A couple months ago my old boss bought some hometown T-shirts with confederate flags on them. Just a few days after he had bought them suddenly there became a great controversy on confederate flags. Because of this he decided to move the T-shirts in the back room and if any customer still wanted them they had to ask for them. A week or so after he moved the T-shirts he moved the them back out into the store for all to see. But after that a woman complained about these T-shirts so sure enough my old boss moved them back into the back room.
This really made me think. How many times as Christians do we run when things get tough? Suddenly someone challenges our faith and we don't know how to react so we hide. We don't want to offend them, so we suddenly go into the dark hiding.
This isn't what it's suppose to look like. As Christians we are suppose to be strong and grounded in what we believe. No that doesn't mean to get into arguments about faith, but that means just because the world is offended my something doesn't mean we need to go into hiding. It's getting to the point all you have to say is I'm a Christian, then everyone gets offended because of who you are. Seriously, it doesn't take much. We are suppose to stick out like sore thumbs. In world of darkness we are suppose to be that light shining showing them the truth.
I'm sure almost everyone has heard this song at one time or another. It's just a children's song that most of us take for granted, but I'm going to share it here because the words couldn't be anymore true. This little light of mine:
This little light of mine
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.
Don't do what my old boss did. He hid something because it offended people. He didn't want to lose any customers over it. Be proud of what you believe! Don't let what other people think to cause you to not be the person God has called you to be. Let your light shine so that other people will see Jesus through you. God's reward for you will be greater than anything here on earth.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Why?
I am finally starting to actually like working at Bi-Lo. I would have to say the main reason is because people are finally starting to be nice to me. My first two weeks were horrible. Everyone was rude, mainly the check crowd though.
When I was training I was told to ID everyone who wrote a check. I needed their license number and date of birth. I didn't really think that would be a problem for people, but boy was I wrong.
Who should I start with? The Asian lady who thought I was IDing her because of her race? The man who refused to go in my line because I would ID him? The women who simply flat out said no as rude as she could? The man who made a big scene yelling at me saying he won't give his ID? Those are just a few people who stood out to me through this entire ordeal. They all had one thing is common; Everyone said that no one else ever made them show their ID to write a check. What the heck?! This ordeal has been so close to bringing me to tears in front of customers! They were that rude to me, I'm not even kidding.
They made rules for me to ID everyone that wrote a check, yet no one else did. How is that fair? I had to deal with so many rude people because of this. How is that right? It's not. Either way it's a lose lose situation for me. If I asked for their ID I would get yelled at by the customer, if I didn't I would get written up. How is that fair? It's not. Please don't make rules that not everyone has to follow because if you do you'll create the same situation I have on my hands. It's not fun, I dreaded coming into work because of this issue. I've never dreaded working before.
To bosses: Don't make rules that only new employees have to follow. It's not right for me to get yelled at just because someone refuses to give their ID because they've never been made to in the past. Rules are rules, enforce them with everyone that'll make it way less stressful for your employees.
To customers: I don't care if I'm the first person to ever ID you. I'm doing my job, if you don't like it take it up with my boss not me. I'm just like you, I need an income to survive. I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep my job, even if it's going to make you mad. Just deal with it, I'm only doing my job...
10-11-2015
When I was training I was told to ID everyone who wrote a check. I needed their license number and date of birth. I didn't really think that would be a problem for people, but boy was I wrong.
Who should I start with? The Asian lady who thought I was IDing her because of her race? The man who refused to go in my line because I would ID him? The women who simply flat out said no as rude as she could? The man who made a big scene yelling at me saying he won't give his ID? Those are just a few people who stood out to me through this entire ordeal. They all had one thing is common; Everyone said that no one else ever made them show their ID to write a check. What the heck?! This ordeal has been so close to bringing me to tears in front of customers! They were that rude to me, I'm not even kidding.
They made rules for me to ID everyone that wrote a check, yet no one else did. How is that fair? I had to deal with so many rude people because of this. How is that right? It's not. Either way it's a lose lose situation for me. If I asked for their ID I would get yelled at by the customer, if I didn't I would get written up. How is that fair? It's not. Please don't make rules that not everyone has to follow because if you do you'll create the same situation I have on my hands. It's not fun, I dreaded coming into work because of this issue. I've never dreaded working before.
To bosses: Don't make rules that only new employees have to follow. It's not right for me to get yelled at just because someone refuses to give their ID because they've never been made to in the past. Rules are rules, enforce them with everyone that'll make it way less stressful for your employees.
