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Shelly, my mom has had rotator cuff surgery 3 times over the last 12 yrs. Twice on the same shoulder in two different places. She spent last spring and summer in PT after surgery. A torn rotator is very uncomfortable!
I will add everyone to my prayer list.
I have an update to share with you all. Last week after I asked for prayer warriors, I asked my spouse if he thought everything going on was Satan at work. His reply was I don't know, maybe. Tonight he asked why I thought that and I told him that the Holy Spirit was leading me to that conclusion. It's kinda hard to miss spiritual warfare when it is so blatant and bold. He finally admitted that he was thinking the very same thing. Over the last few days, my husband has gotten two positive messages/ phone calls. Now mind you he has been turning in resumes every week since the new year. Dozens of them with only one phone interview as a result. We are still waiting to see if there will be a face to face interview. I told my husband that he needed to ask for help and talk to everyone he knew to find job leads. He couldn't be proud and needed to speak up. I also said he needed to be willing to flip burgers temporarily if that's what it took. I don't think he was ready to hear that but after a few days, he agreed. Since that time, he found several job listings in the last two days and has already had two inquiries back about those jobs. HE will have an initial phone interview on Monday at 10am.
I want to ask you all to continue to pray for us! It took all of you praying on our behalf for these things to happen. There is a 2 yr gap in his professional resume. When he lost his job, he said God was leading him into full time Christian service and to wait and a job would be provided. a few jobs popped up that looked promising but things happened where they didn't turn into a real job.During the last two years he has used other skills to add income to his military retirement. This was needed income as his retirement doesn't cover everything. I have already told you that the extra income from odd jobs have been gone since November so something needs to happen one way or the other very soon. He wants to contact Samaritan's Purse in the morning to see if anything new might be available before he does these other interviews. He will have to go back to being a senior program manager if a job is offered. He also had an inquiry about doing part time consulting work today. This may also fill our financial need and still give him time to wait on what God has lined up in the future. Please pray for guidance, wisdom and peace. The peace is for me because I am about to lose my mind waiting!!!!!
Oh and I forgot to tell you my praise in the midst of all of this. first the story so you see where I am coming from.
I have lots and lots of toys and supplies in my craft room so I have still been able to keep my creative outlet the last two yrs without spending tons of money. I am now to the point where I do need to replenish some things here and there. God provided!
1. I won the iamroses challenge a few months ago after I had emptied several containers of flowers and had been thinking I would need some new supplies this year. I had never entered any of their challenges before.
2. I'm out of a few colors of card stock and dye ink. I won a gift certificate during LOVEFEST and wouldn't ya know that they have almost exactly what I need? The gift certificate is almost the same amount to just cover those items!
3.Last week I was asked to enter one of my cards in a contest on another person's blog and I did. I just found out that I am a winner there too and there will be a bonus gift sent with that package. Now I have no idea what stamp set is being sent or what the bonus gift is but I do know that it is probably something else I may need or it will be that this person will be important in some way in the future. God provided and not coincidence! BTW this person is a Christian and there is a bit more to this story but not enough space to type it all here.
4. A few months ago I was contacted by someone who wanted to start at Wish RAK. She wanted to mail me the stamp set and let me stamp what I needed and then return it. I explained how she needed to stamp a few images and then mail the images. A few weeks later, she contacted me and told me how life happened and that she would grant my wish. I told her she didn't need to worry about it at all and she didn't need to do it. Many weeks passed and on Friday an envelope from her arrived in my mail. She sent the brand new, never used stamp set with the message "keep it". Now mind you this happened right after some very depressing news. From where I am standing at this moment in time. That's another God thing happening. Maybe this stamp set will have some significance or maybe this was just finding a new faith filled friend. I'm not sure yet but I know God had been at work.
5. I just won another challenge prize from one of my all time fave stamp companies. That means new stamps even though I'm not able to buy much at the moment.
In January I set some crafty goals. I wanted to join some challenges. Not for prizes but just to do it. Most of the challenges I participate in are here at SCS. I also wanted to try my hand at being on a design team again and I'm kinda picky about where I apply. I want the company to fit my style. Most of these companies have DT members with long resumes which I do not have. Anyway, you can see that some of the goals have already been accomplished and I have been invited to guest design later in the year.
You see I was to the point where I wanted to be able to serve God with my craft skills and after things that happened to me the last few years, I wasn't sure I should even continue paper crafting even though I enjoyed it so much. I kept asking God for direction and I had silence for many months. With all the bad things heaped on me, I was ready to walk away if need be even though I didn't want to. Over the last few months, God has been revealing that I am on the right path and has opened a door. It may just be a crack but I am seeing answers. I am also seeing validation of my work and that has been important to me. All this didn't happen until I was ready to walk away. Now you all just need to keep me humble and I'll be okay!
My husband likes Bring the Rain by MercyME. I do too but I have had lots and lots of rain the last 8 yrs. To the point I couldn't take anything else and at times this can be a hard song to listen to. I sit here now listening to this song, believing every word and verse of this tune. I am this tune!
I know this......
Bring an umbrella in life cause there is plenty of rain
God is Holy
God is Mighty
God is providing
God may not be on my time but he's right on time!
Early Blessed Easter wishes for those of you who may be busy this weekend and will not have alot of time to come and check in here!
