And we're off!!!

2009 is already shaping up to be a year of faith building and testing. On 1/07/09 I was let go from my job. It left me unemployed with nothing in the wings so to speak. Then last night we got word that my husband's employer is performing a mandatory across the board paycut. This on top of having frozen all pay increases 3 years ago. It's a tiered paycut % so John's will be a 7 1/2% decrease, our son's will be a 5% decrease. He is thinking about moving back home because he is already living paycheck to paycheck.

Normally John and I would be anxious and worried. Normally I would be frantically looking for a job. Well, I say "normally" like this is a common occurance. (LOL) It's not. I've never been let go from any job and I've never really had to go looking for a job. Any job that I've ever had was obtained through networking somehow. And normally John wouldn't be having pay decreases, he would be getting pay increases. The interesting thing is the timing of all of this which John pointed out this morning. I asked him if he was worried and he said "no, it's just funny (ironic funny, not haha funny) that all of this is happening the same week that we started our Financial Peace study by Dave Ramsey. :) God truly does have a sense of humor.

Immediately I thought of Job. How satan got permission to basically man-handle his life in so many areas and was convinced that Job would curse God. We've been man-handled in some ways. But the cool thing is the faith that God is building in our lives and His faithfulness to us. We stand on His promises of provision. We stand on His promises to never leave us nor forsake us. There is so much we have to be thankful for. I praise God in times of plenty, and times of little. I praise God in times of happiness when all is "right", and in times of sorrow and pain. I praise Him in the rain and the sun. I praise Him. In ALL things I praise Him.

Another cool thing is witnessing my husband's faith life transform. He has always been the quiet strength in our home and is very witty. He doesn't talk much but what he does say has impact. I'm sure there's scripture about that somewhere in the bible. He is an amazing man and I am so blessed to be married to him. It'll be 26 years in April. Looking forward to another 26!!!!

If our son has to move back home for a while, we will all adjust. I have started a business from home and honestly, doors are already opening up for me that I didn't even know existed before. And with working from home I am able to attend to other things that we were either struggling to keep up with, or neglecting altogether. I believe that in times like this God shows us what HIS priorities are in our lives. It should bring families closer in a world that tries to tear families apart and break down the family unit by telling them that they need to make it on their own. God did not intend for us to be islands. (hey, that would make a great book title)

Life as I knew it is changing. And change is scary. But I heard a definition of change the other day that I really liked. It is an acronym. CHANGE is C-choosing to H-have A-a N-new G-growth E-experience. Choosing to Have A New Growth Experience. I like that.

Charles Stanley also has a great definition of the word peace-"Peace is the ability to wait patiently in spite of the chaos brought on by uncertainty." aahhhhh PEACE. Who doesn't want it, or need it?

So, here's to change, and growth, and God and family. And here's to true peace.

Until next time.....