Fridays are Full of Blessings 5-9-08

I love to get to a Friday and post all those things that gave me peace through God’s blessings for the week. This week I’ve felt God’s hands on me more than ever before.

Here are a few major blessings:

*At noon today my husband was offered a job that was made for him. God brought him the most tailor made environment, boss, and position than any other out there. He got hired on for the exact number we needed for our family budget, and the benefits will be enough to take care of our needs.
PRAISE GOD!

*My mom gave me some flats of flowers, so I could fill in my flower beds in the front of my house. My garden is now full of beautiful flowers and expectant bulbs that are waiting to bloom.

*I consolidated two credit cards to one, and the one we closed had a credit balance due to over-payment. Now they’re sending us a check. I opened the mailbox today and received another unexpected check from a doctor’s office for $30.00 of overpayment as well. This comes at a time of emergency needs for just food and gas, and now I don’t have to worry where the money will come from.

*The weather is gorgeous today, and after spending Wednesday in the closet from tornado threats…I’m blessed not to have to worry about storms. Read about it here.

*My son and husband have had so much bonding time this week. It’s been so pleasant to have my husband back to his normal self again, and my son have his daddy back home.

*I got an unexpected account drop in my lap this week. It was one I called on a month ago that I thought wouldn’t sign and had given up on it. This man called me Tuesday wanting to do business with me. Hallelujah I needed that!

*Another friend of mine who knows our situation called me and told me that she TOLD her husband he was going to sign a payroll deal with me. He was opening a new clinic and she didn’t ask him to…she told him he needed to. So that was another unexpected deal to add to my very large goal this month

I don’t know how I’m going to make my numbers this month, but I know God will bless the fruits of my labor. I’m only 15% to my goal and need a whole lot more to make it happen.

I am so at peace this week and so thankful that God has led us through some pretty tough times to some security. Praise your name Lord.

Something to make you Smile :)

It seems there are things lately that I could use as stumbling blocks. Even today came more crazy bad news, but I always can find something to smile about. I pulled out my son’s artwork out of his folder today as I got his backpack ready for school. This lovely drawing was a few pieces into the stack, and immediately warmed my heart when I saw it. I’m posting it today for all of you. If you’re having a rough day, I hope I can give you something to smile about.

What do you need to make you smile today? A smile from someone else? A kind word? A unexpected gift like this drawing?
Better yet, what can you do to make someone else smile? Even on your worst days, it feels good to make someone else’s day. I think I’m going to see what I can do for someone else today and give thanks to God that I’m exactly where He has me…totally relying on His grace to pull us through a lot of ’stuff’.

What a difference a year makes…

When my son turned 5 in March, overnight I saw him change into a more mature child. He became this big boy who no longer showed signs of being a baby anymore. He lost the rest of his baby cheeks, although they’ll always be kissable even without that extra roundness to them. He became a little wiser. He just grew up and into being 5 in an instant.

I saw changes in the way he interacted with his peers. The boys and girls are definitely on different teams now. Instead of having a play date with his girlfriend, where they play nice, he’s knocking them down on the playground. His dad’s already had that talk about being gentler with girls.

He puts things together a lot faster too. He’s always been an extremely bright and intuitive kid, but now he’s just a little more excellerated. It’s even apparent in sports. What a difference a year makes…

Last year this time, he was more interested in pulling grass on the soccer field or chasing butterflies, and now he’s aggressively chasing the ball and scoring goals. I’m amazed at how my little boy has turned into an aggressive team sport player. He’s in it to win it man.

He lost his first game today and he’s ticked off. All his team mates were too. In fact one of his best buddies stuck his chin out and started, I only can assume, talking smack to the other team mates. It was right after they scored a goal. Although it was funny, we’ve got to be careful to teach our kids good sportsmanship.

Last year, he wouldn’t have even have known if his team lost. This year his nickname is ‘team accountant’ because he runs to the side lines to announce the score every time a goal is made. He’s such a funny kid and I love who he is growing into being.

