Thursday, September 7, 2000
11:29 PM, on the computer
I haven't been on a lot lately, blame it on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater... Christ Air baby!!
Lately I've started collecting different versions of the Bible, mostly because I've been thinking a lot about the Hebrew and Greek texts, and I've read articles and such that talk about how the original texts were written in the street language of that time. It really makes sense, because look at what Jesus did all day: He hung out in the seedest places in town, talking to tax collectors and prostitutes about the Kingdom! So I figured, "Why not get a lot of modern translations for better understanding so I can make it more understandable to those I talk to in the jail?" My question was quickly answered when I got the urge to go to Christian Supply. I followed it and guess what? They had a 50% off Bible sale! I picked up a Nelson's NKJV Student Bible, a Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible (NKJV), and a really cool translation called "The Message", that's basically the New Testament written in today's slang (it makes me think of how funny Jesus must have been, I know He's got a sense of humor, just look at the duckbill platypus...). In reading that one sometimes, I'll sit there and think "wait a sec.... whoa.... no way, that's what it means?" and I'll look it up in the other translations (of which I have five now... KVJ, NKJV, NIV, Living, and Message) and sure enough, it's usually on the mark.
On a different note, I'm thinking about leaving Fred's. The work is okay, and yeah some days are worse than others, but I was thinking about the long term things. I've been there a little over four months, and I haven't gotten a cent in raises yet, despite the fact I was promised one thirty days after I started. Another reason is I'm getting the short end on the insurance. I started full time, but I had part time on my application. That much was my fault, but I was told that I was getting hired full time. It was supposed to have been changed, because there's a six-month waiting period to be eligible for insurance, but it never got changed until two months after I started. My Dad's coverage for me ended Sept 1st, and I have 4-5 months left to wait. I don't want to pay $99 a month to continue it until then, but I may have to...
I was talking to a friend of mine the other night that's the manager of a local Chik-Fil-A, and he told me that I should have been due for two raises already, and that he's heard about how badly Fred's treats their employees. Sitting here now, I'm pondering the same thing. I guess the only reason I'd stay is because I AM getting good hours, afterall. Some of the people I work with are annoying though, but they're tolerable... well, except for one of my supervisors. She and I had a brief altercation the other night, but it's pretty funny. There was a night a week ago that I was supposed to get off at 7, and she (not a manager, mind you) told me at 6:40 to sweep the store before I left (which is supposed to be done by someone closing the store, ie = not me.) I did it anyway because I figured it'd be the Christlike thing to do. I bolted immediately afterwards so she couldn't find anything else for me to do, because well... I try to avoid her. A couple of days later, she came up to me and said "John I've got a bone to pick with you..."
"Okay..."
"NEVER EVER LEAVE A SMALL PILE OF GARBAGE ON THE FLOOR AND THEN LEAVE WITHOUT PICKING IT UP!!!"
Now while she was chewing me out, I was thinking "okay this lady's just off her rocker and I know she hates me because I'm not only a Christian but a preacher... Lord, what should I do?" I did the only thing I could do: I looked her in the face and laughed my butt off. Everyone around was amazed, and she was shocked and shouted: "DON'T LAUGH AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!"
By this point I was in tears...
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME???"
"*snicker* yeah, sure, okay *bursts out laughing again*"
By this time all the employees (including the manager) were cracking up... the supervisor just stormed off grumbling and my manager patted me on the back and said "boy, she really chewed you out, didn't she?" and we had a good laugh. Later everyone that saw it came up to me and said that they'd have quit if she'd done that to them, and they really admired my courage in standing up to her like that. Two of the ladies that work there (that are both fine Christians and a huge blessing to me when I need encouragement) heard about it later and they both applauded me... but really, I can't take the credit for it. It had to have been the Holy Spirit, because I had heard once that He fights our battles for us, but that really took the cake. Besides, I'm not brave enough to laugh in her face like that, heh.
Some of you are probably wanting to know how things are with Leah. Well, our one month anniversary was two and a half weeks ago, and I showed up at her house unexpectedly and "kidnapped" her (her parents knew about it beforehand) and took her to the park and pulled a picnic basket out of the trunk and we hung out with the other ducks by the pond and ate. (On an interesting note, I saw a duck with ruffled feathers that looked a lil perturbed... I couldn't help but chuckle and feel some sort of kinship). Approaching our second month now, we're starting to get just a wee bit of turbulence. It's nothing with the either of us, it's just that we're both working so dern much! She just started a second job, as a matter of fact, and I think it's going to be unhealthy for her because she wakes up at 6 for her IHOP job, gets off at three and heads straight to Books-A-Million, and she gets off from 12 to 1 AM?? Then she does it again! Basically the problem is I don't get to see her anymore!!! I saw a card today that made me think of her. It said "You know that phrase 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind'?... It's a big load of crap. Miss you."
On a completely random note... if I just so happen to get any readers that know Chinese, could you translate this please???
"KQe B
YnAJ@......
...ݓ-o"EY-@LAW_....@W_GY]U-o}....
-....
-OWq,'Xy...ndown.....
UL樗.......
-...@,P"riQ....
pGUYE\Gݍ'N-o_p"rIlee d rdO..
-..
smiling paul ~sorry U...UAgWO....yU-o|cvOA
EYfriend L-pO.:)
Ug@EYhO...
<>BR-o,O
hAAjracUcfJppO.
hAArI
-on.."O!!!
good night!!!
jrao}dO!!!
It was sent to me from someone I know in Hong Kong, and she knows I can't understand Chinese *L* Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Well... I can hear Mr. Hawk calling out my name now... I'm going to go see if I can grind the whole school...