Wednesday, May 30, 2012
My Heart for Giving...to Missionaries
I am struggling with something these days. Why is it that we, as Christians, who know the importance of sharing our faith and of sending missionaries out to the field, struggle with giving when those who have the call of God on their lives for missions ask us to support them financially? Why can't we seem find it in ourselves to step up and give?
I see them ask for any amount, be it five or ten dollars, to help them live and travel to where God is sending them. This is next to NOTHING that they are asking for...seriously, a couple of gallons of gas, a few lattes, a 12 pack of beer or you come up with what you spend ten dollars a week on. Don’t most of us dribble away that much in fancy latte’s and other junk food in just a week? Have we really become so selfish to think that we expect someone else to support them? Where is our love, compassion and devotion to Him who has saved us by His grace?
Do we not understand that in our selfLESS giving and yes,even possible sacrificial giving (giving up that latte for a week), that God will bless us? Yep, I said it..God will bless you in YOUR sacrificial giving. Just a few years ago, I told my son, “if I won the lottery, think of all the missionaries I could support!” and he said, “mom, you don’t have to win the lottery to support missionaries, you just need to start giving”. So, I did, it wasn't much at first and in that time, I am now helping to support several missionaries,(including my own son). Did I magically receive a check for millions for doing so? No, but, I have noticed that I have enough to not only support them, but we have enough to take care of ourselves, help our other children and still have lattes. You see, God has been faithful to me, to us, to our son. But, I wonder, what blessings did I miss when I thought I couldn’t afford to give and didn’t.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
AT&T - Listen to Your Customers, please.
I bought my first cell phone in 1995 and have used AT&T as my carrier for the greater period since that time. I have had numerous good experiences with AT&T customer service over the years and have never minded paying for the five lines ($250+ a month) for our family plan for the past six years. Overall AT&T has been easy and painless. Until we moved in October of 2011
We moved approximately two miles north (as the crow flies) of our previous home where we had had perfect wireless service. No failed calls, missed calls, or texts that never arrived. This past October when my elderly father needed to move in to retirement, we sold our home and by his request, moved in to his home. Now, there is not a day that goes by that I don’t have failed calls, missed calls, texts that never get to their intended recipient. I miss calls from my husband,my kids, my dad, friends, as well as business contacts since I work from home as well.
My husband contacted AT&T customer service regarding our problem with service and he was offered a micro-cell at no charge to help bring in a stronger signal. This device, while it worked for it’s intended purpose, caused daily headaches for us. Once it was turned off, the headaches subsided and we felt, for health purposes this was not a viable solution. I then contacted customer service this past Sunday, March 11, 2012 and spoke to Supervisor #1* in Ogden, Utah about this issue. He suggested we upgrade our SIM cards as they were nearly two years old. My husband and I went down to our local AT&T store where a friendly store employee* helped us transfer our information to the new SIM cards and rebooted our phones. We were excited to get home and see how this would help. Long story short, this did NOT help, in fact, my phone, the Blackberry Torch, is worse. I gave it five days to see if would get better, but it hasn’t. I can no longer update my Facebook, it used to update the Facebook feed automatically, it no longer does that, telling me, in a nice little display box that I don’t have enough signal. Now, when I am home, ALL my incoming calls go straight to voicemail, when I try to call out it takes me two or three failed calls before one goes through, calls drop when I am in the middle of conversation. I have one bar of service, it’s normally in EDGE mode and I don’t feel this is what AT&T’s service should be known for.
This morning, Friday, March 16, 2012 I began my day by placing another call to customer service. Unable to get a hold of Supervisor #1, I spoke with Supervisor #2, he assured me over and over that I would not be able to “Get out of my contract”, that I had signed an agreement that limited AT&T’s responsibility to me as a customer, basically, I just had to continue with poor wireless service until my contract was up. I asked to speak to his supervisor, he put me on hold and then came back on the phone a few minutes later and said that his supervisor, Supervisor #3 had agreed to wave three of the early termination fees. I said I would talk it over with my husband and Supervisor #2 said he would have someone call me back in four and a half hours to get my answer. After talking it over with my husband, we felt this was fair and so I waited for the call back. Approximately four and half hours later , while I am outside my home I get a call back from Supervisor #4, another supervisor in Ogden, Utah. He first asked if my husband and I had agreed to accept the offer of the waving of the three early terminations fees and I said yes, we have talked it over and felt this was fair. He then paused and said the offer didn’t seem right to him, and I once again explained the service issue. He then said he would check with his supervisor (#5) and get back to me within 30 minutes since the supervisor was in a meeting and should be out in that time frame.
