For this post, we’re going to answer the questions Angel posed in a recent blog for her work blog, Inspired Faith.
1. How did God reveal His hand and presence in 2009?
A: For me, it was in many small ways throughout the year. It was a fairly tough year spiritually for me, mostly because of my stress from my job at the beginning of the year. I had a lot of pent up anger and frustration that kind of carried over into the entire year. Even now, I find my temper much more easily roused than ever before, and that makes it difficult to be sensitive to the Spirit in daily life. But continuing to stay plugged in at church and with other believers, including my wonderful husband, has helped provide reminders of God’s presence. Just the other night, when I lost my temper, instead of ignoring it and relishing my feelings of anger and frustration as I’ve done so much this year, I felt convicted and asked Jesus to renew my mind again. Not huge revelations or anything, but it’s what I need right now.
M: There have been a lot of job transitioning for me this year. At the beginning of the year, I started selling gym memberships. I knew it was going to be a demanding schedule and hard work, but I looked at it more of a stepping stone into a higher role in the gym. In fact, that’s what the GM told me: if you want to be a department head, then you have to start selling memberships. Fine, I thought, but I didn’t know what I would have to give up to fit their requirements. Even though I was told that I wouldn’t have to work Sunday mornings, I found myself scheduled in. I was at the club six days a week, all evenings. I was told to essentially lie to customers by saying, “This offer ends at the 15th of the month,” when I knew full and well that it didn’t. I wasn’t happy, and I began to see the company and people for who they are, not on the pedestal that I put them on. I’m not saying that I don’t like the company or my former coworkers, in fact the opposite. The company, in my opinion, has a good mission and vision, and the people who work there work hard and care about what they do. It’s just that our priorities clashed, and it really wasn’t working out.
So, I had been interviewing in March/April. I was meeting with some great folks in some great companies. Towards the end of April, I had an interview scheduled with a telemarketing company for a customer service role. The sticking point was that the only open time slot was during my shift at the gym. The day before my interview, I went to talk to my boss and we talked about how the job was going for me. I told him how our priorities were crossed, and he understood. He asked me, “Do you want to stick with us?” and, on the spot, I told him no (this was big for me, I’m pretty indecisive). That worked for the best, because the next day I found out that it was a working interview (interview, then try out the job,hiring decision made at the end of the day), and if I went to work at the gym that day instead of the working interview, I wouldn’t have gotten the job.
Unfortunately, the job was in sales at this telemarketing job. Fortunately, though, I got a call a week later from Simple Truths. Dan hired me to head up the Social Media campaigns, and that is where I have been ever since. To sum up, God has been faithful in a recession job market. He provided me with the right opportunity at the right time, even if it didn’t make sense to me.
2. What was your happiest moment?
A: Maybe TMI, but figuring out sex for the first time. In a non-TMI way, every time Matt and I have deeply connected emotionally.
M: I think my happiest moment of the year was watching Angel walk down the aisle… at Wal-Mart. Just kidding, at our wedding. Times like that let me know that I am really blessed.
3. What was your most defeated moment?
A: Lame, but the other night, I couldn’t get my windshield wiper on my car. When Matt and I were cleaning it off before I left for church choir practice and he was going to leave to talk to a tae kwon do school, I accidentally knocked the passenger side blade off. It was snowing that night and so cold, so trying to put it back on wasn’t easy for either of us. I also have a history of frustrating windshield wiper moments. Two years ago, when my blade came off, I accidentally snapped the metal attachment down and cracked my windshield, which later had to be replaced. Last year, I was replacing my wiper blades because the old ones were getting so bad, I almost crashed one day coming home from work in a snowstorm. (I was praying, “Jesus, just help me make it to Target and I’ll buy new wiper blades – I’ll even get the expensive ones.”) So anyway, I was putting the new expensive ones on last winter, and it took forever to get one of them on. I just have a hard time figuring out the mechanics while also freezing my rear off. So the same thing happened again this time. We were both having trouble putting it on. It was dark outside, and our fingers were getting numb from the cold. Finally, I told Matt to go ahead and leave, and I would go inside and watch the youtube tutorial on how to put them on that I watched last year. I watched the video, then went outside and tried again. Nope. Didn’t work. When my fingers were numb again, I came back in and watched another video tutorial. Went out again. Still didn’t work. I was so frustrated (precisely because I know it shouldn’t be hard to put on a windshield wiper blade!) I sat on top of the car, even though there was ice and snow on it and got my pants soaking wet because I was determined to do this simple thing. IT STILL DIDN’T GO ON. I finally came inside sobbing because my entire body was numb, my butt was wet, my fingers hurt, I was going to miss choir practice, Matt wasn’t even home anymore to take over on the installation, and I still hadn’t managed to get the blade on. Stupid reason, but definitely my most emotionally frustrating experience of 2009. The next day, Matt went out and put on the blade in the daylight and got it done in about 30 seconds. I love my husband.
M: I can point to two times, relatively similar. I’m still processing through them, so forgive me if they’re “duh!” moments for you. Anyway, both my Mom and Dad have been in the hospital in the last four-week period. They’re getting older, so it makes sense that they’re running into more health issues than before. What gets me, though is that the conditions they experience recently have been more lifestyle related than genetics related. This strikes a chord in me, because I bought them gym memberships, work out with them, and give them nutrition advice ( Am I a doctor? No, but I’ve picked up enough from working at the gym to know the basics). So, despite my efforts, they are still experiencing health issues that most likely could have been prevented.
I know that I need to respect their boundaries, and my parents will do what they will do. I can’t force them to work out every day, reduce stress, and eat right. Deep down, though, it still makes me feel like I’ve failed them. Like I couldn’t motivate them enough to change their habits and avoid illness. So, that’s where I’m left. Looking on the bright side, this has been a sobering month, and they’re realizing the need to make some changes. They are finding their own motivation, and that works out just fine for me.
4. What do you wish you had done more of?
A: Praying.
M: Staying on task.
5. What do you wish you had done less of?
A: Losing my temper.
M: Worrying.
6. What was the greatest book you read?
A: My memory isn’t really good enough to remember which books I’ve read in which year, but I do know one I read this year that was good was The Wasted Vigil by Nadeem Aslam
M: Trust Agents by Chris Brogan
7. What was the most meaningful film you watched?
A: Blindness
M: Food, Inc
8. What song reminds you of 2009?
A: “When I Fall in Love”
M: “Jai Ho”
9. Who was the most influential person you met?
A: Pastor Ross, Pastor Rich, and Bob (some of our leaders at Calvary)
M: Randall Ross
10. What did you do in 2009 that you had never done before?
A: Planned a wedding, got married, lived with Matthew, owned nice pots and pans (thanks to Matthew’s cousins and Leslie 
M: Sex!
11. What were you most afraid of?
A: Getting pregnant and the implications that might have for our future plans.
M: Having a baby.
12. What were you most grateful for?
A: Matthew.
M: My wife. And Jesus.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!