To customers: I don't care if I'm the first person to ever ID you. I'm doing my job, if you don't like it take it up with my boss not me. I'm just like you, I need an income to survive. I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep my job, even if it's going to make you mad. Just deal with it, I'm only doing my job...
10-11-2015
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Just Give Me Some Time
I'm really behind on writing blogs, I have like three just from Bi-Lo that I need to write. That's not even counting all the blogs I had planned on writing from my previous job.
It was a week after I started Bi-Lo. I worked 6-1, which meant I got the newspaper crowd. The first newspaper I sold that day the lady just walked up to me with a newspaper in her hand, and change is the other hand. She handed me 75¢ without giving me the chance to ring up the newspaper. Once I rung up the 75¢ it ended up being more with tax. Although I knew newspapers don't have tax I wasn't sure how to do it so I just let my drawer be short the other amount.
An hour or so later this guy came in and wanted a newspaper. I almost did what I did with the lady before him and just let my drawer be short some odd cents, but he had a different plan.
"Newspaper. No tax." He said very demanding as he walked up to my register.
"Okay, let me figure this out." I said as I was looking through my register's options, seeing if there was a newspaper button.
He handed me his dollar and waited a whole five seconds before he decided to go over and ask for help with customer service.
He talked with the lady up there and she yelled out to me the PLU to put in the newspaper. I rung up it up, and opened the drawer to get the man's quarter. Right after I grabbed the quarter out of the drawer he came back to my register.
"I need my dollar back." He said rudely.
"No, you it costed 75¢." I replied nicely.
"I paid for it over there." He said.
"Oh" I said as I opened my drawer and handed him his dollar back.
"Your drawer is gonna be short." He said like he couldn't care less that it was his fault my drawer was going to be short.
"It'll be okay." I tried my hardest to say this with a smile, but I'm sure he could still tell I was annoyed.
Thankfully I was able to talk to the lady from customer service and she fixed my drawer so it wouldn't be short.
Here's the thing, I'm still new. I'm still learning how to do everything. Please don't get upset with me just because in reality I don't know everything. It's just gonna take a little time, but I'll figure out these things, If I could just have your patience and grace that would make this learning process a whole heck of a lot easier for the both of us.
I understand we live in a fast pace world. We want things instantly. If we go into a store we expect everything to go smoothly. New people are just an inconvenience. But that doesn't make it okay to get upset with me just because I'm trying to figure something new out. Just give me some time please.
09-30-15
It was a week after I started Bi-Lo. I worked 6-1, which meant I got the newspaper crowd. The first newspaper I sold that day the lady just walked up to me with a newspaper in her hand, and change is the other hand. She handed me 75¢ without giving me the chance to ring up the newspaper. Once I rung up the 75¢ it ended up being more with tax. Although I knew newspapers don't have tax I wasn't sure how to do it so I just let my drawer be short the other amount.
An hour or so later this guy came in and wanted a newspaper. I almost did what I did with the lady before him and just let my drawer be short some odd cents, but he had a different plan.
"Newspaper. No tax." He said very demanding as he walked up to my register.
"Okay, let me figure this out." I said as I was looking through my register's options, seeing if there was a newspaper button.
He handed me his dollar and waited a whole five seconds before he decided to go over and ask for help with customer service.
He talked with the lady up there and she yelled out to me the PLU to put in the newspaper. I rung up it up, and opened the drawer to get the man's quarter. Right after I grabbed the quarter out of the drawer he came back to my register.
"I need my dollar back." He said rudely.
"No, you it costed 75¢." I replied nicely.
"I paid for it over there." He said.
"Oh" I said as I opened my drawer and handed him his dollar back.
"Your drawer is gonna be short." He said like he couldn't care less that it was his fault my drawer was going to be short.
"It'll be okay." I tried my hardest to say this with a smile, but I'm sure he could still tell I was annoyed.
Thankfully I was able to talk to the lady from customer service and she fixed my drawer so it wouldn't be short.
Here's the thing, I'm still new. I'm still learning how to do everything. Please don't get upset with me just because in reality I don't know everything. It's just gonna take a little time, but I'll figure out these things, If I could just have your patience and grace that would make this learning process a whole heck of a lot easier for the both of us.
I understand we live in a fast pace world. We want things instantly. If we go into a store we expect everything to go smoothly. New people are just an inconvenience. But that doesn't make it okay to get upset with me just because I'm trying to figure something new out. Just give me some time please.
09-30-15
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
It's Not Your Race
It was my second day at Bi Lo when an Asian woman came through my line. At first glance she seemed nice, but I was wrong.
Once I finished scanning her items she got her check book out and wrote the check and handed it to me. I looked at it and asked if I could see her ID.
