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12. Manna issue 57 - Thanksgiving 感恩

A difficult career choice became a cause for giving thanks to God.

艱難的職業選擇反成為感謝神的理由。

J. Ouyang

A DIFFICULT DECISION 艱難的決定

During a recent Bible study, 
we were asked to share reflections on our lives 
since last Thanksgiving. 
I pondered the question and realized 
that I have a lot to be thankful for.

在最近的一次查經時，
我們被要求分享自已生活的感悟，
自去年感恩節起。
我思考了這個問題，才意識到，
我有很多值得感恩的事。

Several months ago, 
my boss approached me 
and asked if I would consider relocating to the main office
after my contract expired in December. 
I was lukewarm about the idea 
because I realized that if I were to accept the offer,
I would have to live hours away from the closest church. 
It would be difficult to sustain such a long commute to observe Sabbath every week. 
I asked my boss to give me more time to think about it. 
I also asked him to help me explore other job opportunities 
that would not require relocation.

幾個月前，
我的老闆來找我，
詢問我是否會考慮遷移搬到總部，
在十二月我合約到期後。
當時我對這個想法不太熱衷，
因為我很清楚，如果我接受了這份工作，
我就要住在離最近的教會幾小時車程的地方。
那時將會很困難去堅持這麼程的通勤，去守安息日。
我求老闆給我更多時間來考慮這件事。
我還請他幫我找找其他的工作機會，
那就不需要搬家了。

As the last day of my contract drew closer, 
I began to realize 
that management would not allow me to work away from the main site. 
The choice came down to this: 
If I were willing to relocate to the main site,
I would have little trouble transitioning 
from a long-term supplemental position to a permanent position. 
I would also be given priority to move to other internal openings, 
if I so desired. 
However, if I chose not to relocate, I would be on my own.

隨著合約最後期限的臨近，
我開始意識到，
管理層不會允許我離開總部辦公。
擺在我面前的選擇只剩下：
如果我願意搬到總部，
我就會比較沒有困難得到升職，
從長期附加的職位轉為正式職位。
如果我願意，
我也可以優先考慮轉到其他內部空缺。
但是，如果我選擇不搬家，我將由我自己承擔。

This was a difficult decision to make.
I postponed the decision as much as I could, 
hoping that with the extra time a compromise could be found.

這是一個很艱難的決定。
我盡可能的推遲了做決定的時間，
希望有額外的時間能夠找到一個折衷方案。

I found it hard to leave a company that offered me a stable job. 
As a young engineer, I benefit both professionally and intellectually 
by learning from colleagues.

我感到很難離開一家能提供穩定工作的公司。
作為一名年輕的工程師，從同事身上得到的學習，讓我在專業和智識都很受益。

When I realized what leaving meant for my career, 
I was not sure of what I would do. 
I knew all along that I needed to put God first, 
but I was not sure if I had the courage to do what was right. 
For several weeks, my wife and I prayed for God’s guidance, 
hoping that He would open a way for us 
to work and stay close to church for our spiritual survival.

當我明白到離職對我職涯的意義時，
我不確定自已會作什麼事。
我以前都知道我需要把神放在第一位，
但我不確定，自己是否有勇氣去做正確的事。
接下來的幾個星期，我和妻子禱告求神的帶領，
希望祂能為我們打開一條路，
為我們靈命的存活，
可以既能工作，又能親近教會。

GOD’S MERCY 神的憐憫

We finally reached a decision several weeks later. 
We realized that, 
even though relocating to the main site would be good for my career, 
we couldn’t rely on that potential 
because nothing in this world is certain. 
We both agreed that moving far away from church would not be good 
for either of our spiritualities in the long run.

幾週後，我們終於做出了決定。
我們意識到，
即使搬到總部對我的事業會有好處，
但我們不能指望那種可能性，
因為世事無常。
我們都同意，搬遠離教會將不會很好，
從長遠來看，對我們雙方的靈命都不好。

Thinking through the problem 
and realizing what needed to be done was relatively easy. 
My wife and I decided that we did not want to move 
unless it was absolutely necessary. 
The difficult part was finding a job 
that would allow me to stay close to home.

思考透徹這種問題，
且明白到需要做什麼事情是相對容易的。
我和妻子決定，我們不想搬家
除非萬不得已。
困難的地方在於找到一份，
會允許我留在家附近。

I felt depressed as the end of my contract approached
—I had a lot of work to do 
in addition to the unpleasant task of finding another job. 
I was so busy that I didn’t have time to prepare for interviews.
I knew I made the right decision in choosing not to move, 
but I was afraid of the consequences of not being able to find a job close to home. 
I worried that I had been too stubborn by insisting on where I wanted to work.

隨著我合約即將結束，我感到很沮喪。
—我有很多工作要做，
除了找新工作這項令人不悅的任務。
我很忙，自已根本沒時間來準備面試。
我知道自已選擇不搬家是正確的決定，
但我很害怕找不到離家近工作的後果。
我擔心自己一直都很固執，堅持要在自已想要的地方工作。

About two months before the last day of my contract, 
I saw a job posting for a company close to home. 
It was a pleasant surprise, 
because there had not been a start-up in the area for years. 
I submitted my resume online right away 
and made a mental note to drive by the company on my way home that night.

