A few months back, I started a booklet called “Scripture Memory made easy,” which is supposed to be “an easy-to-understand pocket reference guide.” When you read the first few pages, it sounds so easy. You just write the theme, the subject, and the verse on a card, and you memorize 2 verses each week. As you go, you just keep adding verses each week, 2 per week, until you’ve learned 100 in a year. Sure, sounds easy, doesn’t it. Well, it’s not! The guide is easy to understand - absolutely - but that doesn’t make the memorization part any easier.
I was motivated to memorize scripture for several reasons. First, I could recall a verse that said something about hiding the word in my heart. After some research, I found it, and it actually reads, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 NIV) I also wanted to have scripture easily accessible to share Jesus with others.
So, I started out with the recommended two verses a week. I found that I could usually learn the verse pretty easily, but the reference (book, chapter, and verse) was throwing me off. Then, the more I added on, the harder it got.
A couple of weeks ago (week 20 in the plan), I made a decision. I am not going to worry about memorizing 100 verses in a year. Instead, my plan is to learn each verse instead. I felt that it would be better for me to read the surrounding verses - sometimes even the whole chapter - to determine what that verse actually meant and how it should be used. So, I am now not only using note cards (as the guide has me doing), but I am also keeping a notebook that shows the verse, the context of the chapter, any special notes (from my study Bible), and my own observations, such as how I can apply that principle, subject, topic, etc. to my own way of living. After starting the more in-depth learning of the verses, I found that I really only knew about half of them.
Now, I am spending more time in the Word nearly every day, whether it’s studying my note cards, reading the surrounding verses, or reading the study notes. I am also able to see more clearly how I can apply the Word to my life - and hopefully share it with others!
Need Some Input!
Okay...I've never been good at math or word problems, but I came across a situation today that is really bugging me. Can anyone help? Here's the situation:
Lunch costs $5. Steve, Dave, and John are all having lunch from the same place. So, Dave borrows $10 from his office's petty cash for lunch. Steve puts in another $10 to cover his lunch, and Jack puts in $5 for himself. (Jack now has $25 for 3 lunches, which total $15.) Dave replaces the $10 that he borrowed petty cash. Dave got no change back, so is he getting ripped off? Dave is told that he gets no change because he started out with nothing anyway.
I say that he is, but I could be totally off base. I'm so confused!!!!!!!!!
Lunch costs $5. Steve, Dave, and John are all having lunch from the same place. So, Dave borrows $10 from his office's petty cash for lunch. Steve puts in another $10 to cover his lunch, and Jack puts in $5 for himself. (Jack now has $25 for 3 lunches, which total $15.) Dave replaces the $10 that he borrowed petty cash. Dave got no change back, so is he getting ripped off? Dave is told that he gets no change because he started out with nothing anyway.
I say that he is, but I could be totally off base. I'm so confused!!!!!!!!!
For those who have asked about my job...
Since so many people have been asking, I thought that I’d just write a blog to explain about my job situation. First, let me stress that I have not lost my job. Second, I have to say that at least once a year, our office goes through this...wondering if we’ll have jobs next year.
I should probably provide a little bit of background information. I work for an insurance brokerage office, which specializes in commercial insurance for one major client. (We actually have two clients in our office, but one is really, really small compared to the other one.) There are 12 full-time and 2 part-time people in our office, all of us serving the one major client.
Earlier in the year, we started having problems with the smaller client. I won’t go into details, but I will say that there is the possibility that we will not have this client much longer (after December 1). Just recently, issues have surfaced with the "major" client, and we are not sure where we stand with them, either. (They are to renew on November 1.) Of course, all of this is "rumor."
My immediate supervisor is concerned, which makes me concerned. She even went so far as to tell me to update my resume. Scary!
I’m not really concerned about my job, but I am concerned about our healthcare benefits (which I carry for us). As a secretary, I shouldn’t have much trouble finding a job. (I’ve looked, and there are several out there right now.) The only problem could be the fact that I am an experienced secretary (with 20 years experience, 13 with the same boss), and many employers would rather hire someone with less experience to avoid paying higher salaries. Plus, I have accumulated 3 weeks vacation time, and lots of sick and personal time, which I would not be able to take with me. Oh, and there’s the wardrobe factor. I have worked in a casual atmosphere for so long that I don’t have the clothes required to work in a regular business setting!
Anyway, I am not going to let this bother me right now. I have too much fun stuff coming up in the next couple of weeks. Just keep me in mind if you hear of any openings for an experienced secretary with a strong marketing background.
I should probably provide a little bit of background information. I work for an insurance brokerage office, which specializes in commercial insurance for one major client. (We actually have two clients in our office, but one is really, really small compared to the other one.) There are 12 full-time and 2 part-time people in our office, all of us serving the one major client.
Earlier in the year, we started having problems with the smaller client. I won’t go into details, but I will say that there is the possibility that we will not have this client much longer (after December 1). Just recently, issues have surfaced with the "major" client, and we are not sure where we stand with them, either. (They are to renew on November 1.) Of course, all of this is "rumor."
My immediate supervisor is concerned, which makes me concerned. She even went so far as to tell me to update my resume. Scary!
I’m not really concerned about my job, but I am concerned about our healthcare benefits (which I carry for us). As a secretary, I shouldn’t have much trouble finding a job. (I’ve looked, and there are several out there right now.) The only problem could be the fact that I am an experienced secretary (with 20 years experience, 13 with the same boss), and many employers would rather hire someone with less experience to avoid paying higher salaries. Plus, I have accumulated 3 weeks vacation time, and lots of sick and personal time, which I would not be able to take with me. Oh, and there’s the wardrobe factor. I have worked in a casual atmosphere for so long that I don’t have the clothes required to work in a regular business setting!
