Life is just hard sometimes. Today is one of those mornings where we are just not off to a great start. Its one of those mornings where things are hitting hard, and you just wonder where is God gonna come in and save the day. As my husband leaves the house we are not on the same page, and that just can't be good. Most of the time we see eye to eye, but today like others its hard to try to understand all that is going on around us, and its hard to be centered. As my husband has been layed off since September, he has looked everywhere for a job. He either hears, your over qualified, or we're not hiring right now. From going from being stable and being able to pay all our bills, and having money to not having very much at all is very hard. It is a hard adjustment for anyone. Times are hard for families everywhere. Unemployment does not pay your bills. So we are at the point of what do we pay? Do we pay insurance or do we by food? Do we get medications or do we do without? Do we have enough gas even for an emergency? It is very humbling to be in this position, and at times it is just scary. Not knowing what tomorrow will bring, you really don't want to answer your phone, or get your mail. You learn its either a bill collector or you have a stack of bills at the post office you cannot pay. I am so tired of hearing people say," I have a job for you!" Well, I wish I could work, I wish I could bring in pay for our home. To help take care of my family would be a blessing, but for me, I cannot work outside the home. I do homeschool my son, and with my migraines and pain, it would be very difficult to hold down a job. A person was sort of making fun of people holding signs asking for food, or money. You have seen them, some say will work for food. Yes, some of these folks are scammers, and they can do a great job, but some are not, and they have lost everything in one way or another. When this person was making fun, it just hit me wrong, because I thought, if our house wasn't paid off, we could be in that same position. There are folks losing all they have, the things that they have worked for all their lives, have been lost. It is hard to find a job right now for so many people. We take for granit so much in our lives. I never thought we would be in a place trying to decide what bill to pay. Being in this state of mind begins to take a toll on you. You begin to lose hope of anything getting better. You begin to see others for who they really are, including yourself. You learn what is important, and what is dear to your heart. When your bank account is use to being full, its hard to see that big zero there with no amount in your account. Its not about going out to eat, going shopping, or taking a trip, its about living by your means, and being able to pay your bills. For us this is somewhat new, but to others, it has been their whole life. People seem to struggle more and more to get by. If I let it, this could really get me down. I could just sit at home and think upon it minute by minute, and there are times when I am sure my husband does. No wife wants to see her husband struggle like this. You lift them up as much as you can, you pray for them, but as a man, I cannot fathom what it feels like. In the beginning I said, at times you just sit by and wait for God to come along to the rescue. God doesn't work like that. The trials we go through bring us closer to God I hope. They can either bring you closer or further away. But if your relationship is solid, if you stay focused, God will see you through any situation. I know Christ is with us, I can feel Him daily when I begin to struggle as I walk past our counter of bills. Many of you know this struggle, and its hard to get through. I have to hold on to what I believe, and that is that God is in total control, and He isn't going to leave us, He is going to take care of our needs. For me today as I watch my husband go out the door, my prayers go with him as he goes about looking for work and paying our bills today. I could choose to sit and ask why God, or I can praise Him for what He is doing. Life can take away many things, but it cannot take away Jesus from your heart. Life can bring many blows, that just want to knock you down, but with Christ you stand and be sure that He will bless you, He will provide for you, and He will see you through. Pray for me and my family. Pray that we do not lose hope, pray that we can see God at work in our lives, and pray He sends a job, a job that my husband is to have. Pray He will use us for His glory through these trying times. Pray we can learn and grow with the Lord as we struggle to face each day. I am being totally honest here because I know there are others out there hurting just as we are, and there are those who are much worse. I can praise God today for the health of my family, for all that He is doing in our lives, and for giving us another day to make a difference in the lives of those we meet. When we fall off our comfort zone it begins to get frightening not knowing what is coming tomorrow for you to face. The trials we go through only make us stronger in Christ, and make us more thankful for the things we do have. So where are you today? Are you secure in your job, in your family and in life? Are you thinking this could never happen to you? Are you struggling with finding peace with our new government? It is hard to keep focus on what is right and true, but thats exactly where we need to be, right in the arms of Christ's strength and comfort. For you, I pray you are blessed today by not just the big things but the little ones that put a smile on your face and warmth in your heart...."Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2 "And God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 Keep your eyes upon Christ and keep pressing forward knowing that Christ loves us, and He will see us through anything that comes our way.Wednesday, August 19, 2009
