Tuesday, March 15, 2005
AN ANNIVERSARY
We have many anniversaries in our lifetime—birthday, wedding, and any other event we wish to remember and commemorate.
An anniversary I choose to remember is the anniversary of my employment at my current job. Today, March 14th, I completed 16 years and began year 17 with my current employer.
Of course there have been changes in those years. I began working for a sister company and was with that company for 11 ½ years before moving to the parent company. A much larger company purchased our parent company January, 2004.
But I am still employed and thankful for the opportunity God has given me to remain with the same basic company for so many years. This is the longest I have been with any one employer. Of course I have been in ministry for longer than that—but never at the same church for that long.
During these 16 years I have worked with several churches in various capacities. I was a deacon, an elder and Sunday school teacher (among other things) at our home church, Traders Point Christian Church. I also did supply preaching at a number of different area churches. And I served as “Interim Minister” for 8 different area churches, some of them 2 and 3 times, during these 16 years. The shortest time was one month and the longest time I was at a church as Interim Minister was 14 months.
But through it all, for 16 years, I could be employed at the same place to provide for my family. I am grateful to God and to my employer for allowing me this privilege. Perhaps I am especially grateful to God for this employment because this employment followed 13 months of unemployment. That was a difficult time but it proved to be a growing and stretching time. And God always provided for our needs.
Hum! Sixteen years! Two people at work were aware and offered congratulations. The “Helping Hands” group sent a generic card – the same card they deliver to your desk every year on your hire date. Did I celebrate? Did I congratulate myself? No. There’s just too much on my plate for such things right now. I had two meetings at church tonight. And that’s okay. I know; God knows. Now I’ve told you! That’s enough.
And this coming August we will have lived in our current house 15 years. That’s the longest I’ve ever lived in one house, too.
Jim
posted by jim 12:25 AM 1 comments
Comments:
Congratulations, Jim, on your "anniversary." It feels good to celebrate things that are important to you, and your job is certainly important! Congratulations!
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