Isn't it funny how the smallest occurrances or most off-handed comments make us stop to think? For instance, today (my 2nd-to-last day at Starbucks) I was requesting a plain bagel toasted for a customer in the drive-thru. Granted, it was early in the morning, but the person who retrieved it for me returned and asked me if I was from Wisconsin. It took me by surprise, and I answered, "No, I'm from Iowa." She then requested that I repeat my request. I, again, asked for a bagel (with a long "a"--sounds like ba-gel). She said, "Oh, it's a bagel." (with a short "a" sound--sounds like bag-el) Then, my assistant manager turned around and offered his two cents: "No, its a bagel". (with an "ah"--sounds like boggle). The 10-second conversation left me wondering--what's the real pronunciation?
I had a momentary mental crisis (Really?! Did she just correct me on word pronunciation?! Am I wrong? Is she wrong? Is he wrong?) and filed the conversation away in my brain. When I got home, I called my sister (okay, so I took a nap first, checked my email, and then called her). Being the resourceful and curious person that she is, she looked up the word "bagel" in the dictionary. Though it turns out that the correct pronunciation is "ba-gel" (with a long "a" sound), the thing that made me take note is how annoyed I was that someone had the audacity to think that I pronounced a word wrong...and then I practiced self-talk. I thought: 'Janelle, you need to get a grip on yourself. Its just a word pronunciation...yeah, you were right, but that's not the point--its not something to get all up in arms about and, really, as long as we all know the item in question, who cares whether we say it with a long "a" sound, a short "a" sound, or an "ah" sound?' I realized that I really just need to accept the difference, and stop being so prideful about growing up in the Midwest--the land of no accents (or so I thought!). And for tomorrow...well, I think I'll just start requesting "bread shaped like a donut". :)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
God's Provision
It's so unbeknownst to me why God works the way He does, and that's okay with me. About a week and a half ago, I interviewed for the Taste of Trinity coordinator position on-campus. I heard about this last available job through a friend in my Trinity Wives' Small Group and thought I'd give it a shot. Jeremy and I both went into the situation feeling that if God closed the door on this opportunity, I would stay at Starbucks a little longer and start looking for alternative opportunities after the holidays. I hadn't heard back from them after a few days (even though my contact had said that I would hear sooner than that even) and began to suspect that I didn't get the job. I'll be honest--it was a very discouraging couple of days for me. But, at the end, I decided that Starbucks was definitely where God had me and He would continue to meet our needs throught it. I was contented with my situation and Jeremy was too--disappointed, for sure, but contented.
And that was where we were at until yesterday afternoon when I got home from work. I had a message both on my cell phone and on my home phone (and an email in my inbox) from the Human Resources department asking me to please contact them about the position I had applied for. I was thankful that they were letting me know "in person" that I hadn't gotten the job...as opposed to sending out a letter or something like that. After playing phone tag, I finally caught up with the woman who was trying to get a hold of me. It turns out that she was calling to offer me the Taste of Trinity coordinator position! It was such a strange feeling, though, when I found out wha tshe was calling about. I had been so sure that I hadn't gotten the job and so sure that Starbucks was where God had me for awhile that I was kind of shocked. (Incidentally, Jeremy had much the same reaction when I told him.)
I'm super excited to be working on-campus. There are so many benefits! Jeremy gets one free class per semester, I get one free class per semester (if I choose to take it), I get 18 personal/vacation/sick days per fiscal year. Oh yeah! And did I mention that not only do I get Thanksgiving and the day after off (paid and I was going to have to work on them if I stayed at Starbucks), Trinity is shutting down all campus offices for a week (paid!) over the Christmas holidays. What's so cool about this is that we had already planned a trip (that very week!) to Nebraska to visit both of our families and we would have had to take it completely unpaid before. Jeremy and I were just talking about how we were going to make ends meet that month and God has already provided a way! I will get a 1 hour lunch break every day (yeah!) which I will get to go home for!!! Oh yeah, and for those of you concerned that I'll have to give up Starbucks coffee, be concerned no longer. There is actually a Starbucks coffee machine right outside the Admissions office! I can still get Starbucks coffee every morning for free!!!
I met with a couple of people from the department today about pinpointing a starting date and found out that circumstances beyond anyone's control prevented them from calling me before yesterday. Isn't it strange how God works things out? I'm still a little in awe over how God changed my attitude and then BOOM!: He gave me another job opportunity. It still seems surreal.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about why things happened the way they have. I don't know for sure the whole reason why, but I've come up with some positives:
*The salary for the job on-campus is a little lower than I probably would have accepted in July. However, since that time, God has shown me that we can be frugal when we have to be. I probably wouldn't have accepted this position had it been offered to me in July, but now, I'm thankful for the opportunity and appreciative for God's provision of money to meet our financial obligations (and a little extra!...but not much). :)
*Jeremy and I have had to become better communicators when dealing with our finances. We are more on the same page now than we ever have been. We have started good habits that we plan to continue into this new job situation.
