Cheers to the Fathers!

So today is Father's Day and I have a something to be grateful for; all the dad's in my life. That makes it sound as though my mom had numerous husbands, she didnt, I had numerous dads. They all influenced my life in some way or another...
My biological dad is considered a deadbeat dad by most, and in all actuality he was never there when I needed him, he never paid child support, and he enjoyed spending his time at the bars more then with his own daughters. He has been in and out of our lives throughout it and we often went months without hearing from him. He made mistakes that a father's child will never forget, I know I won't. But I do not hold his mistakes against him; I still love him, because he is my dad. I even called him today to wish him a happy father's day, his day.
My stepfather Clint was a very strict father, something we girls needed and something I will never forget. He helped so much in the making of what I am today. His smile and his laugh were contagious and he was always there to listen and talk as I struggled through life's adventures. I am grateful for the role that he played in my life.
When my mom passed away she left the three of us girls in the care of my aunt and uncle, but I chose to stay with my mom's best friend Cheryl and her husband Dale. Dale became guidance in my life that he may never know. I am grateful that they overlooked my rebellious ways and reeled me into reality so many times. He continues to be there with an ear, supportive talks, and so many laughs; for this I am eternaly grateful.
Last but not least, my uncle Don was also a father figure to me. His hands were full with so many girls in the household that often caused a lot of conflict. There were five teenage girls in that house at some point, and being the only male in the house I am sure could drive most men to drink; but he stayed with us without a bottle. He was encouraging and always there for a great laugh. To this day we can laugh loud and talk about so much.
The point to this poorly written blog is to say THANK YOU to all of them. There are so many different kinds of dads out there - from dads who don't have enough time or money, to dads who want nothing more than to inspire their daughters and watch them grow up to be amazing women, wives, and mothers. Without them I would not be able to focus on what lies ahead with a positive outlook, I would not have learned about God and his word, and I would not have learned about forgiveness and unconditional love. Each of the dads played a role in my life that taught me things and showed me the ways. They picked me up when I fell down, they listened as I cried, and they held my hand when I needed it. I LOVE YOU DADS!!! (RIP Daddy Clint) Happy Father's Day!

I'll keep you posted -destiny

Her Tomboy

Dressed in patent leather shoes, pretty dresses with tights, and the pigtails to match, my sisters were always pretty little girly-girls. I was the girl my mom always fought to get in the dress when we had to go someplace nice. She would tug that dress over my head as I whined my loudest objection and resisted to the best of my ability. She always won--after threatening that I would be wearing dresses for a week if I didn't just cooperate, even though I am pretty sure now that she didn't have a daily dress battle in her. She would pull up my stockings, and buckle my shoes... and then came the brush! Oh, the pulling and tugging that always took place when she wanted my out of control platinum curls in pigtails or a braid. After the tears fell down my cheeks from torture that seemed as though it would never end, I would be mommy's pretty girly-girl number three! I would then run outside to join my sisters standing by the car or sitting in the porch swing waiting to leave.
Here are some interesting facts: Patent leather shoes make a great sound when you rub them together, tights itch something terrible, and standing in one place is not fun when you are a kid. Riding your bike is WAY MORE FUN!!!
I'd undoubtedly get bored waiting to leave and dart to the garage, grab my bike, and ride as fast as I could down the driveway and up to little Bobby's yard, where my friends, all boys, were playing a game of kickball. After the customary teasing about my dress and pigtails, and my typical "shut-up" response, I join the game. Eventually my mother starts calling my name with obvious frustration in her voice. I say goodbye and hop back on my bike, riding up to my driveway. I drop my bike and walk up to my "pretty" family. Disheveled and dirty, my tights have a tear in the knee, my shoes are scuffed, my dress now covered with dirt and grass stains, and my once perfect pigtails are falling out and sticking to my face with sweat. I was 100% Tomboy.
Today, I love being a girly-girl. I look forward to getting my hair and nails done, and enjoy dressing up and looking nice. I love to shop as much as the next girl and I have an addiction to shoes. But I still love to get dirty and play hard, and I can definitely play well with the boys. If only my mom could see me now! ***I love you mom!***

I will keep you posted -destiny

Here's My Sign

Everyday as I drive through the streets of Boise, I see panhandlers standing on street corners, in parking lots, and even at some gas stations. They hold signs that can often tug at my heart strings, and stand there looking miserable while I am tucked warm and safe from the weather in my SUV. So many days, when I can spare the dollar, I will open the window and pass it through to the dirty hand that reaches out and grasps it, often with a "God bless you," following. And on those days that I am saving my last $1 to hit up the dollar menu at McDonald's, it is often difficult to sit at the stoplight and wait anxiously for the light to turn while the person on the street corner stares over at me while holding his sign. So what is wrong with this picture?

