On the Pizza Ranch blog!

It is really special to be featured on PizzaRanchServes' blog today!  You can read it HERE. :)

P.S.  Don't forget to come visit me at work!  Marshall, MN between Walmart and Menards~

~ Officially Winter ~

Maybe the Weatherman will be right!

Because look what's on the forecast for tomorrow!!! 

Disclaimer:  I'm sorry other angry-Minnesotans, if you dislike me because I am excited about alternate forms of precipitation; at least I am thinking positively about the new seasons in this frigid polar region in the north - in which you CHOOSE to live!  And if you can't think of anything happy (white Christmas anyone?) about six months of many-feet of white fluffy freeziness, then you should... um....  

...move to Florida.  Or Hawaii.

Pizza Ranch

The continuation of my crazy job-story, Part 2.

Of how I came to work at Pizza Ranch instead of PictureMe... it still starts with a "P"!

(Didn't that sound like a Winnie the Pooh title?)

          I woke up on this dreaded Friday morning and dressed again in classy black and white.  It was only my second day at work - and I hated my job.  (I am sorry, kids who might be reading this - that is a very strong word... I should say greatly disliked my new job.)

          I had five minutes before I needed to leave out the door and I needed something that would make me feel a little more cheerful.  So I decided to look up Pizza Ranch's website!  At the bottom they had a button that said "PizzaRanchServes", I clicked it and it was a link to their blog.  This is what I saw:

Go to HERE to read it

A devotional???  A link on the left that says 'Prayer' and they will pray for your prayer requests?  I clicked on the 'About' and it listed their Vision and Mission.  The Vision?  "To glorify God by positively impacting the world we live in."  Glorify God!?  How cool!  And what on earth...???

          But it was time to go, and face the dreaded job and tell them I'm sorry, it's just not me, and I need to do what's best for me - it is not worth the physical and emotional stress/damage except maybe for a much higher pay wage and for sure confirming time off at Christmas.  Both were impossible to grant. Legally they must give the new employee the choice after two days of video training to take the job or not.  I said I'm sorry, but no, I cannot stay; I have no peace about it.

          I wasn't sure why God had it be this way.  I had been excited for working here, I worked hard to get accepted and I tried my best to like it even when negative aspects came to light.  I thought it had been God leading up to this point!  So why was I here and it didn't work out?  Maybe God was trying to show me that the working world is not all it's cracked up to be and I should be content to be at home.  That sounded great to me - anything besides working at a job!  If this is what jobs are like, I was scared away from wanting any job.  For now, I was jobless and FREE, and couldn't have been happier!           

          I called Ben when I stepped out of Wal-mart, "Ben!  I DON'T HAVE A JOB!!!!  And I'M SO HAPPY TO NOT HAVE A JOB!!!!!!"

           

          An hour later I texted Ben:  "I'm HIRED at Pizza Ranch!  Doing training the rest of the day!"  What happened between then and then, you say.  That morning - by faith - I had brought along my cowboy boots, work appraisals and resume from the ship, and the checkbook (in case of direct deposit).  I was thinking that if the job didn't work out, I could at least hope to get called for an interview for Pizza Ranch that day so that I wouldn't have to make another trip to town.  Well after I didn't have a job anymore, I decided to go over to Pizza Ranch to follow-up on my application and amend the date I was available to start work.  Instead of January, it was now!  Anytime!  I am here!

          I went in and once again, many happy people in a very busy/fun atmosphere!  They found a manager who happened to have a little time open so they could interview me.  First, they had to find my application in the stack... they hadn't even looked at it yet.  Eventually the guy dug it out and we sat at a brand new table for an interview.  Basically they wanted someone cheerful with a positive attitude and a smile, who could work in a team and also interact with people (customers) well and could handle it being very busy/hectic.  I said THAT'S ME!  Wow, what a perfect fit!  My favorite foods?  Spaghetti, PIZZA, and lasagna (no correlation there, is there?!).  And I love a western theme (see the boots?)  They saw enough from my work appraisal on Deck and my initiative trying to get this job even though I was a latecomer and my smile, that before I had time to even talk to Ben about working here, I was hired!

          But there was no time to lose!  The rest of the new crew who had been hired over the past two months all had started work with orientation on Wednesday and training on Thursday.  Now, it was Friday.  The miracle about it was, all the training that had been given on Thursday, was repeated Friday.  Today.  NOW!  They ushered me quickly into the first session of the day, and on I went on this roller-coaster of a whirlwind from training to training and in between I would run back, fill out more paper work, and back to class!  Then I would dash out, they threw a uniform at me, I changed and back into training session I went!  The next in between time, I was registered into the system and there I was, clocked-in for my first day at my second job in two days!

          There was only one little breather of a break between two of the sessions, after everything had been sorted out paperwork-wise, so I had a little time.  It was late afternoon and I hadn't had any lunch yet so I drove across town to grab a bite, gas-up and had just enough time to stop at Goodwill.  My dressy clothes weren't quite right for a restaurant!  By now I was partly transformed; a Pizza Ranch visor, name tag and T-shirt that was too big for me (they didn't have any more smalls), along with my dress slacks and white cowboy boots!  I had 5 minutes to find the perfect pair of jeans at Goodwill.  I ran in, grabbed two off the rack, tried them on, one pair fit and I just left those on and went up to the counter and said, "I'd like to buy these jeans that I'm wearing!  I'm in a time crunch and it's part of my uniform and I just left them on!"  Poor lady, she must have been confused.

