What I want

Even more than any material thing, what I really want is work that I can love and be proud of, something that brings satisfaction.  I spend too much time at work for it to be something I hate or dread.  I have had jobs here and there doing many different things.  Usually, the pay was not great or the conditions where not what I was looking for, so I moved on.  Those jobs did not yield the success I am looking for.  As I am in the midst of a job hunt, I thought I would write about what I am looking for.  I want meaningful, purposeful work.  It needs to matter.  It needs to help people or better the environment or strengthen the economy.  Strong leadership is important to me so I would like to see competent leaders in my next place.  Expectations have to be reasonable and achievable.  Independence to a degree is something I need where I can work on my own perhaps off by myself or at my home.  I want there to be manageable levels of stress, not stress that causes me to loose sleep.  The best hours in the day for me are the morning hours so I would prefer to start at seven, or eight at the latest.  Lunch break would not need to be more than a half hour as I almost always pack a lunch.  I would like to be out by 4 PM but would like to have the option of leaving early, without penalty, if the work for the day has been completed.   Knowing what I am doing would really help but some learning would also be good.  I enjoy attending a class, lecture, or training now and then and I have shown that I can pass a test.  Being in an environment where I can admit to a mistake without fear and where I can ask for assistance would also help.  An understanding group of people to work with would be most appreciated.  I am task oriented and that is where I get my satisfaction.  When my list has a lot of check marks next to it, I feel good about myself.  Repetition in my job would be okay as I like predictability.  Pay and benefits are important as I have goals that require money.  Making a good income makes coming to work much more enjoyable.  I really want work that I can be happy with and that is what I am looking for in my next position.

Why I go to church

I attend church meetings most every weekend.  Today while there, I was thinking of the reasons why I go.  Here are my thoughts.

1.  Hebrews 10:24-25.  "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing".  This is a verse from the Bible that is very clear about gathering for regular services.
2.  Habit.  My parents faithfully took us kids to church almost every week.  It was just something that we did.
3.  Forgetfulness.  I can forget things more quickly than I would care to admit.  I need to be in church to be reminded of eternal truths.
4.  Sinner.  I am a sinner and therefore I need forgiveness.  Going to church doesn't grant me forgiveness nor do I need to be in a building devoted to God to get forgiveness.  But asking God to forgive sin and confessing sin to Him even at church is a good reason to be there.
5.  Peace.  When I miss church I feel uneasy in my spirit.  I need to be in church to have my week complete.
6.  Example.  I wish to be a good example to those around me.  We vote with out feet and that is what I am doing by being at church Sunday mornings.  It is the best place to be.
7.  Spiritual leadership.  A man should care for the souls in his own household.  Part of that is taking them to a place where they can be feed spiritually.

I find it sad that many people never attend a church service where the Word of God is clearly preached.  I know I would be much less of a person without it.  If you are looking to nourish your soul, please seek out a Bible teaching fellowship.  To me, it is the most important time of the weekend.

Composting

Composting is something that is done at our home.  It is so simple.  We have a cookie dough container that we use to gather organic matter.  Some day, I'd like to get a small bucket specifically made for this.  I have seen them online for about $35.  The items we compost are coffee grounds, banana peels, apple cores, potato peels, lettuce, and carrot peels.   We have over an acre of land so we decided that our place for dumping would be toward the back of our property, out of sight and smell.  I have thought of moving it into the garden as that is where it should be applied eventually anyway.  Maybe I'll do that in the spring.  The garden is still far enough away that it would not bother anyone there.  We have a simple ring of fencing to mark the area and add to it once a day or once every other day.  Occasionally there is evidence that an animal has eaten some of what we have left out.  The pile of matter almost never gets bigger as it constantly breaks down.   I don't think many people compost around here which surprises and disappoints me.  I have heard that 30% or so of what is hauled to the garbage dump is organic and could be composted.  We also compost our leaves by adding them to the garden or piling them in a place out back.  I would encourage you to start composting.

Some of my favorite websites

Here are some of my favorite websites that I view almost every day.

http://www.48days.com/ career and life advice.
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ Seth Godin's blog.
http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/ financial advice.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.cfm Bible study tools.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage local news.
http://www.macworld.com/ Apple related news.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html Astronomy Picture of the Day.
http://www.noaa.gov/ weather forecast.
http://dealnews.com/ bargins found across the web.

There are other sites that I visit almost daily like Facebook and my bank but I thought that was obvious.  What websites do you visit on a daily basis?

No credit cards here

I use my a debit card from my bank for most transactions.  When I swipe it at a store, I usually claim it is as a credit card because I have forgotten my pin.  This works well as it is a very easy system.  One card tied to my checking account.  If the money isn't there, I can't spend it.  My last credit card was with Discover.  For a while they had 2% cash back but that fell and fell to a point where it wasn't worth it anymore.  I then relegated it for travel but even then I could tell I was using it without thought or plan and I didn't like that so I have cut it up.  I do have a gas card and a card tied to my HSA but those are used for two very specific purposes.  Occasionally I will receive a gift card with a limited amount of dollars on it.  Once it is used, I cut it up.  I know there are deals out there for cash back cards and cards that give away airline tickets but I don't want to jump through the hoops to get those things.  Companies are not in business to give away money and trips.  They make their money by people buying more than they should.  I don't want to fall into the trap of justifying a purchase because I will gain miles or a 2% discount.  Using cash, check, and a single debit card works for me.  It is a closed, simple system that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to simplify and reign in spending.