I can understand why an individual may have reached that point in their life where they feel the only thing they can do to survive is ask for money, and when you see some of the signs that are being held up, they explain this need even more. The majority of society believes (and I cannot deny that I am in this group), that we are being scammed or taken advantage of by most panhandlers. This is because panhandling has become a profession and they can make an upwards of $10 an hour. However, if I drop only a quarter in their cup I am still feeling guilty for not giving more of what I have, but when in all actuality I am giving something and they should just be grateful. When searching "panhandling" on google.com we are provided with numerous websites just teaching the individuals how to panhandle the right way to make the most money. The reality is that we cannot always tell by looking at a person or their sign whether they will take the money we are giving them and feed the children they claim to have or go buy drugs or alcohol. We instead have faith that what we are doing is what our God wants us to do.. "Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you". Or maybe it is the constant thought of Karma. All I know is that I am in the wrong profession if I could be making $10 and hour just standing on the corner holding a sign and not having to do laundry... I should start taking notes on where the most profitable corners would be.

So the question remains... do I give my money to the panhandlers? In all actuality I will continue to, out of belief that what I do today can always come back on me tomorrow. Maybe the man or woman on the street corner needs that dollar worse than I need the dollar menu at McDonald's. And if by chance I ever have to hold a sign asking for money, I would hope that people driving by would choose to think twice for me as well. The money we give panhandlers may be instant gratification by supplying food, drugs, and alcohol, but I cannot be the judge of an individual holding a sign asking for help. However, the Chinese proverb that should probably speak to me the most is: "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime". Damn I wish I had more time to fish!

-I will keep you posted -destiny

The Dreaded Job Search

Gone are the days of simply walking into a company, asking if they are hiring, filling out an application, and waiting for the call for an interview. Gone are the days of finding numerous job listings in the newspaper. And gone are most job offers provided by knowing someone who knows someone. Instead we face an electronic application and resume' submittal system, compete against hundreds of people throughout the world for the same positions, and never even see the person we are applying with. Our chances of landing the dream job, or even just the jobs that will pay the bill, have become ridiculously slim. Even being able to find the jobs has become difficult. Company's used to be able to put "Help Wanted" signs in their windows to attract applicants, but now with the hordes of people looking for work, doing this would just cause a bombardment of resume's and sifting through unqualified applicants. Newspapers used to have "Employment Opportunity" sections filled with available jobs, but today there are numerous websites that must be browsed each day to find newly posted job listings. To make it worse, there are so many that it becomes difficult at times to keep track of them. Monster.com, careerbuilder.com, snagajob.com, and local employment agency websites are just some of the websites that maintain a high traffic of job seekers.

Today I walked into a job fair and 30 minutes later walked out with diminished hopes of it being of any assistance in my trying job search for something better. I am constantly questioning how to make myself a better candidate for the jobs that are available. When asked if I have hands on experience while applying for work in my field of education, I have to answer with a simple "no". Strike one. When asked if I have any education while applying for a position that I have some hands on experience for, another simple "no" follows suit. Strike two. So this leaves me with the jobs of retail sales (if I am lucky), fast food, and the dreaded customer service call centers. So how is it that a person can get the hands on experience necessary to get the job if nobody is willing to take a chance on them? How about, during my next interview, I say, as I grovel on my hands and knees, "I will work for you unpaid for two weeks to prove myself!", and see if this comes with any different results. Oh-Wait! Would this just show my desperation to land a job? Or the company's desperation to get free work done? If I have such a belief in myself that I can do the job without error, then maybe my two week offer is not such a bad idea.

I will keep you posted. -destiny