December Update

Wow, I can't believe its been a month since I posted anything! Looking over my last couple of posts, I feel I should start with an update on how things are going job-wise and business wise. Its a long story with a short plot. 

Terrible.

I'm not sure the T-shirt thing is actually going to work out. The idea is nice, but the logistics of it may prove unmanageable. I am still trying to get all the details worked out, but in the end, the amount of profit we could make out of it all may not be worth it. :(

As for the job search... well, I look at the classifieds every day. I have applied for several jobs and been called to interview at a few. The thing that I'm starting to notice is that every place that calls me back is, well, not very particular about who they'll hire. I'm competing with high school dropouts who probably can't pass their drug tests at other places. Its a frustrating experience. 

The other trend has been that in every interview I've had, my church experience is brought up in a negative way - "I see here you've worked at different churches for the last 12 years... many of our employees here may not be the same kind of people that you are used to dealing with - you may here some language, etc.. that you may not be used to." Ha! If they only knew! And they don't say it, but skirt around the issue that makes me feel like they are afraid I'm going to come in and try and start a revival in their workplace. I figure for every place that's called me and brought that up, there are 4 or 5 places that don't bother to call, and just assume I'd not fit in.

There is good news, however!
God has been working in incredible ways with the people around us. A few times now, our income has been less than we needed, and every time money has appeared from somewhere to cover it. Our situation is sort of depressing and sort of uplifting at the same time.

Matthew 6:25-34 has become our theme verse.  

It's always in the back of my mind:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

"So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I'll be honest with you, its difficult for me. I feel like I need to be making sure we are financially covered and feel this desperate need to get a job, yet at the same time feel like by doing that, I'm not trusting God to take care of us.

I feel selfish for wanting more. For not being happy with just "getting by".

It really is a faith issue and I'm working on it. Until then, I'm not going to force anything, but keep my eyes open because I know that "[God] knows what [He's] doing. [He] has it all planned out—plans to take care of [us], not abandon [us], plans to give [us] the future [we] hope for." - Jeremiah 29:11