Walking through the hallways of a High School

Wednesday I was honored to be a guest at Career Day at a Brooklyn High School.  It's been a while since I'd had the opportunity to be with students.  Nothing tests your self confidence like speaking in front of seemingly disengaged 9th graders.  If I didn't know better I would have thought that they really were sleeping.  Fortunately Mr. L taught me long ago that the high school attitude is usually covering a true intent listening student.  So I launched in...

We played "Four Truths and A Lie" : Of the below five statements which one is the lie?  (It's okay to play along, I know you want to)

1.  I met Miss S. [the high school guidance & college counselor] when I was five years old.

2.  My college major was musical theatre.

3.  In the past eight years my office has grown from 17 to 1700 employees.

4.  I'm active in two professional organizations.

5.  Every year I get a 3% salary increase.

So which one is a lie?  And why on earth did I choose these five as statements to share with impressionable (albeit seemingly disinterested) youths?

1.  I met Miss S. when I was five years old.

TRUE.  We met in kindergarten ~ and I'm proud to call her a friend to this day.  "You are building your circle and your network even today in the cafeteria, whether you know it or not."

 

2.  My college major was musical theatre.

TRUE.  Up to a point, it doesn't matter what your major is, and it's possible to have more than one career.

3.  In the past eight years my office has grown from 17 to 1700 employees.

TRUE.  I work for a remarkable company and wouldn't be anywhere else.  That's not to say that there aren't hard days and lots of work to be done.

4.  I'm active in two professional organizations.

TRUE.  At a point in my role, I grew from a job to a career and needed help from folks who had been at this a bit longer than I had. "... in abundance of counselors there is victory." ~Proverbs 24:6

5.  Every year I get a 3% salary increase.

FALSE.  Some years there is nothing and some years there is far more than 3%.  The point is that in a decently run organiztion there is recognition and reward for hard work.  Even if sometimes you do the work *first* and you get rewarded for it later!

Having prepared these things, while somewhat interesting, probably didn't get the most important point across.  The best career advice is summed up in a couple of ancient Proverbs:

Do you see a man who excels in his work? 

He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. (Proverbs 22:29)

and

A fool vents all his feelings,
      But a wise man holds them back.  (Proverbs 29:11)

and

He who walks with wise men will be wise,
         But the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

At the end of the day, there is wisdom in working hard, earning a good name, and being ready and willing to learn.  If I think on it, nearly every job I've gotten has been because of the previous job.  Maybe I'll prepare a bit differently for the next Career Day.  Advice welcome  :-)

Walking in Wisconsin...

Spent Memorial Day weekend with wonderful friends.... seven of us from the Big Apple visited dear friends in Madison WI.  This couple grew up in Madison WI, lived in NYC for ten years and then moved back home, bought her parents' bakery, and are the proud parents of the most adorable baby boy I've ever seen.  (Nope, I'm not biased at all...)

Between bites of hot & spicy cheese bread at the farmer's market, Michael's frozen custard and grilling dinner on the back deck, it was a joy to be around a family whose home is filled with a sense of order and calm.  There's respect and love all around ~ not the "I'll do whatever you want" love that is prevelant ~ but the "I'll do what is best and honest" love that doesn't seek its own but seeks the good of the other.  The best verse to describe what I see in my friends' home is below.  Though sadly most of us know it as a cliche, if we look at it with fresh eyes and seek to understand and live out the love God describes, we may find it more challenging -and rewarding- than we expect.

1 Corinthians 13

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 
⁸ Love never fails. 

First Blog EVER!

With a nod to Laura L at Pinot and Prose for inspiring me to blog, I hope to share little bits and pieces from life as I walk along.  

This week I'm walking through my first ever home purchase!  Somewhat daunting in Manhattan, there's an awful lot of paperwork involved in being a grown-up!  But after renting for years (lots and lots of years...) everything has gone through the funnel of God's will and is pointing to a lovely apartment near Washington Square Park.  

So grateful for God's blessing and the ability to even considering purchasing - let alone actually making a purchase in Manhattan!  It is true as the Proverb says:  ²² The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, 

      And He adds no sorrow with it.