"You must be new." She stated in a nice voice.
"Yeah, I sure am. Only my second day here."
The lady next in line started talking with the Asian lady how she liked that we had to see their ID in order to take checks, because someone had once stolen her identity. The Asian lady blew off what the lady in line was saying.
"You ID every single person who writes you a check?" She asked.
"Yes, I do. Since I'm new I have to or I'll get in trouble." I thought about opening my drawer and showing her all the checks I took as proof, but I knew that was going to far.
I really don't remember the rest of our conversation, but more or less she was accusing me of picking her out and IDing her because of her race.
Yes, I understand you aren't white, but no that doesn't make you special. Someone had to say that. I mean seriously just because you are a different race doesn't mean people are going to treat you different. That is in your head. I was just doing my job.
What's funny is that that lady was the one with the race issue, not me. I mean yeah I noticed she was Asian, but I didn't treat her any different because of that. I still served her with a smile even when she was accusing me of singling her out.
Just to get this straight, I don't care what race you are. I'm sorry if that sounded harsh, but really your race doesn't make a difference to me. It doesn't matter what your race is, you could be black, white, Asian, Hispanic, or any other race, that doesn't make a difference. If I'm singling you out, I'm singling you out because you have a bad attitude.
09-24-2015
Once I finished scanning her items she got her check book out and wrote the check and handed it to me. I looked at it and asked if I could see her ID.
"You must be new." She stated in a nice voice.
"Yeah, I sure am. Only my second day here."
The lady next in line started talking with the Asian lady how she liked that we had to see their ID in order to take checks, because someone had once stolen her identity. The Asian lady blew off what the lady in line was saying.
"You ID every single person who writes you a check?" She asked.
"Yes, I do. Since I'm new I have to or I'll get in trouble." I thought about opening my drawer and showing her all the checks I took as proof, but I knew that was going to far.
I really don't remember the rest of our conversation, but more or less she was accusing me of picking her out and IDing her because of her race.
Yes, I understand you aren't white, but no that doesn't make you special. Someone had to say that. I mean seriously just because you are a different race doesn't mean people are going to treat you different. That is in your head. I was just doing my job.
What's funny is that that lady was the one with the race issue, not me. I mean yeah I noticed she was Asian, but I didn't treat her any different because of that. I still served her with a smile even when she was accusing me of singling her out.
Just to get this straight, I don't care what race you are. I'm sorry if that sounded harsh, but really your race doesn't make a difference to me. It doesn't matter what your race is, you could be black, white, Asian, Hispanic, or any other race, that doesn't make a difference. If I'm singling you out, I'm singling you out because you have a bad attitude.
09-24-2015
Thursday, September 24, 2015
The Tables Were Turned
Yesterday was my first day at Bi Lo. It was actually pretty easy. I only worked a six hour shift, but even with that I already have a story to tell...
I was bagging since it was slow. This lady was checking out, she had two big bags of dog food, a small bag of cat food, some little cans of dog food and some "people" food.
"Put all that in one sack." She sounded nice enough.
"Do you want me to put the cat food in the same bag as well?" I asked, trying to make sure I was doing what she wanted.
"Um, I don't want to repeat myself again" She said very rudely. "That is animal food, and that is people food" So, she doesn't want her animal food and people food mixed, okay. I thought as I started to fix my mistake.
The checker started to scan some turkey lunch meat.
"That's dog food" She said rudely.
The checker started to argue. "What do you mean? This isn't dog food."
"Ugh, I'm not going to repeat myself a third time." She replied.
"I'm just trying to understand what you are saying." The checker said.
"I'm trying to tell to the young lady how to sack it." The lady said.
"Okay." The checker said, giving up.
After everything was sacked, the lady finished paying. I pushed the cart with her groceries out to her car. She walked at a decent pace so I was still able to keep up. But once she got to her car I had to go past her car to get the cart off the side walk since the sidewalk had a drop off.
"Uh ma'am, my car is over here." She said like I was stupid.
"Yes, I know. I can't go off that way, there's a drop off." I said nicely.
"Oh, okay." She said embarrassed that she said something.
There's the thing, that lady had no right to speak to me or the checker as rudely as she did. I know this is hard to believe, but I'm not a mind reader. Just because someone doesn't understand you doesn't give you the right to speak rudely, or disrespect them.
I was trying to understand, but it makes it hard when someone is acting that way towards me. Like I'm stupid just because I don't understand you, that just makes me human.
I know I really have a problem with this, I get so frustrated when someone doesn't understand what I'm trying to say. This was something I needed to realize yesterday. It definitely feels different when the tables are turned.
