Prayers... Just prayers

The 48-hour window for the Final Exam will begin Monday morning around 10am.

It is said to only take 9 or 10 hours to complete, but we are given extra time for review, correction, and verification.

I'll see you on the other side of it.

Prayers... Flight? or Fall?

We've reached the point where it is time to face the cliff... and jump.

October has launched into a flurry of events that have my mind reeling, sleep patterns disrupted, and work hours and output increasing. God is moving in our lives in a big way, but we do not yet have a clear idea of where He is pointing us.

Firstly, allow me to be grateful for the prayer warriors out there.  Thank you! Secondly, allow me to ask that you please continue!  Although there is a lot of detail that I would like to share, at the moment there is no time. So, here is the 'Reader's Digest' version of the most recent events and specific prayer requests:

For Mr Squirrel:

After 2 months of zero replies from that "perfect local job" Mr. Squirrel was hoping for, he got the call (9/29 late afternoon) -- no warm up, no preamble, but a sense of urgency was implied. The job, by the way, is school bus driver.  The perfection, in part, being steady employment with large chunks of the day free for sermon preparation and study.

My heart wants to soar! With that single phone call, he was fast-tracked into (what I would call) the hiring process. Since then, he has been scrambling to fill in any elements not previously accounted for, and jumping through the hiring hoops (background checks, medical stuff, etc.). Unfortunately, he has hit stumbling blocks and governmental delays at nearly every turn. [Why can't people provide ALL of the information and requirements that you need... at the beginning? Or are we always required to run in circles, back-track, and redo as part of the process?] 

This is where my heart falters: Even with all the initial preparation, I've not heard any specific "you got the job" words.  In my mind, without those words, this is all still up in the air and an uncertainty as to where it will all come down.  However, I also know from personal experience that some jobs begin by hitting the ground running: You go in prepared for an interview, and they put you to work... without the interview. My most satisfying jobs started without really having a starting point.

Specific prayer request: That the path to Mr. Squirrel's employment would be smoothed and the obstacles removed or provision given to overcome them.

For myself:

School has launched into over-drive. I have gone through the pre-final consultation (10/3) and, like Mr. Squirrel, I was suddenly given "new information" that would have been more helpful at the beginning of the course.  [Yes, I have circles to run around in, too.]

For the most part, there were 2 surprises that have put me into a situation that will either catch me full-in-the-face, or it won't be a problem at all.

• The good surprise: If we pass the final exam on the first try (i.e. 85% or better), it does not matter if our course expires. We are allowed to take the remaining two exam opportunities to better our scores anytime we choose so long as it is done within 6 months. [Though I would never wait that long.]
• The bad surprise: If we do not pass the final exam, we are required to wait an additional 2 weeks’ time after receiving notification of our failed scores BEFORE they will let us retake the exam. That is a total of 4 weeks before you can take it again... and another 2 weeks after that before you get your results back. [Note: The extra 2 weeks is supposedly for the student’s benefit so as to “not repeat the same mistakes” while participating in an “active plan for practice” that is done hand-in-hand with a member of the staff.]

And here lies my situation: If I pass the first time – no worries. If I don’t pass, the required delays will put me beyond my expiration date (November 15th) and I would be required to get an extension before I could retake the exam.  [Personally, if I had known the information sooner, I could have better planned a few Sundays here and there to get further ahead and leave a solid 2-month block of time at the end of the course... strictly reserved for the final exam process... and any worst case scenarios.]

I did immediately report all of this to my training program contact so she would know what was ahead of us.  [God is soooooooo good.] She replied the next day telling me that the program would cover me if I should need the extension.  [It made me want to cry that the program would be willing to make yet another investment in me.] Of course, it is still my intention to "leap for the top bar" successfully, the first time, but it is an amazing comfort to know that I'm still working over a net... just in case.

Specific prayer request: That when it comes time to take the final exam, that God would grant me focus, attentiveness, a lack of distractions, and the patience to be careful of mistakes (stupid or otherwise).

