This picture, originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog a couple of years ago, is resurfacing because it seems appropriate as I prepare to return to work tomorrow after a two week vacation. Layoffs are imminent and I hope to survive the cut backs. Life has never been easy for me. After a terribly difficult divorce, I cross-stitched this piece from the "Book of Philippians" and hung it on my wall as a reminder. It took me one year to complete on 14 count Aida cloth.
I am paraphrasing...."How great is the joy I have in my life in the Lord!....I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need, and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. (Phil. 4:10-14).
Just before the mandatory two-week holiday break, actually, 5 minutes after everyone left, an e-mail was sent with a few details of the upcoming layoff. My department will be affected. We read the e-mail from our home computers.
When you work closely with someone and you know their families, their children, their personal circumstances, perhaps even had dinner at their home, it is always difficult. You hope that the single mom with young children will keep her job, as the gal who desperately needs the medical insurance for a family member. Then there's the gal expecting a baby and the two women who were just hired a couple months ago. There are many more.
I think I am safe but one never knows for sure. At least I only have myself to worry about. My job is difficult to learn and has a heavy workload. In this situation, it just may help me. It's not a position that can be eliminated but I could be replaced.
Tomorrow will probably not provide any definitive answers, but many questions or total silence as everyone ponders their own personal situation.
I have wisely saved as much vacation time as allowed for the number of years I have been at my job. It is a short-term security blanket for me.
Ironically, except for the few days before vacation, I have been serene about the whole thing. I've been down this road before so I am a veteran and know I can survive.
Joansie, my thoughts are with you!
ReplyDeleteJoansie, I feel for you and everyone of your co-workers. Many years ago, I decided that due to the nature of my job, and the people I was working with and around, I would bank every minute I could. It got to the point I was losing vacation time as we were only allowed to accrue 196 hours and had a lee-way of 3 weeks to deal with overage. I had accrued 600 hours or so of sick leave, and I got the half-pay on that as I would have had to save 1000 hours to be paid full time, but I also had saved holiday and comp time to their full extent, in case I was fired. I ended up taking a couple weeks of sick leave (mental health) and still had lots of leave left, and between a suit against the employer (the supervisor was harrasssing me in front of the entire office; some because of my appearance some because of my work ethic; I had one and he didn't) so I ended up working months longer than intended but I kept every minute banked as long as I could. When I quit, to move down here to San Diego, I had thousands of dollars after taxes to live on, and thanks goodness we had it; the rent was 3X more, the truck payment was still $400 a month and all the utilities were more than double what I was used to. that was my lifesaver. Be careful, even if they keep you, keep your "hourly wage stash".
ReplyDeleteLet me know how things went, I worry about you. I love the msg in that verse, very comforting.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite verses and I have many! Beautiful cross stitch, too! I used to do that, but it became too much of a strain on my eyes & my patience.
ReplyDelete