A Reality Check

10 lessons, peeves, and eye-openers I've learned during our layoff...

I hope none of you have to face a hardship anytime soon. It is not only challenging, but emotionally draining as well. In this short time frame, I have already learned a few life lessons, created some pet-peeves, and most importantly have witnessed God's blessings. Whether it is a job layoff, or another struggle in life, may these principles help you in your journey.

1. Expectations. It's simple, keep them low. When your expectations aren't met, don't count it as a failure. With each door closed, another one will open, getting you that much closer to the end result.
2. Guidelines. Throw them away. Many of us create a list, outlining our ideal outcome. Disappointment often comes when those guidelines aren't met. Live each day for what it is.
3. Persistence. The early bird really does get the worm. Don't wait for the job or solution to come to you. Be a go-getter.
4. Purpose. Know who you are as an individual and what you are capable of. Your life has a purpose and it is up to you to fulfill it.
5. Remember. Once you are back on your feet again, remember to offer  help to others during their time of struggle. Don't wait for them to ask for it. Pride is huge in people, and often it can feel degrading to ask for help. In the end they tend to feel alone. Also, during a hardship most people will say, "I'll pray for you", and leave it at that. Guess what? Offering a simple meal or social interaction can go a long way for a family facing financial struggles. Vow to remember that feeling, and in return help others in need.
6. Focus. Remember, don't blame God for your struggles. He is not your enemy during all of it. He is on your side! Run toward Him, not away from Him. As easy as it is to get angry at Him for allowing your struggle to happen, look for the new life lessons you can learn from it all. Then, use those lessons to make you a stronger person, and deepen your relationship with God.
7. Prayer. Pray again and again. Then, be silent as you wait upon the Lord. You can't hear God if your not in daily contact with Him.
8. Trust. Trust that God has a plan way bigger than yours. Trust that He will see you through it, and never leave your side.
9. Lessons. Use each moment during your struggle as a teachable time for your children. Not only are they watching to see the outcome, they are soaking in each and every reaction you put forth. Take time to talk with them, and include them in the situation, so that they too may learn how to face and then conquer challenges in life.
10. Persevere. Refuse to give up. With each obstacle thrown in your path, during your journey, remember it is just a small hurdle to a much bigger blessing to come. Be patient and rest in the fact that God is leading you.

My Tight Rope Act

How do you remain steady when your world is being shaken underneath you?

Have you ever noticed that when your world seems perfect and everything is going as you have planned, it will get shaken up in an instant? With the news of my husband's recent job loss, we immediately declared as a family that since we couldn't change our circumstance, we would simply change our perspective. It has been four days since we received the news of his job ending. Our spirits have been optimistic and fairly positive. We have put 100% faith into God, and know that He will guide us onto a new path. So what happens when our world (life as we know it) continues to get shaken?

Our car was due for a State Inspection by the end of the month. Being the organized, rule-follower that I am, we dropped it off at the auto shop to be looked at today. We had every right to believe that it would pass. Just $16, a sticker slapped on the windshield, and call it a day. Not so much...The call came at 8:04 this morning, stating that our car would fail inspection if we didn't replace the front brakes. I guess they frown upon metal touching metal as your brake system (smirk). Explaining the fact that "my husband was just laid off", didn't seem to make a difference (reasonably so). So now, here I sit having to fork out over $300, knowing that by the end of the week we have zero income.

How do I handle it? I gave myself two choices after the call; have a complete pre-coffee melt down or suck it up like a big girl. I decided for the welfare of my family, to put on my poker face and challenge Satan right back. He didn't succeed in breaking our spirits with the lay-off. Actually, I think we made him very angry. So he decided to go to plan B, fail the car inspection. I have already declared that our situation is in God's hands. My job is not to figure it all out, yet trust that he has already done that. So again, I find myself turning to Him. I can almost feel the sting of my tears as they continually fill the brims of my eyes. But there is a stronger part deep within me that just won't allow myself to cave. I've said it before, I believe a bigger blessing is to come from the hardships we are currently facing. My family's trust and faith in God is clearly being tested right now. I feel as though we are currently walking on a tight rope, 100 feet in the air. We are trying to stay steady, as we keep our eyes focused ahead. We know the minute we look down, fear will take over and we will lose all balance, causing us to fall. Yet, our journey across the tight rope seems lighter. Although we cannot see it, we can sense that God is supporting and leading us. All we have to do is trust Him to get us to the other side.

