Less Hustle More Coffee

George has been so good to me this week and patient. I walk in the door and he hands me a drink as I enter the upstairs every night. I have to laugh. Either he’s spoiling me because he loves me or he’s just trying to tame the bear so I won’t be in a bad mood. Which? lol Maybe a little of both.

But last night we went to Outback and used a gift card. We enjoy the Friday nights out here and there. Sometimes we go out in the week if needed. I started to suggest that this week but I was too tired to care if I even had dinner or not. We both had prime rib last night and it was wonderful!

So an overview of the first week as Payroll Benefits – pretty much was all Payroll no benefits. I wore the HR hat for like 2 hours as new person not there yet, but interviews going on and top people in mind for my replacement. Office completely transferred over now – I think. I probably need to go through drawers one more time and make sure. IT of course has me set up now and all that felt good. They are working on my sign on for the payroll access so I don’t have to use the previous person’s sign on. And so all is coming together as mentioned previously. I felt a big relief once I was “in” the office and settled a bit. I’m still a bit unorganized but trying to figure out the routines and organize the work so it makes sense to the way I work/think. The secret to my success has always been that I needed to be organized and set things up. But I’ve had to work pretty much non stop to either do payroll or fix payroll and go through training and learning all the aftermaths of paying various agencies and paying taxes, 401k and all that. So it’s been hard to find time to actually work on anything this week. I have a pile of work collected that needs to be done. So long hours and I’ve been told it will get better as I learn it and will get quicker. That is good, because I’m not going to be willing to continue these types of hours. But I do understand there is a learning curve just like any new job. However that said, I don’t think I have ever worked these kinds of hours on ANY new job I have had – lol. I didn’t really it would be as tough of one but in the payroll positions I’ve had before there was usually an ADP or Ceridian that took care of a lot of that. There are a lot of manual entries and manual calculations and a series of check points and more like an accounting position really. And that is ok. I will get used to dealing with numbers. And the Asst Controller is an excellent teacher with excel or our system. She is teaching me “why” we do certain things so I’ll have an understanding. And I am so grateful for my new departments patience. I hope they will see that I am willing, diligent, and determined even though I don’t know what I am doing yet.

I had prayed to God to help me and I believe He has. However, it’s been a tough week so I began to question Him if He was really with me as I began to tire or things began to go awry. I was really questioning everything to tell you the truth. However, He has been with me all of my life and there is no need to feel He is leaving me now in this scary changeover and uncertainty of changing roles. It’s one of life’s major stresses to change jobs. Thank goodness I still know the people – it’s just a role change. I know I will love it once I get the hang of it, but it has not been easy getting used to the accounting parts of it. However, what we have been through this week, it seems easier than last week. It was so much information coming at me so fast – 2.5 legal pads filled with line by line instructions. Too much to absorb and was a confused mess in my mind. But it’s starting to come together a bit. I still have a lot to learn though and have been grateful to have help with my coworkers and an appreciation for their patience.

So about questioning God, I finally just said “Talk to me! Tell me why this has been such a hard week for me? Why didn’t you help me and make this easier?” He whispered for me to see the Word for my answer. So this morning with coffee in hand, I said, “Where would you like me to go for your answer?” and He said “How ’bout James 5!”

So I went to James 5. It talks about warnings to the rich. It talks about how miseries are coming on you because you have laid up treasures in the last few days, and have lived on this earth in luxury and self indulgence and have condemned the righteous person by holding back. And it says to be patient in your suffering. To wait like the farmer for precious fruit, which has to go through the rain. And to establish your heart for the coming of the Lord. Those that are steadfast will be blessed. It mentioned Job. Which is funny b/c Job is a person and the work job is what I’ve been so worried about. So the irony sometimes that God provides! He also says in this James, if you are suffering to pray. And pray for forgiveness of sins. It says the prayer of a righteous man has great power. (And I feel like this opportunity was really an answer to prayer, b/c I had been unhappy for so long.) It also says if a soul is wandering and you bring him back that your soul will be saved from death and a multitude of sins covered.

So my takeaways from that?

• Mainly to be steadfast and continue on and realize that you have to go through the pain to get to the strong muscles.
• To consider the fact that we live in self indulgence at times and need to focus on other things beside ourselves.
• To pray more and to pray for forgiveness more often.
• Be reminded that life’s mission should be one for God and not ourselves
• And to be mindful to work at saving those that are lost

So not that completely answers my questions. I know that God is with me and He has reasons why this week was not a glowing rosy week. I didn’t expect it would be as there is a huge learning curve, but I also didn’t expect the long hours and the long list of how long it takes to get from step A to step B. Or should I say A to Z x 2 divided by 47 and then take the square root of that, kick your foot twice on an ancient tree from Babylon, squawk three times at the moon, kiss a flying duck and then out pops the results of anything you need to do. lol Thank God for humor right? The learning curve is bigger than I thought but I have to remember that when I begin to doubt myself, that I am enough, I am smart, and I that I will love this when I get the hang of it. God didn’t say it would be smooth always. See this week sent me scurrying to his Word as soon as I had some time off. I do know that God will bless us for our hard work and I will get the hang of this and will get better and be an asset and not a time suck to those around me. But have felt pretty helpless this week as I try to learn.

I’m thankful to have a couple of days off. And I kinda feel like I should be going in to work this weekend but I’m going to take the time off as I’ve done 13-14 hour days every day. Leaving at 6 and getting back at 8. And no lunches just eating while I work. Love the fridge in my office – that’s helped.

So we are going to get to see my Auntie M and Uncle K who are up from Yulee, FL near Amelia Island today. And tomorrow George and I will be running errands and getting laundry done and I’ll probably go to the grocery and get some things for my office fridge. Might get a little recliner and a blanket and a mini TV for my office so I can just live there and not have to travel back and forth. Then I can just work all the time. lol Just kidding. That is the way it seems. So hopefully this next week will be easier. I won’t have to move offices, it’ll be more familiar, and I’m further around the curve, and not having to be in two offices for things. So pray for me in this transition and next week will be smoother and less things to go wrong.

Isn’t it funny that the time I start a blog called Less Hustle, More Coffee that I end up having to work unGodly amounts of hours? lol Going the opposite direction at this time in my life. lol

It’s all good. I’ll enjoy this job once I get the hang of it. But keep praying that I can get into a good routine and be able to get it all done timely! And to remember things after I’ve slept. Thank goodness for notes!