Month: August 2014

Job Interviews

lauriann 5 Comments

Job interview

Long gone are those days when there were lots of job offers and getting a job interview was almost guaranteed.  At that time, I was even afraid to apply to jobs because I might get hired on the spot.

But we are living very different times, at least here in Puerto Rico.  Jobs are very scarce and to get a job interview is almost impossible.  I’ve had to make different resumes depending on the jobs that I apply for.   So, I guess that in a résumé, you can’t be who you really are.

There are jobs where having too much education can be counterproductive because you’re overqualified.  Meanwhile, in other jobs, having too much education is just not enough because you need many years of experience for the job they’re posting.   So you are forced to have many resumes because one is just not enough.  Plus, you have to put in a résumé, what the company wants to read.  It can be misleading for them, but job offerings can force us to be like that.

Getting the dream job that we all want can be hard.  My dream job would be one where I am my boss, I have my schedule, and I don’t have to get out of my house….it sounds like one of those jobs schemes that sound too good to be true.  Yeah, those job hoaxes where you pay a fee to some bogus company that tell you that you get paid just for filling online surveys.  You know, no real company will ever make you pay to get a job.  That’s preposterous!

I’ve had online jobs where they pay very well and I’ve never had to pay a single dime to be a part of it.  Real legal jobs don’t show you people living in mansions or driving Maserati’s or Porches.  So when ever you see an offer that sounds too good to be true….just do what every smart person does….Google it!!  Find out if the company is included in “job hoaxes”.  Believe me, if it’s not true….somebody somewhere in the world will say something about it.

And as Christians, let’s keep praying for those who are seeking jobs and for those who are unemployed and can’t work.  Also pray for those like me, who are seeking God’s guidance to see if we can move to greener pastures.

Oh, and I did get a job interview for this next Wednesday.  Yeah, one of the only two interviews that I’ve got over this year, even though I’ve applied for more than 50 job postings.  But who knows?  This job might be the one to supply me at least for awhile until God puts me where He wants me to be.  He arrives just when we need it.  So, let’s keep the faith rising.

Have a great week!

 

Thanks for the laughs!

lauriann 4 Comments

Depression is not a joke

I can’t end this week without remembering my favorite entertainer Robin Williams.  It took me too long to just sink in the reality of his passing.  Even though, he made me laugh so many times, I always sensed some tragedy about him.  It happens when you know that a person has so many talents and they get into depressions.

I have admitted in a previous post about my own fight against depression.  Those of us who are musicians, artists and are involved in the world of arts, are most susceptible to fall into the claws of depression, that’s well known in the mental health branch.  I also admit that I don’t take antidepressants; even though I should, but I have put my faith into God.  He’s been doing a wonderful job whatsoever.  No suicidal tendencies; even when the hopelessness might be at maximum strength!  God is that powerful!

I wish Robin Williams might’ve found that refuge in God.  I noticed that when he finished his performances, he usually shouted: “God Bless You”.  Were those simple words for him?  He must’ve had some fear on Him.  But why not let God carry him during his pain?

My sister and I were sitting and reflecting about reasons to commit suicide.  We concluded that powerful reasons would be:  (taking an example of the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries) women who are sold as sex slaves and have seen how terrorist have killed their children and spouses, even men who have seen how terrorist rape their daughters and wives and are unable to protect them.  Those are terrible reasons where suicide might be a way to escape an uncertain future.  I believe that God has the power to turn everything around.  But my human mind cannot fathom how can He do it.  That’s when faith makes it’s entrance.

Faith makes the impossible, possible.   People may think that God is evil because he allows evil things to happen in this world.  But God is not responsible for the decisions that humans make.  Man decides his own fate.  Man decides to follow evil; God does not force us to serve Him.  That decision has to come from ourselves. 

Robin Williams decided to end his life.  He didn’t have to see his children murdered before his eyes.  He didn’t have to deny God and hope that some terrorist wouldn’t rape his wife while he had to watch there helplessly.  He may have had health problems but he had money to pay the best doctors to treat him, he had a successful career, fame, money, a big house, cars, love from his family and friends. But yet, why would he feel alone?  Why did he think that he had to end it all?   I doubt that it was God’s decision to end his life so soon. 

Even if we try to deny it or if we don’t want to face it:  there is a void inside of our lives.  There’s no money, fame, even love of our families that can fill that void.  And it’s an important void; because it can make the difference between wanting to live or die.  It’s that spiritual need that every human being has.  We can’t just depend of our own self sufficiency.  We are not almighty to change everything in our lives.  We are human beings, prone to make mistakes and die.  WE NEED GOD!!! 