Fridays are full of Blessings

This week I had so many wonderful things take place.  Just to name a few:

*My neighbor mowed and edged my yard for me.  Yay!

*My mom is cooking my husband and I dinner tonight.

*My new boss and I had a great conversation that left me feeling valued.

*I got a payroll contract this week.  It’s a small one, but money all the same, and we need all the extra revenue we can get.

*My husband had his second interview with an amazing company, where they’ve asked him to work on a couple of projects so that they can see what abilities and strengths are.  He’s to get with them again next week.

*A friend of mine, knowing our situation, called me to take pictures of her son’s graduation party.  She probably didn’t need a photographer, but hired me just the same.  I am blessed to have friends that come to my aid in our time of need.

*My friends and loved ones have been so supportive, including you out there in bloggie land.  Thank you all for being a huge blessing to me.

Blessings Through Chaos

Tuesday I posted about my husband’s job loss, from this Monday, but I decided to take it down.  I figure I’d had enough venting on this blog to last a while.

I think I need to stick to uplifting posts right now. Uplifting others is the reason I started this blog, and I feel I’ve strayed from that slightly as of late.

So…here’s some excellent news for the week. I had been job hunting on the behalf of my husband in the last few weeks….applying for jobs over the internet without my husband even knowing. I knew he didn’t have the time. He was at the office from 8 in the am to sometimes 10 to 11 at night without time for personal time to spend with family, let alone search for new employment.

I felt led last Wednesday to search a local media job site for my hubbie. I applied for 4 or 5 positions for him when I saw a familiar name and company listed. It was a posting of a company that I had worked with through various media accounts. I had worked with the owner and his son, and respected their ethics and philosophies. So instead of emailing the man, who owned this company, with just a cover letter/resume for my husband…I emailed him and asked him to call me.

The next day we chatted about his company’s position and my husband’s abilities. He gave me his cell phone and told me to have my husband call him day or night to set something up. A few days later, over the weekend, the generous man called me and wanted to pass on a message to my husband.

He said he’d been thinking about it and knew confidentiality was a concern for us…so to tell my husband he’d be willing to meet with him over a weekend or any evening the next week.

Wow, what a great gesture. Come Monday, my husband and he finally had a conversation and set up an interview time for 7 that same evening. Not even 3 hours later my husband was fired due to internal politics neatly wrapped up and tied with a bow. Talk about timing.

My husband had such peace about the whole day because he knew God would provide for all our needs. No matter our health insurance will soon be gone. No matter that our financial stability has been tossed to the wind. No matter what WE KNOW God’s hand is upon us.

We could sit and sulk and cry WHY GOD?

Or we could thank Him for closing a door on an impossible situation, where my husband was constantly walking on eggshells for a person, that called himself boss and who didn’t appreciate or take care of him.

My husband has his second interview tomorrow at noon with this company to meet the staff. The owner is incredibly impressed with my husband as he should. I am completely faithful that my husband is walking toward the door our Lord has especially held open for him. I am faithful that God is holding our future gently and securely. I am faithful that our family will be provided for without interruption in pay or medical benefits.

Praise God for all He does…great and small…even in the midst of chaos….especially in the midst of chaos.

Please pray for my husband tomorrow. I am thankful that now he has the time to be a husband and father, as that’s what is most important to him. As it should be.

Monday’s Prayer

Today is an important day for me in my career.  I pray that if I cross your mind today at all, that you pray for me.  I desperately need for two things to happen in order to get some finances in order.
Without these finances, we can’t buy our airplane tickets to a family’s destination wedding in July.

Without these finances, we can’t take the next huge step in our lives toward a goal.

I don’t doubt God for a minute.  I know God will provide for us, but I think prayers always help.

You always hear, All in God’s timing…but a friend of mine gave me my new saying yesterday.  It goes like this:

Everything always works out in God’s timing, I just wish He’d give me a look at His watch from time to time.

:)  Have a great day!

