Gettin' Bizy!

Hallelujah! Yesterday I got an ENTHUSIASTIC JOB OFFER from Alvarez Technology Group (http://www.alvareztg.com) for an Operations Center Technician position. I spent a few hours working with Michelle, the woman who will be my mentor (boss?) and she's really nice. So are the Alvarezes (Louis & Ronni) who own the company. I'm really excited about working in such a warm, family-like atmosphere. This is the job I told God that I wanted (subject to his will for me of course). The pay is significantly better than the position with Alisal Union School District that I had previously accepted, but hadn’t been given a start date for yet. It will also afford me greater opportunity to learn cutting edge technology. Their offices are located just a couple of blocks from where Lisa works and our hours will coincide. That means that we can commute together and that we will save at least $300/mo. in gas costs! Woo hoo!! I will probably start on February 1st which is tomorrow.

Wayne Wiffed! A swing and a miss!

I flunked my exam AGAIN! Waaah! Unbelievable...but true. I didn't do much better than the previous time. I'm not sure how to proceed from here, but I need to do something different...that's for sure. Back to the drawing board.

I finished my paperwork, TB test & fingerprinting for Alisal Union School District this week. They should be calling me to start by mid-next week. Mean time I'm waiting for a call from Alvarez. They said they would make a decision this week, but I'm learning that one can't rely on statements of this nature from prospective employers.

Meanwhile, I have another interview coming up this coming week with SSCS, Inc. who write software for, and install and maintain systems for running gas station/convenience stores. They pay better than the school, but significant travel is required. When I was asking God whether I should fork out the money for the TB test and fingerprinting (which we can't really afford right now) I got this verse twice:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty." Phil 4:11,12a

I'm not sure if that means not to worry about the cost of the 2 pre-requisites, or that I'm not getting the Alvarez job and just need to deal with the fact that the school job is where I'm supposed to be, even though the pay is way under the market rate for this area. More shall be revealed.

I heard an interesting tidbit regarding Alisal Union School District: my boss-to-be has been picketing for better pay! Rock on AG!

Speaking of hearing from God: Lisa and I have been wanting to become better community group leaders. We haven't really had a good spiritual focus to our meetings...more just feasting and fellowship. But I've been reading a book I got from The Word Shop titled: Surprised By The Voice Of God by . Besides the obvious, it deals with being led by the Spirit and leveraging the Gifts of the Spirit. So as I was praying about our community group, it suddenly occurred to me that what might be really cool besides coming up with something to study is to see people really begin to operate in the Spirit so that we are all ministering to each other rather then me feeling like the 'Under-Shepherd' trying to nurture the flock from my own misguided sense of how things aught to be. (as IF!) That's not 'Church'! I've been asking God to speak to me lately (which is something I have fear around...long story), and I don't remember how this realization came to me or how it felt, but I remember vividly that as I stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at my beautiful wife, as soon as I voiced my feeling that we should study the gifts of the Spirit as a group, the Holy Spirit tickled my insides in that (to me) familiar way that tells me: "Hey Wayne...God speaking...this is from me! Thanks for playing. Love, God."

The beat goes on...

=^)Wayne