![\"Colorado](\"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/DSC_0944m.jpg\")
<\/a>Colorado Sunrise<\/p><\/div>\n
You know, you hear of people retiring from teaching and then start all over again with another organization and soon the person has been teaching for 70 years. Or the couple who has made the Guinness World Record of being married the longest at over 85 years.<\/p>\n
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As a high school student, we \u201cmajored\u201d in certain areas. I majored in music, home economics and business. Throughout my business courses, I picked up on the skills pretty quickly (except for the accounting classes\u2026I always seemed to struggle in those). I was the fastest in my class at taking shorthand and then transcribing and typing what was dictated. I enjoyed being a secretary!<\/p>\n
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My first job came when I was 16 years old. I worked 14 hours a week at the church where my Dad ministered. I had my own office. I loved using the printing press (that would later be replaced by a copying machine). The hum of my IBM Selectric type writer was beautiful. My, how things have changed.<\/p>\n
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Through the years I have found myself as a secretary in many areas of businesses and fields. I\u2019ve been a secretary for Clairol (the hair coloring people), an auto workers union, a group of attorneys, for hospice and several churches along the way.<\/p>\n
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I\u2019ve managed to do a few other jobs, but for the most part, I\u2019ve been a secretary for almost 40 years. And for the most part, I\u2019ve loved every minute of it.<\/p>\n
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I\u2019ve worked through the years at keeping my skills up with newest and greatest equipment. As mentioned earlier, that old printing press would soon be replaced by a copying machine. That Selectric typewriter was replaced by a word processor and ultimately a computer\u2026the computer has even changed through the years from large, bulky pieces of equipment to slender laptops and IPads!<\/p>\n
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Shorthand has been replaced by typing meeting minutes or notes on a laptop. Most phone calls go to a personal cell phone, not the business line. Files and folders are now located on a computer not in a drawer. Even styles of writing and editing have changed. And there are probably a few other things that have changed through the years that I\u2019ve had to keep learning.<\/p>\n
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My point is that even though I have had the skills for all these years, I\u2019ve never been able to just say, \u201cI\u2019m done.\u201d I\u2019ve had to keep working toward the next element of technology to be a viable worker in my field.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s no different with our spiritual lives. We\u2019ve accepted Jesus. We know to expect His return someday, but what are we to do in the meantime? We are to prepare ourselves for that coming. We are to keep learning. We are to work in field to bring others along. There is much work to be done.<\/p>\n
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So let\u2019s look at a few verses that teach us what we can do to prepare ourselves for Jesus\u2019 return.<\/p>\n
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\u201cBe joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God\u2019s will for you in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/em> (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDo your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.\u201d<\/em> (2 Timothy 2:15 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIn a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble purposes. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Maser and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.\u201d<\/em> (2 Timothy 2:20-22 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDo not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.\u201d<\/em> (James 1:22 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope.\u201d<\/em> (1 Peter 3:15 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These are just a few things we find in Scripture that we can be working on while we wait for the Master to return. Let\u2019s be prepared for that day. Let\u2019s just do it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019m not a secretary any longer. I\u2019m an executive assistant\u2026even the name has changed. But to be honest, I like this change. I want to more than just a gal who types memos. I want to make a difference in the work place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I want that same thing to be true of my spiritual live. I will always want more. I will always want to grow a little bit more. I will always want to be better at what I\u2019m doing. I\u2019m getting ready and will be prepared when Jesus returns. Will you?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve recently been reminded of my age. I have a birthday next week and in some places I will be able to receive that wonderful \u201csenior discount.\u201d I know how old I am but I guess what I was reminded of is how long I\u2019ve been doing what I\u2019ve been doing. You know, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_s2mail":"yes","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,3386,296,16,17,18,14],"tags":[1639,1943,106,1944,3722,466],"class_list":["post-4090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-discovering-god","category-enjoy-god","category-experiencing-god","category-following-god","category-obeying-god","category-pleasing-god","category-seeking-god","tag-1-peter-315","tag-1-thessalonians-516-18","tag-2-timothy-215","tag-2-timothy-220-22","tag-gettin-up-there","tag-james-122"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4090"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4091,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4090\/revisions\/4091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}