For hire

You know, I’ve laid bare quite a bit of personal stuff on this blog thingie, but there’s a topic I’ve conspicuously avoided. It’s a very mundane topic, really, certainly compared to the more intimate matters of the heart stuff I like to write about. Everyone else writes about this topic too. They can't avoid it. After all, it occupies a huge chunk of their lives, probably the majority of their waking hours, in fact.

The topic is work. I haven’t written about it for two reasons. First, I don’t have any so there’s nothing to write about. Second, maybe I’ve been a bit embarrassed about not having had one for so long, but also because I did not take the exam I was supposed to be studying for in the interim. So why has it been such a long time? And why didn’t I take this exam?

It’s been a long time, I think, because I needed the time for other things. Ya, ostensibly for studying, but now that I look back I realize the man upstairs carved out this hiatus in my life for other purposes. See, the last year has not gone the way I expected. I did not get my license to practice and I did not get that $120k/year job. Instead, I moved back with the old folks, got super involved at church, got my spiritual house in order, cultivated new relationships and reestablished old ones, got involved in a bad one and learned a lesson, learned how to be a servant (in the biblical sense), fixed a whole bunch of cars, fixed some computers, read a whole lot, worked on some personal projects including legal research for friends and family, got fit and a bunch of other things.

Above all, during this time I’ve been learning a huge lesson on humility and reliance on the Lord. I’m a planner, a go-getter. I usually do well in school and in my career. I set out projects for myself and I accomplish them. Well, it didn’t quite turn out that way this time. I needed to learn to rely on the Lord rather than my own skills and abilities. Not to boast or anything, but I know I have been given some pretty nifty skills and abilities. The thing is, I’d forgotten whom they’d come from and to whom they should be subject. The folks at church, when they see me in my coveralls and bandana with grease smeared on my face and a wrench in my hand are sometimes surprised to learn I’m an engineer with a law degree. But you know, the Lord has a way of ignoring such fine titles. He’s using me to serve in other ways and as a result folks at church have been blessed and I’ve learned a lesson in humility, service and reliance.

Ok, so that said, I’m out of cash so I’ve finally begun looking for a job again. I dabbled a bit here and there, but now it’s in earnest. Besides, without getting into details, I know my vacation was supposed to be over about two months ago. And you know what? I’ve got an interview tomorrow morning! It’s an IP boutique that’s opening up a new office. They’re looking for a legal assistant. Sounds perfect.