Today is my brother’s 24th birthday. I cannot believe that he is already 24. Seems like yesterday that he was 8, helping me create a town full of Legos, Barbie dolls, and Hot Wheels cars. 😉 Now he’s on the other side of the world, spending his birthday working!
Josh, we’re sorry you’re not here today, but we celebrated on your behalf. We splurged and bought a half gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream and tipped our spoons to you.
Happy birthday, brother!!
Today, I tested out a cornbread recipe. Hubby says it’s a keeper, but I think I might test out a couple more cornbread recipes before deeming this recipe a favorite. It was good, but not sweet enough. I like my cornbread sweet, with butter and honey drizzled over the top.
I had grandiose plans of posting pictures and links to our new favorite pizza crust! We already found a favorite sauce recipe but couldn’t find a good pizza crust. Well, that post will probably be written Sunday or Monday.
Instead, I spent a good deal of time today working around the apartment. I’m proud of myself, in a humble way of course! I made pizza, washed dishes after each meal, vacuumed the entire apartment, swept the kitchen and bathroom floors, emptied the cat boxes, cleaned the vacuum filter, and washed/folded/put away two loads of laundry.
Whew! I’m happy and tired. Now I just need to keep it up. I have ideas for implementing a housework schedule, but that is also going to be a separate post. For now, I’m going to watch Master and Commander with my hubby.
Love to all, and have a happy Sabbath!
Now that our unemployment claim has been approved, I’ve been thinking about the immediate future. Our claim won’t cover many bills, but it will cover the rent and enable us to purchase groceries. Hubby is still looking for a job, but I have a feeling something will happen soon.
For a long time, my desire has been to be a wife, a homemaker and a mother. Hubby won’t offer me an idea of when he thinks we can start a family, but I am already a housewife. Even though we’ve prayed about returning to work full time, we believe that God intends for me to stay home.
Over the past month or so, I’ve been struggling with motivation. It’s hard to develop a routine, create goals, and settle into being a housewife when you don’t know if you are going to be living in the same state next week. I’ve been selling some of our possessions to cover a couple bills. I spend most of my time helping hubby with his job search and writing/editing cover letters. The rest of my housewife duties, goals, and aspirations have fallen by the wayside. I’m lucky if I even stay on top of dishes.
I really need to dedicate myself to being a homemaker. Even if we move next week, keeping the kitchen clean, laundry washed, and the house picked up now will create a more friendly home environment. I believe the home is important, and if I’m not performing this duty to the best of my ability, what is the point in me staying home? I will not neglect my duties of helping hubby with job searching, but I will shift my priorities so that I can both aid him and be a keeper at home.
Titus 2:4, 5 says that young women are “to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Regardless of where we live next week, I still have an obligation and a desire to fulfill this counsel.
Proverbs 31 also contains an excellent model for wives:
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
I want to be this woman. I want to look well to the ways of my household, honor my husband, and most importantly, honor God.
God is so very good!
“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8).
On Friday, we decided to wait on the Lord. We’re going to stay in Phoenix until we’re offered a job. If the job offer is local, we’ll be renewing our lease. If the job is out of state, we’ll be moving immediately. Ever since deciding to wait for a direct answer from the Lord, we’ve been at peace. I feel peace for the first time since Jeff lost his job. And God has been blessing us greatly over the past few days. My contract job has provided a few hours of work, with more to come after another training call tomorrow. Jeff had a phone interview this morning and is waiting to hear back on several jobs. Our unemployment claim was finally approved, after much delay. The state authorized payment for the past four weeks of claims.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6).
Praise the Lord!
As a follow up to yesterday’s question, I’ve been trying to think of any Biblical examples of people trying to figure out what to do.
The only example I can think is Gideon. God told Gideon that he was going to lead an army. Gideon wasn’t so sure, so he laid out a fleece. Twice, God honored Gideon’s prayers and gave him signs that Gideon was to lead.
Jeff and I have laid out figurative fleeces before. We have been directed by God to take certain jobs and we were sure that we were following God’s command because He answered our prayer for a fleece. In our current job situation, we’re not sure if God is going to give us a fleece. But I know of no other way to determine God’s will.
We have faith that God will take care of us, that Jeff will find a job. However, we’re not sure where that job will be or when it will happen.
Ok… so hubby and I are trying to figure something out.
Is it better to:
a. Wait until God’s leading is perfectly clear by Him giving a sign and THEN we move forward?
or
b. Move forward while praying that God will shut doors if we aren’t supposed to choose a certain path and then we try a different path?
I’m not sure if we should be waiting until we KNOW what God wants us to do or step out in faith that He will close doors and open others as needed.
Jeff and I met with some friends of ours from church, an older couple who could pray with us and offer some advice. After several hours of conversation and much prayer, we decided to stay in Phoenix until the end of next week.
Hubby has several applications out for local jobs and the church might have a position opening up on Monday. We promised to stay for another week to see if the church position would come through and also to apply for a few more local jobs. If we recieve a job offer by next Friday, we’ll stay in Phoenix. If not, we’re packing up and heading to Portland.
In the meantime, I had a training call for my contract job last night and an assignment this morning. The assignment is now complete and I’m waiting for my next one. I’m also trying to sell some more stuff around the apartment that we don’t need, to bring in money to pay bills and/or move. We sold the Wii this morning. A 9 year old is going to be very happy on his birthday!
We’re still trying to figure out what we’re doing, if we’re going to stay in Phoenix and try to find a job or move elsewhere. We have a couple leads, but we’re waiting for the final go ahead from God.
In the mean time, I’m trying to sell a bunch of stuff to bring in some money to pay bills. We have someone coming tomorrow to buy our TV and someone coming later tonight or tomorrow morning to buy the Wii. Tomorrow, I need to list the rest of our movies, some clothes, and some furniture on Craigslist.
Life isn’t easy, but someday we’re going to look back and tell our children how God led us through the tough times.
I’m so relieved. I finally caught up on all the laundry. This is the first time in several weeks ALL the laundry has been washed, ironed or folded, and put away. I also vacuumed the bedroom, hallway, and living room. All the dishes are washed, dried, and put away. The bed is made. The living room is picked up and I emptied the kitty boxes.
I clean when I’m stressed.