Friday, April 28, 2006

House requirements

I intend to move from my current apartment dwelling, hopefully back into the world of homeownership. That would be single-family-dwelling-homeownership.

My requirements include:
garage (NOT as the first thing you see of the house)
central heat and air
2 bedroom minimum
a short drive to work

My preferences include:
multicultural neighborhood
3 bedrooms/2 bath
attached garage
dishwasher (that works really well)
brick exterior
not a commute into the sun and 10 minutes or less (realizing that if I stay in the city this one probably won't happen)

I'm just putting things together in my mind so I'm ready when I actually start talking to a realtor. Any suggestions? The house purchase will be in the Twin Cities or Colorado.

Latest interview

Had a second interview yesterday afternoon with a college in the area and it went really well. Should know within the next two weeks. So . . .

Thursday, April 27, 2006

I wonder . . .

Sometimes as I write I wonder who all is reading this and I don't know due to that they do not comment. Not commenting is fine, really. It just doesn't leave a trail.

I am very excited right now. I have a second interview in a few hours for a job I'd really like to have. I'm nervous, I didn't eat much lunch.

I'm currently drinking a delightful new flavor of Dr. Pepper (the beverage of champions) that a good friend mailed me from Texas. Yes, Tricia, the Dr. Pepper Queen mailed me the newest flavor so that I could be one of the first in my area to try it and it's great! Thanks! You see Tricia is a diehard fan and lives near the
Dr. P museum

Dr. Pepper Berries and Cream. It really is good and you should all rush out and try to purchase it today. As I have continued to drink this delightful beverage, I like it less. It's quite tastey in small doses, but an entire can is too much for me personally. Still worth trying though!


I ran across this quote while randomly checking out other blogs. It reminds me of all the photos that San Nakji is always posting. A photo helps us remember that strength. (Hey, it works in my mind.)

"Nothing can bring back the slpendor of the grass; the beauty of the flower. In fact, we grieve not, but gain strength in what is left behind." HW Longfellow

Enough randomness for now. I started so that I'd have something to post today, really. I'm trying to kill time not thinking about the interview before I leave for it in a couple of hours.

May your day be filled with joy, laughter and good dose of sunshine combined with a light breeze!

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Monday, April 24, 2006

Any word?

So, has anyone heard from God today on what I should do with my life next?

Just wondering?

Friday, April 21, 2006

What?

This is what my friends and I saw as we drove home Easter Sunday from NW Iowa. I'm not sure what it means really. Any suggestions?

My silly Dad

Last night I was talking to my folks about my job interviews and my dad told me that he found something in my hometown paper that looked good for me. I reluctantly let him tell me about a youth director position in BEAVER, OKLAHOMA.

For those of you unfamiliar with my tastes. I hate Oklahoma. Really. It's the armpit of the world. The license plates say "Oklahoma is OK" and that's only because they didn't know how to spell "mediocre."

Not to mention that what you probably don't know about Beaver is that it's claim to fame is that it's the Cow Chip Capital of the World. Yea, a girl can't make this stuff up!

I told him I'd pass, but he said he'd keep it, just in case.

In case what! No thank you. I love my Dad, but there are limits. Beaver, OK, Good grief!

Job scene

Sorry, this is my life right now, it's all I know at the moment.

Monday I had a great interview at a local Christian liberal arts college to work with their Christian Studies and intercultural internship program. This includes co-leading an 8-9 week international trip every fall (paid for by the school I might add). I have a second interview next Thursday afternoon. This job has a few concerns but a couple have been abated in that they pay for the trip (as opposed to me or having to raise support for it) and the salary will be something that I can live on (as opposed to the bottom of the range that they told me). The big clencher here is that I just learned that this trip is through Asia. Asia. If you recall, I've been to Japan a couple of times, love it, applied to teach there and was chosen as an alternate. ASIA! We end up in Hawaii before returning to MN for the freakin' cold of winter. Let me just say again, ASIA! China, Japan, Taiwan, etc. then Hawaii! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!

Tuesday night I flew out to Colorado Springs for an interview with my newest link on the side there. It's a great organization that strives to end poverty in children all over the world. Amazing, really. It was an emotional interview as I continued to learn more about this ministry. One of the amazing things is this: A couple of weeks ago, after hearing so much about the poverty brought to the forefront by the hurrcane ravaged south, I had made a remark about what I should be doing about poverty and how I should change my lifestyle in regards to the poverty all around me. Within a day and a half, I recieved a call for a phone interview for this organization. It wasn't until I was talking with Danika that I realized that perhaps this was an answer to a prayer that I didn't realize I had uttered. Regardless of whether or not I get this job, I believe that God has planted a seed in my heart. Poverty is not my thing, but in reality, God calls all of us to feed his sheep, take care of the widown and the orphan. Maybe it's time I stretched my boundaries. Back to Wednesday, I had an all-day interview on the campus of the org in the Springs and it was great. I flew back last night and landed in the Cities about midnight. This job doesn't really have anything to do with cross-cultural issues which is one of my passions, but I see it leading to that and it allows me great benefits and travel and I'd be living in COLORADO SPRINGS!