So, next time you're trying to explain something to someone don't belittle them, or treat them rudely just because they can't understand you. Try speaking with kindness, just like you want spoken too.
09-24-2015
I was bagging since it was slow. This lady was checking out, she had two big bags of dog food, a small bag of cat food, some little cans of dog food and some "people" food.
"Put all that in one sack." She sounded nice enough.
"Do you want me to put the cat food in the same bag as well?" I asked, trying to make sure I was doing what she wanted.
"Um, I don't want to repeat myself again" She said very rudely. "That is animal food, and that is people food" So, she doesn't want her animal food and people food mixed, okay. I thought as I started to fix my mistake.
The checker started to scan some turkey lunch meat.
"That's dog food" She said rudely.
The checker started to argue. "What do you mean? This isn't dog food."
"Ugh, I'm not going to repeat myself a third time." She replied.
"I'm just trying to understand what you are saying." The checker said.
"I'm trying to tell to the young lady how to sack it." The lady said.
"Okay." The checker said, giving up.
After everything was sacked, the lady finished paying. I pushed the cart with her groceries out to her car. She walked at a decent pace so I was still able to keep up. But once she got to her car I had to go past her car to get the cart off the side walk since the sidewalk had a drop off.
"Uh ma'am, my car is over here." She said like I was stupid.
"Yes, I know. I can't go off that way, there's a drop off." I said nicely.
"Oh, okay." She said embarrassed that she said something.
There's the thing, that lady had no right to speak to me or the checker as rudely as she did. I know this is hard to believe, but I'm not a mind reader. Just because someone doesn't understand you doesn't give you the right to speak rudely, or disrespect them.
I was trying to understand, but it makes it hard when someone is acting that way towards me. Like I'm stupid just because I don't understand you, that just makes me human.
I know I really have a problem with this, I get so frustrated when someone doesn't understand what I'm trying to say. This was something I needed to realize yesterday. It definitely feels different when the tables are turned.
So, next time you're trying to explain something to someone don't belittle them, or treat them rudely just because they can't understand you. Try speaking with kindness, just like you want spoken too.
09-24-2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Last Day - Forever Forgotten
Right now I have some mixed feelings, today is my last day. I'm so excited to start tomorrow at my new job, but I'm sad to leave here too. Really, I don't feel that sad, but I do at the same time.
I keep asking myself the question: Did I make a difference here? I already know the answer to that question; no I didn't. Yes, some people may have liked seeing me, but they like seeing the other girls as well. As of tomorrow I will be forgotten. My previous co-workers/customers will live on just fine without me. My smile and kindness was the only things I had going for me, but once I'm gone, I'm gone. My memory there will soon fade away as customers grow and leave their selves, as new customers come and take over the store. Years down the road someone might remember me for a brief second and say "Hey remember Hannah?" They'll look at that person like she is crazy because they never met me. I came and gone before that person started coming. My memory will ultimately be gone. I hope you're not reading this thinking that I'm over exaggerating, because I'm not. I've done nothing memorable here. All I have is my stories on this blog. The rest, forever forgotten.
As I was writing this I realized something. This is exactly what will happen once I die. My family will remember me for a time, but once they are gone my memory will be gone. I'm not going to be some famous person in history that did amazing things. I will be simply forgotten. I can imagine someone who just found out that they have X amount of days to live they will be feeling the same way I feel about leaving this job.
I don't want to be forgotten, or at least I want to do something great with the time I have in my life, or with this next job of mine. I want to do something great for the Lord. I don't have to be a president and go into history forever I just want to make an impact in one persons life. Although, even with that there's no doubt about it, soon enough my legacy will be gone. But that's how life works, you live your life, and you die. People will remember you for a short time, but they will move on in their own lives and you are forgotten.
09-22-2015
I keep asking myself the question: Did I make a difference here? I already know the answer to that question; no I didn't. Yes, some people may have liked seeing me, but they like seeing the other girls as well. As of tomorrow I will be forgotten. My previous co-workers/customers will live on just fine without me. My smile and kindness was the only things I had going for me, but once I'm gone, I'm gone. My memory there will soon fade away as customers grow and leave their selves, as new customers come and take over the store. Years down the road someone might remember me for a brief second and say "Hey remember Hannah?" They'll look at that person like she is crazy because they never met me. I came and gone before that person started coming. My memory will ultimately be gone. I hope you're not reading this thinking that I'm over exaggerating, because I'm not. I've done nothing memorable here. All I have is my stories on this blog. The rest, forever forgotten.
