Rabid Fun

John Cowart's Daily Journal: A befuddled ordinary Christian looks for spiritual realities in day to day living.


Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Meager Hope In Bad Times

Ginny came through safe, but Monday she found herself in a potentially explosive situation.

Her boss assigned her to a team interviewing applicants for 75 job openings. Over 300 people showed up wanting those jobs.

Extra security officers were on duty but nevertheless things got loud for a while as frustrated, fearful people vied for a job.

Now the job openings pay just above the minimum wage.

They are temporary jobs

They are only part-time.

The major requirement is that the workers be able to read, write and count.

Yet, some people Ginny interviewed hold masters degrees. Some of these desperate unemployed people drove down 50 miles from Georgia to apply.

An economic crisis grips our nation as millions of people have lost jobs, and one of every six homes are in foreclosure. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says crime is on the rise in all areas of the city and that domestic violence calls have increased 40% in March as tensions and frustrations build.

And there is no peace.

Ginny and I understand the frustration level of these poor jobseekers. Back in 1977 I worked for the county mosquito control board. I grew mosquitoes for test purposes, a job I intended to stay in till I retired. A budget cut forced 18 of us to be laid off.

Now, a man who knows how to grow mosquitoes can find a new job anywhere—right?

Not necessarily.

After searching high and low for work, in frustration I wrote a magazine article about coping with unemployment. It sold. But not for much. So I wrote about coping with poverty.

That launched me in my career as a free-lance writer—the next rung on the ladder of unemployment. But I’ve kept it up ever since.

We endured horrible times of poverty and deprivation praying for daily bread daily. Knowing every certified letter was a final notice. Living without lights or water in the house. Living in HUD housing on food stamps. Fearing every phone ring was another bill collector…

Then the kids would bounce home from school proudly bearing class photos to be purchased at an astronomical price—and I’d see their faces when we told them we could only buy the tiny wallet sized photos instead of the big ones.

But we survived.

Battered, bruised, but we survived.

Back to back, shoulder to shoulder, Ginny and I fought the world like bears in a trap just to keep our threatened family together.

Many times I lost hope, I lost faith, I lost charity—but the Lord brought us through (In His own sweet time!) I felt useless, lazy, cast-aside, worthless.

And, believe me, when you get in that state, those feelings stick with you even when you survive. You know intellectually that the Lord knows His own and is a very present help in time of trouble, but that’s a hard thing to keep believing when you’re desperate and no end is in sight.

As my friend Wes says, “Sometimes when tribulation comes, all you can do is stand there and tribulate”.

Yes we survived, but even today I feel shell-shocked, a disaster survivor stumbling amid the ruins wondering what happened to my life. Yes, I trust in God and praise His name, but those feelings do linger

So, I felt terrible when Ginny told me about those frantic job seekers yesterday. I understand why they might be dangerous. And I have nothing to really offer the poor bastards.

Yet, I remember one verse of Scripture that I clung to myself during our own times of tribulation:

“I know the plans I have for you, saith the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”.


Please, visit my website for more www.cowart.info and feel free to look over and buy one of my books www.bluefishbooks.info
posted by John Cowart @ 6:52 AM

8 Comments:

At 7:35 AM, Blogger John Cowart said...

I just realized that it sounds like I'm poor-mouthing God in this post.

Presently Ginny and I are doing fine. We are buying our own home with a nice garden and pool. We drive a newer car, our bills are up-to-date, and our pantry is stocked.

Ginny finished her college and landed a good job; my books are not best-sellers but enough of them sell to give me hope of one day being a successful writer.

We're ok.

It's just that my heart pains me when I see those poor job-seekers and I remember our own hard times.

 
At 10:46 AM, Blogger Nancy said...

A really sobering post John, and we are blessed to have Jesus walk through those difficult times with us, familiar with all our distresses. It doesn't sound like you are critical of God, just being honest when 'stuff' happens that we don't always understand the plan behind it. That scripture has been on my frig through every season of my life, good and bad, and it still lives and gives hope.
Thanks.

 
At 3:18 PM, Blogger Nancy said...

I must comment on mosquito breeding since I lived for over 30 years in Winnipeg where the mosquitos needed no help breeding....I kid you not, they were giant man eaters for sure and likely still are come to think of it. An interesting occupation John. We do what we must to survive in difficult times that's for sure. Bless you.

 
At 5:30 PM, Blogger Felisol said...

Dear John C,
Thank you for your absolutely honesty.
Do make the right choices it's vital we have the adequate information.
My parents grew up in the grim thirties, and I know they never forgot what they had been through.
The battles we fight will mark us for life even if we are successful survivors.
I think that you writing about striving for work, the humiliation, the anxiety for what tomorrow might bring, is an important testimony surpassing figures, numbers and governmental speeches.

It ought to be printed in every news paper.
Reminding those judgementalist, that no one lives on social welfare as a first choice, neither as a second.

Of course God sees, hears and knows every single one of us.
I wonder how He can tolerate us giving our children stones for bread. So easily forgetting his gifts to us.
It must be hard for your Ginny to see all this. To the one to decide who gets and don't.

It is a good thing that you are two to support each other.
It's a good thing that you, with your swimming pool,-(oh, yes, I do not envy, but I sure would like one myself),- still sympathize with the less fortunate.
Maybe that's why you aren't allowed to forget.
From Felisol

PS Six billion football lovers can't be wrong! I think.

 
At 7:55 PM, Blogger FrankandMary said...

That is amazing. Someone I know looking for employees had the opposite reaction. He was offering low wages, but it was really a low paying job, yet he got very few applicants and the ones he did were telling him that he was "doing this(meaning paying less) because of the economy" and it wasn't fair. The ones that wanted the jobs came in, but left if they could not talk him into higher wages.

I read your comment. I don't think it sounds like you are "poor-mouthing" God at all.

 
At 11:07 PM, Blogger Amrita said...

Dear John you are speaking on behalf of so many of us.

I have seen better times, now our income has been reduced to 1/3rd, but we praise God for whatever we have.God is faithful.

Here also there are so many contenders for afew job openings andhighly qualified people are rubbing shoulders with the semi-literate. In some cases there has been a stampede. And there are under-handed jobs fixtures too, where bribes are paid.

 
At 1:21 AM, Blogger Joseph Pulikotil said...

Hi John :)

This is the post for the difficult times prevailing all over the world at present.

You have packed this post with a lot of information and advice as to how to tackle this period of recession.

Prayer, belief in self and hard work are the hallmarks of such painful times.

I was forced into retirement with three young children in different stages of education. I thought that the world has come to an end. I went through a severe mental torture. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I suddenly got an answer. I started a small of business of renting out multimedia projectors. I got enough money to educate my children. They are all grown and independent now. Thank God.

Many thanks for the inspiring post.

Have a good day, John :)
Joseph

 
At 11:58 AM, Blogger Wolf said...

the economy right now, has definitely hurt so many people. people that have master's degrees are applying for jobs that don't ask for master's degrees, and a lot of time are getting looked over because they are "too qualified." i think those people would just like to have a job, whether or not they are over qualified. otherwise, they wouldn't have applied...

 

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