The Bonus Blessing: I do not know where this will lead, but I have had my first potential job contact (9/28). The transcription company sounds like a small one, but it has been in business for 20+ years.  One of my relatives who has been following my saga came across the opportunity and forwarded it to me. I have had one introductory email with the owner who wanted to know more about the completion dates for my training.  I have not yet received a reply back.

*Whew*

That brings you into the front lines of the battlefield.  I don't imagine that I will have time to post again until after the submission of the final exam. At that point, I'll have 14 days to wait for the scores... and should be able to get at least one post done ;-)

[See comments for updates.]
------------------------------------------------

God bless & Godspeed to you all.

Has it really been 10 years?

Photo credit: BobbyShred.com

Recently, Mr. Squirrel and I watched a 2003 documentary on the staggering events of 9/11/2001. I've not really seen any footage of it since it actually happened, but watching that documentary made all those feelings of shock and dismay come back. The tears would not be stopped. I remember where I was. I remember what I was doing. I remember the phone call from my hubby asking me if I had the radio on -- shortly after the first plane hit. [It was the one day at work when I DIDN'T have the radio on, as I was working a shared project at another co-worker's desk that morning. Needless to say, I was glued to the radio from that point forward.]

From my deepest heart, I would ask God to bless all firefighters, police officers, emergency response, humanitarian aid, military and civilian hearts who make this a great country in which to live.

Salute.

[Note: There are more photos of the before-during-and-after at the artist's memorial website in the 9/11 Tribute section (about half way down the page). Click here. Right now, I find the photos to be more than I care to handle (mostly because I cannot stop looking at them once I start), and in deference to those of a similar disposition, I'll let you look at them on your own... or not, as you might choose.]
----------------------------------

Godspeed to you all.

The scores are in...

I actually got the scores back last Friday (8/5), but I've not had time to share the results with my blog-family.

When I did get the scores, I sent off an email to my program contact to whom I give progress reports every two weeks. This email was subject lined as:
Midway progress report - Assessment Exam scores.
I think it sums up just about everthing. So, without further ado...

-----------------------------------
Hi [Name deleted] :-)
I simply couldn’t wait for the progress report. I feel like I’m bouncing around the room and had to let you know that I just got my scores back from my Assessment Exam:

Objective portion: 90% (9 out of 10 questions... stupid mistake, too - UGH).
Practical portion: 97% (144 out of 149 points) -- [Zero errors on the radiology reports!]

Those dictations were very difficult and I was sweating the score. As of today, I’m also VERY glad that human beings who grade transcriptions can tell the difference between “exact words” and “exact meaning.” I made several word choices that were not exact, but the meaning did not change. You don’t get points off in those cases. Whew!!!

So far the introduction to the editing training is going well. It is a bit cumbersome because we are back into the quizzes and review tests that were so abundant in the objective portion of the training (July through December). It also gets a little frustrating when the answer key changes something not specified in the instructions and you get it wrong because you didn’t... or the opposite, you correct something that is glaringly wrong, but the key implies that they didn’t tell you to fix it. [I think this part of the course may be new enough that they are still working out some of the bugs. I’ve actually submitted a few questions to their support department, and received replies back saying that they would check into them and submit them for repair if appropriate. That should be good news for the students behind me, but it trips me up as I hit them. ] The part that slows me down the most is the fact that, in order to get credit for the quiz scores, you have to change your answers to match theirs... even if your answer is technically correct. It is good practice, though.

Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful day & a great weekend!
[signature line removed]
-----------------------------------

As of today, I have completed the first module of the editing training: Editing Theory. I will be beginning the next module, Editing Techniques, tomorrow morning.

I do have one fly in the ointment at this time for which I would ask for any stray prayers. My unemployment benefits are done this week. Done-done, there won't be any more.

Although Mr. Squirrel has been enjoying some part-time work, he has been waiting for a call back from a local opportunity that would be a near-perfect fit for a pastor... should there be an opening. I am praying for that opening or for God's hand to show him some other opportunity... SOON. It is very plain that we cannot make ends meet on only one part-time job.

At this point, I will also begin taking odd jobs as they come my way, which will hinder the schooling, but it must be done.

Thanks for listening.
----------------------
God bless & Godspeed to one and all :-)