UPDATE 10/05/09: Welcome from Caffeinated Thoughts!
Last week was tough for me.
Down those painful steps
I’ve been out of work now for over two months. Most of the time I’ve kept myself busy with looking after my 1.5 year old when my wife needs to attend to our high school home-schooler. I have to say that I really enjoy taking my son out for a walk around the neighborhood (to get him to go to sleep and take a nap) in the afternoons. It gives me some time to just pray and ask God to allow me to keep this type of arrangement, continue working from home, and allow me to be near my family.
Isn’t that what it is really all about anyway? Why would I want to find a higher paying job that takes me away from my family for 40+ hours a week? Seriously. For what? So I have more money to spend? No thanks. Look, I just want enough so my family is not going hungry. My contentment is not going to be found in earthly riches!
How many people look back when they retire and say: “Gee, I sure wish I would have spent more time in the office.”
But last week, it was tough. I was getting frustrated and angry which out-flowed from a temporary feeling of worthlessness and wondering when this wandering in this desert would end. Lack of faith? Maybe. I’m only a fallen human being. I’m not some great hero of faith and even if I were, the real heroes of faith in the Bible all tried to circumnavigate God’s perfect will, and suffered for it!
And so I came across this passage in Psalms that reminded me of who my God is.
The Lord sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The Lord keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever. –Psalm 145:14-21.
I love this passage for all the “the Lord is” and “the Lord wills.” It was a great reminder for me from Him. Thank you, Lord, for keeping us and reminding us that you are faithful, though we may not be able to see it. At least not on our timetable!
May He Increase!
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Joe, i have been out longer, my benefits expire soon. the economy in my area stinketh.
I get the second interview, but no job. Just put out 4 resumes this morning. It is a bummer. i take comfort that my Christ can use me, but I would like to be bi-vocational, try vocational is a yuck!
Will, yeah the economy stinketh in my area, too. I guess it reeketh all over. We are all living in the famine of our time.
Had my first real job interview this morning. It went well. It sounds like the hiring manager would love to have me on board. The only problem is that the income potential is about $10k less than what I was making at my last job–and even that was tough to live on. But a lower paying job is better than unemployment I suppose.
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