Hi-Ho! Hi-Ho! It's Off to Work I Go!

I get to go work at the information services desk at George Fox University!! How did this come about? Some will call it coincidence. Some will call it good Karma. Some will say it's nothing at all. I call it the Hand of the Lord, leading and guiding, weaving a tapestry together with threads that I would not have imagined would become intertwined.

Thread number one: A few years ago I began walking with my good friend "W". Off and on we would talk about her part time job and the fact that there are often other offices in her building who need part time help. She would ask if I was interested. I would say, I wish, but I just can't commit to 20 hours a week along with the other little jobs I do as well as working until 5 pm several days a week and 20 hours during the summer months when the kids are home. (Reid and I have always committed to me generally being home when the kids are home, no matter their age. It takes sacrifice and a whole lot of other things, but we have been fortunate enough to make that work for our family. I realize that this is a personal commitment, and I admire both moms/dads who stay home as well as those who leave the house for their work. Both are challenging in their own ways!)

Thread number two: Several years ago, one of my part time jobs was temping for "B" at the information services desk at George Fox University. This was a great job, even though there were times it required me to be gone until 5 in the evening. At the same time, I had another small part time job that only required me to work during the school day, and was super flexible. This combination worked great for a couple of years - doing these two jobs as well as cleaning for my aunt every other week and continuing the small non-profit job I do from home. However, there came the year that Natalie was in eighth grade, and whenever I worked at Fox until 5, she had to come home alone and be alone until 5, while the other kids were at sports practice and I was at work. It happened often enough that it really bothered me, and since the "during the school day" job seemed pretty steady, I decided to let the temp job at Fox go. Over time, the steadiness of the "during the school day" job became more of a sporadic thing, as it was a more seasonal kind of job. It was all fine. We weren't dependent on the money I made, though it really helped with extras.

Thread number three: Two Falls ago, Katie went off to college, and Natalie became a freshman in high school. I found myself alone at home most days from 7 am until 6 pm, when Rosalie and Natalie got home from sports practice and Reid arrived home from work. It drove me crazy and I began to pray about how God would best have me use all of that time. I discovered there was a Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Bible study in Newberg and found great joy in the relationships I found there, as well as wonderful Bible teaching. And that was a great way to spend a few hours every week. Then this Fall I became a small group facilitator for BSF, which added several more hours and more wonderful relationships to my plate.

Thread number four: At the end of the school year last year, Natalie came home with several tragic stories some of her health classmates had shared about things they deal with emotionally and mentally, and my heart broke for kids who walk around with burdens we can't begin to know about. I felt compelled to apply for a full time position at the high school, hoping that I could be a smile, hug, friendly face, someone to talk to for some of those kids. I didn't get the job. And I'm so thankful I didn't get it!:) I realized this Fall that full time work along with the little nonprofit home job, and BSF and still striving to be the best wife and mom I can be would have been too much. (Kudos to those moms who are able to do all of it!) We have had some challenges over the last several months and had I had a full time job...well...it would not have been pretty. I put this thread in here, though, because it made me realize two things. One: full time work isn't a great option for me at this stage of life, and two: I realized I could be ready/open to a part time job if it came along, depending on several things; the type of job, how many hours it would involve, and my ability to still be home when the kids are home.

Thread number five: Over the last two months, Reid and I have been praying for provision and guidance with our finances. Our cars need replacing. Life is getting more expensive with two in college and two in high school. And we would love to be able to go on a trip here and there to see Katie play water polo. And Cameron graduates from college in April - we'd like to do something really nice for a gift. Etc, etc.....

Ok, now here's where things get exciting, and the threads begin to weave together! Last week I got a call from "B" at GFU asking if I would be interested in working for her for 15 hours/week starting in February! She said she had just spoken with my friend "W" (see first thread) who at one time had applied for a part time position at Fox. W told B that she was no longer available for a job, but asked if she by any chance knew Carrie Kisling.What!?! Of course B knew me, but didn't think I would be available for a job, since a couple of years ago I had left my temp job at Fox to do the "during the school day" job. What a connection! And what a great fit! B has already worked with me before, and I already know some of the ins and outs of the job I will be doing (thread number two). The hours are spread over four weekdays, and only one day will I work until 5 - the rest of the days I will be off at least by 1:30 (back to thread number one). 15 hours a week seems just right at this point, I always did enjoy the information services work at GFU, and B is a wonderful person to work for. I feel mentally prepared to start back to work in this capacity, and I feel that part of that was due to what I learned from thread number four. Also, I still get to be around students, albeit a little bit older, but I'm pretty sure kids with those same kinds of stories I heard from Natalie are all over that campus, and I will get to interact with some of them in this new job. My aunt is putting her house on the market this spring, and when it sells, she will no longer need my cleaning services. Although the timing is off just a bit, this new job will more than provide for the loss of income from cleaning. It's a huge answer to our prayers (thread number five)! Hmm... that leaves thread number three. I will no longer be able to be involved with BSF, and this makes me very sad. I will greatly miss the learning, and all the wonderful friendships that were growing. But as my BSF friend said..."I have a feeling the Lord will bring you back to BSF at some point in the future." That thread hangs loose for now, but not broken. And hopefully I will still see my BSF friends around town!

Isn't this all so cool?! I love looking back and seeing how God weaved experiences, prayers, thoughts and life situations together for this exact opportunity at this exact time. And it makes me appreciate my new job all the more, seeing how God wove all these seemingly separate threads together to create just the right job.... for me.