Transformed Thoughts of Good Works

Do not conform to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve

what God’s will is—

His good, pleasing and perfect will.

(Romans 12:2)

Have you ever witnessed your personal flip-flop on an issue? Have you ever been for something, until you were against it? Were you divided by corporate, fiscal obligations rather than moral, community responsibilities? These are the questions fueling my struggle in having a definitive position on the Keystone Pipeline.

I first became aware of promises of oil sands, or tar sands, in 2008. I was working for a Fortune 1000 industrial manufacturing company. We had a wear resistant technology that provided productivity gains in the processing and transporting of bitumen in the mines of Alberta Canada. I worked in Strategic Marketing, as an internal consultant to business unit leaders, evaluating the potential risks and financial rewards for investing resources into this adjacent energy sector. Back then, I was a proponent of oil sands, conforming to the thoughts of energy giants like Shell and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, who were forecasting an economic boom.

Fast forward to 2011 and I was an entrepreneur opening a manufacturing consulting office in Port Arthur, TX--the terminal destination of a proposed pipeline to transport oil sands crude from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast ports and refineries. Our first ad in the local business journal ran in the same issue headlined by a story of protesters targeting the Keystone XL Pipeline.  I attended a community meeting as a member of the chamber of commerce, supporting the promise of jobs and economic stimulation expected from constructing the pipeline. What I walked away from that meeting with were alternate thoughts on the negative impacts on the community, both environmentally and economically.  This ignited my internal struggle as an industrialist vs. a concerned community citizen and the ongoing battle between my support of fossil fuels and renewable energy sources.  Most importantly, I wanted to know more about the real jobs numbers, both temporary and permanent.

Collage made from September 2011 issue of the  Port Arthur  Business  Journal

To read more on the jobs debate, read the argument presented by TransCanada, the company pushing for the pipeline expansion:  

http://keystone-xl.com/its-time-for-a-better-discussion-about-jobs/

Where do I stand on support of the Keystone Pipeline today? Admittedly, my support has transformed based on having different information and personal experiences.  I have watched local citizens not get jobs in favor of work crews temporarily relocated from other parts of the country. I have witnessed the destruction left behind when a pipeline unexpectedly bursts (re Mayflower, AR in 2013). And I have become weary of the current political debate that fuels more separation rather than solutions toward a real jobs plan. My faith lets me know that regardless of who is in the White House, one day we will know His good and perfect will on this matter. What are your thoughts on the Keystone Pipeline? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Favor for Good Works

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;

and establish for us the work of our hands…

(Psalm 90:17)

 

It’s the first full week of summer vacation and several young people that I know are still looking for work. It is no coincidence that in the same week I found one of my old check stubs from my first job from high school that I also attended a meeting on workforce readiness in today’s economy. It was like déjà vu, reliving a moment in my Career Orientation class, hearing employers repeat the same message conveyed by my middle school teacher over thirty years ago, that the basic requirements to landing a job are simple: proper attire, appropriate conversation, and a positive attitude. If it is that simple, why are young job seekers having a hard time finding work? What do they need to do to find favor with hiring managers?
 

I grew up in a small community, so there were a limited number of jobs that teenagers typically preferred, like in retail or in an office. Most of my friends either worked in grocery stores, or as I did, in local dairy bars and restaurants. Many of us who worked in high school took classes like D.E.C.A. (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and C.C.E. (Cooperative Career Education) that allowed us to earn classroom credits while gaining real-world work experience. Without knowing, we found favor with local small business owners who took a chance on us, giving us our initial opportunity to do good works.

Favor is access to open doors beyond our natural reach. Two people can come from the same environment and have same opportunities, yet experience different levels of favor. I know from experience that favor ain’t fair, it reigns on the just as well as the unjust. I guess that is why it is called favor, a supernatural preference that allows you to experience unmerited blessings and grace to do good works. My constant prayer is that God grants me favor to be a blessing to someone in need.

So today, my targeted audience is young people who are looking for work and cannot seem to find opportunities via traditional job searches. Perhaps this is a season of access to favor to open doors by starting a small business. Ever consider the supernatural favor to become a

·        Personal assistant tasked with answering the telephones, scheduling meetings, running errands
·        Social media specialist responsible for updating Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram accounts of other busy people or business owners
·        Mobile carwash attendant who travels to potential clients homes or business to provide services
·        Virtual tutor, helping younger students advance reading, math, and/or science skills
·        Mover/packer, assisting those in need with getting rid of clutter or prepare for a move

These are just a few suggestions for a young job seekers looking for economic diversity through entrepreneurial actions. Faith without works is dead, so I recommend getting started sooner than later. And remember those basic requirements mentioned in the first paragraph? That is a start, but do not forget some other P’s: professional, punctual, and persistent. How will you find favor to get hired?
 

Are you a hiring manager or interested in providing a young person with an initial opportunity to do good works? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.