God gave Robin Williams the wonderful gift of laughter and make people happy.  He used that gift gracefully but in the end decided to make us cry.  His ultimate decision made me sad.  My heart goes out to his family, friends and all of the fans out there.

Welcome to Joyful Christian Homeschool!

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CIMG2604

Hey!  We started the new school year with a new face and a new home.  If you are thinking about Christian homeschooling or if you don’t know what it is….let me share some experiences with you.  I made a new webpage because the other one was kinda stalled.  Now having both blogs together will be easier to update regularly.  Visit us whenever you like!

Our homeschool has a new address:  http://joyfulchristianhomeschooling.com/

Work In Progress

lauriann 2 Comments

Stole my parking

The other day I went to the Chinese restaurant near my apartment to buy some food. It was Saturday, who wants to cook on a Saturday, right? I drove there and when I arrived at front of the restaurant, I put the signal to the left, I was happy because there were two parking spots available. When I’m at a full stop waiting for a car to pass so I can park, a small car behind it suddenly took the parking that I was waiting for. Not just that, the guy parked so bad that he occupied both parking spots that were available making it impossible for me to park where I was so patiently waiting for.

I got so mad but I refrained myself from screaming and went to find another parking space. I found another one in the other parking lot they got.  When I entered the restaurant to place my order, the guy who stole both parking spots was already ordering. He was a young man with tattoos on one of his arms. I don’t have a thing against people with tats, but that’s what I most remember about this guy in particular. I wanted to tell him so many things (ok, ‘tell’ is not the right word, ‘yell’ is more like it). But again, I refrained myself. I didn’t want to make a scene in front of the cashier or the restaurant staff. But I was still so upset about what he had done.  I felt like I wanted to rip his head off….(yeah, that violent!).

After the guy placed his order, he did an about face and smiled at me. I just couldn’t smile back. That’s so not me. I could read on his face the disappointment of me not smiling back at him. I bet he was wondering why I reacted that way.  Probably he didn’t even notice that I was awaiting for one of those parking spots that he took.  At the time, I didn’t even notice if he was looking at me or not.

But then I thought, that even though he wronged me, at the end I had found another parking spot available.  I analyzed that me being so upset, instead of just letting it go, was damaging myself not him.

If I had yelled at him and made a scene, what testimony would I have given of the love of Christ in my life? I did fail when I stayed upset and didn’t smile back….I don’t justify what I did.  But it would have been better to just let the anger go, specially when I had found a solution to my problem so easily.  I often envy those folks who get disappointed and easily let it go, instead of holding grudges.

Oh well, I know now that I’m still a work in progress.

Give The Lord a Shout!! ….Or Not?

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Before reading this post, watch this video please:

Click there ->   Post by Triunfo 96.9fm.

For those of you who found the video a little confusing, I have to tell you that the language spoken in this video is mainly Spanish. I understand clearly what the preacher is saying but there are other Spanish speakers who may start criticizing what’s going on in there.

The video took place in a Congress of Pentecostal churches inside a Coliseum, here in Puerto Rico. All the churchgoers in this video are basically just praising the Lord, shouting with all their hearts and voices.

The critics of this video describe this scene as: a disturbance, a mess, a turmoil, a racket, a brawl, full of violence, hostile, a revolt, turbulent, a riot, an uprising…some may even compare it mockingly to a WWE show.

But, do their opinions really matter? What does the Bible say about this? What did Jesus do about this, when he saw people praising and giving a shout to God?

What the Bible says about praising the Lord:

Psalm 22:3 “Yet you are Holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel”

Psalm 50:23 “He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.”

So, should we praise God with our voices or should we keep silent?

Psalm 69:30 “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving.”
Hebrews 13:15-16: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

What did Jesus do when confronted with people giving a shout of praise?

Luke 19:37-40 “When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

I ask you now: Are you a Pharisee or are you a disciple of Christ?

Is Heaven a silent place where nobody shouts and praises the Lord?

Revelations 7:9-10 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a LOUD voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’

My conclusion: those who praise the Lord with a LOUD voice, please the Lord. You don’t have to like it, they are not praising you. God is the One who has to like it, He knows our heart, He knows if we are thankful to Him.

But beware!!! Do NOT become like a Pharisee and start criticizing what you do not understand… or worse: may you never become a person who mocks the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. There’s a very, very thin line between criticizing and the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost which is the ONLY unforgivable sin.

Be thankful, give a shout to the Lord with all your voice and your heart. God is pleased when you do it.