It is Finished!

For the past couple of months I have been traveling around the country installing Internet Protocol Phone Systems in the warehouses of a major US company associated with the aftermarket auto industry.  There are some things I have learned along the way, some are somewhat humorous and some have a bit more meaning.  All are true. I thought I would share a few of them with you.  They are in no particular order and out of kindness I kept the list to only 30.

1.     When you travel with a suitcase filled with tools, wires and networking hardware you often get nice notes from the TSA in your luggage when you arrive at your destination.

2.  It is hard to make a TSA Agent smile, especially in the bigger cities, but I keep trying.

3.     After going to 17 warehouses you develop the ability to tell what the manager will be like in just a few moments by looking around the office.  They set the tone for everything and it is noticeable the moment you walk in.

4.     There is a direct correlation between the number of pinup posters on the wall and the number of requests you will get asking you to remove the porn blocker from a computer.  I tell them I do not have the ability to make the change they are requesting and then wait until later in the day when they finally ask me how long I have been doing this job.  I then weave in fact I have spent the last 21 years serving as a pastor.  The look on their face is priceless.

5.      People treat you differently when they find out you were a pastor.  In the South they still seem to have some respect for the position.  In other places they just do not know what to do with the information.

6.     When you are installing a phone system, suddenly the people in the office trace every technical issue they are experiencing to the new phones, even if the two things have absolutely nothing to do with one another. 

7.     When traveling, it is always best to treat everyone with graciousness and kindness, especially when things are not going like you expected.  People anticipate you will be grumpy in these situations and adjust their attitude accordingly.  Being unpredictably kind gives the person you are dealing with a picture of grace they may not see for the rest of the day.  This may put a smile on their face and quite possibly one on yours as well.

8.     You can try to talk with lots of people, only a few will join the conversation.

9.    When you meet new people and hear their story your realize that we all have been shaped by challenge and trial.

10.    Every Hampton Inn serves exactly the same breakfast, no matter what state you are in (With a slight variation of the kind of eggs served, depending on the day).

11.      Breakfast can get really old.

12.  If you are going to rent a car, join Hertz Gold Club.  It costs nothing and while others are waiting to get their paperwork you walk right to your car and drive off.

13.  If you drive off in the wrong car and do not bring it back for a couple of days they do not care because you are a Gold Club Member.

14.  A man must have designed the freeways in Connecticut.  They have places called service stops right on the side of the freeway.  You can pull in for the bathroom, gas, and a snack.  Because it is right on the freeway you don't have to call it a stop.  This is very important to men, who by nature do not like to stop.

15.  Judging by the number of books you see in planes and airports, travelers also seem to be readers.

16.  There are very few places where the airports and highways are as busy as in Southern California.

17.  Having lived in Southern California, and driven in Los Angles there is no traffic in the United States you cannot handle.  In fact, what most people think of a really bad traffic is a good day in LA.

18.  I would have never have thought graveyards and parks would be the places to visit when in another city, but in truth they often very interesting and beautiful places.

19.  People who work at graveyards are some of the friendliest people you will meet.  Maybe they are just happy to see someone who is living.

20.  Even two short hours gives you enough time to explore a corner of a city and discover something worth seeing.

21.  Some of the best things to see in any city are its people.  It is worth finding a place to sit and people watch.

22.  People on the coasts tend to be harsh; people in the center of the country tend to be courteous.  There are always exceptions, but in general this seems to be true.

23.  People seem to dress better on the East Coast.  I wish someone would have told me before I packed.

24.  People in Nashville are particularly friendly, and more likely than not, anyone you meet is probably trying to get into the music business.  When they asked me if I worked in the music business I just smiled.

25.  No matter how good the restaurant, eating by yourself is lonely.

26.  Seeing someone you know in a city far from home is a gift.

27.   95% if the restaurants from Diners, Dives, and Drive Inns are as good as advertised.

28.  Rhythms are important when traveling by yourself, especially when it come to prayer and reading scriptures, and practicing the presence of God.

29.  In times of transition, doing a job for a season which has nothing to with what you used to do is like taking a working sabbatical.  It provides the necessary separation to be able to detach your heart and begin looking toward the future.

30. Some things can never fully be detached from your heart.