          Back I went to the brand new restaurant, one article of clothing at a time getting the right dress code on.  At least I didn't stand out so badly now from the rest of the crew!  All that was different now was I was still wearing white cowboy boots, which unfortunately I can't wear for work because I have to have slip-resistant shoes.

          By Friday night I was caught up to everyone else who had been working on applying for the last two months.  It was definitely a God-thing to walk in and walk out with a job!

          I feel so privileged to get to work in a brand new restaurant that still smells like wood and fresh paint, to be part of the team that gets to set high standards in this not-even-open-yet franchise branch, and to work in a place where God is hung on our walls right in the front door where you come in, big and bold in our vision statement.  God is good.  I get to sing along to my favorite Christian artists (Casting Crowns) as I clean the buffet glass because we play either country or Christian radio.  I work in a team, and I am getting to know some of the other girls.  I work in an atmosphere where we smile and build each other up.  I work in a family-friendly restaurant (that doesn't serve alcohol) where I'll be able to interact with lots of kids.  I get to serve people and make them happy!  I get to bring out their favorite kind of pizza!

          We have a higher calling than just making pizza and chicken.  As we learned when we watched a video made by Chic-fil-A - on a computer that was on a chair which was stacked on top of a table... great makeshift movie theatre there! - it's about serving, about making a difference in our communities.  As our mission statement says, Pizza Ranch is a ministry opportunity to give our guests our very best - Legendary service!  And I get to work in such a place as this.  God is good!

We open on Monday.  

I get to be the first one to welcome the guests to Pizza Ranch!  

My one-day job

Could I spend six and a half weeks applying for a job and finally get it, just so that my first day of work brings me 'in town' the exact day necessary to apply for the job I wanted in the first place... 

to walk in in cowboy boots the next day and get accepted at my dream job???

God works in mysterious ways!

This is the story of my one-day job.

          So I applied to PictureMe!, a little photo place at the Wal-mart in our nearest city, Marshall.  It was right after the miscarriage, and I felt like I needed something new to keep me busy and some outlet of getting out of the house and seeing people!  What could be better than taking pictures of darling little angels, getting to work with kids (which I love) and learning more about photography?  Excitedly, I left for my first day of work, dressed in professional black and white!

          Soon I learned, however, that most of the kids coming to get their pictures taken have never been spanked in their life, and all their poor exasperated mother can (will) do is scream empty threats... There's not much to the photography due to it all being set up and automated already; mostly it's just about sales.  I was told it was ok to lie to customers... anything to sell that super-expensive premium package!  I noticed a few other things about the work environment - that I would be working alone once fully trained and you don't actually see that many people; just stand in the shop alone and make many phone (sales) calls. :P  Training would take about 4 weeks, with two weeks left for me to work to finish out the season... that seems real practical, doesn't it?  Several more things, like lack of good communication/sense of caring among managers to employees (they are all long-distance because they oversee many locations), showed me that it's a broken system.  And basically your job is always on the line if you don't make enough sales. Oh yes, and it would be impossible to get time off at Christmas (a previous commitment to visit my family) because this is the busiest time of year!

          In my lunch break, I went out to the truck to eat my sandwich and decided to drive over to the new Pizza Ranch building to see if they had the date of opening up yet.  I had been watching for it, and for a "now hiring" sign since before it was even a building!  When it was just a sign in the ground saying it was the future home of Pizza Ranch, I started checking, every time I was in town.  I saw the roof go on.  I saw the boxes of chairs stacked outside and I saw the chairs being carried in.  But the apply now sign never came.

          So in the meantime, I had applied for another job.  And gotten it.  And today was my first day of work.  And it was my lunch break.  AND A SIGN WAS THERE!!!  They were going to be open the 21st of November!  No hiring sign.  Must have somehow gotten all the workers they needed already.  But maybe Ben and I could take a date there when they opened!

          I saw some activity inside, so I decided to check it out.  I stepped inside... it was all newly decorated - I had forgotten it was cowboy themed!  And there were all these smiling girls behind the counter, in some sort of training.  *sigh*  THIS was an environment I wanted to work in!  

          "What are you doing here?" I wasn't really sure actually, I knew my chance of applying was over and I was just so excited to see it I guess.  "Came for an application?"

          What?!  Still hiring?  "Um... Yes, actually!  Could I pick one up?"  I asked.  The guy handed me some papers and asked if I wanted to fill it out there.  Remembering I was on lunch break and didn't have much time (and still hadn't eaten yet) I asked if I could bring it in tomorrow.  No, that wasn't good enough.  It had to be by tonight if I wanted any chance!

          So I rushed out to my truck, wolfing down my sandwich as I hurriedly scribbled out names of references and such.  I had just enough time to run it back in (right away - hopefully making a good impression) before making it back to my other job just in time!

