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December 1, 2012

Thanks for a great 2 Years!

I just finished my first week with my new job. I’m sure you’ll skip down to the bottom to read all about that, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

In January of 2011 I met with my pastor to ask his advice on when it is appropriate for a grown man with a family of 4 to ask for financial help from his church or his family. I was a Barista with a new part time gig at AT&T but the commission checks had not arrived and I was panicking.

A large tax “return” coupled with an instant promotion to full time at Ma Bell was enough to render the point moot. I had a real job.

AT&T retail, as entry level jobs go, is phenomenal. Thorough training, free top-of-the-line phone, and a commission structure that makes it easy (with the right effort and focus) to make a great living.

In June of 2011 my benefits kicked in and I was able to quit Starbucks and reduce the amount of time standing up each week from 70 hours to 55.

Retail hours plus the fact that I took over as music guy at my church were the catalyst for beginning a job search in earnest in the spring of 2012.

All along Jacqueline would remind me that she was praying very specifically for a new job on November 1st. I thought it was a bit of a pipe dream, but I kept it to myself.

After a couple of “not a fit” job interviews and even an offer from another company, November was on the horizon. I had interviewed at a company named “Wingswept” in early October, but hadn’t heard much back from them. But a bit of persistence and roughly 5 assessments later, my hiring manager made what turned out to be the deciding gesture by driving 30 minutes to hand deliver the offer letter, on November 2nd.

I just finished my first week as an Account Manager (fancy way to describe telesales) for Wingswept, in their Vertical Markets division. I sell websites to Auto Repair Shops. This company is the real deal. They take care of employees and customers like they are family.

I love it.

Thanks, AT&T, for a great two years. I’ll be a mobile phone customer for a long time. And if you get UVerse in my neighborhood, call me.

November 5, 2012November 2, 2012

Fun for your Monday Morning.

Ever lose track of a friend only to see him dressed up as Minnie Pearl on Conan O’Brien’s show?

Until very recently, I was totally with you.

Randy Harris is the drummer, there.

October 29, 2012October 29, 2012

My Changing Stance on Halloween.

1778188040_4aaa582a86 — How do we respond to people who disagree with us on Halloween?

There’s hardly a more divisive issue in the fall among theologically conservative evangelical churches than what to do at Halloween. I wanted to share my personal journey and provide some guidelines.

On the one side of the argument are those who rightfully report the holiday’s occult underpinnings. It has almost no connection to anything Christian (aside from the day it precedes, All Saints Day) and thus those on this end of the spectrum abstain from any association with Halloween, as a principle of conscience.

On the other side of the conservative evangelical fence are those who rightfully report that Halloween is, in American culture, the only time their non-Christian neighbors willingly knock on their door, and thus a spectacular time to build relationships that might lead to people coming to know Christ. This group of folks participates carefully in Halloween with an aye toward the Kingdom of God. (spoiler alert, this is the group I’m currently in)

I see this as an area governed by freedom in Christ and subject to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In light of that, here are some questions to ask of yourself as you approach Halloween:

Am I mindful of my motives regarding Halloween?
This is a tough one for me. Often I am just seeking to be theologically correct, or to be culturally relevant. My motive should be to glorify God.

Is my participation or abstention from Halloween led by the Spirit, or by the flesh?
My flesh wants to be right, applauded, noticed, rewarded, and (in the end) worshiped. The Spirit wants all of those things for Christ. In my stance on Halloween, often I don’t take into account how my public stance on it can tend toward publicly stroking my own ego, not pointing people to Christ.

How does my reaction to brothers and sisters on the other side of the Halloween discussion shed light on my motives?
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. I tend to be a bit of a debater naturally (for the Meyers-Brigs folks out there, I am an ENTJ). So, for me, one of the best indicators of true motive is when I come across people who disagree with me on the whole Halloween thing. Back when I lived in Asheville I even wrote a blog post chastising folks for picketing Halloween. I have to be very careful to obey the command of Jesus to love my brothers and sisters.

In the end, let your participation or abstention from Halloween be governed by the freedom you have in Christ, and do it to His glory.

January 10, 2012January 10, 2012

How underdogs will get promoted this year.

Doing your job isn’t enough.

Working harder than all of your coworkers isn’t enough.

Having a college degree certainly isn’t enough, even if it’s Continue reading “How underdogs will get promoted this year.”

November 15, 2011

Occupy Wall Street. And Then What?

At risk of becoming a huge political force in the blogosphere, I’m gonna go ahead and say it.

What are you doing?

I’ve watched from the sidelines for a bit with this whole Occupy [insert perceived evil] movement has drawn on for a month or so, and I’m confused. Continue reading “Occupy Wall Street. And Then What?”