Sea of faces

Today as we were sitting at the middle school waiting to pick up my stepdaughter I decided to really pay attention to all of the students as they flowed out of the school. This may be my last week picking up the kids up at school (I'll explain more about that in a moment)

At the elementary school, you expect to see a wide variety of children. After all, they range from 4 to 11 years old. But the vast difference at the middle school is just astounding. Take the boys. There are some that look like they belong in 4th grade. They are tiny little fellows. At the same time, they are chatting with boys that look more like men. They are 6 feet tall, broad shouldered, and manly.

Then I paid attention to the girls. Some really are still girls. Small, thin, flat chested, and insecure. In other groups there were young ladies that could be mistaken for fashion models......along with the ones that WANTED to be fashion models. Big busted, curvy, and very womanly for 14 or younger.

It just amazed me the different in these "children" as I watched them. Many I would have never guessed went to the same school as my stepdaughter, much less in the same grade as her.

Now....the job situation. I have been waiting for 3 weeks for the process to be completed for me to go to work for a major employer in this area. If have passed all the tests, background checks, just waiting for my hair sample drug test to come back. They pay great, excellent benefits, and something totally new for me. The only catch: it is 12 hour night shifts. 3 days one week, then 4 days the following week.

I just had a call from a temp agency that I've interviewed with offering me my choice of 3 positions. One has to start on FRIDAY. Of this week. It is decent pay, Monday-Friday, 8-5. Another is the same days & hours, but better pay. However, it may or may not be permanent. And lastly, is a great part time position with a HUGE company working 15 hours a week. That one is a contract until December, which could be extended.

So, I'm at a loss as to what to do. The night job is what I'd had my hopes on...and I'm certain I will get it. They said they never send you for a drug test unless they plan to hire you. I have never done any illegal drugs, so that should not be a problem. With that, we would not need any child care at all. However, I would have to take a semester or two off of school. I would need to adjust to the hours & figure out what schedule would work best for classes. That makes me really sad. So this job is the best & worst choice.

The 2 full times job: Mon-Fri 8-5 seem to make the most sense. However, we would need before & after school care for 2 kids during the school year and FULL TIME day care for 3 kids over the summer. That is a lot of money. Almost seems to defeat the purpose of working.

And lastly...the 15 hour a week job.....that would be nice because I could still work at the church. It is for a cigarette company, so I'd have to be around smoke all 15 hours of work. That kinda sucks. And it is a contract position. So, in 6 months, we could be back in the same boat.

OK....I'm sure not many people read thru all that, but it helped me to sort some things out in my own mind. Thanks. I guess I need to go make a sheet of Pros & Cons to decide what I want to do.

There is little good in filling churches with people who go out exactly the same as they came in; the call of the Church is not to fill churches but to fill heaven.

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