GISFA

First there was WWJD. Then there was FROG. Now there is GISFA. God Is So Freakin' Awesome! I have been praying for EIGHT friends dealing with the same basic issue, specifically, at least once every week and SIX of those prayers have been answered so far in the last two years--most of them in the last year. Miracles, I tell you.

I've also been praying that the back room team leader at John's store would quit or transfer. I know that sounds like a bad thing to pray, but it's a long story. Guess what? Today she quit. So please, please for the love of all things good and pleasant, PLEASE PRAY FOR US and that John gets that job. Because John has been mysteriously rejected a lot lately and he is so. He is so. He is soooo qualified.

So I guess I'll spill the beans. I've been holding out on you all for a while now. Things have been wonderful here, but things have been pretty bad, too. It is really hard to go from living comfortably to having billing departments call you 26 times every day. John and I know that "the borrower is slave to the lender." We thought that when we were living in Naples that we were faithful stewards. We tried to meet every month to discuss and pray over our budget. We tried to live that "wartime lifestyle" John Piper is always talking about. But we didn't know anything about wartime. We didn't save enough. We didn't plan well. We were frivolous and wasteful. We paid off incredible amounts of debt, and a debt-free lifestyle was well within sight. But everything fell apart, and now we're not living paycheck to paycheck. We're living credit card to credit card with minimum payments we can't even pay and we're driving a car that was about to be repossessed.

Why am I telling you all this? I guess to share with you that poverty can happen to anyone and it sucks. Those people call us, and every time the phone rings I feel guilty. They want their money--their money that is rightfully THEIRS. It wasn't my money to spend. But I can't even answer the phone because I have nothing to give them. Nothing.

AND I feel guilty because we haven't made the sacrifices we should have. We still have a ton (a ton) of luxuries. So maybe I ate ramen noodles twice last week (I did) and macaroni and cheese 4 times (I did). I still get to watch cable television and I get to use the internet. Although I should just cancel my phone service cuz everyone knows that doesn't work.

But, now it finally looks like we may be catching a break. And maybe we'll be able to continue this wartime lifestyle so that we can pay those we owe and starting living our lives a little more intelligently.

I am continually grateful for our health--none of us have been sick AT ALL. No allergies, nothing. For Bethany, Betsy and Corrie for introducing me to Shaklee, which I know must be one of the reasons we are so healthy. And I am so grateful for my Naples friends teaching me how to coupon effectively. For the people I babysat for in Naples that gave me excellent references. For the family I'm babysitting for now and their wonderful free chiropractic care (yeehaw!). For the fall weather and the air that tastes like home. And I am so grateful to all my family and friends who love me anyway. You all know who you are and there's no way I could have been strong at all through this without you.

And...for my sweet husband, who has been through more humbling experiences than any man of his ability should ever have to endure. For our marriage and those that helped us to make it strong (our pre-marital counselors, our marriage retreat, our BLG friends). We surely would have had it with each other if it wasn't for the grace, patience and communication skills God gave us through you and your ministries.

And...God, of course. That he has answered my prayers. That he has answered my prayer to improve my prayer life (what a way to do that, God. Thanks...I think). That he puts us through valleys to make us more like Christ.

And...for this sweet angel face. My baby girl.

Yep! Maryn's first leaf pile!