These times are trying
Life is just hard sometimes. Today is one of those mornings where we are just not off to a great start. Its one of those mornings where things are hitting hard, and you just wonder where is God gonna come in and save the day. As my husband leaves the house we are not on the same page, and that just can't be good. Most of the time we see eye to eye, but today like others its hard to try to understand all that is going on around us, and its hard to be centered. As my husband has been layed off since September, he has looked everywhere for a job. He either hears, your over qualified, or we're not hiring right now. From going from being stable and being able to pay all our bills, and having money to not having very much at all is very hard. It is a hard adjustment for anyone. Times are hard for families everywhere. Unemployment does not pay your bills. So we are at the point of what do we pay? Do we pay insurance or do we by food? Do we get medications or do we do without? Do we have enough gas even for an emergency? It is very humbling to be in this position, and at times it is just scary. Not knowing what tomorrow will bring, you really don't want to answer your phone, or get your mail. You learn its either a bill collector or you have a stack of bills at the post office you cannot pay. I am so tired of hearing people say," I have a job for you!" Well, I wish I could work, I wish I could bring in pay for our home. To help take care of my family would be a blessing, but for me, I cannot work outside the home. I do homeschool my son, and with my migraines and pain, it would be very difficult to hold down a job. A person was sort of making fun of people holding signs asking for food, or money. You have seen them, some say will work for food. Yes, some of these folks are scammers, and they can do a great job, but some are not, and they have lost everything in one way or another. When this person was making fun, it just hit me wrong, because I thought, if our house wasn't paid off, we could be in that same position. There are folks losing all they have, the things that they have worked for all their lives, have been lost. It is hard to find a job right now for so many people. We take for granit so much in our lives. I never thought we would be in a place trying to decide what bill to pay. Being in this state of mind begins to take a toll on you. You begin to lose hope of anything getting better. You begin to see others for who they really are, including yourself. You learn what is important, and what is dear to your heart. When your bank account is use to being full, its hard to see that big zero there with no amount in your account. Its not about going out to eat, going shopping, or taking a trip, its about living by your means, and being able to pay your bills. For us this is somewhat new, but to others, it has been their whole life. People seem to struggle more and more to get by. If I let it, this could really get me down. I could just sit at home and think upon it minute by minute, and there are times when I am sure my husband does. No wife wants to see her husband struggle like this. You lift them up as much as you can, you pray for them, but as a man, I cannot fathom what it feels like. In the beginning I said, at times you just sit by and wait for God to come along to the rescue. God doesn't work like that. The trials we go through bring us closer to God I hope. They can either bring you closer or further away. But if your relationship is solid, if you stay focused, God will see you through any situation. I know Christ is with us, I can feel Him daily when I begin to struggle as I walk past our counter of bills. Many of you know this struggle, and its hard to get through. I have to hold on to what I believe, and that is that God is in total control, and He isn't going to leave us, He is going to take care of our needs. For me today as I watch my husband go out the door, my prayers go with him as he goes about looking for work and paying our bills today. I could choose to sit and ask why God, or I can praise Him for what He is doing. Life can take away many things, but it cannot take away Jesus from your heart. Life can bring many blows, that just want to knock you down, but with Christ you stand and be sure that He will bless you, He will provide for you, and He will see you through. Pray for me and my family. Pray that we do not lose hope, pray that we can see God at work in our lives, and pray He sends a job, a job that my husband is to have. Pray He will use us for His glory through these trying times. Pray we can learn and grow with the Lord as we struggle to face each day. I am being totally honest here because I know there are others out there hurting just as we are, and there are those who are much worse. I can praise God today for the health of my family, for all that He is doing in our lives, and for giving us another day to make a difference in the lives of those we meet. When we fall off our comfort zone it begins to get frightening not knowing what is coming tomorrow for you to face. The trials we go through only make us stronger in Christ, and make us more thankful for the things we do have. So where are you today? Are you secure in your job, in your family and in life? Are you thinking this could never happen to you? Are you struggling with finding peace with our new government? It is hard to keep focus on what is right and true, but thats exactly where we need to be, right in the arms of Christ's strength and comfort. For you, I pray you are blessed today by not just the big things but the little ones that put a smile on your face and warmth in your heart...."Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2 "And God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 Keep your eyes upon Christ and keep pressing forward knowing that Christ loves us, and He will see us through anything that comes our way.
