5 Interview Thoughts

Here five things I have learned from my interview with GCA, if I am ever on the other side of the table conducting the interview. Especially if I am the General Manager of the Department.

• Please turn off phones and computer chimes. That was a huge interruption as I was trying to tell him about myself. His phone and his computer kept going off.
• Don’t allow potential candidate to feel as if I am blowing them off when I ask them if there are anymore questions. I was asked if I had any questions, then he would cut me off with very little answers.
• Provide chairs in the hallway for applicants to sit in while other potential employees are being interviewed.
• If I am conducting the interviews in a hotel meeting room post signs leading us to the right area. After walking to the front desk and given a not so nice reception I finally found the room.
• Have HR person or adequate materials in place to answer questions pertaining to benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave. No HR person on hand so most of the questions I had I am still waiting to hear back on.

Have you ever had any interviews that left you wandering if it was really an interview or not?

Maybe you have conducted interviews before and can give some insight?

Are there any bogus events or quirks that you don’t want to ever experiance again?

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Gotta Light

Have felt like you were sitting in a pitch black room, you knew there was a door, or better yet a light switch, however you had no sense of how to get to either of them?

That is where I am as it relates to a lot of areas of my life. I have many questions that are left unanswered and I am unsure what steps I need to take. There are hopes and dreams of future opportunities that I want to shoot for but the events of the past few weeks have left me questioning and searching for what to do and where to go in the present. What to do in regards to my job leaves me with more questions than answers as it relates to my families well being.

Do I whole heartily seek to stay with my current company and relocate? If so that means selling my house, uprooting my family, etc.

Do I take what the new company offers and stay here? Even if that means a pay-cut in one way or the other.

I honestly don’t know.

There is one thing that I know for certain. My ultimate passion and calling in life is not to be a plumber. Do I think I will remain a plumber in a year or two? Honestly I don’t think I will.

My calling and passion is ministry. I love investing in other people. I would love the chance to take my passion full time in some capacity. So the bigger question as I see it would be;

What do I do that will lead me to my life’s calling?

While I am unsure of that at this moment in time I will continue to be optimistic holding to faith even though I don’t have the facts.

So I will sit. Sit in this dark room, knowing there is a switch, certain there is a door. I will sit right here in this darkness until I know for sure that the move I make will bring me closer to the dreams and goals for which I strive.

It would definitely be a lot easier with one of those clapper things though! clap on…clap off… clap on clap off…clap on

Job Search

If you have been keeping up to date you know that the company I work for lost its contract and it leaves most of our maintenance workers up in air about what to do for work. You can read my initial post HERE, and a follow up post HERE.

I wanted to share a little more about my thoughts in this post. I have finished up two resume’s. One to be sent to the vice president of operations with the current company and one to be sent to the new company that will hold the contract for the School District Maintenance Department. I would really like to stick with my current company seeing that I have insurance and have time invested with them. At this point I am not sure what the new company will offer as regards to pay and benefits. I have an interview with them tomorrow to see what they will offer. If I stay with my current company it will most likely mean a move which my wife and I are up for if it means a promotion within the company that will make our move worthwhile. At my interview tomorrow with the new company it will be like a dual interview. I will be interviewing for my current position but also be putting in for a manager’s position.

Ultimately I have till June 30 to find something. Along with the resume’s I have put together I will also be in search of a youth ministry position. Luckily I have some time but we are still up in the air what we should do. My wife and I would love to go full time so we are praying about all our options. If I get hired on with the new company it would allow us to stay in the area for a little while until something full time opens. Needless to say this is a very stressful time trying to figure out our next steps.

We do know however and trust that we are right in the middle of where God wants us at this season. It has stretched or faith and has really allowed me to focus on what I am good at and what I am passionate about. Whatever the course opens for us we are praying that it will lead us to our ultimate desire of full time ministry.

Thanks for reading and please be in prayer about all of these options that are before us. We want to make the right decision to be made, not necessarily based on money but what would also be best for our family, and right now, to be honest, money plays a big factor. May this season in our pursuit bring comfort and hope to you in your pursuit.

Memorial Day Weekend

Is your weekend filled with traveling or just staying home. Do you have any special events to go to, are you doing a BBQ. I love holiday weekends number one because I get an extra day off from work. I mean who doesn’t love that. More important than the day off from work it gives me an extra day to spend with my wife and son. We don’t have any major plans, just staying around the house and just enjoying not having anywhere to be.