*I have learned to be content in a job that I don't necessarily like.
*I have trusted God more.
*I stand amazed at how God works out details.
Praise God for His provision!
And that was where we were at until yesterday afternoon when I got home from work. I had a message both on my cell phone and on my home phone (and an email in my inbox) from the Human Resources department asking me to please contact them about the position I had applied for. I was thankful that they were letting me know "in person" that I hadn't gotten the job...as opposed to sending out a letter or something like that. After playing phone tag, I finally caught up with the woman who was trying to get a hold of me. It turns out that she was calling to offer me the Taste of Trinity coordinator position! It was such a strange feeling, though, when I found out wha tshe was calling about. I had been so sure that I hadn't gotten the job and so sure that Starbucks was where God had me for awhile that I was kind of shocked. (Incidentally, Jeremy had much the same reaction when I told him.)
I'm super excited to be working on-campus. There are so many benefits! Jeremy gets one free class per semester, I get one free class per semester (if I choose to take it), I get 18 personal/vacation/sick days per fiscal year. Oh yeah! And did I mention that not only do I get Thanksgiving and the day after off (paid and I was going to have to work on them if I stayed at Starbucks), Trinity is shutting down all campus offices for a week (paid!) over the Christmas holidays. What's so cool about this is that we had already planned a trip (that very week!) to Nebraska to visit both of our families and we would have had to take it completely unpaid before. Jeremy and I were just talking about how we were going to make ends meet that month and God has already provided a way! I will get a 1 hour lunch break every day (yeah!) which I will get to go home for!!! Oh yeah, and for those of you concerned that I'll have to give up Starbucks coffee, be concerned no longer. There is actually a Starbucks coffee machine right outside the Admissions office! I can still get Starbucks coffee every morning for free!!!
I met with a couple of people from the department today about pinpointing a starting date and found out that circumstances beyond anyone's control prevented them from calling me before yesterday. Isn't it strange how God works things out? I'm still a little in awe over how God changed my attitude and then BOOM!: He gave me another job opportunity. It still seems surreal.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about why things happened the way they have. I don't know for sure the whole reason why, but I've come up with some positives:
*The salary for the job on-campus is a little lower than I probably would have accepted in July. However, since that time, God has shown me that we can be frugal when we have to be. I probably wouldn't have accepted this position had it been offered to me in July, but now, I'm thankful for the opportunity and appreciative for God's provision of money to meet our financial obligations (and a little extra!...but not much). :)
*Jeremy and I have had to become better communicators when dealing with our finances. We are more on the same page now than we ever have been. We have started good habits that we plan to continue into this new job situation.
*I have learned to be content in a job that I don't necessarily like.
*I have trusted God more.
*I stand amazed at how God works out details.
Praise God for His provision!
Friday, October 10, 2008
"Do You Think It Will Last?"
It seems that most of the posts I write anymore have to do, in some shape or form, with Starbucks. Maybe someday I'll have something to say that doesn't have to do with it, but that day is not today. Be forewarned: the following post contains information related to Starbucks.
When I had only worked at Starbucks for a couple of weeks, someone asked me if I was married, I said yes. She asked how long, I said 2 years. Then she asked me a question I wasn't expecting: "Do you think it will last?". This stopped me for a moment. I was so surprised, I didn't give a very good answer. It was more of a, "yeah, I think it will" rather than the "We love each other. We are committed to making it work. We knew it wouldn't be perfect when we signed on, but divorce isn't an option for us" response it should have been. But the more I get to know this girl, the more I am understanding where that question came from.
This particular girl is a Middle Eastern native. She came to the United States two years ago, and lived in another large metropolitan area before moving to Chicagoland. She is a 22-year-old flirt, self-described as someone who gets bored easily with relationships. Her work clothes, although they meet dress code, cover only as much skin as needs to be covered. She wears her short shirt unbuttoned as far as she can make it go without exposing herself and doesn't tuck in her shirt, so that it shows just a little bit of skin in the back.
On the other hand, she is very good at being a barista (when she shows up, which is a story told in a previous blog). She knows the customers and their drinks and can make them fastly and efficiently. However, working with her has proven to be somewhat of a challenge. She comes off as helpful and "nice" at first, but becomes demanding and abrasive to the point of rudeness the more she works with people. Oh, its said in a sweet tone of voice: "Janelle, will you........for me?" or "Janelle, don't do......, do it this way.", but the intent is that I am there to answer to her. Other times, she will call drinks when I'm not ready (and I've said I'm not ready) or say them so fast that I can't get them written down. Its almost like she's trying to prove to me that she is better than me. Ok, I give up--she is! I really could do without the point being driven home every time we work together.
