Have the Grumpies? You've Been Zapped!

Have the Grumpies?  You've Been Zapped!

by Marilyn Mackenzie

Most of my friends and online connections know that I haven't worked for a while, not since my pains and fatigue became such that working is quite impossible. 

To earn a few bucks here and there, I do many things.  I Gather, for one, and have been consistently able to get two $25 PayPal deposits into my account each month.  That's not much, but it helps.

I do online surveys, and I particularly enjoy interactive ones, where the earnings are more.

And, when I can, I participate in in-person consumer research panels.  If you live in a mid-sized or large city, that might be something in which you could participate as well.

On Monday, I'm scheduled for a 20 minute consumer research panel on fiber supplements.  And I'll be paid $70 for that 20 minutes.  I love that!

In order to qualify, I was asked a bunch of questions about our household habits and normal purchases.  Then I was asked a series of questions about my personality - whether or not I enjoy meeting new people and sharing my opinions with them.  If you follow my posts here, you know how I answered that last part.  :)

To prove that I can think creatively, I was asked this question.  "What super power would you like to have?  You can use one that you know has been in a super hero or make one up.  Then, how would you use that super power"?

I joked with the interviewer that I would like to have all the super powers of all the comic book super heroes.  We briefly talked about that, and then it hit me.

I told the interviewer that I would love to have a "grumpy blaster".  I would love to point my finger at anyone who exhibited grumpy behaviors or who enjoyed being negative, and blast his/her grumpiness away.

My "creative" response left the interviewer laughing, and clinched my spot on the consumer panel.  I meant to write about this yesterday after the phone call finished, but...

As my Mom always said, "There's a reason for everything."

I had not yet read Kimberly L's The Word for the Day for February 25th, where she reminded us that "the joy of the Lord is our strength".  Kimberly's focus was on Nehemiah 8:10: (Amplified) - Then [Ezra] told them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.

As I read that, I was reminded of a sermon I heard a few years ago, where our pastor used 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV as his text.  Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

I had read that text before, but the pastor's reminder that we're supposed to give thanks in all things, not because of all things, hit home that day.

We have our very own grumpy blaster available to us each and every day.  His name is Jesus.  As the world around us changes, often times not for the better, it's important that we remember that, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) 

In Him we find joy and strength and our fears are zapped away.  Thank goodness we don't have to wait for me to acquire that grumpy blaster.