When I turned my phone back on after my interview on Wednesday, the only message was from the college I had interviewed with on Monday, requesting a second interview as noted above.

Tonight I have what I'd call an informal interview for a job at my church. I'm meeting with a committee member (what church doesn't do everything through a committee or two or three) and the pastor to discuss my vision of this position. You see it's really quite different than what they were originally thinking and not something I seriously considered until the Lord wouldn't leave me alone about it. I don't know that this is where I'll end up but if not, I pray that perhaps I have challenged the ideas of the norm and broadened some horizons.

I'm still trying to get ahold of more information for a job in southwest MN. We'll see. It appears to maybe be working with the growing Latino population there through the church.

It's feast or famine, I swear. What a week! Pizza and bowling tomorrow for a friend's birthday, wine & cheese at my place on Saturday night, church, Italian fest and Bible Study on Sunday. I'm looking forward to sleeping late on Sat and doing nothing Monday night but laundry and just relaxing.

Time to get ready to leave for my passport photos, cause a girl needs to be ready!


These are all three different jobs that I believe the Lord has lead me to without a doubt. I am praying for clarity and discernment for these organizations and myself as we decide what is next.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

new link

Quickly, I've added a new link on the side. It's a great organization, I toured their headquarters recently. They're doing great work!

More soon on the interviews, can you believe that I have an informal one tonight?!

Off to take my passport photos tonight, because you never know when you're going to need a passport.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

MN job

The interview went well and I'm just praying through a few concerns. Should know in a week if I get a second interview.

I am super excited however, about flying to CO for my interview there. yippee! The mountains! Praise the Lord!

Thursday, April 13, 2006

another interview

Only this one is in MN.

Yup, it's Monday at 3:30. I'll keep you posted.

Praying that God will make it clear on both sides what it is that he desires.

Monday, April 10, 2006

MOUNTAINS!

I'm heading to the Rocky Mountains for an interview! Yippee!

I'm flying out next Tues and back next Wed to interview with Compassion International and I am stoked!

I called about another job I'm hoping to interview for in Indiana and found out this morning that a job I sent my resume to here in the Cities wants an application as furthering that process. Yea! I will be making a call about yet another job prospect here in the Cities tonight as well. Maybe one of these is why I'm not heading to Japan . . . yet.

Once again, let me say HOORAY!

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

bummer, another goal busted

OK, so not posting over the weekend doesn't count because I only have online access at work and am only there M-F, however, I just realized I didn't post yesterday. dang.

going to actually do work now.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

scam

Alright, so it's not really a scam and it doesn't really qualify as unfair, but I don't like those blogs that are businesses or just giant advertisements. What a disappointment to click onto some interesting sounding blog to discover - oh, great, giant ad.

Sometimes I like to click on the scroll of the recently updated blogs and just see what I see. Never really find anything terribly interesting or worth my time (because I'm so busy here at work, you know).

Look at the time, time to reboot and head to a church meeting about our youth. yea!

jobs

DEPARTMENT AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR Christian Ministries Department, full-timePosition Summary:Coordinate the Intercultural Studies Internship (ICS) and provide administrative support to the chair of the Christian Ministries Department, and the department as a whole. Oversee the Fall Overseas Intercultural Internship program under the direction of the professor in charge. Develop the site locations, communicating with missions/missionaries and national Christian hosts. Assist in promoting trips among students. Coach students in trip preparation and support raising. Secure all travel arrangements, insurance, travel documents, and legal aspects of the trip. Participate as co-leader of the 8-9 week fall trip, mid-October through mid-December. Coordinate inquiries made to the department regarding job opportunities, internships and questions about the department majors, etc. Provide administrative support to department chair and department faculty. Coordinate department finances, including credit card reconciliation, check requests, expense reports, and tracking of department budget.Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree required. Previous related experience a minimum of two years preferred. Previous work experience in a post-secondary setting a plus.


This is one I applied for today here in the Twin Cities. I'm a crazy freak checking my voice mail all day. If I don't hear from CO by lunch tomorrow, I'm calling them.

Monday, April 03, 2006

JAPAN

I just received an email saying that the letters were mailed today. Provided the mail comes through, I should know by the end of the week!