Well chuffed. A job at last!

Sunday 31st January 2010, I simply but boldly requested a miracle, and also presumed to give God a deadline too.

My prayer was for a job offer by the end of the week, (or within a fortnight at the latest). Admittedly I had already been interviewed for one role, related to joining the department stores Visual Team. What I didn’t count on was being called in for interview by a supplier of ‘Professional Haircare products of the electrical variety’ on the Thursday  – which resulted in with the promise of a job offer. On Monday I received yet another.

Two job offers within days of each other after over 2 years job hunting was rather, well, bizarre, rather humbling, weird, and pretty miraculous.

Wrapping up. The end of an era

My former employer wrapped up their Creative Studio on Friday. There was a party and those who attended no doubt reminisced, shared stories, drowned their sorrows or celebrated, panicked or told of their plans for the future.

Hopefully some of us will remain in good contact and in due course, we may also find ourselves competing for the same job vacancies.

Ironically, when it came to the 29th, I was working so I didn’t attend.

Would you Adam and Eve it…

With the New Year well and truly underway it’s been time to shop. Again.

Not for food, of course. It’s Sales time, and without the need for a new bed or sofa we have been thinking practically. We started with socks and moved onto slippers for the boys…

Not a big deal one might think, but for Junior Junior we needed size 10 slippers, with backs and of reasonable design, as 5 year old’s can be fussy. A trip to Sainsburys was half successful, as only one of the pair could be found. When I asked a member of staff, whether, the missing item, might have been returned to a counter, a till point, or tucked away in the stock room, she gesticulated that people liked to kick clothes around on the floor and she was at  loss as to where to look.

Cheekily, I gave her a clue by getting on all fours under the clothes fixture to look around. She got the point eventually and walked away to do nothing else.

You say, ‘It’s impossible.’

You say, ‘It’s impossible.’
God says, ‘…”What is impossible with men is possible with God.” ‘ (Luke 18:27 NIV).
You say, ‘I’m exhausted.’
He says, ‘”But those who wait on the Lord, Shall renew their strength…”‘ (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV).
You say, ‘Nobody loves me.’
He says, ‘…”I have loved you with an everlasting love”…’ (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV).
You say, ‘I can’t go on.’
He says, ‘…”My grace is sufficient for you”…’ (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).
You say, ‘I don’t know what to do.’
He says, ‘…”And He shall direct your paths.”‘ (Proverbs 3:6 NKJV).
You say, ‘I can’t do it.’
He says, ‘”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”‘ (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
You say, ‘It’s not worth it.’
He says, ‘…we will reap a harvest if we do not give up’ (Galatians 6:9 NIV).
You say, ‘I can’t forgive myself.’
He says, ‘…in Christ God forgave you’ (Ephesians 4:32 NIV).
You say, ‘I can’t make ends meet.’
He says, ‘…God shall supply all your need…’ (Philippians 4:19 NKJV).
You say, ‘I’m afraid.’
He says, ‘…God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power…’ (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).
You say, ‘I can’t handle this.’
He says, ‘Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you…’ (Psalm 55:22NIV).
You say, ‘I’m not smart enough.’
He says, ‘…if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it…’ (James 1:5 NCV).
You say, ‘I’m all alone.’
He says, ‘…I will never leave you nor forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).

The above is taken from a recent daily Bible study note from UCB and I include it here as an encouragement to others.

Cash – Post Haste

In the past when our postman delivered nothing but his official Royal Mail calling card announcing he was ‘Unable to deliver post to this address because quite frankly he couldn’t be bothered’, we were less than impressed. This week however, the card was slightly different, this time he was ‘Unable to deliver the letter/parcel (delete as appropriate) due to insufficient postage being paid’. In other words, if we, the addressee wanted the letter/parcel, we were to pay required fee, or go without.

An investigation ensued within the household. Was anyone awaiting a parcel/ letter, any official documents, E-Bay purchases, Readers Digest magazines? No. We had to decide whether to pay the extortionate fee, or pass on this one. The last time I paid the fee of this type, I was paying for a Party Thank you card from a keen but socially aware six year old, and his parents. This seemed more mysterious.

Eventually, I settled the payment online, and waited. I’m SO glad I did.

Less than two days  later, the small lightweight envelope arrived for my attention. Imagine my glee, when I opened it to find inside a number of ten and twenty pound notes. I reeled, was aghast, amazed, gob smacked and very very thankful.

Not only had someone shown real generosity to us as a family, a miracle had happened – The envelope had arrived, intact. Truly what was the likelihood of an envelope containing cash, surviving the postal system for over a week, without being torn to shreds, mashed, being opened by one with prying eyes or disappearing mysteriously into a Black Hole. Thank you Mr Postie, Royal Mail and our anonymous benefactor! (We love you all!)

In praise of Laura, Sid and Trevor at Butlins

Butlins in Bognor is alright – out of season at least. Having returned from a church weekend there today, I have nothing but praise for two members of staff I came across. They may be paid pittance by their employer, (a tad more than I am on!) but they were helpful and thoughtful.

Between the meetings, the coffee drinking and socialising, we ensured that our boys were given the opportunity to let off steam, run around and get some well needed exercise. Fortunately (?) the onsite facilities include an indoor soft play-aparatus-thingy, with carefully constructed ladders, slides, ropes, walkways and tunnels and alike. So far so good…

Thirty minutes later our two boys emerged, sweaty, tired, clothes akimbo but full of smiles. Very soon, however, I realised that younger son had a bump on his forehead and it was getting bigger, I picked him up and got a member of staff to lead the way the First Aid office.

Calmly and without causing ‘J’ any further distress, Laura (our nurse for the day), diligently checked little fella over, and then applied a cold compress, gave me a spare for later, filled in the necessary accident report and gave him a packet of chocolate buttons and a finger of fudge for his trouble. At least, I think they were for him. Needless to say he was still rather dazed and didn’t get to sample the chocolate till a lot later. After giving me directions to the nearest hospital if needed, she wished us both well and enjoyable (rest of our) weekend.

This morning (Sunday) we had an unexpected visitor call at our chalet, Laura had come to see her “first patient of 2009” and check all was as it should be. Not wanting too much fuss, her subject scrambled under the kitchen table, leaving me to report back before showing her his bruised, but thankfully, deflated forehead.

As for Sid he came and attended to our toilet never-ending flush predicament within half an hour of being alerted on the Saturday morning, and Trevor, on litter patrol, must have seen the father and son sprint team in action towards the first aid office, because on this and two further occasions when he saw us, made an effort to ask after the patient.

Bizzarely, later in the day, and for very different reasons I found myself directing both my brother in law AND his wife to the same First Aid centre.

Yes, there are some lessons / morals to be learned here…
1  Don’t go on holiday with relatives, (only joking!)
2  Don’t  judge anyone by their cover or Butlins uniform,
3  Should I ever return to Butlins in Bognor, with or without my family, I know I will be well cared for. Thank you Butlins staff, one and all.