Decisions Need to Be Made

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"When you're finished changing, you're finished." - Benjamin Franklin

Hubbie and I have been focused on changes a lot this year.  The new year is less than 60 days into it and already we've had to make some tough decisions.

We've changed our diets.  Completely cleaned out our cabinets.  You will not find canola oil, white or brown sugar, white rice or cans of creamed anything, etc.  Lots and lots of organic and local products.  Little to no fast / restaurant food.  A big change.

We've also had to make a decision about Hubbie's job.  This was a tough one.  I don't think we knew how difficult it would be.  Hubbie has been with the current company for about five and a half years.  Thats a long time for us.  We've only been married for 10 (in June will be 10) years.

Hubbie's job came after a difficult time in our lives.  I'm not even 30 yet.  And before I was 25 I had to deal with a struggling marriage, job failures, the ideas of bankruptcy and a pregnancy that was suppose to wait until we were financially secure... call it disappointments of life....all jumbled up in a year or two.  Thankfully, God has a sweet plan of redemption and reconciliation.  To Him.  To each other.  Our marriage was saved.  God intervened beautifully and wrote a love story in our lives that I couldn't have written better myself.  God gave me a new man.  One that was dedicated, dependable, on fire for the Lord, loving and devoted.  God gave me a heart for my husband and washed all the disappointments away.  The Lord sent us a key to financial freedom, the key was Dave Ramsey.  We were reluctant at first, nervous and skeptical, but we had no where else to turn.  By following FPU's plan and being 100% dedicated to not going the "easy way out", we were able to pay off $50,000 in debt in a few years.  God was gracious and orchestrated many opportunities to enable us to pay off the bills.  By Hubbie working second(and third) jobs.  While working at the bank I picked up extra Saturdays and did my best to budget the heck out of our paychecks.  We ate plenty of shepherd's pie, chicken pot pie, casseroles and spaghetti.  Cheap was the name of the game!  After Hubbie's temporary job loss, at the end of 2005, he was offered a position with a company in town, programming.  It was a low pay job and I don't think he was very respected by the owner.  Well, actually, I don't think....I know he wasn't.  But, he was doing something that he loved, he was encouraged by the senior developers and he was doing what he had gone to school to do.  In 2006, Hubbie was back in touch with a kid from high school, who worked for a company that had an opening.  It sounded like a great company.  They were small and really took care of their employees, etc.  Hubbie was offered the job and we took it!  It was an answer to prayer.  Yet, again, God's providing for us.  With this new income, we made a game plan.  Using any extra funds to pay off our car!  A few months later, we began to see light at the end of the long dark tunnel!  We discussed having more babies and me being able to stay home as soon as the car was paid off.  Music to my ears!  A year after Hubbie starting with the new company, we paid off the vehicle!  A couple of months later, I put in my noticed and I became a stay-at-home-mom!  My dream come true!  Shortly after that, Peanut was born!

During the last few years, we've been blessed with extra jobs, that allowed us to pay off more debt... and finally, September 2010, paying off the remainder of our debt and becoming debt free!

When we were finished paying off debt, I had a dream of laying beside the beach for an entire week!  Just enjoying our family. Not a care in the world!  Little did we know, a month or so later, we became pregnant! With number four!  What a blessing it was to be pregnant again!  Of course, my uptight, organizing and perfection needs went into major planning, stressing and figuring.  We were renting our home.  We thought about casually looking around at other rental, perhaps bigger homes, in an area we would rather live in, just to see what we could afford.  We couldn't really afford much more than we were paying, which made things difficult.  I prayed and prayed.  Never prayed so much in my life.  Then we found out our final babe was a girl!  Oh my word!  A dream I never dared to dream.  The Lord blessing our family with a girl, when our funds are strapped?!  How will I ever manage to purchase everything she needs I want her to have?!  Not to mention, another one to provide for, along with so many things we were needing to do or would need to pay for?  I felt absolutely hopeless.  I didn't know how to make money just appear.  We were looking at a easy $5000 for everything....and I just didn't see it happening.... Then a few months later, we found out that it wasn't just an idea to look for another place to live... it was a necessity for our health.  On a very tight time line.  And even tighter budget.   I was overwhelmed.  I studied the Scriptures.  Leaned on them for promises.  Prayed for provisions.  I cried.  Lots of crying.