My wife took a little bit of time this morning to go hang out with a high school friend and do a little bit of shopping and I get the opportunity to play at a local course in the area on tomorrow for like dirt cheap. You can’t beat an Arnold Palmer course, and one of the hardest in the area for only 29 bucks…SCORE!!! Monday we are probably taken Peyton to go pick some Strawberries at a local farm. We had such a blast last year and decided we would make that our normal thing to do on Memorial Day Weekend.

So what about you, is there any event or special thing that you normally take part in on Memorial Day. If so let me know I would love to hear what you do?

Hero Book Review

Being a single man and striving to live a life of purity in today’s culture can be a frightening experience. Too often men walk into a marriage with hardly anything to give their wife because they have given up everything to previous girlfriends or relationships.

Hero is the third book in the Every Man’s Battle Series and Fred Stoeker is joined by his son Jasen to empower us as men to be a Hero, Becoming the Man She Desires.

Jasen’s story is amazing seeing that he went to a public school, graduated from a public college, and still was able to walk into his marriage with his purity in tact. Matter of fact, his first kiss was on his wedding day. That is pretty amazing if you ask me.

I highly recoomend this book for any guy. To many times we settle to be less than a Hero for the women around us. It doesn’t matter where you are in your walk, it is never to late to be a Hero. Fred’s story is proof that it is not to late to live a life of Purity. His commitment to purity broke a generational curse so it would not be left for his son to endure.

This book will keep you sucked in. It is a little over 200 pages and I was hooked. In a total of three days while working full time, I was finished reading. Even though I finished quickly the book has left me with hope that no matter where I am in my walk, or what I have done in the past, I can be the Hero my wife deserves, and pass that onto my Children. As a father I want my Son to see the Hero in me so that he can be the Hero for her.

Get the book Here: This is a great gift to give to your son or any other guy you know that may be leaving for College this year.

Drawing Board

As disgruntle as I am about the school boards decision to release Sodexo as the management for the school maintenance department I realize the opportunities that I have before me. I am somewhat fearful due to the fact that as it stands right now as of June 30 I will be out of a job. With that in mind it has sent me to the drawing board about what is in the best interest of my family and also how can I use this opportunity to walk in my calling and passion. These are the options I have before me at the moment.

1) Apply with the new contractor and if hired stay on as a part of the maintenance team for the Beaufort County School District Maintenance Team.

2) Contact the higher ups at Sodexo and give them a list of states I would like to work in and seek out an opportunity at another facility.

3) Pull out my resume and make a list of churches that are seeking a Youth Pastor, find out about the Church, their vision and start sending it off.

First and foremost I want to keep God and my calling at the center of what I do. With that in mind I made a short list of what I feel I need to look at in determining my next steps.

1) My family comes first. I must lead my family and keep in mind that God expects me to to take care of them and do what’s best for my wife and children.

2) My relationship with God must remain in tact. I cannot allow this road bump deter me away from the faith and my calling.

3) I feel called into ministry more so in the area of student ministry how can I use this time to start moving in that direction. What move would be more useful in preparing me for full time ministry.
4) Whatever door opens and I walk through can I be loyal to my family, calling, and future employer.

Needless to say as much as I am unsure of what the future holds I am excited about the opportunities before me. If my family is looking for a move either with Sodexo or Youth Ministry some of the places we would definitely be open to going would be Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, or somewhere in South Carolina.

As a reader I ask that you would join with me and my family in praying that we would hear and listen to God’s voice in this matter. Not our will but his be done. Whatever direction we move in may it be a testimony to his grace, mercy, and care, and may it bring those around us know more and trust in Him.

Thanks for taking part in my life of pursuit. This an amazing Journey.

What is your take? Has there been a time where you have been left vulnerable and open and how did it strengthen your Pursuit? How did God remind you that He will take care of You?

Weekend Take Away

I had an amazing weekend. It was surrounded by family. On friday my sis and her husband came down with my two neices, add my son to the mix and we had a full house.

Saturday me and my brother in law decided to play 18 with a couple of cool guys that I know, and we had a blast. Got a little sunburnt but it is all good. I was thrilled with my game had some pretty great shots but the company was awesome. By no means am I a good golfer but I love the game. It would have been great to shoot in the 90’s but I will take my 103 and be proud.

Yesterday we had two great meetings which I hope to share with you over the next couple of days. Heard a great message on marriage yesterday morning and a great leadership lesson last night

My wife and I sent my son with mimi to go see Elmo. He seemed pretty excited about it but hey it is not hard to please a two year old right?

