Random Blarg

(because it's coming out, one way or another)

What a crazy week! I started out skipping my Sunday Snippet and opted for a more loose schedule between services. No problem, we have established how I feel about Sundays. I am proud of the way I stuck to my guns this week (or pencils comparatively speaking), in the face of my work schedule. Monday I worked 12 hours, Tuesday was 10, Wednesday and Thursday were 9 each. So if we do the math, I knocked out my 40 in 4 days. So, what to do with Friday? Normally, I would have had the option to take the day off, but there is so much to do, I dove into Over Time.

I did, however, take a long lunch to go to my daughters' school and enjoy elementary cuisine... and I use the term cuisine loosely. I forgot what it was like to appreciate a giant chicken nugget on a bun as the best thing I've had all week. Discerning palates develope later in life, in conjunction with the frontal lobe, I assume. It was still a good time, and I don't know if this is something to be proud of or ashamed of, but one of the girl's friends refered to me as awesome.

An additional bonus to getting time and a half on Friday is that I was at my desk to get the call from corporate, offering me the permanent position I have so eagerly been awaiting. That's right, I have been doing the happy dance every 5 minutes since. "Show me the benefits!!" It was a glorious day.

Then this morning my son did a presentation at our church association district meeting and we were able to raise enough money to meet the halfway mark deadline for his mission trip to Brazil. He is a sophomore who was chosen by our International Missions board to be a part of an annual teen group that is sent out to assist our missionaries in the field for two weeks. It is exciting and I am proud of the man he is becoming.

My husband and I have also answered the call to go on the 2011 trip to Cote de Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and do photojournalistic coverage of the mission. Hubby with the camera, and me as the journalist. I have never been more proud of the man, as he has always adhered to an old military stance of "never volunteer for anything". But here he is, ready to volunteer to fly halfway around the world and provide his services, free of charge. He deserves a big 'ol smoochy for that one!

For every God moment we have, it seems, the devil gives us a pinch. He is doing everything he can to discourage us and keep us from fullfilling our calling. When we got home from the meeting there was a letter in the mail stating that my husband's unemployment benefit has run out.

Really?

We are going to lose our minivan and be left with the Dodge Dakota 4x4 pick-em-up truck. Thankfully it has a slightly extended cab, so there's a back seat. We can fit all 5 of us semi-comfortably. My oldest son, 19, is living a bohemian lifestyle and has his own car, so we don't have to try to accommodate him. While I hate the idea of forfeiting a vehicle, it will save us a payment every month and licensing fees, and insurance. What the devil meant for evil, God will use for good. There are a lot of people with way bigger inconveniences than mine... I for one am going to count my blessings.

Tomorrow there will be church where I'm facilitating a new study for Sunday School class, then we're going to a Girlscouts self-defense class, and then Super Bowl party with friends. And somewhere in there we will squeeze in a winter storm with 6 inches of snow accumulation. I just hope it's pretty like the storm on Friday. I may or may not get to the Snippet again.

We shall see what we shall see.