Over an hour later I finally receive a call (I am not at home at this point) and Supervisor #4 tells me that they are withdrawing their offer, that iphones can’t do early termination due to contractual obligations with Apple, that only my Blackberry can have early termination. He then offers me an extra $100 to sweeten the deal. While I understand the back peddling, I was offered this deal by at least three supervisors and feel AT&T should keep their word.
I am sure you can imagine my frustration at this point. I have spent several hours on the phone getting different answers, somewhat condescending attitudes and all the while, I am just trying to get some help from a company that I have spent thousands of dollars with, years of service to and this is what I am told...you signed a contract, you have no way out...I am saddened by how customer service has gone out the door. My husband and I own a small business and we bend over backwards to help and service our customers. I hope that someone can see that we have done all we can, we have honored our side of the contract, but with spotty service at best, we need out. AT&T please honor your offering of waving the three early termination fees, or better yet, for all this time and aggravation, wave all five.
One last observation, on their customer agreement it does say this:"Service in not available at all times in all places. There are gaps in coverage within the service areas shown on maps". I totally get this, there are spots that have bad coverage and while driving through those areas, I shouldn't expect good service or any service at all. BUT..really AT&T? This is a residential area, in a city, Verizon has excellent service here, you claim to have the best coverage in the nation and you can't get service to my neighborhood?
Please, just let us go.
*Names have been changed so as not to be sued for talking about my customer service experience.
We moved approximately two miles north (as the crow flies) of our previous home where we had had perfect wireless service. No failed calls, missed calls, or texts that never arrived. This past October when my elderly father needed to move in to retirement, we sold our home and by his request, moved in to his home. Now, there is not a day that goes by that I don’t have failed calls, missed calls, texts that never get to their intended recipient. I miss calls from my husband,my kids, my dad, friends, as well as business contacts since I work from home as well.
My husband contacted AT&T customer service regarding our problem with service and he was offered a micro-cell at no charge to help bring in a stronger signal. This device, while it worked for it’s intended purpose, caused daily headaches for us. Once it was turned off, the headaches subsided and we felt, for health purposes this was not a viable solution. I then contacted customer service this past Sunday, March 11, 2012 and spoke to Supervisor #1* in Ogden, Utah about this issue. He suggested we upgrade our SIM cards as they were nearly two years old. My husband and I went down to our local AT&T store where a friendly store employee* helped us transfer our information to the new SIM cards and rebooted our phones. We were excited to get home and see how this would help. Long story short, this did NOT help, in fact, my phone, the Blackberry Torch, is worse. I gave it five days to see if would get better, but it hasn’t. I can no longer update my Facebook, it used to update the Facebook feed automatically, it no longer does that, telling me, in a nice little display box that I don’t have enough signal. Now, when I am home, ALL my incoming calls go straight to voicemail, when I try to call out it takes me two or three failed calls before one goes through, calls drop when I am in the middle of conversation. I have one bar of service, it’s normally in EDGE mode and I don’t feel this is what AT&T’s service should be known for.
