U.S.A...

I now live in a country that consists of abbreviations.
Even its name can be abbreviated.

Just think...

I.O.U. (I owe you)
D.U.I (Driving under influence)
P.B.&J. (Peanut Butter and Jelly [sandwich](yes Marina!!))
A.K.A. (Also known as)
R.S.V.P. (Repondez S'il vous plait) (ok not really american but they use it!!)
C.E.O (Chief Executive Officer)
O.D. (overdose)


Not even mentioning the trivial CD, PC, LOL, ASAP and SOS.

(Ok I stole the pic from sb else's site. U can do ur search on abbr-s urself =)

Routine

I have been working this past week, and meanwhile realizing more and more why America is hard to live in spiritually (now, I'm alright Vika, I'm just looking at facts =)).
The problem is - business.
People tend to have more stuff to do here as compared to Ukraine.
Probably due to the fact that there are so many places to go, so many stores, the beach, sales, farmers markets... Cute and fun things to do... things that take up your time with the Lord.
And I'm not saying it's bad to enjoy oneself. The point is balance of those things, and that's what's hard, especially if you have to plan your day yourself (that's when that self-discipline comes in).
I'm glad that in that sense Ukraine is not like that. There are not so many things over there that are tempting (although, one could always find some). Here I see a lot of people working two jobs and putting all their money to pay off a mortgage on a huge house they didn't NEED in the first place. (The problem is that those houses exist, and people have eyes too big to see they can't afford it.) And then they go off complaining that they don't have time to go to church - or just simply hang out with their kids or spouses! Ukraine has its own problems, but people are more likely just forced to have a hard life due to the unstable economy at all times (but they still can make decisions to spend time with God or in front of the TV).
Maybe I'm too judgemental, and my Ukrainian eye hasn't adapted to the sharp contrast of american reality...

Слава труду!!

Although I don't agree with this communist slogan ("Glory to labor"), I did gain appreciation for my job as today was my first work day. I realized that people are looked down upon when they say they work at a "hamburger joint" - and unjustly so! "Flippin burgers" is a pretty hard job, whatever they might say. Today my main job was to make french fries and onion rings, as I can't really do much of anything else yet. "Little Jocko's" has the highest hygiene standards of all other places that I know - and I'm quite relieved, as I thought I might encounter some unpleasant moments (I'm a clean freak when it comes to handling food). That's probably why today was pretty hard, as you don't only cook but you also clean the utensils, make sure that the diner is in order, the fries are hot and trays are clean....
So anyway, although I'm pretty tired today, I'm still glad God gave me this job (makes you feel like a normal person =). I'm working tomorrow, so right now I have a couple hours to relax before my hubby comes home ...

Some ways in which God works...

Today was one of those days when you wake up and don't want to be yourself. I was dreading this afternoon.... It was going to be my first job interview.
OK so some of you know that I've been looking for a job lately. Yesterday I submitted 5 applications to different stores and restaurants in the neighbourhood. There was an Italian restaurant that wasn't open yet, but the owners let me fill out an application while nobody was there. They are a senior couple, running a small restaurant. They have a nice weener dog. They were polite, but.... Something within me just was saying NO!!! Will agreed that he had the same spooky feeling.... I was praying they wouldn't call me.
They did. The same day. And told me to come at noon today.

Yesterday, when we were about to be done with all the applications, on the way home Will saw another restaurant. It's more of a hamburger joint I would say, and is called "Little Jocko's". He said "Well, let's try the last one". And I was about to open my mouth to say "Nah, I'm too tired, let's go home", when I saw an anchor on a worker's T-shirt. That made me shut my mouth. (Some might not know, but for Will and me anchors are special.. and God uses them as signs for us =)
We came inside. Yep, a typical hamburger joint. The application was very simple, but it said to submit it before 11 am. And we were late. "Well, I said, I will submit it tomorrow myself." So we agreed.
In the evening that guy from the Italian restaurant called....
So today I woke up and was just laying in bed thinking about whether I should go or not. On one hand, it is a job, which is very hard to find right now, especially if you have NO experience whatsoever. On the other hand, I would rather trade a more prestigious job for a group of co-workers I am comfortable with.
So I was pretty nervous. The application for Little Jocko's still lay on the kitchen table together with the last copy of my resume... So I decided to submit it today before the interview. I walked to the restaurant and saw the sign "Sorry we are closed." I walked past it and went to the Starbucks nearby, got a latte, sat down and thought "WHY?? God, if you were telling me to go here, why is it closed today??" And God just said "Just try knocking on the door, silly =)". So I picked up my coffee and went back. Some guy was arranging chairs in the hall, I showed him my application, he walked behind the counter, then came back and opened the door. "Danny will be with you in a moment". And a moment later I was standing in front of a middle aged pleasant man, who was studying my papers. In the middle of conversation he suddenly said "Hey my cousin lives in Ukraine." I asked about the city or the church he was with, but he couldn't remember. Then I asked "What's his name?", realizing that there are so many american missionaries, and so many churches that it was almost silly to ask... Until I heard "Jake... Jake Knotts..."
Well, at that point I realized that it was another sign God was sending me. And if I was in SLO, I probably wouldn't be as surprised, but we are good 20 min away from SLO, and that was the very restaurant that God directed me to.
SO there you go Jake, even though you are not in the States, God is using you!