New developments in Iowa

A lot has happened in the last month so I better get this updated. I don't know if anyone is actually reading these updates or not, but please feel free to email me at ryanandkristine@earthlink.net if you want to stay in better contact. First off, Kristine and I have been really settling in at our church. I am helping out working the slide show and lighting for services and Kristine is teaching sunday school to pre-schoolers with her mom. She also is a greeter once a month and is continuing to be involved with INSTE, a womens prayer group, and also a small group. So now on to the big news of the month. Both Kristine and I were promoted within a couple weeks of each other. I am now the Financial Aid Director for the school I work at and Kristine is now in charge of the Hallmark merchandise at Hallmark. Both of us are very happy with our promotions and we were both very shocked by them to say the least. Neithor of us had any idea we were even being considered for a new position. Kristine loves her new job and is so glad to get the position. She feels kind of bad though because there are people who worked there for over a year and she's only worked there for a month or so. They really like her and I can see her becoming an assistant manager in the not so distant future. I feel like I am almost over my head because there is so much responsibility in financial aid and now I have to answer for everything that goes on in our office. Oh yeah, I am someones boss! How crazy is that. The guy is 35ish and we've become pretty good friends. Its weird I think for him to have someone who is over a decade younger than him as his superior. Obviously I don't treat him any differently, but it still is weird for him to ask me what to do. Things are pretty stressful right now. I have continually working 8:30am-7:30pm shifts for nearly a month now and I really don't know if I can physically keep going much longer. It is such a stressful job and to be working in excess of 45-50 hours a week just is tough. The one really nice thing is that we just recently moved our office from a tiny dump to a bigger not-so-bad room. We really do like the new office and think it is going to help make our office run much smoother.

Both Kristine and I hope that all our friends across the western seaboard are doing great and having a blast. Life can get in the way of the joy that is found in Jesus, but we must all find a way to free ourselves of the burdens that swamp our days and just melt away into his presense. God is good and nothing can compare to His free gift of eternal salvation. No job, family, vacation, or any other experience could ever compare to the cleansing of a stained soul. Until next time, have a blessed day, week, month, year, decade, or century. Hopefully Jesus will be back before those last couple of time periods, but nevertheless, have a great day.