And the Layoff Continues…
Nine months later and here we are still unemployed. But actually, this has been a great time of reflection and “me” time doing things that I really enjoy but didn’t make time for previously while working non-stop for over 20 years. And it’s also been refreshing to assume the position of “stay at home Mom” for a little while. I am quite happy to say that I have had a Lot more time to cook up a number of new dishes for our family dinnertime! I also must admit and I am embarrassed to say that I have also spent time binge-watching a couple shows from the origin of their seasons.
Being off work and not having to focus on assignments and responding to emails and doing doing doing every day to attempt to get caught-up on all the work that always piles up for our team…it has been truly a Blessing to just Rest from all of that! Thank You, Lord!! I admit the beginning of my layoff was pretty difficult adjusting to not having to report to work and contemplating the uncertainty of my future income. But as more time passed, I began to enjoy less stress. For someone that takes pride in completing tasks quickly and efficiently, leaving things undone to resolve another day is Absolutely Unthinkable! I have been far too much of a people-pleaser for years and unable to just say “no”. Which is why I see that this layoff was essential to change my way of thinking and doing life.
Almost immediately after being laid-off from work, I found an online Bible study through Proverbs 31 Ministries that read through Priscilla Shirer’s book Breathe. I tell you, God is just SO perfect in His timing! I just have to laugh and shake my head sometimes. The message Priscilla gave of being sure to take Sabbath Rest regularly really hit home for me. Sure, we go to church on Sundays and usually eat a Huge family lunch buffet together afterward so we don’t even have to eat dinner that night. I also set aside time each day for devotionals and scripture-reading as well as listen to Christian music and pastors’ messages on the radio when I’m driving the kids around or running errands. But I have never really taken a true REST to set aside just one day of each week to get away from all the work and chore busyness that is required in a home to just focus on worshipping the Lord and thanking Him for taking me through yet another week. I never realized the importance of truly stopping All work on one day and dedicating the time to God and engaging in restful refreshing activities with my family. If you are not so sure that you fully understand the meaning of Sabbath either, I highly recommend reading thru Priscilla’s book Breathe. It is a true eye-opener into experiencing resounding peace.
Reading thru this Bible study also reignited my love of reading books. While in elementary school, I would always read several books at the same time. It’s kind of like having some favorite TV shows you watch regularly to see what happens next but only on paper! I was always a book nerd when I was younger and even belonged to a monthly book-by-mail club so collected quite a Lot of books I had to then donate once I got married! I would always have a variety of novels lying around so that if I got bored reading thru an Agatha Christie mystery, I’d switch things up and read a Stephen King horror story. Sometimes I’d read thru Hawaiian mythology or history while at other times I might peruse an old classic like Little Women. With all this time before me the past several months and no workplace to go to every day, I resumed my love of reading and spent more time at the library and Barnes & Noble. Reading thru classics like To Kill a Mockingbird has been invigorating. I did not even realize there was a “part 2” that was recently published a few years ago called Go Set a Watchman though Harper Lee actually wrote this story before her more-famous novel! I am not too interested in horror stories these days but would rather spend my time reading thru classics I was not assigned to read in high school. I’ve also begun reading non-fiction books such as the inspiring story of Malala Yousafzai. To be so brave advocating education for all girls in the face of defying the Taliban and also becoming the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate! Her story is truly miraculous. As I have aged, my interest has shifted from fantasy to realism.
Along with taking time for myself and spending quality time with family and God each week to just Rest, having more time at home means I can truly assume the position of stay at home Mom and really enjoy my kids as they continue to grow. A tweenager and a teenager?? Yeah, this time off has been perfect to cart them both around to doctor appointments and practices after school. It has taken a load off of husband who usually would be the one to rush home after 1.5-2 hour drives through crazy traffic both to and from work and then get them off to their respective practices. My former work schedule did not always allow me to leave early.
Being at home more also allows me to have dinner ready when husband finally gets home after his long commute. I enjoy being able to take that stress off of him and see his face as he sits down to a nice hot meal before he relaxes for the evening. When I worked, I’d cook too but now that I’ve been off, there’s just so much more time to plan and make sure everything is tasty and ready to eat when he walks in the door. I still throw things together in the crockpot—I LOVE that thing!! You can cook So many delicious meals with less hassle and work! One of our favorite recipes is for Sweet and Sour Ribs Hawaiian Style. I’ve also tried new dessert recipes. One dish is a compilation of a few different recipes for Tiramisu Mousse, Chocolate Brownies, and Chocolate Fudge Pudding that I have tweaked into what I call Tiramisu Trifle or as our nephew calls it every time he wants more, “that Damn Tiramisu!” I guess he likes it??
As I mentioned earlier, I am not proud of myself, but this non-TV watcher got hooked on two shows since my sabbath from work began. Not that I started binge-watching immediately after I lost my job but when you have a lot more time on your hands and you’re not feeling so optimistic about your job situation, it’s pretty easy to slip into the lives of fictional on-screen characters every day and joy and mourn with them. I’d seen commercials for This Is Us and God Friended Me and often wondered what they were about.
OMGoshhh!!
Having gone through all three seasons of This Is Us to catch-up to current episodes, I feel like the storylines are so true-to-life and I really empathize with the characters. I mean, when someone in the family dies, doesn’t everyone each struggle with that loss in their own way? And yeah, usually we deal with that loss for the rest of our lives. How many people having lost a mother or father don’t still get mad or resentful of people celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day when those holidays come around each year? Dealing with our emotions can be very difficult. I don’t think there was one episode where I did not cry! Then again, I cry pretty easily at anything whether it’s a happy cry or a very sad cry. Put that together with losing a job and yeah…I was on emotion overload every day.
And then the program God Friended Me intrigued me just by the title itself. Who doesn’t want to be a friend of God? Especially at very uncertain times of our lives? Helping others has always brought joy to my heart. But helping complete strangers? This program brings to light how we should not just focus on ourselves and our own needs but on the greater needs of others. I am reminded of ministries within the church that are available for us to serve in as well as more global mission trips. I have seen what a change these trips can produce in people to make them so much more selfless that they develop an other-orientation. Now that my kids are older, taking them on such a trip to help those who are much less fortunate than us would be so enlightening for us all. To be able to bless others would be a blessing to us. What is the statistic that says most Americans are wealthier than about 90% of the rest of the world’s population? In our high-tech, me-first, consumer society of style and trends where everything is disposable and everyone wants to out-do each other, I am not surprised.
Are you a workaholic? Or do you make time for yourself to do the things you like to do spending time with those that mean the most to you? Don’t wait for a major upheaval to occur in your life before you start to appreciate what you have been blessed with. Be sure to take care of yourself as well as those you love. Let me know your thoughts or recommendations in the Comments below!
Until next time, Joy in the King!
Laurie
Photo credit: Laurie Jamora