I have a pretty good outlook for the week. A lot is going on with my job. There is a vote by the school board on Tuesday to see if the company that is currently managing the maint dept will keep its contract or of they will award it to the other bidder. Hopefully nothing changes, I would hate to start back over from square one but either way I have a great outlook.

Last but not least I was able to have an awesome meeting from one of the students that used to be in the youth ministry where I use to Youth Pastor. God is doing some amazing things where he is at now and it is hard to believe that he is in college. God really has a call and it was encouraging to know that God used me to influence his life. God is going to do some pretty amazing things as he starts to look at ministry.

Thanks for taking the time to peek into my life. I hope that you are encouraged and here is something to think about this week.

What are you going to do to influence someone around you, what can you do to make sure someone else gets the most out of life?

I would love to hear your feedback.

Night Night Moon

My son does some amazing things that blow my mind with only being two. For instance as he was just picking up words about a year or so ago we would be outside as the sun was setting and you could faintly see the moon in the sky. He would point and I would say moon. From that time on he has been intrigued by the moon.

When I come in from work, normally around 3:45 PM he will make his trek outside to the side of the house that the moon normally shows up, point and say moon. Sometimes there will be a lite silhouette and sometimes there wont it all depends. Tonight however, I was blown away. We were inside and he was doing all he could to get at the window saying moon. Finally he got frustrated because he couldn’t get the blinds out the way, opened the back door and jetted out on the deck. He looked up and just stared in amazement and kept saying moon. Then he looked up and said, night night moon, bye bye.

I wonder what he is thinking as he looks in the sky and sees that round shining light, I like to think he is wandering how he can get to it which leads me to believe he is going to be super smart. In my thinking he will graduate high school at 6. Hold his college degree and doctorate by 9 and go on to work at NASA by 1o and be the first 11yr old making a trip to the moon. Okay maybe not but let a father dream a little would ya.

Anyways it is amazing how certain things captivate certain people especially children. If he loves the moon now and continues to be captivated by it then as a father I will help to encourage those dreams because that’s what we do as fathers. We lead, we encourage, and we never give up on our children.

Take time, be a Dad dream with your children….

All Faith Venture

Today I found out that the company I work for lost its Contract. Unless something drastic happens in the next couple of weeks as of June 30 I will be out of a job. A new company will have the contract which means all of the employees, us maintenance workers, will have to fill out an application, be interviewed, and agree to work for the new company. That means our pay will most likely change (for the better or worse), our benefits would change, also our leave time etc. We will be starting over and I am not sure that is the path God wants for us. I can’t give all the details of company etc at this point due to some legalities but what I do know is that while I have been employed there I have enjoyed working with the crew and company. The management and team makes the job worthwhile. The reason for the switch is politics as usual. So this has left me in an All Faith Venture.

While I love working with the maint dept. that is not my passion. I love ministry and was working and praying toward going full time someway somehow within the next year or two. However, I am earnestly seeking that maybe this is the time I should begin to step out in my calling and passion rather than starting over with just another company.

My wife and I know that God is calling us to ministry and by being in full time ministry before we KNOW that is God’s will for our lives. But with having a wife, a two year old son, and a baby girl on the way, this leaves us searching and seeking the Will of God even more. My responsibility as a husband and father is to provide for my family and that is what I will do. If somehow God opens a door to step through as I step out of my current position I am ready.

So these are my initial thoughts and if you as readers would help me and my wife pray about this next step and also for the families of my coworkers. I would be honored to have you lifiting this concern. I am going to post more within the next couple of days about more of our passions and dreams but in the mean time we really desire a clear head, with the initial news I can honestly say that I had no worries. We are in God’s hands and it is his problem and trust me he can handle problems a whole lot better than I can. There is one thing that I really felt God speaking to my family as my wife and I sat down and discussed future options. So this is my mantra for this season of life….

“We can worry and let that steal our joy, passions, and dreams, or we can have faith and get excited about the doors that will open and the big things that God wants us to do for him.”

Welcome Miss Emilyn

With all the events that have taken place this week with dentists mouth surgery and such I realized I haven’t introduce my readers to the newest addition in our family, My Niece. On Wednesday at approx 9:45 AM a little bundle of joy weighing in at 6lbs and 7ozs captured our hearts. Along with Emilyn my sister and brother in law have another daughter Riley, who will be four in a few short weeks. Riley is super excited about her new sis and can’t wait to help out. My wife and I haven’t been able to see her in person yet so we are making the short trip with our two year old son, to Sumter this weekend to check in. Seeing Emilyn brings in a whole new set of emotions seeing that in a few short months I will have a daughter of my own. Have a great weekend and enjoy the pics.