Tuesday, April 29, 2008
What a month
As always, these four give me an anchor when life seems crazy. I am coming off a couple of months of relentless drama at work, and I'm glad I have them to see when I come home.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Why I Still Love Working at TJ's
I spend 50 hours a week there. I expend vast amounts of physical and mental energy in that time.
I also never said to my folks when I was a kid, "Mommy, daddy, when I grow up, I wanna work in a grocery store."
But here's why I still love working at TJ's, in spite of it all.
I was coming home from TJU (a training program for TJ's full timers) in Chicago last night. At TJU, we are expected to wear our uniforms, and I had forgotten to remove my name tag before arriving at O'Hare. As I made my way through airport security, I had never given a thought to the fact that I still had my name tag on. I was also wearing a belt with a large, metallic buckle. As I went through the metal detector, the belt set it off. The TSA gentleman asked me, "What did you forget?" As I remembered my belt, I took it off. In that process, I had brushed back my sweater just enough to reveal my name tag. The TSA gentleman (hardly a group known for effusive behavior) then said to me, "You work for Trader Joe's?....I love Trader Joe's."
How many workplaces could bring out the warm fuzzies from the airport metal detector guy?
I also never said to my folks when I was a kid, "Mommy, daddy, when I grow up, I wanna work in a grocery store."
But here's why I still love working at TJ's, in spite of it all.
I was coming home from TJU (a training program for TJ's full timers) in Chicago last night. At TJU, we are expected to wear our uniforms, and I had forgotten to remove my name tag before arriving at O'Hare. As I made my way through airport security, I had never given a thought to the fact that I still had my name tag on. I was also wearing a belt with a large, metallic buckle. As I went through the metal detector, the belt set it off. The TSA gentleman asked me, "What did you forget?" As I remembered my belt, I took it off. In that process, I had brushed back my sweater just enough to reveal my name tag. The TSA gentleman (hardly a group known for effusive behavior) then said to me, "You work for Trader Joe's?....I love Trader Joe's."
How many workplaces could bring out the warm fuzzies from the airport metal detector guy?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
First in Line
It occurs to me that who will be first in line in the kingdom will be a surprise to us. My wife and I were speaking of a favorite professor of ours in college who never had the accolades that some others had, but was possibly the finest professor I ever had. Steph and I were talking about this last night, and this morning we received word of the passing of Dr. Clyde Cook, former president of our alma mater, Biola University.
Clyde was beloved by the student body, but even with those accolades that he did receive, I have a feeling that he will be ahead of me "in line". He was unassuming and gracious, and when he made his retirement speech, he was typically self effacing and humble. Many times this is in itself a role people play to appear humble, but I think not with Clyde.
His kingdom is not of this world. In His kingdom, the most humble shall be lifted up.
Clyde was beloved by the student body, but even with those accolades that he did receive, I have a feeling that he will be ahead of me "in line". He was unassuming and gracious, and when he made his retirement speech, he was typically self effacing and humble. Many times this is in itself a role people play to appear humble, but I think not with Clyde.
His kingdom is not of this world. In His kingdom, the most humble shall be lifted up.
