A New Page!

July 12, 2011 was the beginning of what turned out to be a six and half month journey in unemployment.  National averages are seven months...so even though it felt like a long unemployment as we lived through it....it actually wasn't that long.  I have learned a lot these last months....a whole lot!  I'm sure as time passes and I have more time to process all this I will continue to learn from this experience....

1.  The body of Christ is alive and active at Ridgecrest.  The body of Christ has prayed for us.  You have encouraged us with gifts, words, hugs, and letters.  You have provided us with wonderful and thoughtful gifts and money given in secret.  It was a member of our church that hired Randy....providing a job.  Thank you Rick Hester....and Linda for your encouragement!  What a blessing the body of Christ is.  It truly is the hands and feet of Christ left here to minister.  We have so been blessed by your ministry!  AMAZING!  I'm also thankful for my faithful praying Co-op sisters.  They prayed long....they prayed hard.....and they rejoiced fully with me.  So thankful for these ladies.  I also could not have been happier that Randy called me on Thursday, while I was at Co-op with my sweet friends and at my wonderful church, to give us the news!  I couldn't have been happier and to be at a place I love so dearly and surrounded by friends made it even sweeter!

2.  I REALLY like Randy.  I have enjoyed having him home.  He is helpful.  He's a good cook.  He is great at laundry!  He is fun.  He is funny.  He is a hard worker.  He is going to be missed....but we are happy to be missing him!  His unemployment was a financial burden BUT it was so nice to have the blessing of TIME with him.  The kids LOVED it and so did I.  We are so happy about the job but we are going to miss him!

3.  God's word is filled with promises and they are true!  He IS faithful.  He gives peace that passes understanding.  He DOES provide.  He loves us!  He will never leave us.  He is ALWAYS good.  His word is a light.

4.  You find out who your friends are.  It is interesting to see who was a friend through the storm and who disappeared.  It is interesting to see who wanted to know if we were okay and who just wanted a scoop.  It was surprising and sometimes painful to realize people who you thought had your back...didn't and people you didn't think would care much... did. 

5.  I have a new compassion for wives of unemployed husbands that I didn't really have before.  I didn't have bad feelings it was just something I had never experienced so I could not relate.  Now I can.  It is a hard thing to be encouraging when you have all these fleshly worries.  It is not easy to be caring and not badgering.  It is not always easy to remain positive when nothing seems to be happening on the job front....I now know this better and can better encourage, pray, and minister to the wives of unemployed men.

6. Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned is how humbling it is to be in need.  It really is more blessed to give then to receive.  It is hard to need help.  It is hard to accept gifts given in love.  It is so, so, so humbling.  I also know now how much of a blessing it is that people are so generous.  I am not generous enough. 

So, so, so, so Blessed!

This is just the tip of the iceberg....but I am so grateful for the Lord's provision.  I am so thankful the Lord gave us Randy.  I am so thankful to be a member of Ridgecrest.  I am so thankful to have praying friends who have cried with me, and held me, and encouraged me, and loved Randy, and been kind to us, and that are TRULY  rejoicing with us!  TRUE friendship is a blessing!  I am thankful for God's Word.  I am thankful that God uses tough times to refine us!  These times are not without a purpose.

I am thankful most of all to be on a new leg of the journey!

Hallelujah!