28 May 2009

Delurking

This is seriously the first moment I've had for blogging for a couple of weeks and I really don't have a heck of a lot to say - but the amount of site traffic I've had this week suggests people are checking in, so... Hey, for all you lurkers out there, why don't you introduce yourself? I know some of the regular readers, but would love to know who else checks in from time to time. Drop me a comment and say hi!

May's a good month - I had my appraisal at work and did really well, and the company bonus came through too. It's also been extremely busy for me with both consulting and training - and a massive university assignment - so had very little time to do anything else! However, all that lovely lolly that came my way (and it isn't a heap but it's cleared our visa, which is good!!) got me thinking about the mammon v. God question - lover of God or lover of money. Hey, money good, especially now: jobs hard to come by, economy dodgy, husband and small daughter to support (and I'm lucky enough to be working at a job I love).

But there is the downside: the time away from home, awareness of work issues all the time and sometimes work in the evenings (as well as all that study), all of which squashes out time I might have planned for prayer or other God-focused activities. I guess what I try to do is live all of my life aware that everything I do is for God. Every life I can save through helping a company get a good health and safety system is my gift for God.

There have been some awful workplace accidents in the news recently: a keeper mauled to death at Zion Wildlife Gardens, a man who lost his hand in an industrial mulcher when he put it in there to clear a blockage, a death at a large manufacturing site. There are too many. The Government recently announced it would crush boyracers' cars after three offences because they "killed about 10 people per year". Over 70 New Zealanders are killed in workplace accidents per year, and hundreds are maimed, crippled, or their health is destroyed by exposures - what will it take before we wake up to this and actually take workplace safety seriously? And those numbers don't include those who are killed or injured whilst doing work-related driving! Do we need a Piper Alpha or a Texas City Oil Refinery-type accident before NZ will get its stuff together?

Pachyderm

4 comments:

Greenpatches said...

Hello Pachyderm - one lurker delurking here. You'll find my musings over on my Greenpatches blog.

Anonymous said...

I lurk too - but you know me :-p

S.

Pachyderm said...

Greenpatches, great to have you here. I loved your latest entry about your visit to Sherborne - sounds gorgeous. Hope you like visiting this lil' ol' corner of New Zealand!

Pachyderm

Greenpatches said...

Pachyderm, thanks. It's a beautiful little town; and in Franciscan country, with two First Order SSF houses within striking distance as well.