This morning, Friday, March 16, 2012 I began my day by placing another call to customer service. Unable to get a hold of Supervisor #1, I spoke with Supervisor #2, he assured me over and over that I would not be able to “Get out of my contract”, that I had signed an agreement that limited AT&T’s responsibility to me as a customer, basically, I just had to continue with poor wireless service until my contract was up. I asked to speak to his supervisor, he put me on hold and then came back on the phone a few minutes later and said that his supervisor, Supervisor #3 had agreed to wave three of the early termination fees. I said I would talk it over with my husband and Supervisor #2 said he would have someone call me back in four and a half hours to get my answer. After talking it over with my husband, we felt this was fair and so I waited for the call back. Approximately four and half hours later , while I am outside my home I get a call back from Supervisor #4, another supervisor in Ogden, Utah. He first asked if my husband and I had agreed to accept the offer of the waving of the three early terminations fees and I said yes, we have talked it over and felt this was fair. He then paused and said the offer didn’t seem right to him, and I once again explained the service issue. He then said he would check with his supervisor (#5) and get back to me within 30 minutes since the supervisor was in a meeting and should be out in that time frame.
Over an hour later I finally receive a call (I am not at home at this point) and Supervisor #4 tells me that they are withdrawing their offer, that iphones can’t do early termination due to contractual obligations with Apple, that only my Blackberry can have early termination. He then offers me an extra $100 to sweeten the deal. While I understand the back peddling, I was offered this deal by at least three supervisors and feel AT&T should keep their word.
I am sure you can imagine my frustration at this point. I have spent several hours on the phone getting different answers, somewhat condescending attitudes and all the while, I am just trying to get some help from a company that I have spent thousands of dollars with, years of service to and this is what I am told...you signed a contract, you have no way out...I am saddened by how customer service has gone out the door. My husband and I own a small business and we bend over backwards to help and service our customers. I hope that someone can see that we have done all we can, we have honored our side of the contract, but with spotty service at best, we need out. AT&T please honor your offering of waving the three early termination fees, or better yet, for all this time and aggravation, wave all five.
One last observation, on their customer agreement it does say this:"Service in not available at all times in all places. There are gaps in coverage within the service areas shown on maps". I totally get this, there are spots that have bad coverage and while driving through those areas, I shouldn't expect good service or any service at all. BUT..really AT&T? This is a residential area, in a city, Verizon has excellent service here, you claim to have the best coverage in the nation and you can't get service to my neighborhood?
Please, just let us go.
*Names have been changed so as not to be sued for talking about my customer service experience.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Things Change, Don't They?
I can hardly believe it's been over a year since I last posted to my blog. It started as a way for me to share funny or interesting things I saw or happened to me. But, then un-funny things began to happen. A close and very loved family member was diagnosed with a condition that took her life this past January. My husband and I decided it was more important to keep our small business afloat, thus keeping others employed, than make our HUGE house payment. The bank refused to "modify" our current loan ( after sending them close to 400 pages of documents, mostly repeats because they kept telling me "we didn't receive them) and then find out we don't qualify anymore. My former spouse owing me close to $50,000 in back child support, finally paying weekly payments now that our baby is ready to fly the nest. And last, but not least, my own struggle with what I thought had been forgiveness turned out wasn't as complete as I thought. I have to say THANK YOU JESUS for finally bringing it fully to light where I could finally forgive completely. Finally, words have become just that...words..the pain, frustration, bitterness and resentment they used to bring, now only bring...well, nothing. I really shouldn't say nothing, they bring no emotion other than...well...joy. You see, God is renewing my mind. I never really understood that until this past week, when I read words, from someone who is full of pain and other emotions and feels the need to share them over and over and has for the past 11 years. In the past, the words would have sent me in to weeks of regurgitation. You know what I mean, the mulling over, talking about, not letting go until all your energy is used up kind of stuff. I am free from that now! The Lord has set me free. A few weeks ago I asked the Lord to renew my mind. I didn't feel a thunderbolt from heaven, or have an angelic visitation, but I did begin to notice worship songs coming to mind and I began to see things from a different perspective - a God perspective, as it were. He answered my prayer! This time, I just thought, they are just words and this person needs God's love to heal the gaping wound those kinds of words come from. So, now, I pray, pray for that person, that they may know forgiveness, walk in freedom, and have their mind renewed by Jesus.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Mr.Chainsaw
Dear Mr. Chainsaw,
Why oh why did you decide that 8am was a good time to start clearing out all the wonderful black berry bushes that have dangled over my back fence? The bushes that have lived there peacefully for the past 8 years. Why oh why did you take down those organically growing, non polluted by car exhaust bushes that give me huge delicious berries every summer? Your yard is gigantic, the rest of it could use more help, you have left all kinds of dead vines that are now slipping under the fence and in to my flower beds. You also left all kinds of dead or now dying vines hanging from the gangly trees you have uncovered in the wake of you noise. And now, once again, your noise increases and you are apparently destroying the beautiful big hedge that give me a sense of privacy. I can only hope that your chainsaw sees what you are doing and decides to not start.
