Microtel Room #122

It has been an incredibly busy last week and I confess, fatigue is setting in. As you read this we'll have moved into our new home. We're very excited about being closer to our church and the various activities we participate in. It was also to bring my husband a little bit closer to his job as a senior driving instructor for a large trucking firm.

Unfortunately, without warning or time for preparation, the company for which my husband worked for ten years closed its doors last Monday. We learned of it while driving through the north Georgia mountains on our return trip home. At first we were all in dumbfounded shock. The closer we got to home, though, the more reality seemed to sink in.

In a single income home, we were without incoming revenue.

We checked into a Microtel hotel Monday night instead of driving straight through to home. My husband and I spent time in personal conversation. Some of it was lighthearted, some of it was tense and snappish. As wonderful as the weekend had been at the reThink conference and my parents', there was a tangible pall over the return trip. The children, of course, picked up on the flip-flopping of the emotions.

But one thing we did right. Tuesday morning, after eating a hearty breakfast of prepackaged muffins and apple juice, my husband gathered his wife and two children into a circle. In room #122, amid the disheveled beds, we clasped hands, bowed our heads, and prayed as a family. We each took turns praising God, thanking Him for our many blessings, and asking for His wisdom and strength through this time of trial.

My husband then committed his family to the Lord, and with convicted assurance, determined his family would continue to put God first in all things. No matter the difficulty, we were going to live our family life in a way that brought honor and glory to the Lord. I was so proud of my husband's leadership and godly humility.

It has been a week of ups and downs, sometimes within the same twenty minutes. My husband and I have yet another opportunity to teach our children how to trust in God and to praise His name in the midst of trial. Should make for lots of teachable moments.

But I'm a little worn out. I'm going to take a few days off from writing while we wait to have our new internet provider install their equipment. We should be up and running either Wednesday or Thursday, so look for a (hopefully) refreshed author to bring further insight into this wonderful privilege we have of raising children to the Lord.

Your prayers are appreciated.