New Challenges

I started my job as a Program Assistant for Research Studies at the VA. Yes people I work for DA GUBMENT!

It’s a different world from where I come from-LOL

This new gig/season in my life is challenging in several different ways:

1) I’m so sleepy. I am used to taking luscious naps in the afternoon. No more. No nap all week. Oh no…. It’s a challenge to keep my eyes open during orientation.

2) I dont know nothing. I dont know a THING about medical research. When I walked into the office on the first day and he gave me my first assignment I almost fell asleep reading it. (Oh shoot, let me tell you exactly what I do. I figured it out now. So, this division of Veteran Affairs called Research performs these studies on Veterans and the statisticians do their thing to the numbers after some of the other ppl there put the data in the computer. The PhD’s analyze the statistics and then come up with the “findings”. EX. Studies show, blah, blah ,blah. He writes this down and publishes it in a scientific journal. Thats where I come in. Before he publishes it, he asks me to edit it for him. I get to make his writing sound less technical and make sure it is easy to understand.)

~WHEW~ that was long!

Anyway, when he gave me my first report to edit, I couldnt keep focused on it. It was not my style of writing, a subject I knew nothing about and wasnt really interested in. I wondered if I could stay awake all day much less come back. But alas, I did and its been getting better everyday. It’s a challenge to start over from scratch when youre used to being knowlegable.

3) Did you guys know that there arent as many saved ppl as there are unsaved ppl? I guess I have been living in a coccoon. I try to surround myself with ppl who are living for God. I succeed at it too.

So, on Monday when I stepped into that orientation room and began to talk to the ppl who were there with me I knew I was in for something different. The women were pretty nice but the men…OMG. My friends in Miami complain all the time about not being taken seriously and being hit on by men just because of their looks and Im not even all that and I couldnt believe all the offers of dates I got.

It was gross! Im talking old me with gray hair. Younger men with gold teeth. I felt like they were trying me. Everyone who knows me knows that I feel that if ANY man walks up to me and tries to HOLLA, then he is obviously not the man God has for me. Cuz I think my husband is going to want to be my friend. Not try to hit and split.

So, I dont even know how to talk to these men. When I was in school, I would usually just laugh and brush it off knowing I never had to see that person again. But these are men that I am going to see everyday for this season of my life and I dont want to cause tension. It’s a challenge to show love and be a light when some are mistaking your light for romantic interest.

4) Close supervision. It seems like God is in the business of training me up. Neale is the doctor who heads up my research team. He goes to my church and he is super saved. LOL. I love him already. He is not afraid to pull me and his other assistant Charlene into his office and pray over our day. On my first day there he gave us devotionals to read. Can you believe it?!

I know God is using him to help me grow. I cant slip up at work. I cant compromise.

The really cool thing is, he shares his wisdom with me. Today he called me into his office and said, “Well, Holy Spirit is leading me to remind you of this and I know you’ve heard Pastor speak about it many time. And Im sure Pastor has spoken about it too. You’re about to enter into a new income bracket and it is important that you are faithful with your tithes. The truth is, if you rob God you will be cursed. And we dont want that. So, I know when you get paid you will be tempted to go out and shop, but remember God first.”

DANGG!!!!

I was like, blown away. I am so glad that he was obedient enough to speak to me in that way. We dont know each other well, but from that bit of instruction I can tell that he loves me. We only get correction or instruction from ppl who love us.

I hope he has plenty more where that came from. And I will always listen and be obedient. So this time, Im being challenged to be my best, be a light and believe that I CAN do this job, cuz God wouldnt have given it to me if I couldnt.

Gotta go to bed. I stayed up just to write this.

I miss writing so much….I dont have the time anymore. ~yawn~