with disgust,
you sassy neighbor
Why oh why did you decide that 8am was a good time to start clearing out all the wonderful black berry bushes that have dangled over my back fence? The bushes that have lived there peacefully for the past 8 years. Why oh why did you take down those organically growing, non polluted by car exhaust bushes that give me huge delicious berries every summer? Your yard is gigantic, the rest of it could use more help, you have left all kinds of dead vines that are now slipping under the fence and in to my flower beds. You also left all kinds of dead or now dying vines hanging from the gangly trees you have uncovered in the wake of you noise. And now, once again, your noise increases and you are apparently destroying the beautiful big hedge that give me a sense of privacy. I can only hope that your chainsaw sees what you are doing and decides to not start.
with disgust,
you sassy neighbor
Saturday, January 9, 2010
So there I was, traveling down the highway, which in this neck of the woods is much like a freeway, and I saw something that caught my eye and made me chuckle. At 60 mph I go passing by a nice looking young lady in her politically correct Toyota Prius and out of her mouth is hanging a cigarette. I don't know about you, but to me, it seemed like a bit of an oxymoron. There she is..giving her statement about saving mother earth and yet..smoke. hmmmm One of these days I am going to write about dress shopping.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Christmas Already?
It has been a long time since I have written anything. Not that I haven't had times when I would like to just write whatever was on my mind, but I determined when I started this blog to only write about things that either shocked me or I found to be a bit quirky or humorous (at least to me). To be perfectly frank, I haven't really had anything like that happen to me for several months. Now this could be due to the gift of Swine Flu that came to our home and took us down one by one, or the simple fact that a couple family members had surgery and I have been trying to make sure they are back up and functional by Christmas.
Anyway..long story short..I am still here..and hoping for a quirky, humorous and somewhat shocking new year. I hope the same for you!
Anyway..long story short..I am still here..and hoping for a quirky, humorous and somewhat shocking new year. I hope the same for you!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Garage Sale..or ......did that guy really just do that?
It’s been a while since I have had much to write about, but something happened today and though it may not be a big deal to anyone else, it kind of ticked me off.
Over the spring and summer, those of us who live in this house have been doing what some refer to as “spring cleaning”. Some members are gone or are going away for awhile and so things have been sorted in this manner: “keep”, “give back to the rightful owner”, “why did I ever keep this, it’s going in the garbage now” and the ever popular GARAGE SALE.
Yes folks, I got up the nerve to do a garage sale again this year. Now you must understand that I have done a garage sale almost every year for the past seven years. Every year I wonder the same thing, where did we get all this junk? So, it was no surprise when I had 12 large boxes of stuff to try to assign a monetary value to. This is inherently a difficult task as one must decide what is the most money you can get for an item that you think is or was cool, that someone else may not think is cool, but you want to price it low enough so that you don’t end up carting it off to Goodwill come Monday morning. Since I was alone most of July and part of August (not completely alone, but during the day I was) I spent a great deal of time firmly planted in front of the portable A/C unit we invested in a couple of summers ago so we wouldn’t die. (Did I mention we live in a Maritime climate and anything above 70 is considered a heat wave?); while planted close enough to the unit to feel like a spring day, I marked every item and packed it into boxes so all this junk could take up space neatly in the garage until “GS” day.