What tight rope act are you currently in? Are you trusting God to get you to the other side? Remember, life is going to happen, the good and the bad. It is how you respond to the situations that will determine your outcome.

From Panic to Perseverance

When your world gets flipped upside down and all securities in life seem lost...

The phone call came yesterday from my husband. "Is my computer still on?" he asked. "Yea, why?" I replied. "Looks like I am going to have to get my resume out there sooner than I wanted to," he answered. Numbness took over my body, as I knew exactly what those words translated into-- He lost his job. His last day of work would be a week from today. One week from today we would official have zero income, and yet a full budget to fulfill. As he began to explain the situation and how it unfolded at the office, I began to cry as the realization of the situation settled in my mind. As I wiped tears away with the back of my hand I was reminded of the Sunday School lesson I was preparing just hours before the call...

It was a beautiful, sunny day and my boys wanted to go to the pool. I decided it would be the perfect, quiet setting to work on a lesson I am scheduled to teach kids at church this weekend. We arrived and found a small table in the corner to work. As the kids darted off into the water, I flipped open the teachers guide and the word 'Perseverance' stared back at me. Honestly, I didn't really know the correct meaning of the word, so I read on. "Refusing to give up when life gets hard." "Hmm," I thought, "How will I relate that to young children?" I mean, how hard can life be for such a young child, when most worries stem from whether they will get to play Wii that day or not. I set the guide down on the table and watched as my son jumped off the diving board. I examined him closely and  began to think of all the things in a world of 9 year olds that may represent a hard time or impossible situation. I jotted down some examples-- fighting with siblings, death of a pet, an injury, moving to a new area...the list went on and on. As I completed my list I struggled to come up with a recent example in my life to share with the kids, as the teachers guide suggested. Most examples I had didn't seem appropriate or fitting to share with a group of 3rd graders. I dismissed that section and wrapped up my lesson preparations.....or so I thought.

So now here I sit, one day later. God has allowed a fresh example into my life. An example that I rather not have to face right now. We have exactly seven days before we get added to the 9.2% unemployment rate. Uncertainty floods my mind and insecurity floods my emotions. Yet God promises that He will never give up doing what is best for us, and this fact floods my soul. I won't lie, there is a part of me that wants to have a complete pity party and scream at the top of my lungs, "Why, why, why? This isn't fair!" Honestly, what good would it do? My husband would still be without a job, and I would just make myself and those around me miserable. I know that if we give up and feel defeated, we could miss out on some incredible things that God has planned for us. When life seems impossible, we need to remember what God wants us to do. I find my thoughts often wanting to focus on the how's; how will we make our house payment, how will we pay our utilities. They are legit questions that really need to have an answer. Yet there is a comfort deep within me that screams from the depths of my soul, "It's okay, I am with you, and I have this all under control. Just trust me." It is in those moments that I find myself gazing out the window and find peace in knowing that my God is bigger than any obstacle I may face. If anything, I am going to enjoy the challenge of adjusting our wants, substituting needs, and making a dollar go a whole lot further than it already does in our frugal household. That means no more luxuries such as TV service, and our yummy home cooked meals are now being taken hostage by Top Ramen noodles and frozen pot pies. Nobody said it would be easy, nor fun. But, I can't help but cling to the hope that something better is truly coming our way. I don't want to view this as a problem or obstacle, yet as a blessing to something much bigger.

I don't know what you are facing today, but my prayer is that you too will cling to the one who can calm even the darkest storm. Remember, God is so powerful and loves us so much that He can take the worst situation and use it to do something good for us and in us. No one else can do that, and that is the very reason I put my faith in Him and Him alone. Your job is not to figure out why you were placed in a difficult situation. Your job is to trust that God will bring good from it. As I have challenged myself, I also challenge you to turn your panic into perseverance.

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40.31 (NIV)