Saturday, April 15, 2006

The Times....They Are A' Changing in Our Home


Once heard a pastor preach about change. He said that it's not possible to resist change, but unhealthy people often attempt to do just that. "Life IS change," he thundered. "Get used to it."

And baby boomer poet laureate Bob Dylan sang, " For he that gets hurt; Will be he who has stalled; The times...they are a' changing."


I've worked only for myself since about 1990, with a brief exception in the mid-1990s. I'm now fulfiling my lifelong dream of being paid for my writing......making me a Professional Writer...and I love it. God has truly blessed me.

But I don't earn a lot of $$$, which frankly, doesn't bother me much. (Apparently a strange, nonconformist attitude in 21st century America....) Being heard and touching others is far more important to me than buying and having lots of new stuff. And contrary to Southern California sentiments, money is not a source of security or happiness.


(I kept telling Ron that all this top-quality, hard work will pay off someday. Not sure I really believed that.....but deep down, I clearly felt God pulling...not just calling....me along this path. I consciously chose the adventure of following God's call.)


But college tuition is looming ominously in the future for our bright high school freshman daughter. And inflation is running rampant here, while Ron;s engineer salary remains the same. It's getting harder and harder to make ends meet, visit out-of-town relatives and enjoy a quiet annual vacation, too....especially if you plan to drive.


So on Wednesday for the first time ever, I took a gander at JournalismJobs.com. I finally have credentials and a writing portfolio now, and I heard that is has a plethora of leads for freelance work.

For curiosity's sake, I looked at employment ads, too. And there it was...... a plum, well-paying opening at the respected regional newspaper in our area, exactly like what I do at About.com: Online news and commentary, and working with longtime print journalists to acclimate them to online pecularities. The job title is something like Senior Online Editor of News and Commentary. Honestly, I couldn't believe my eyes.

I sent an email and resume, and received a response the next day. I had a telephone interview that same evening with a top editor. Turns out we have much in common, live in the same neighborhood, even both attend a church in the same Lutheran denomination, in which he is quite active. We both commented how odd it is that someone in the neighbrohood so perfectly fits what the newspaper needs. How very, eerily odd. The chances might be a billion-to-one.

I have an interview on Wednesday afternoon with the managing editor, the editorial director, the two online editors and this director of the online team. I don't have the job...and I'm not sure how I feel about holding a job at age 54. But if it's offered to me, I will take it.

The times...they are a changing.

God always provides for our needs. God is so good!

The progression of my professional writing second-career, our family financial trials since 9/11, even our spiritual journey to be part of our new church......it all feels very, very strongly tied-together into God's plan for something.

I've finally learned to Trust (with a capital T) and follow God's promptings.....but wouldn't it be great to know what He has in mind? :)

(US Liberals at About.com)

No comments: