The Year in Review

My word for 2014 has been perseverance, and what a fitting word it has been. It has been a year of continually pressing through to the next step — with my jobs, with searching for a new home and my move, and definitely with starting my own business. It hasn’t been easy but, as the saying goes, nothing worth having is.

This time last year, I had applied on 30+ jobs looking for additional part-time work as I knew my hours would be cut at Wascana for most of this year. Perhaps I was overqualified for the jobs I was applying on, but more than likely God was holding off and preparing the way for a great part-time job for me — the one I got at Hansard.

Even that wasn't easy though. As much as I wanted the job, there was the waiting for applications to be reviewed, then the call for an interview, an interview in three parts (actual interview, grammar/punctuation/spelling test, and a transcription test), the week-long wait for all the other applicants to be interviewed, the call that I was accepted for eight days of training, then the eight days of training during what seemed like the absolute coldest and wind-chilliest days of the year (I really thought they were trying to break us and see what we were made of!), the eight-hour days of learning the Hansard style for all things punctuation, and finally the wait to see if we were chosen to be new Hansardines... What a process! But what a rewarding position it has been.

In late March I began the process of searching for a new place to call home. And again, what an interesting journey it was. It's truly amazing to see some of the offerings available and the price tags attached to them. I had five basic criteria:

1) quiet!
2) top floor
3) balcony
4) off-street parking
5) away from a busy street

God met three of the five criteria when I viewed a 2nd floor apartment at my current building. It was almost all I wanted it to be, but the timing wasn't right. We were up to our ears in work hours at Hansard and I just didn't see when I'd have time to pack, clean and move. So I let the chance go and half-hoped, half-assumed God would hold the apartment for me (it had been available since January!) or provide something even better. When I followed up with the landlord the next month, an apartment was still available, but it wasn't the same one. It was better! I got a top-floor apartment and it was at the back of the building — all five criteria were met!

And up next was leaving my job at Wascana and starting my own business... Again, perseverance was needed. Mostly that was due to the fact that I had originally planned to leave my job at Wascana at the end of the previous year (2013).  When we found out that the renovation work would be going ahead and I wouldn't be doing much in the way of bookings (75 to 95% of my job), I decided to continue a bit longer.

After the cruise this summer, I came back to work planning to give my notice within a few weeks, but SURPRISE! My boss gave her notice first! She left near the end of August and with September being a busy month, I persevered on. I felt that the absolute longest I was supposed to stay working at Wascana was Thanksgiving (mid-October) and it turns out I did stay right up until that time. It was hard to leave, but I needed to leave. It's hard (if not almost impossible) to chase your dreams part-time.

So, onto starting a business! I went into this a bit naively thinking that all I had to do was hang a shingle and my customers would form a line. Awesome, but unrealistic. Thankfully, I became a member of Women Entrepreneurs and learned quite a bit from a 8-week business planning course. It's taken longer than I thought it would to get going, but I am starting off on the right foot and am thankful for that.

These verses are very fitting: “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”—Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV) Bring on the character and hope!

I wonder what the next year will hold for me...

It's 12/12/14 - the 2nd anniversary of my blog!

Two years already? Wow! I've been looking back through my posts and am SO glad I began this blog to celebrate everyday life and capture the memories made while accomplishing items both big and small.

I've mentioned it before, but it seems like if I don't make a list of fun things to do, then days pass by and more and more things get chalked up to that big imaginary "one day I'll do this and this and this" list while I'm busy doing the things that have to be done. The thing is, what if that "one day" in the future never comes?

While in Italy last year to celebrate my 40th birthday, I heard over and over things like, "Live Life!" and "Enjoy Life!" and of course the infamous, "Carpe diem!" meaning "Seize the day!" Everywhere I looked at the locals, they were not just doing the 'duties' of life, they were enjoying life. Frankly, it was inspiring and life-changing for me to see and hear these things.

I come from a hard-working farming family, and if you grew up on a farm you'll understand that the work - the things to do that must be done - never ends. I have nothing against this upbringing; in fact, I would want do the same thing if I had kids of my own. However, whether I missed the memo on enjoying life in the midst of life, whether it's my my personality (serious) or my birth order (firstborn in a long line of firstborns), whether it's my generation (Gen-X) or something else, I didn't seem to understand or recognize the very real need for balance between work and fun in my life.

I am thankful to have learned this lesson now and will continue to practice this enjoyment of life each day. There are so many things to be thankful for - the basics of food, clothing and shelter of course, but also the general things we often don't think about in any given day. Some of my favourite things to be thankful for (and smile about!) are sunsets, ice cream, all green lights when you're on your way to work, children's laughter, lilacs blooming in the spring, a good night's sleep, hearing "My Girl" by the Temptations on the radio, the first rain in the spring, a bright blue summer sky, and so much more!

God bless you this Christmas and all throughout 2015!