As I was writing this I realized something. This is exactly what will happen once I die. My family will remember me for a time, but once they are gone my memory will be gone. I'm not going to be some famous person in history that did amazing things. I will be simply forgotten. I can imagine someone who just found out that they have X amount of days to live they will be feeling the same way I feel about leaving this job.
I don't want to be forgotten, or at least I want to do something great with the time I have in my life, or with this next job of mine. I want to do something great for the Lord. I don't have to be a president and go into history forever I just want to make an impact in one persons life. Although, even with that there's no doubt about it, soon enough my legacy will be gone. But that's how life works, you live your life, and you die. People will remember you for a short time, but they will move on in their own lives and you are forgotten.
09-22-2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
No, I'm Not Stupid...
Yesterday this lady came in the store with her five year old daughter. She came up to the register with a 44 ounce cup she had gotten from another store.
"How much does it cost for water?" She asked me.
"Oh, you can just have it." I said as I smiled at her.
"Okay, thanks." She said, smiling back.
I really don't know why, but I didn't trust her. I watched her as I was ringing up other customers. She started to put ice in her cup, then I saw her go for the soda. I saw her start to get some sprite.
"Mom, that's sprite." The little girl said.
The mom replied "I know, I'm just rising it out." Rising your cup out with soda? Um no, that defeats the purpose of rising it out. I thought to myself. Then I saw the mom dumb out the sprite and get a different type of soda instead.
The entire time I was deciding whether I should call this lady out and make her pay for the soda, or if I should just let it go. I realized we give free fountains all the time to customers, so I decided just to let it slide. It really wasn't worth any drama this lady might have brought.
Once she finished getting her soda she walked around the register, I thought she was just going to walk out the door. Instead she walked up to me.
She asked "Is the water just in the bathroom?" As she asked I noticed the dark tint her cup had. She obviously had soda in there, not just ice.
"No, it's over there by the other fountains." I pointed towards it. Wondering if she was now going to water down her soda just to make it more believable.
"Oh, I didn't notice that." She said as she walked over to it. I kept watching her just to see what she was going to do. She stood there for five seconds pretending to fill her cup with water. I guess she wasn't very smart because it's going to take more the five seconds to fill a 44 ounce up.
Once she finished, she started to head out the door when her friend came out of the bathroom.
"Sorry, I had to get some water." She told her friend and walked out the door.
Now, I'm kicking myself for not calling her out. Why? One reason is that she was still technically stealing, I shouldn't have let her get that satisfaction. Another reason is that would have been so funny to make her realize she isn't as smart as she thinks she is.
Anyways, I don't have a point for this story other then just what the title says. I'm not stupid. So many times I'll let someone believe I am just because it's easier, but maybe I should start calling people out on their stupidity just to see their reaction occasionally.
08-24-2015
"How much does it cost for water?" She asked me.
"Oh, you can just have it." I said as I smiled at her.
"Okay, thanks." She said, smiling back.
I really don't know why, but I didn't trust her. I watched her as I was ringing up other customers. She started to put ice in her cup, then I saw her go for the soda. I saw her start to get some sprite.
"Mom, that's sprite." The little girl said.
The mom replied "I know, I'm just rising it out." Rising your cup out with soda? Um no, that defeats the purpose of rising it out. I thought to myself. Then I saw the mom dumb out the sprite and get a different type of soda instead.
The entire time I was deciding whether I should call this lady out and make her pay for the soda, or if I should just let it go. I realized we give free fountains all the time to customers, so I decided just to let it slide. It really wasn't worth any drama this lady might have brought.
Once she finished getting her soda she walked around the register, I thought she was just going to walk out the door. Instead she walked up to me.
She asked "Is the water just in the bathroom?" As she asked I noticed the dark tint her cup had. She obviously had soda in there, not just ice.
"No, it's over there by the other fountains." I pointed towards it. Wondering if she was now going to water down her soda just to make it more believable.
"Oh, I didn't notice that." She said as she walked over to it. I kept watching her just to see what she was going to do. She stood there for five seconds pretending to fill her cup with water. I guess she wasn't very smart because it's going to take more the five seconds to fill a 44 ounce up.
Once she finished, she started to head out the door when her friend came out of the bathroom.
"Sorry, I had to get some water." She told her friend and walked out the door.
Now, I'm kicking myself for not calling her out. Why? One reason is that she was still technically stealing, I shouldn't have let her get that satisfaction. Another reason is that would have been so funny to make her realize she isn't as smart as she thinks she is.
Anyways, I don't have a point for this story other then just what the title says. I'm not stupid. So many times I'll let someone believe I am just because it's easier, but maybe I should start calling people out on their stupidity just to see their reaction occasionally.
08-24-2015
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