在我合約到期前大約兩個月，
我看到一家公司的招募資訊在住家附近。
那真是一個另人愉快的驚喜，
因為多年以後，這個地區已經沒有新公司了。
我立刻在網路上提交了履歷，
並暗暗決定當晚回家時順路去這家公司看看。

Before the day was over, I got a call from the hiring manager. 
He had seen my resume and wanted to know 
if I could stop by in two days.

那天結束前，我接到了招募經理的電話。
他已經看過我的履歷，想要詢問，
是否我這兩天內能不能過去一趟。

Two days later, I went to the company for an interview. 
They asked me questions on technical subjects 
that I had not studied in a long time. 
I was disappointed after the interview 
because I did fine but not as well as I needed to secure a job offer.
I wished that I could have studied some more before the interview.

兩天後，我去那家公司面試了。
他們問了我一些技術性的問題，
這些問題我已經很久沒學習過了。
面試後我很失望，
因為我表現還好而已，但並沒有很好以致於能達到我需要能爭取到工作機會。
我希望面試前自已能多複習一下。

By the end of that day, 
I was certain that I would never hear from the company again. 
I comforted myself with the thought 
that I could at least treat this interview as practice 
and take lessons away from it for the next interview.

那天結束時，
我很確信我再也不會聽到這家公司了。
我安慰自己心裡想著，
至少我可以把這次面試當成練習，
並從中吸取教訓，為下一次面試準備。

About a week later I was pleasantly surprised 
when I received an email from the hiring manager. 
They were satisfied with my interview 
and indicated that they would like to proceed to salary negotiation.

大約一週後，我很喜悅驚訝，
當我收到了那位招募經理的郵件。
他們對我的面試表現很滿意，
並表示他們會想要進行薪資談判。

GIVING THANKS 感恩

I am very thankful for God’s guidance throughout my job search. 
There was a moment of shock and disbelief 
when I realized 
that my future with my previous company was about to come to an end.

我很感謝神帶領我整個求職的過程。
曾有一時我很震驚且難以置信，
當我意識到，
自已與前一家公司的未來即將結束時。

There was a moment of uncertainty 
when I realized 
that companies that I wanted to apply to were too far away.
There was a moment of sadness 
when I cleaned my cubicle late into the night.

曾有一刻，我感到迷惘。
因為我意識到，
我想申請的公司都離我太遠了。
曾有一刻，我感到悲傷，
那時我在整理自已的隔間到很晚。

Finally, there was a moment of vanity
when I realized that, 
even though I had worked long and hard, 
coming home late at night 
and working on Sundays in an office without air conditioning, 
I had to leave everything behind.

最後，曾有一瞬有些虛榮，
而我意識到，
儘管我要工作很久，很努力，
經常夜間很晚回家，
在沒有空調的辦公室週日加班，
我需要放棄一切。

But there were also moments of peace
when I realized that I made the right decision 
by not accepting a job that would take me far away from a church 
that has been like a home to me. 
Regardless of the cost, I felt great peace with my decision
because I knew it was the right one.

但也有平靜的時刻，
當我意識到自己做了正確的決定，
並沒有接受一份工作，會帶我遠離教會，
因為教會就像我家一樣。
無論代價如何，我都為自己的決定感到平安，
因為我知道那是正確的決定。

There were moments of thanksgiving 
when I realized 
that God provided me with a job 
despite my not exactly acing my technical interviews. 
I was fully aware that, 
given the state of the industry, 
I could not expect to keep the same job 
until my retirement thirty-five years from now.
I am thankful for all that I have learned 
during the time I was with my previous company.

有些時候，我心懷感恩，
因為我意識到，
神給我預備了一份工作，
雖然我並沒有於技術面試表現很好。
我完全明白，
鑑於目前的行業狀況，
我不可能指望可保持同樣的工作，
直到從今開始至三十五年後退休。
我很感謝自已所學到的一切，
在自已於前公司工作期間。

I am thankful because I did not suffer weeks of unemployment 
and started work at my new job right after my contract ended.

我很感恩，因為我沒有經歷數週的失業期，
而且在合約結束後就馬上開始了新工作。

This experience has given me more faith for the future. 
I have no idea what will happen a few years from now, 
but I know that as long as I continue to put faith in God 
and focus on doing what is right, 
He will somehow provide a way.

這段經歷已給我對未來更有信心。
我不會知道從今起幾年後會發生什麼事，
但我知道，只要我繼續信靠神，
並專心於做正確的事，
祂就會設法為預備一條路。

It will not always be easy. 
But as it says in Philippians 4:13,

事情並不會總是很容易。
但正如腓立比書 4 章 13 節所說：

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

13我靠著那加給我力量的，凡事都能做。

小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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