I became so frustrated with the situation this week that I asked my managers to put me in a different part of the store than she was because I just needed a break from her. I felt awful that I couldn't get along with someone until I talked with a friend and fellow co-worker who helped me see the situation in a different light. This friend told me that everyone in the store has had to have some sort of confrontation with this girl to get her to back off. She thrives on ordering people around and making them feel incompetant while showing herself to be better than them. My friend reminded me that this girl is lost and she needs Jesus. Really, I should be pitying her because she is trying everything and anything to get attention from co-workers and customers. She has self-image issues just like the rest of us and just wants to be loved. No wonder she asked me if I thought my marriage would last. She doesn't even know what real love is. Once I started seeing the situation in this light, my attitude toward her is changing.
I haven't worked closely with her for a couple of days now, and I'm sure that her micro-managing isn't over. I have decided, however, to not let her decide how my day is going to go. I have also decided to pray for her regularly and for our interactions. I'm sure that one day soon there will be a confrontation of sorts in which I will have to assert myself. I'm not looking forward to that moment, but I'm not afraid of it anymore. If nothing else, Starbucks has certainly been a world of new experiences and growing opportunities. I can't wait to see what is coming down the "Pike". (Ok, only Starbucks customers or partners would get that that's a reference to Starbucks' Pike's Place Roast, which is a coffee brewed daily and that is named after the first Starbucks store in Seattle .)
When I had only worked at Starbucks for a couple of weeks, someone asked me if I was married, I said yes. She asked how long, I said 2 years. Then she asked me a question I wasn't expecting: "Do you think it will last?". This stopped me for a moment. I was so surprised, I didn't give a very good answer. It was more of a, "yeah, I think it will" rather than the "We love each other. We are committed to making it work. We knew it wouldn't be perfect when we signed on, but divorce isn't an option for us" response it should have been. But the more I get to know this girl, the more I am understanding where that question came from.
This particular girl is a Middle Eastern native. She came to the United States two years ago, and lived in another large metropolitan area before moving to Chicagoland. She is a 22-year-old flirt, self-described as someone who gets bored easily with relationships. Her work clothes, although they meet dress code, cover only as much skin as needs to be covered. She wears her short shirt unbuttoned as far as she can make it go without exposing herself and doesn't tuck in her shirt, so that it shows just a little bit of skin in the back.
On the other hand, she is very good at being a barista (when she shows up, which is a story told in a previous blog). She knows the customers and their drinks and can make them fastly and efficiently. However, working with her has proven to be somewhat of a challenge. She comes off as helpful and "nice" at first, but becomes demanding and abrasive to the point of rudeness the more she works with people. Oh, its said in a sweet tone of voice: "Janelle, will you........for me?" or "Janelle, don't do......, do it this way.", but the intent is that I am there to answer to her. Other times, she will call drinks when I'm not ready (and I've said I'm not ready) or say them so fast that I can't get them written down. Its almost like she's trying to prove to me that she is better than me. Ok, I give up--she is! I really could do without the point being driven home every time we work together.
I became so frustrated with the situation this week that I asked my managers to put me in a different part of the store than she was because I just needed a break from her. I felt awful that I couldn't get along with someone until I talked with a friend and fellow co-worker who helped me see the situation in a different light. This friend told me that everyone in the store has had to have some sort of confrontation with this girl to get her to back off. She thrives on ordering people around and making them feel incompetant while showing herself to be better than them. My friend reminded me that this girl is lost and she needs Jesus. Really, I should be pitying her because she is trying everything and anything to get attention from co-workers and customers. She has self-image issues just like the rest of us and just wants to be loved. No wonder she asked me if I thought my marriage would last. She doesn't even know what real love is. Once I started seeing the situation in this light, my attitude toward her is changing.
I haven't worked closely with her for a couple of days now, and I'm sure that her micro-managing isn't over. I have decided, however, to not let her decide how my day is going to go. I have also decided to pray for her regularly and for our interactions. I'm sure that one day soon there will be a confrontation of sorts in which I will have to assert myself. I'm not looking forward to that moment, but I'm not afraid of it anymore. If nothing else, Starbucks has certainly been a world of new experiences and growing opportunities. I can't wait to see what is coming down the "Pike". (Ok, only Starbucks customers or partners would get that that's a reference to Starbucks' Pike's Place Roast, which is a coffee brewed daily and that is named after the first Starbucks store in Seattle .)
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