A Lesson in Asking

When you are unemployed conventional wisdom says that it’s a good idea to view job-hunting as your full time job. Monday through Friday my routine has become to camp out at Starbucks from 9 a.m. to an afternoon hour, searching and applying for jobs.

[Job Hunting = asking, seeking, knocking. The Adventure lies in the Not Knowing. Fatigue threatens in the waiting. Who will open?]

Two Sundays ago I enjoyed a visit from Cousin Erin of southern California. She came with gifts, in conversation depositing a lot more wisdom (the non-conventional, hard-earned kind) into my soul and in conclusion bequeathing me with a generously charged Starbucks gift card. Conventional wisdom says that gifts are generally appreciated but experience reveals more: to the unemployed, gifts are lifelines. For me, a Starbucks gift card was an investment into my future career path.

[Cousin Erin and I enjoy some off-roading.] Upon receiving this golden ticket I asked God to bless me with a job before the monies thereupon were completely depleted. This was a prayer of faith, of stewardship and of pragmatism. With the gift card I habitually ordered the least expensive item on the menu (iced tall unsweetened green tea), to stretch its value the longest. Asking and trusting and knocking continued, too.

Yesterday after my Starbucks job-hunting appointment I wondered how God would answer my prayer for timely employment; after several weeks of usage my card balance had been reduced to $0.56. There would be no more employment-seeking rendezvous at Starbucks on that balance.

At 6 p.m. the crickets on my phone chirped. Trader Joe’s was summoning my crickets. Trader Joe’s, that glorious establishment of fine and funky culinary opportunity! The place at which my soul most wanted to find part time employment! They offered me work! A competitive wage, consistent hours, a positive and fun environment, a company and product about which I am passionate, at an urban and edgy local. And I start today! With $0.56 remaining on my Starbucks card.