Paula- what a story! God has a plan- and I am sure once it is revealed you will be so Thankful! It sounds as though alot of good things are coming your way! so cool to hear that! Your cards are beautiful- yes- enter challenges! Design teams do not always look for people who have a zillion followers either- they look for people who will present their images and supplies in a way that will make people go shopping..... Good pictures on the blogs are important.....
OK- off to accomplish something- lots to get done and I am procrastinating!
Paula, thank you for sharing your story! Your faith remains strong and will pull you through and your sense of gratitude is abundant, my friend! continued prayers and have fun with all your new goodies arriving Crafting is a wonderfully peaceful thing!
And to all - hello! Life is just on overdrive here and 'something has to give' has been my crafting life. I'm just in a blur but do think of you all and will stop in as often as I can Hugs and lots of love!
Thank you everyone! I hope you all get family time tomorrow. We are postponing Easter dinner until my daughter comes home from school so I won't be cooking a big meal.
that waking kitty is so cute!
Thanks for your input Shelly. I am always looking for ways to improve. I want a light box for taking pics. at the moment I use 3 ott lights for photography and it isn't enough. I still have background shadows. When things improve, I can consider that purchase.
I will not be able to be on SCS at all tomorrow. Early church service, brunch between services, start of second service to hear roomie sing and play trumpet again, late brunch with her sister at the restaurant in her new place, then Easter supper in Illinois with my nephew's family................. Yes, lots of eating! See you all Monday and have a Blessed Easter!
Howdy! I forgot to wish Shelly a happy birthday! I hope you had a fun filled day!!!
Can someone please explain the next blog hop?
Update: Phone interview went very well and they wish to have a face to face interview. Another avenue that looked like it might produce fruit was closed today.
Scripture: "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story�
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe..." ~ Psalm 107:2
This is one of my favorite times of year, celebrating this time of Christ's resurrection! On Easter morning when the tomb was empty, the gift to all of us was the assurance that we will live again and be given eternally glory. As Christians, of course, we hope to know Christ and accept him as our Savior and share the gospel with friends, family, those we fellowship with. Truly when God died on that cross for you, for me, for all of us, he paid the price for us to worship at his feet and redeem ourselves. On this hop today, we all unite to share our creations with you as well as a letter on each stop of the way. Please remember the letter on your host's blog and at the end ( Kelly ) will ask you to write the word from all the letters in order! What's more fun, there is a prize for one lucky winner which will be given at random from all those leaving the Guess the Word comment! ♥ Blessings to each of you! ♥
Challenge: This month, create a card/project/scrapbook page/picture based on the scripture above and what the meaning you pull from that is. Tell us your story! What speaks to your heart? What gifts do you have that you give to others as part of a fellowship - do you read, pray, write, create, walk, sing? There are so many parts in each of us ~ what part of your story are you sharing with others?
As an added bonus but not required!! Please use the color GREEN {my VERY favorite color!}somewhere on your card to represent newness, growth, the blossoming of nature around us and the blooming friendships we have!
Good Afternoon--Happy Monday after Easter, also know as "I ate too much yesterday day--especially from the basket of goodies"!
I hope you had a wonderful Easter--we sure did and it lasted all day! Our temps got into the mid 70's, which was warmer than the forecast. It was wonderful!!!!!!
Today, I had a late breakfast with one of my former co-workers, stopped at my SU demos house to get my April club order and stopped by church to help set up for our annual rummage sale on the 3rd. We set all of the tables in the family-life center and for the next two weeks, people bring items in for us to price and sell. I am the co-chair, so I will be at church many evenings for the next two weeks.
I'm sorry I've been MIA....seems like I can't find enough time to get anything done anymore. Trying to catch up on posts....and praying for you all!! I'm still here...just quiet I guess.
Zella, glad you stopped in today I did too this am for the 15 minutes I was home and my post went poof! I keep hitting the wrong key on this new laptop (well, it's 2ish months old but I still can't get used to it!) and my posts disappear. Not energy or frame of mind to retype things! I am a tired mama, that's for sure.
But God is good and always provides - full plate, heavy heart but I know that there is always goodness in each of the trials!
Hello all! I have lots of nervous energy and have had the last two weeks. Hubby was offered a job here in our small town. The pay is very low. Less than 1/3 of his normal job before but it would solve our immediate needs of general monthly living expenses and daughters tuition/housing as long as we stay on a no frills budget.
He has a face to face interview tomorrow in the city. It is a folllow up to Monday's phone interview. The board of directors will also be sittting in on the interview. The phone interviewer wants to hire him because of his experience but this company isn't sure they want to pay the salary that comes with all that experience. The good news is that the company is in a growth cycle and will need more upper level management such as this as they continue to grow. They like very much what they see in the resume.
I am so thankful for his military retirement! Financially and for the type of experience he gained.
The interview begins at 12:30.
Hello SCS Friends--late check in for me as I had an appointment early this morning, then did a bunch of shopping and errands--just got home a bit ago. Going to the family room to start to swap out the farm cards--there sure are some cuties in the packages! Tomorrow I am heading to the Scrapbook Expo, so I am not sure I will be on SCS in the morning. Then, we are heading out of town tomorrow night for the weekend, so if I do not make it back, have a wonderful weekend too!
