It was all very positive and uplifting.
I was still at LeFebure and needed to go fulltime. A job opened up and I applied for it and was hired fulltime. My friend Janette began training me. Within about ten days the job of supervisor of Office Services opened up. Both the Traffic supervisor and Office Services supervisor worked for the Traffic Manager.
I interviewed with the Traffic Manager for the Office Supervisor's job. He asked me if I had any supervisory experience. I told him that I had supervised 36 fourth graders! He offered me the job and I accepted.
This was a very stressful time for me being in the midst of a divorce, going from part time to full time to being hired as a supervisor. There was no description of my duties. So I began writing a manual of my duties. No one told me that paying for the post office box was one of my duties. All my training was certainly on-the-job.
I dealt with telephone techs when there was a phone problem; ordered stationery and envelopes for sales, service, accounting and engineering; took care of office machines; supervised files personnel, the mailroom clerks, the telephone operators and the ladies in word processing. There were eleven or twelve people in office services - all women except for one man. In a personnel cut the man had been bumped from his job in tech service. When he applied, I hired him. He was one of my best employees and the most loyal.
My boss, the Traffic Manager, and I were given the task of replacing the phone system. We contacted the different phone companies with requests for proposals, went over them and decided on An AT&T System 75. LeFebure sent me to Chicago to AT&T to learn all about the new system.
I enjoyed every minute of the week's schooling.
The AT&T folks came in on a Friday night to install the new switch. My boss left about 10 p.m. The AT&T techs, salesman and I were there until about 1 a.m. They installed a computer on my desk so I could troubleshoot the system, also to assign phone numbers and make number changes when an employee moved to another job he/she could take the original phone number to the new location. The new phone system was the most fun of any part of the job.
When I left LeFebure in 1989, there was a binder filled with the duties of the Supervisor of Office Services. The next person to sit in that office would not be surprised that she was to see that the post office was paid for the post office box!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Pictures of Betty Lou and me, correction
In the post "Pictures of Betty Lou and me, the middle photo was taken in early 1960 just before I left Ft.Riley for Iowa. the photo was misidentified in the computer.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Pictures of Betty Lou and me
The picture with the dark background was in 2000 at the Rio in Las Vegas.
The middle picture was taken in my apartment before I moved from Kansas to Iowa. Patti was the baby in the picture with Betty Lou and
Martie, another teacher. This was early in 1960.
The bottom photo was taken
at the Hoover Museum in
2006 when Betty visited us.
My Friend Betty Lou
Ft. Riley teachers had an in-service day before the first day of school. I met Betty Lou that day. I thought she looked like she might be a phys ed teacher but I was wrong. She made the first move to get acquainted.
We were in separate wings of the building because she taught kindergarten and I taught 4th grade. In fact, my room number was 13. The principal asked if I wanted the number changed and I told them it was fine the way it was.
I taught all the classes except music. I always felt I could teach music easier than teaching art - that was difficult for me.
Betty Lou and I sometimes played piano in her room at lunch time. We quite often ate lunch together. Sometimes several of us would drive over to the PX to have lunch. We also socialized outside of school. We went to movies and concerts at K-State. We saw Louis Armstrong in concert there and really enjoyed it.
Sometimes several teachers and their spouses went boating on a nearby lake and had picnics. Betty was single but was always included in the group.
Betty Lou and I kept in touch over the years. We wrote oftener at the beginning and then it turned into birthday and Christmas cards for many years. We saw each other three or four times over the years.
Betty Lou invited us to visit her in Las Vegas which we did in December 2000. It seemed almost like going back to teach after summer vacation because we picked up where we left off. She visited Don and me about a year later and we visited her once more a year or so later.
She is one of the few people who calls me "Betty" and I never fuss about it. I think I still call her Betty Lou.
We were in separate wings of the building because she taught kindergarten and I taught 4th grade. In fact, my room number was 13. The principal asked if I wanted the number changed and I told them it was fine the way it was.
I taught all the classes except music. I always felt I could teach music easier than teaching art - that was difficult for me.
Betty Lou and I sometimes played piano in her room at lunch time. We quite often ate lunch together. Sometimes several of us would drive over to the PX to have lunch. We also socialized outside of school. We went to movies and concerts at K-State. We saw Louis Armstrong in concert there and really enjoyed it.
Sometimes several teachers and their spouses went boating on a nearby lake and had picnics. Betty was single but was always included in the group.
Betty Lou and I kept in touch over the years. We wrote oftener at the beginning and then it turned into birthday and Christmas cards for many years. We saw each other three or four times over the years.
Betty Lou invited us to visit her in Las Vegas which we did in December 2000. It seemed almost like going back to teach after summer vacation because we picked up where we left off. She visited Don and me about a year later and we visited her once more a year or so later.
She is one of the few people who calls me "Betty" and I never fuss about it. I think I still call her Betty Lou.
Jobs I've Held, Part 1
My first job was as a "soda jerk" at Rexall Drugs in Ness City. Then I was a "soda jerk" at College Drugstore in Manhattan while attending Kansas State. All in all, I worked as a "soda jerk" for five years.
Then I left K-State to teach 4th grade at Ft. Riley Elementary School in September 1955. I had 22 students when the year began but when it ended there were 36 students. I was so glad that I started with a small class because I had never been in a classroom before and I was scared. The first little girl to come in was even more afraid than I - that helped a lot! The reason for the increase was the fact that the "Big Red One" came back to their home base at Ft. Filey from an army base in Germany.
I loved teaching and the first year learned more than the kids did, I am sure. One of the girls was so smart that she could have taught the class. Her name was Blair and she was a great helper. The kids ranged from very bright to those who were very slow at learning. These youngsters had lived all over the world so they were well-traveled and I had been out of the USA except for a trip across the border to shop in Tia Juana!
I taught at Ft. Riley for 4 1/2 years and really enjoyed it. I met a young woman who became a lifelong friend at the first meeting the teachers had before school started. Her name was Betty Lou. More about our friendship in another post.
Then I left K-State to teach 4th grade at Ft. Riley Elementary School in September 1955. I had 22 students when the year began but when it ended there were 36 students. I was so glad that I started with a small class because I had never been in a classroom before and I was scared. The first little girl to come in was even more afraid than I - that helped a lot! The reason for the increase was the fact that the "Big Red One" came back to their home base at Ft. Filey from an army base in Germany.
I loved teaching and the first year learned more than the kids did, I am sure. One of the girls was so smart that she could have taught the class. Her name was Blair and she was a great helper. The kids ranged from very bright to those who were very slow at learning. These youngsters had lived all over the world so they were well-traveled and I had been out of the USA except for a trip across the border to shop in Tia Juana!
I taught at Ft. Riley for 4 1/2 years and really enjoyed it. I met a young woman who became a lifelong friend at the first meeting the teachers had before school started. Her name was Betty Lou. More about our friendship in another post.
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