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mara williams
on Jun 18 2013 - 06:00 AM
Hey, manchild, mama says: clean your room, wash the dishes, don't drink and drive.
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Emily Parnell
on Jun 16 2013 - 06:00 AM
Eating fresh, local produce is good for body and soul
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Jim Cosgrove
on Jun 13 2013 - 06:00 AM
I just want to buy some pants. Please, turn down the music.
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- kim nakahodo - Profile | Pictures | Blog
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I met Almitra Buzan about a year ago at a regional function for emergency communicators. She was pregnant with her first son Will at the time and we quickly became friends. She is a remarkable woman and a brilliant communicator for the Red Cross. I asked her to write a guest blog to talk about her decision to leave her job for a higher calling.
Almitra writes:
I was excited when Kim asked me to write about my decision to walk away from my career to become a full time mom to my 8-month-old son William. However, when I thought about what I would share, it seemed like I didn’t have anything interesting to write. Sure, at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 18, I was no longer Almitra Buzan, public relations manager for the American Red Cross of Greater Kansas City. I’m now Almitra, the mom and homemaker, or what I’m calling CEO of Buzan Family Domestic Affairs.
Yet, when it comes to caring for our children and families, working women make the best choice for their families every day. Because of that, the choice itself isn’t a unique one, but you might find how I came to the decision interesting, so that’s what I’ll focus on.
First, I feel very blessed to even have the choice to stop working. But I never thought of myself as a “non-working” member of society. My mother worked while parenting me, and both my grandmothers held jobs while parenting their children. So, working just seemed like the right thing to do. Plus, in today’s economy, both parents having a job is just good insurance against the ever present layoff.
I admit that while on maternity leave I felt urges to not return to work, but those subsided when thinking about the benefits my income afforded the family. Once I returned to work, I remembered how much I enjoyed my career, and job. Since Will was excelling at daycare, and our family was still saving money, I was sure I had made the right decision.
So, why am I sharing a story of leaving it all behind? One word: faith.
My husband Rob and I are Christians, and at the beginning of the year we began praying, fasting, and asking God for direction in our lives. Honestly, it never crossed my mind that “quit your job,” would be the answer. I mean, come on, God knows the economy is bad! But, that’s what I got. Actually, the answer was “I want you to let go of your job, and spend your energy helping your family excel in your home life. Specifically, work to create an environment for your family to seek me daily.” Imagine my surprise; I thought people only got specific instructions from God in the Bible!
Even with the detailed instructions, I thought, Lord, there must be some mistake. I’m doing great on my job, I’m well respected, appreciated, and I still have room for growth. Don’t women who leave their jobs to stay home with their children do it when things aren’t going well? Plus, what’s Rob going to think? What if he thinks I’m using God as an excuse to stay home with our son? So, instead of having the conversation, I ignored the instructions.
(Side note: No, I’m not as spiritual as I should be, and yes, when you hear from God, ignoring the instruction doesn’t work.)
I went for a couple of weeks like everything was normal, until I felt so convicted that I had to bring it up to my husband. His reaction was better than I expected. He didn’t suggest I was making an excuse to stay home with Will. He was more concerned about the practical things like paying the bills, and continuing to save. Rob was also concerned about my career. He knew the hard work I had put into it, and how much I enjoyed my profession. His question was what if you resent your decision?
I had those concerns, but had already released them. So, we reviewed the practical stuff, and, thank God, all the bills would be paid with money available for savings. But, we weren’t going to move until Rob heard from God too. A few weeks later, Rob came to me and said when are you going to quit? He said he had heard from God too, and was at peace with the decision.
I was overjoyed, but I’m embarrassed to say that I was a little scared as well. That meant I had to follow through on what I believed the Lord wanted me to do. And, again, who leaves a good job -- that they enjoy -- during a down economy? (Like I said, I’m not as spiritual as I should be!) It took two days before I actually gave my resignation, and I was shaking when I went in to do it.
Afterwards, I felt so much peace, and so much excitement about my family’s future! It’s hard to describe. I also felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility for the task I was about to undertake. I prayed quietly: Okay Lord, I’ve done what you’ve asked, so I’m expecting you to guide me through this new journey, and fill any gaps that this dropped income creates.Now, it’s Monday, March 21, my first “work” day where my time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. won’t be filled with meetings, media calls, and working on projects to further the mission of the Red Cross. Now, I’ll be spending my energy quietly figuring out what it means to help my family excel in our home life, and create an environment for my family to seek God daily. Wow, I think I may have just taken the harder job!
-Almitra
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