Anyway, I am not going to let this bother me right now. I have too much fun stuff coming up in the next couple of weeks. Just keep me in mind if you hear of any openings for an experienced secretary with a strong marketing background.
To Go or Not To Go
I know that it’s been a while since I’ve written anything. I have been very busy, and it seems that every time I want to write something, I sit down, but nothing seems to sound right...until today.
There has been a lot of talk on Facebook lately about my high school reunion that’s coming up later this year. I have bounced back and forth about whether or not I should go. I’ve caught up with many classmates on Facebook, and there are some that I look forward to seeing again. However, there are a few that I’m not as excited about seeing...one in particular who I think could make the whole evening very emotional for me.
I don’t know if Eric will be there or not, but after all of my attempts to contact him (see my previous blogs on the subject here and here), it may be very difficult for me if he is there. I’m not going to worry about it too much, since I don’t even know if he’ll be there. In addition, I think that getting together with the few friends I really want to see outweighs seeing Eric.
So, I still sit here debating - to go or not to go to my 20th high school reunion.
There has been a lot of talk on Facebook lately about my high school reunion that’s coming up later this year. I have bounced back and forth about whether or not I should go. I’ve caught up with many classmates on Facebook, and there are some that I look forward to seeing again. However, there are a few that I’m not as excited about seeing...one in particular who I think could make the whole evening very emotional for me.
I don’t know if Eric will be there or not, but after all of my attempts to contact him (see my previous blogs on the subject here and here), it may be very difficult for me if he is there. I’m not going to worry about it too much, since I don’t even know if he’ll be there. In addition, I think that getting together with the few friends I really want to see outweighs seeing Eric.
So, I still sit here debating - to go or not to go to my 20th high school reunion.
Skating again...hesitantly
Okay, as you may have seen on my Facebook status, I have been trying to get myself back on skates. Why? Well, first, I need to do something more to get some of this weight off. Second, I really miss skating with my hubby. Third, I don’t think that I can teach skating effectively if I don’t have my skates on.
So, I took the skates out of the bag and tried them again, hoping that it was just a break-in issue. Unfortunately, the more I worked with them, the worse they hurt my feet. I figured that since I gained so much weight, my feet spread, and maybe I should just go have the boots stretched from a regular width to a wide width. So, I called the local boot and leather shop, and they assured me that it would be no problem, and it would only cost me $4.80. Wow! That’s a lot cheaper than buying new boots for my skates! So, right before we left for Nationals, I dropped off my skates to be stretched.
After we returned, I picked up my boots and headed to the rink with excitement that I haven’t felt in quite a while. I put the boots on and was quite disappointed - they didn’t feel any different than they had before. That was it! I was done! I’m giving it up. Who needs skating anyway?
Then, Curt mentioned a friend that had a size 6 for sale. He suggested that I contact her, but I protested saying that a 6 would be way too big, since my boots were only a 5. Well, I finally broke down and emailed her about the skates. (I had talked to her about buying them before, but I backed out, since I thought the boot stretching would work.)
On Saturday morning, I went to the rink to try the skates. It was strange wearing someone else’s skates, but overall, they fit better than mine did. I skated for a while - with Curt close by if not attached to my hip because I was quite nervous. To make a long story short, Curt and I talked, and we decided that I should buy them.
I wore them again yesterday for a while, and I’ll wear them again tonight. The only thing that needs done to them is cutting the boot down, but I’ll have that done while the rink is closed down next month. This may be another small step to help me get myself back into shape! Hey, maybe we’ll even skate competitively again in the future...the very distant future (so don’t get your hopes up). Right now it’s just one little step at a time...with skates on!
So, I took the skates out of the bag and tried them again, hoping that it was just a break-in issue. Unfortunately, the more I worked with them, the worse they hurt my feet. I figured that since I gained so much weight, my feet spread, and maybe I should just go have the boots stretched from a regular width to a wide width. So, I called the local boot and leather shop, and they assured me that it would be no problem, and it would only cost me $4.80. Wow! That’s a lot cheaper than buying new boots for my skates! So, right before we left for Nationals, I dropped off my skates to be stretched.
After we returned, I picked up my boots and headed to the rink with excitement that I haven’t felt in quite a while. I put the boots on and was quite disappointed - they didn’t feel any different than they had before. That was it! I was done! I’m giving it up. Who needs skating anyway?
Then, Curt mentioned a friend that had a size 6 for sale. He suggested that I contact her, but I protested saying that a 6 would be way too big, since my boots were only a 5. Well, I finally broke down and emailed her about the skates. (I had talked to her about buying them before, but I backed out, since I thought the boot stretching would work.)
On Saturday morning, I went to the rink to try the skates. It was strange wearing someone else’s skates, but overall, they fit better than mine did. I skated for a while - with Curt close by if not attached to my hip because I was quite nervous. To make a long story short, Curt and I talked, and we decided that I should buy them.
I wore them again yesterday for a while, and I’ll wear them again tonight. The only thing that needs done to them is cutting the boot down, but I’ll have that done while the rink is closed down next month. This may be another small step to help me get myself back into shape! Hey, maybe we’ll even skate competitively again in the future...the very distant future (so don’t get your hopes up). Right now it’s just one little step at a time...with skates on!
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