Yo ho, yo ho, a park ranger's life for me...

So, this park ranger job has been pretty interesting so far. I decided I would chronicle some highlights here from the past couple months.

About a month ago: Painting over some graffiti near LCC campus when this crazy old guy who looks like a war veteran rolls up in his wheelchair and exclaims, "Looks like a cover-up to me! I guess I'm okay with this one."

For the first two months: Kept finding strange things under a certain pine tree in one of the parks, including halves of uneaten oranges, the insides of a pumpkin and the empty shell tossed aside, whole heads of broccoli, and lots of bottles of various kinds of booze. Someone really knows how to have a good time...I guess.

Last week: Pretty sure I found a coelacanth head on the River Trail. Not sure why prehistoric fish would be hanging out in the Grand River, but this thing was HUGE...okay, maybe it wasn't that big, but I was still weirded out.

Today: Lady comes up to me and starts telling me about some park I've never heard of and how the dead trees need to be taken care of and something needs to be done about the deer, because there's too many and it's not healthy for them. I told her the park itself is probably a city park, one that the county isn't taking care of, and she should contact the DNR about the deer. "Well, where is the city park headquarters?" "Uhh...somewhere in downtown Lansing." I am SO HELPFUL.

Since at least four weeks ago: A coworker and I kept finding glass in parking lots along the River Trail from people breaking into cars. It was getting particularly bad last week, until my coworker told me this past Monday that the guy had been caught (yes, singular, not plural), and he had been arrested for breaking into about NINTEY-TWO CARS. Holy crap.

Normally, I have to paint over graffiti when I find it...this doesn't apply as much to graffiti on the ground, though, and even less when somebody makes a stencil of the Skyrim logo and spraypaints it black all over the place. Awesome.

It's weird...I get more friendly conversation from complete strangers on the trail, but every so often when I see someone I actually kind of know, there's no acknowledgement. Funny how that works.

I guess that's it for now; there's more I can't remember, and I'm sure more that will happen. It's been a great job so far, especially for just a temporary one.

 Peace.

Jobs

So, it's only Monday, but this week has already seen some (possibly) drastic changes in my employment. First, my supervisor informed me this morning that our contract with the city of Lansing may get voted down in a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) night, in which case I will no longer be working for the county by the end of the week. Second, and at just the right time, I was also informed today that the Family Christian Store near where I live (and where a bunch of my friends work) has decided to hire me after I fill out a little more paperwork this Wednesday.

I know some people were holding this second job in prayer, so I thank you for that! It couldn't have come at a better time.

Peace.

The Lent

So, some of you may have been excited to read my blogs for forty days...and I am sorry for the let-down if that was the case. I got lazy with them, and my whole schedule for that matter. These aren't good enough excuses for not keeping my commitment, but here are a few updates on my life.

I've been working as an Ingham County park ranger for just over a month now. It's a fun job, but I'm still getting used to doing a lot of outside work most days instead of doing school and a small job alongside. I'm also now about to apply for a second job at a Family Christian Store where a bunch of my friends work; apparently they recently lost a handful of employees and would probably hire me.

Things have become fairly tumultuous in my personal life during the last week, which certainly hasn't helped me keep my Lent commitments. Suffice it to say I am about to have two very difficult conversations in the next few days, and part of me would rather crawl in a hole and die than have them. I would very much appreciate prayer for wisdom, humility, and loving words. Thank you.

Peace.