I picked the weekend just after the local kids went back to school as that would bring a larger crowd than one during the summer when neighbors and friends seem to be out vacationing or hiding in their homes away from the heat like me. I rented tables because I have learned over the years that people don’t like to bend down to look at your stuff and I don’t sell my washer and drier every year. On Thursday morning off I went to the rental place and picked up my tables, brought them home and during the unloading process promptly broke my right thumb nail off down to the quick. I knew then I was going to being having fun! I got help setting up the tables in my garage and then had wonderful help unpacking the boxes and arranging all the tables. I know this may sound like my garage is monsterous, but it’s not. I sacrificed parking my car in the garage to the god’s of the nighttime/outside for a few nights so I could set up tables and have them ready in the morning. I also decided this year I would move all the tables out to my spacious driveway so that I wouldn’t have to keep telling people that the items neatly put away in my garage were not for sale.
So, all this to tell you about something that just irked me…I have bags of rubber bands for sale leftover from a long ago paper route. A couple in a van pull in to my driveway and they get out to wander around. The seemingly pleasant man says hello when I greet him, and as his wife continues to wander, he stops in front of the bags of rubber bands. He then asks me if they are still good, when I answer yes, he picks up a bag, TEARS IT OPEN!!!!! Takes out a couple of rubber bands, plays with them and throws the bag back down, upside down so anyone else picking them up wouldn’t see the bag had been opened. Excuse me, but what the heck?????? That is kind of like “you break it, you buy it” isn’t it? Or does that not apply to garage sales? In the end, his wife disappeared in to the van and Mr.Tear the bag open didn’t buy anything. Hrmpf.
Over the spring and summer, those of us who live in this house have been doing what some refer to as “spring cleaning”. Some members are gone or are going away for awhile and so things have been sorted in this manner: “keep”, “give back to the rightful owner”, “why did I ever keep this, it’s going in the garbage now” and the ever popular GARAGE SALE.
Yes folks, I got up the nerve to do a garage sale again this year. Now you must understand that I have done a garage sale almost every year for the past seven years. Every year I wonder the same thing, where did we get all this junk? So, it was no surprise when I had 12 large boxes of stuff to try to assign a monetary value to. This is inherently a difficult task as one must decide what is the most money you can get for an item that you think is or was cool, that someone else may not think is cool, but you want to price it low enough so that you don’t end up carting it off to Goodwill come Monday morning. Since I was alone most of July and part of August (not completely alone, but during the day I was) I spent a great deal of time firmly planted in front of the portable A/C unit we invested in a couple of summers ago so we wouldn’t die. (Did I mention we live in a Maritime climate and anything above 70 is considered a heat wave?); while planted close enough to the unit to feel like a spring day, I marked every item and packed it into boxes so all this junk could take up space neatly in the garage until “GS” day.
I picked the weekend just after the local kids went back to school as that would bring a larger crowd than one during the summer when neighbors and friends seem to be out vacationing or hiding in their homes away from the heat like me. I rented tables because I have learned over the years that people don’t like to bend down to look at your stuff and I don’t sell my washer and drier every year. On Thursday morning off I went to the rental place and picked up my tables, brought them home and during the unloading process promptly broke my right thumb nail off down to the quick. I knew then I was going to being having fun! I got help setting up the tables in my garage and then had wonderful help unpacking the boxes and arranging all the tables. I know this may sound like my garage is monsterous, but it’s not. I sacrificed parking my car in the garage to the god’s of the nighttime/outside for a few nights so I could set up tables and have them ready in the morning. I also decided this year I would move all the tables out to my spacious driveway so that I wouldn’t have to keep telling people that the items neatly put away in my garage were not for sale.
So, all this to tell you about something that just irked me…I have bags of rubber bands for sale leftover from a long ago paper route. A couple in a van pull in to my driveway and they get out to wander around. The seemingly pleasant man says hello when I greet him, and as his wife continues to wander, he stops in front of the bags of rubber bands. He then asks me if they are still good, when I answer yes, he picks up a bag, TEARS IT OPEN!!!!! Takes out a couple of rubber bands, plays with them and throws the bag back down, upside down so anyone else picking them up wouldn’t see the bag had been opened. Excuse me, but what the heck?????? That is kind of like “you break it, you buy it” isn’t it? Or does that not apply to garage sales? In the end, his wife disappeared in to the van and Mr.Tear the bag open didn’t buy anything. Hrmpf.
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