Wednesday, June 29, 2005

The Challenge!

I just had to blog this!

God has always taken care of us. We have yet to go hungry. We've never not paid our debts -- maybe late but never missed payments.

We have certainly had our challenges in life. The week I found out I was pregnant with our first daughter, Tollie had a pay cut. We made it though it was tight for a while. About a year later, we looked into a move. Good thing because the day we flew to the interview, Tollie was let-go from his job. So....we moved 630 miles -- to the armpit of Texas. Certainly not our first choice, but home.

After being in our new home for a year or so, we were faced again with a let-go. Tollie had been told of a company move and he would move, but then after we came back from vacation, everything had changed and he would not be moving with the company. Tollie called a business acquaintance concering a possible job. He was willing to hire Tollie, in fact anxious to have him join his company, but he did not have any openings at the level Tollie was at. Tollie accepted the job anyway, knowing two things. First that any job is better than no job and secondly, it is easier to get a job if you are currently working. Tollie was called after a couple of days and asked by his new employer if he had been praying. With an emphatic "yes", he was informed that a great job opened up and it was offered to him. Tollie thankfully accepted -- giving all the thanks to God. I guess you could say it was a "God thing" as Tollie has been with the company for almost 30 years.

I could recount other stories -- like our buying a house, a dream house, that worked like it was meant to be. Or the time we were living on credit cards and decided that was not smart and melted all the cards. I was not certain how we would buy groceries the next month. Like I said -- we have never gone hungry!

So believe me, I know God takes care of us. I know He will provide our needs, even the wants at times. So it didn't seem that difficult when Mindy's boyfriend, Trent, (through Mindy) challenged me to allow God to work out the payment for my dental surgery. I had planned to put the charges on my credit card and in our talking, Mindy encouraged me to trust knowing God would provide a way. Sure, I thought! We are going on vacation and I will trust that he will find a way.

This week has not be a good week. Satan has been very active! First of all, a payment I had anticipated coming in and was going to use for vacation, has not arrived. So....savings will be pilfered for the cash for vacation. Then yesterday, I was headed downtown and as I entered the freeway, the "service engine soon" light came on and the van started running rough at the same time.

Rememeber, this is the van we are taking on vacation, in the morning! I went to the Ford dealer closest to me and they could not take it. So I travelled 20 miles to Mid-County and am sitting here now --- telling my tales. They will get to it this afternoon, so I am waiting on a ride back to my home. I figure the cost is going to be between $250 to 350$. I am guessing an oxygen sensor has gone bad.

So I am tyring to figure out where that money is coming from as well as the $950 for my dental surgery, when we return.

I have even suggested we not go on vacation! However, we are going to check on my husband's parents. This is important -- my father-in-law had brain surgery a couple of months ago. So really there is not the option of not going.

The Lord is going to have to figure all this out, as I see no way of not using the credit card. Stay tuned to find out how He works it all out!

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Going on Vacation!

Monday came and went and I didn't even get to post! It has been a crazy day and I think today will be just as crazy. We are trying to get ready to go on vacatin and I am not taking the time to post in the next few days of prep. So.....I will be gone from this post for a little over a week. I am trying to think of everything for vacation and even think for my husband and grown children, who are going with us! That is taking up most of my time these days.

Also, it is at the end of the month and I have CASA reports to do and I am working today and I am already tired before really getting started. I wish I had some help but I know they, my husband and child, don't think like I do and don't prepare like I try to do. So.....I will continue to try to think for them and just not get upset. I was hoping we could leave early Thursday morning, but now I realize it may be noon before we get out of here and that will be okay. Well, not really okay but it will be okay. We have a long way to go that first day, all the way to Tusculoosa, Alabama and with kids traveling with us, it will be a long day.

I will not be posting for probably the whole time we are away. So see you in a little over a week and happy summer to you.

I will explore those things I am thinking and mulling around when I return. Hope you return with me.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

35 Years Today!

I was a teen in love. I was goo-goo-eyed over the tall handsome, blue eyed boy that was my friend in band. We laughed a lot. We kissed a lot! We even cried when we discussed the differences in our "religions." We were both cofc but he was from the background of non sunday school and I was just your regular cofc. We made decisions based on much prayer and communication. We worked through our understandings at the time to emerge stronger and more in tune with each other and our faiths. We found our own ground in the Lord, standing together.

My how time flies! It was only yesterday it seems that I was standing at the altar, singing with this young man who made my heart flutter at the slight look, or the touch of the hand on my arm. We were so in love.

The greatest thing, we are still in love. In fact that love has so matured and grown that even when we are angry, sad, irritable, we still love each other. There is so much security in our relationship. We still enjoy each other's company and I still get a flutter when he touches me. We share so much. Our lives, our hopes, our dreams and our hearts.

I sometimes worry that my larger body bothers him, but he assures me we are both different and have changed over the years. We are happy to be in the same room together, whether we are talking, watching TV, reading in bed, or sitting on the porch and watching it rain. We are in sync. We love each other. We play well together. We were made for each other!

Thank you God for the treasure in Tollie that you gave me 35 years ago. I pray I have polished and nurtured and loved this treasure and that you will give me more than 35 more years to love this man.