Monday, February 28, 2011

My first Real Job

It was the early 1940’s and my brother had applied for a daily paper delivery job with one of our local newspapers. Because there was no route available near our home, they put him on a waiting list.

Mean while as he waited for the daily route to open, my brother decided to accept a bi-weekly shopping news assignment in our neighborhood. The shopping news was to be delivered by him on Wednesdays and Saturdays and paid two dollars for each delivery. Now that doesn’t seem like a lot of money to you, but in those days and to my brother that four dollars a week was worth the hard work ahead.

Tuesday and Friday afternoons, a large truck would deliver two big stacks of newspapers that needed to be folded a certain way, and then deposited the next day, at every home for several city blocks. Our hands were black from the newsprint as we helped him fold each paper into a tight square. The bag full of papers was heavy, but after delivering to a few houses, my brother’s load became lighter.

Time went by and a few months later, my brother was approved to distribute the Local daily paper using his bicycle to deliver to a list of his customers. He was happy because this job had fewer papers, and it would pay him a nice profit at the end of the month.

Our door bell rang and it was the Shopping News manager who had been notified that my brother was going to quit the bi-weekly paper. I met him at the door, and his face was flushed as he wanted someone to sign a release that Allen was giving up the route. I asked him if he had found someone else to do the route, and he replied, “No, not yet.”

Then I asked him, “Would you consider me, if I promised to do a good job?” I told him that I was already familiar with the route, and I had helped my brother a few times.

Needless to say, he hesitated, but not for long. Actually the manager was pleased to sign me up.

So it was for many months I was faithful and happy to be a paper delivery girl.

Each week my four dollars was paid to me with cash and after tithing on my income, the balance went into a savings account.

Months went by and I entered Jr. High. Now my studies were more difficult with home work every night. It was time for me to give up my first job.

It was a new season in my life where this job simply did not fit me any longer. It was time to move on.

How about your home life? Even in our work for the Lord, there may be times when we need to back away from carrying too heavy a load. Do we really need to teach a class, sing in the choir and also be on several committees?

If God is asking you (and me) to simplify - - may we do it with a sweet smile and a firm step. There is a good reason for every season, so enter this next season - - simplified with grace.

To view or enter your post on Simplify, please go to Cheryl Smiths site at: http://www.culturesmithconsulting.com/2011/02/the-semi-circle-lifeshape/

The Simplify Journey

2 comments:

Stephie said...

Hazel Moon, I loved your story of the newspaper route job, and your words: "There is a good reason for every season, so enter this next season -- simplified with grace." Thanks for your words of wisdom. Sometimes, I take on too much of a load, or else what I do take on sometimes I find it hard to follow through with, so I've tried to stick to that one simple truth "let your yes, mean yes, and your no, no."

Ann Kroeker said...

What a great story illustrating how our lives shift and enter new stages with new challenges...and we must adjust with a sweet smile! :)

Thank you for your stories, Hazel. They are good to hear, as you're passing on the good stuff you've gained to those of us following a few steps behind.