All while, Hubbie was trying to get another job  We discussed extra jobs.  At night.  We discussed Hubbie going back to school.  We discussed moving out of town for job opportunities.  We had been pretty disappointed with things at his current job.  Mostly that the company was having a hard time, financially, like everywhere else and everyone's income was cut (a month before Buggy was born).  We were so thankful for a job.  But that 10% was a big deal to our family.  We were equally thankful for Hubbie's former boss, the one that said he was basically worthless ( LOL) giving him a contracting job, that helped with extra bills that popped up!  It brought in a little extra money whenever he needed something done.  It was an answer to prayer.  It took up a lot of weekends and evenings, but we were thankful.

Hubbie and I discussed moving out of town.  Once or twice, there were good opportunities.  Both out of state.  Both of them, Hubbie went through the interview process.  Something would always happen.  Weird things.  And the rug was pulled out.  I know it was the Lord's protection.  Saying NO! to us.  But it was hard to handle at times.  Eventually, I began to assure Hubbie that the Lord was keeping him at the company for a reason.  We weren't sure why.  We weren't sure why we were here in town.  Why we were at this company... at this time.... but we knew God's plan was bigger and better.  We just had to trust.  When I say that the pay cut was a big pill for us to swallow, I mean a BIG pill to swallow.  I think it hurt Hubbie's feelings....  working the same job.... no promise of raises..... no bonuses.... etc.  All the things that had made the company so exciting and nice were gone.  No longer was there talk of "taking care" of their employees.  It was "be thankful you have a job"!  And again, we were!  Very very very!  Sometimes, grass is always greener and we got bit by the i-wantsy-bug! or in some cases the i-needs-bug!

We continued to pray.  Asking for God's wisdom and guidance and provisions.  We continued to tithe.  No matter what.

Finally, our hearts were healed and Hubbie was given some encouraging feedback.  We purchased a house that the Lord orchestrated for us to buy.  At the exact time we needed it.  At a price we could afford.  In the area we wanted.  We figured that with our house purchase, we needed to be pretty confident that we wanted to stay in Georgia.  In town.  For a while.  With no other housing options and a baby on the way, we agreed that this would be our home, unless God orchestrated a buyer for the home and a much better job somewhere else.

As the months have passed since we moved and Millie is with us now, all those worries of a year ago seem so far away.  That $5000 we needed for everything from new tires to paying for Millie's c-section were given.  Don't ask us how.  God was gracious.  He provided.  He provided abundantly.  I think that was my plea all year last year...." Provisions, Lord.  We need you to supply our needs. "

Now we have new worries.  New bills.  New concerns.  We have life and needs times six!  But God is still showing us His faithfulness and provisions.

Hubbie was offered a position in town last week.  It was a job that almost jumped into his lap.  I think the most God-given thing is that its a title that we thought we'd have to move out of town for.  We didn't strike it rich or anything, but in order to have this better position, Hubbie thought he would have to leave our town.  And oddly enough, just as we had settled on his current position, encouraged by a few things and hopeful, as the company is able to recover from the recession, we'd begin to be compensated more, Hubbie was offered this position.

Unfortunately, Hubbie leaves behind many good co-workers that have become like family.  Hubbie and I have welcomed 3 more babies since joining the company.  Hubbie worked so hard to lose weight by winning the companies Biggest Loser contest.  He was cheered on by many co-workers as he lost the weight and ran his first marathon and many of his first races.  But most of all, he shared his life with his co-workers and he shared theirs for almost six years.  Its a hard transition to make.  The company had become like home.  And I don't think we realized how difficult it would be to leave.

It was a difficult decision to make.  We didn't make it lightly.  The process took a few weeks, so we weren't sure what to pray for.  We were nervous, but continued to be reassured that we wanted only God's will.  We feel like it was from the Lord.  Another provision for our family.  A position that Hubbie can do very well.  And if need be, a stepping stone for the future.

Of course, change is scary!  Its uncomfortable.  The unknown can be frightening.  Hubbie's current job is comfortable.  Its flexible.  The pay periods are different!  You know, we've been getting paid once a month since Bubbie was 1 yrs old... now going to multiple checks a month.  Just feels weird.

We are very thankful, again, for Hubbie having the opportunity to have a job with one company for almost six years and for this new opportunity.  We are praising God for His continued faithfulness and for the opportunity of a job close to my parents!  We are anxious for the transition to begin.  And we wish Hubbie's company and co-workers much success in the future!