Friday Vent with some Blessings

Usually I list a bunch of blessings bestowed for the week on Fridays, and though I have a lot that has happened that have been wonderful blessings…yesterday overshadowed most of them. So I’m sorry to disappoint those that tune in for this. IF you want to skip the vent…there are blessings at the end!

Someone very close to me reacted in a manner that I felt very disrespectful, and put my son in a compromising position. When a mother asks that certain things take place in the care of her child, it is disrespectful to ignore this.

*I’m thankful that my son stayed safe on a joyride in someone’s lap through neighborhood streets with no seatbelt. A five year old in someone’s lap, with an air bag inches away from his face, is not something that is to be overlooked because it was fun for him. To make it worse…my son’s car seat was in the backseat and this person ignored it and took him for a spin.

* When I picked him up last night, my son whispered with the biggest smile on his face, “We broke the law today, but it’s okay. I rode in his lap…with no seat belt to the school and back.” I’m thankful my son had the heart to tell me after being told, “Don’t tell your mom about this.” Two things happened here: A) My son was taught a lesson that it’s okay to break the rules that his mom sets in place. B) He learned that it’s okay to ignore and break the law when it’s harmless fun.

(side note) if you have to tell a young child…Don’t tell your mom about this…..than it’s probably something you shouldn’t do to begin with because you know you’re doing something in error. Thank the Lord my son told me so that we could talk about how he should never be in that position again.

It would be one thing to take him in a old truck in the fields at a farm and drive around with him, but it’s entirely different to ride on the streets with other cars and an air bag inches away that could have deployed if there were an accident. I know this person is a careful driver, but there’s no sense in risking it!!!

When I tried to have a conversation about this, the person who took my son on his joy ride exploded and shut me down. He wouldn’t listen and put his hand up. I was told that I was attacking him and was not allowed to talk to him. I didn’t raise my voice, as I know this person has a horrible temper. I tried avoiding a fight, but this person doesn’t know how to talk without a fight. He is too proud to ever admit he had any wrong doing.  Having a calm normal conversation is not an option with this person. He turned it around pretty quickly that I was the one in error for attacking him.

As a mother, I owe it to my son to protect him in any way I choose. The fact that he was not protected aside, the way I was treated as a person blew me away. After trying to have a calm conversation, which was obviously not going to take place, I chose to get my son out of the heated room.

I grew up listening to anger and loud voices, so I purposely do NOT raise my voice in anger because I never want my son to grow up feeling the way I did…insecure and sad. After walking out…I heard a curse word fly out of his mouth that I pray my son didn’t hear.

My son will get enough bad outward influences from his peers, he doesn’t need to be taught these lessons from a family member!! Afterwards I got an apology for the level of this person’s voice…but what I really wanted was respect as a mother.

BOTTOM LINE: If you’re doing something that you know I won’t approve of with my son, harmless or not, I have a right to have a conversation with you about it. I was dismissed and attacked for trying to do so. I forgive this person as I love them, but I’m sad today that this person doesn’t have it in them to ever admit their part in any of this. To this person, I was just being a dramatic woman and made too much of something that wasn’t.

P.S. This person taught my son not to OWN up for his own actions and that’s inexusable! It’s not okay. This came two days after this person told my son that the behavior he displayed was stupid. Now my son thinks he’s dumb as a rock. This person denies this…but I heard it. He stated, “I never said he was stupid –his actions were because he wasn’t behaving.” Well to a five year old…all they’re going to hear is stupid and it will apply to them as a person. They’re not logical enough to know the difference. Thanks for teaching my son that lesson too.

Blessings for the week:

I got paid three paychecks…thank you LORD….I can finally pay some bills.

My son scored a goal in his soccer game…he was aggressive and had so much fun.

My husband’s heart is so tender and I’m a blessed woman. Even with all the stress he’s under right now, he is still looking to the LORD and I know he’ll be blessed soon with some doors that he can use as an exit from the stress.

My sister got a new car after totaling her 4 month old one, and now her payments are 5 dollars lower.

My mom cooked for me this week and we are low on food…praise God.

Today is Friday and I’m needing a vacation! Thank you for Friday’s Lord!

