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In the spirit of the holiday season...

This week has been hell for me. I buried someone who was like a mom to me. Just a few days later I was terminated from a temp job that was promised to me to go permanent, and no one understands why...not even my temp agency, but their prime aim is to keep their client happy.

Emotionally I was a wreck this weekend, because never have I had my trust betrayed so viciously. The lady who did it had been praising me just days before, I have it in writing from my temp agency. Something happened that didn't have anything to do with me, I think they offered me that job too early, and didn't have the courage to tell me, so they blacklisted me.

Anyways, I've been asking for prayers from friends. And I think I shocked an LDS friend of mine when I asked him to come give me a blessing.

I believe that God speaks many languages, not in the sense of words, but in the sense of spiritual paths, and "heart-languages". I believe in the validity of LDS blessings, even if I doubt the sincerity or truthfulness of the church as an institution. My friend came with his roomate and fiancee who I have developed a friendship with (though tenuous, as sometimes female friend can be pushy, but I think tonight was an enjoyable time, and I like being around them again). The young man who gave me a blessing had just been given the Melchizedek priesthood, and I was his second blessing. He was nervous. I told him, after the blessing, that when you earnestly seek to do God's work, he's not going to let you mess up, that it's not about you, it's about him. No matter if you stutter, no matter if some people get offended because you told the truth that they didn't want to hear. God doesn't call the equipped, he equipes the called.

It didn't matter what I thought about the validity of the priesthood in LDS terms. When all else fails, I try to find common ground. We even had a discussion about my discernment process, I'm trying to figure out if I wanna be a pastor or not. Gentleman who blessed me had no idea women could be ordained, so we talked about that among other things, just the way each side sees things.

I, as the LDS put it "felt the spirit" when he blessed me. I interperet that as I felt his love, and God's love for me made manifest through this person. We had a lovely and very spiritual night, and they did what they were comfortable with, and I did what I was comfortable with.

When it was time to go, the female friend confided some things in me. And I was able to impart to her some wisdom I had learned, and to just point out to her from her religious perspective, some important truths. She is to be married, and a bit insecure about her fiancees love for her. I reminded her that he knew he was getting into eternity, and he didn't have an easy "out". I also gave her a book that helped me tremendously, "Woman, Thou Art Loosed", by TD Jakes. I read that as an LDS, so I know it will help her as well.

There are always TBMs (Wade) who like to think that folks who disagree with the church have something wrong with them. Not so. I disagree with some things, but I love my friends. And today I was able to exchange some love with them, and that was what it was about. Anti, my foot.

Hi GIMR!

I'm so sorry about your job. I completely understand what you're going through. Two years ago, I went through a similar experience. I was doing curriculum development for the college I'm currently teaching for. It was a work from home assignment, and I loved it. I loved the work itself, and I loved the flexibility it gave me with my family. I had recently written a textbook for a new course, and had successfully negotiated software pricing for a new training lab. My boss had given me high praise on numerous occasions.

Then, out of the blue, I got an email from my boss...not a phone call, but an email. She said that her budget committee had just met, and they would no longer be able to fund my current role. They would still keep me on the books as an Instructor, but not as a Curriculum Developer.

The problem was, the schedule had already been circulated, and I had no open classes to teach for at least a term! For seven months, I was basically in flux, and for all intents and purposes unemployed. Finally, the course I'm currently teaching became open, and I now have a permenant teaching position.

But those seven months were hell. I kept questioning myself, and dealing with the loss in income.

I think it's great that you were able to receive a blessing and gain some solace from your friends. I'm also sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. A death in the family, which, essentially, what this was for you, can be an especially hard burden to bear at the Holiday season along with the loss of a job.

You will definitely be in my prayers!

There are always TBMs (Wade) who like to think that folks who disagree with the church have something wrong with them. Not so. I disagree with some things, but I love my friends. And today I was able to exchange some love with them, and that was what it was about. Anti, my foot.

And yes, it is a shame that some people refuse to simply look at others as fellow children of God. We are all in this together; we have different struggles, strengths, and talents. Disagreeing on points of religion just to prove someone else wrong seems pretty petty in comparison to what's really important. :)