          I sat down to more video training and realized over the rest of the afternoon that this job really wasn't for me.  (See issues above)  And to top it all off, the volume could somehow not be changed on their computer so I had to hold my headphone like 1" away from my ear for hours on end!

          I went home in tears, super stressed, pessimistic and distraught over if I could even survive working at this job.

          Ben was so good at trying to help me, and we set some boundaries and conditions for if I would stay at that job.  It was a long first day.  I had a horrible headache and no peace.  I couldn't eat any supper.  I dreaded going back to work tomorrow, and I never wanted to walk into Wal-mart again.  I was sick.

'I belong to no one'

What would it be like to belong to no one?

It's almost christmas - I don't have my grandparent's or parent's home to go to... because I simply don't have family.  None.  Zilch.  I am a family of one.  Except, I don't think 'family' can be singular.  If there's only one it's 'alone'.  Yup, that's me; I don't belong to anyone. 

I don't have a curfew, which many teenagers might envy.  But I just wish there were someone who cares what time I come home... or if I come home at all.  I wish I would have a real home to come back to.  Looking to the future it would be cool to get married someday.  But I need to find another loner like me.  It wouldn't be fair to him that I would get a family out of the deal because I don't have family he'd be joining.  I will never have a Dad to walk me down the aisle. 

I had dreams too, you know.  I imagined being pushed on a swing by a smiling person called Mom.  My 6-year-old joy would have been indescribable!  I wanted to know what it would be like to have a Grandma who baked the best pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving.  Would I help roll out pie crust or would I be outside with Grandpa showing me how to shoot a rifle?  How about as a family to go sledding in the park in the winter?  In my mind's eye I could see us walking across the snow, seeing all the other fathers out with their daughters having the best Saturday of their life, at least it would be of mine!  But it's all in the past tense because it's too late for me to make any of those childhood memories.
Age 17 was my last chance for a normal life.  That was the year I heard someone say, "My plate's full.  I have a full house!  God's given me enough with my own two grown children, one teenager at home yet and grandkids coming over..."  I'm only 5'1 since I was preemie; I don't take up much room.  And no space for me in their mansion of a house?  Did they not read in the Bible the 47 times it says to care for the orphans?     

I waited a long time for a family and they never came.  I don't have a family and I never will.  I'll never get my turn to be someone's kid because I 'aged-out'.... of the System.    

Suzanne L. __________  

Age 18, American Foster Care System   

P.S.  I am Suzanne Lauren __________, with no last name because I belong to no one.

Big-scale plumbing

This was a several day job this week and I am so proud of my husband!!! This was when they finally got the fitting on! (It was a very deep trench and a nasty cold, windy day outside.)

Waiting...

Every morning when I open my eyes I look out the window.  Every morning since the beginning of October - or maybe even end of September.  Ever since the trees lost most of their leaves and the sky got that "wintry" look.  Ok, I don't really know if it's a true wintry sky cause I don't actually know what it looks like come December or January.  But it's overcast, grey and dark.  So it must be collecting lots of white fluffy moisture up there, right?

Because every morning I'm checking to see if it snowed. :)  And every morning so far... not yet! :(

Snow reminds me of a new word I'm learning:  "winterize".  Everyone keeps talking about needing to "winterize" their camper or "winterize" their house.  I have yet to find out what it means... I'm just keeping my eyes open going to watch for how people do that!  I thought you just had to turn the heat on! :P

Being officially November now, I'm unashamed to say I listened to Christmas music ALL DAY!

CHRISTMAS TIME'S A COMIN'

Snowflakes falling my old home is calling
Tall pines are humming Christmas time is coming.

Can't you hear them bells ringin' ringin' joy to all here them singin'
When it snows out I'll be going back to my country home
Christmas times a' coming Christmas times a' coming
Christmas times a' coming and I know I'm going home.

Holly's in the window home where the wind blows
Can't walk for running Christmas time is coming.

Home fires burning my heart's yearning
For the folks at home when Christmas time is coming.

This song, sung by Steve & Annie Chapman, was my favorite for many years growing up!  Even into my teens.  You see, I liked it because I liked the words "country home".  Growing up overseas we called Hong Kong "home" and the States "home country".  With a dreamy look in my eyes as I sang along, I thought this song was written for just such a person as me - they just switched the words to make them rhyme better.  And the part "when it snows out" I thought was a phrase like "when the cows come home".  In other words, it would never happen because we lived in the tropics; the way it was very unlikely we would go to our 'home country' for Christmas.  We knew that Christmas for people in America meant going to visit family... for us of course, that was not feasible and this person who wrote the song dreamed - just like me - of the year it would finally come that they would go 'home' for Christmas.

My dream was finally realized when I was 16 and I had my first Christmas (that I could remember) Stateside!  (It was one of the best ever but that's a different story!)  Anyway, somewhere around then I realized that the song really meant COUNTRY home, as in, home out in the country.  It burst my bubble somewhat and I was actually genuinely sad when I found that out.  But even now this particular Christmas song holds a special place in my heart, if only for the memories of being blissfully naive thinking it was written just for me!  And now... I guess it IS written for me - my home's in the country!