Learned Behavior

My family is a hoot. Seriously we laugh most all the time. My son has the same sense of humor and his aptitude for picking things up is amazing. He’s five and nothing gets past the little dude.

Tonight we all ate dinner after his T-ball game. (He played really well by the way. He hit on his first try and scored 2 runs. He got one runner out at first as well…not bad for his first game ever.)

As we were eating, I asked my son to use his ‘inside’ voice. He’s tend to be really loud, like my husband, who’s voice is deep and loud at all times. Some people just project whether they mean to or not.

This started a whole conversation that spun off toward my mom, who has the opposite problem. She doesn’t project and sometimes hard to hear, even when yelling upstairs for my dad. Of course we all ganged up on her, and in turn she made reference to my dad again by saying, “No, he just doesn’t ever hear me. No matter what.”

My sister’s response, “Um mom I think that’s learned behavior.” (selective hearing)

My son was taking it all in and laughing at my mom, just like we were. The conversation then turned to his soccer game. I reminded him to tell about his goal he scored on Saturday morning. He was telling my sister’s boyfriend, Bob, all about it. Then my sister switched gears to ask if he picked up any balls to get anyone out tonight (T-ball).

My son: “No, you’re not allowed to pick up the ball.” (in reference to soccer)
My sister: “What?”
Me: “Honey, she’s asking about T-ball.”
(confused look on my son’s face)
My sister’s boyfriend: “Dude. You might as well give up, you’ll never understand them. They’re (women) gonna confuse you for the rest of your life.”
My son: LAUGHING - “That’s learned behavior.”

We all cracked up. Yup…that is learned behavior. He might as well learn now that men are from Venus and Women rule the planet.

I hope you all have a great night!!

Seriously???

Okay I just got this via email from a family member. Not that I’m not for helping those in need, but not at the cost of my hard earned retirement income. The same retirement income that will most likely not equal the the level of cost of living standards, by the time I retire. Can anyone tell me if the below info is accurate? If it is…..I don’t know about you but I’d like a vote in how she decided my hard earned income, that I’m barely scraping by to make, gets spent.
Read below and tell me your thoughts!

Windfall Tax on Retirement Income

Hold on to your pocketbooks!!

Anyone who understands a fiat monetary system, our system, knows that most retirement funds lose real value and are not exactly what a person hopes for at the end of their work life. Some are, and those typically go to people in the public sector. We contribute greatly to those through a myriad of taxes.

Adding a tax to your retirement is simply another way of saying to the American people, you’re so stupid that we’re going to keep doing this until we drain every cent from you. That’s what the Speaker of the House is saying. Read below……………

Nancy Pelosi wants a Windfall Tax on Retirement Income. This woman is a nut case! You aren’t going to believe this.

Madam speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to put a Windfall Tax on all stock market profits (including Retirement fund, 401Ks and Mutual Funds)! Alas, it is true - all to help the 12 Million Illegal Immigrants and other unemployed Minorities!

Boy, are we in trouble… This woman is frightening. She quotes…’ We need to work toward the goal of equalizing income in our country and at the same time limiting the amount the rich can invest. ‘

When asked how these new tax dollars would be spent, she replied : ‘We need to raise the standard of living of our poor, unemployed and minorities. For example, we have an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in our country who need our help along with millions of unemployed minorities. Stock market windfall profits taxes could go a long ways to guarantee these people the standard of living they would like to have as ‘Americans’.’

How to explain…

I recently posted at my wornoutwoman blog about my son’s favorite hermit crab, Larry Lee Lenson, passing on. This post has sparked some interesting comments on how different people handling explaining death to children.

This is something none of us ever want to experience, but the circle of life does go on. We will eventually have to explain to our little ones why his favorite pet is gone spiritually and not physically. We will have to eventually comfort them when a loved one dies.

It prompted me to write here to ask you all:
When and how did you have to deal with a passing and explain it to a child?

Feel free to read the post to see how my son took the news of his pet hermit crab, when he died.