Forward Motion – Life Update

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks so it seems appropriate to make a post about life updates.  Most of the changes have to do with jobs and money.  Things are going rather well for Melissa and me (she got a new job, I got a promotion).  For the most part we are blessed and we can feel it, but there are still plenty of challenges that have come our way as well.

Promotion

First, let’s take a look at my “new job”.  About a month ago now I got promoted to manager in training.  This came with a decent pay raise, but also came with a great amount of extra responsibilities.  While I am only actually working around 50 hours a week, I often have to work open to close (930-930 with a half hour drive on each end).  Having to do this 4-5 days of the weeks makes it exhausting, demoralizing, and takes away the ability to have much of a life outside of work.  I do not get mornings or evenings to get much done.  It is not even the promotion that is causing the increased amount of work; it is the lack of staff to fill the store.  Currently there are only two of us in the store that really know what is going on.  We have to rely on help from other stores in order to get things done.  The pay is nice, but the stress is not.

New Job

Second, let’s look at Melissa’s new job.  A couple months ago she learned that she was going to be getting laid off.  Her company was downsizing and her role was no longer going to be needed (although, before she officially left she was asked if she would stay).  She was really all that upset about losing her job as she was feeling that it was time for a change of pace.  Having some unused vacation time, she visited her brother in California for a week and around the same time was offered two really great new job opportunities (both with decent sizes pay increases from where she at her previous job).  She had to make a hard decision, but ultimately she is very happy and excited to try this new job (she just finished her second day).

Ordination

In a different direction but still related to careers I have another big life update coming up.  On June 10^th I am going to be attending my ordination ceremony.  This is a big step as far as my ministry is concerned.  It is a culmination of the work that I have done in my church as well as my work in seminary.  While nothing is actually changing in my career field as a result of the ordination, it is a great honor and comes with a level of recognition from an outside organization of God’s calling in my life.  This means that after June 10^th I am going to be Reverend Zachary Haas.  Wow!

Vacation

Next, Melissa and I are preparing for our first big vacation since our honeymoon.  We are going on another cruise, but this time to the Bahamas!  This is at the end of the month and we are really excited to take a break from the world.  We are also going with some friends from college so it should be a really good time.

 

Other than that I am still leading the youth group that is now meeting on Sunday nights.  We have a pretty solid group right now and we are looking forward to the adventures that the summer time brings us.  We have a really big event coming up in July where we are inviting a guest speaker to come speak.  This is the first time that the youth group has ever hired out a professional speaker to my knowledge.  Hopefully we are able to reach a lot of extra students this way that we would not have reached otherwise.

 

Keep Melissa and me in your prayers as we continue the adventure of life.  God bless.