Sweet, Sweet Blessings

I lost my job on Monday -- it's a business decision and not based on my work.  It'll be ok.  In the midst there have been plenty of mixed blessings: I had all of my Christmas shopping completed.  I only have to get 1 allergy shot vs. 4 per month - I can afford that.  Our show opens in 2 weeks - I now have time to work on items for the show.   (Buy your tickets now - Dec 9-11 - www.chapelgate.org/iawl - no pressure!)

The biggest blessing is time to go thru my storage unit to get rid of things.  This is so hard!  I have already gone thru 22 boxes of books and am getting rid of at least 10.  That's big for Debby!!

Today I was going thru a box of letters and cards I have kept over the years.  And they make me cry just thinking about them.  There are letters from my dad.  There are letters from my brothers.  There are letters from my mom.  And they just make me cry.  Seeing in writing that my dad was proud of me -- tears, even now.  Seeing fun letters from my brother wondering why I would mail his letter in the same envelope with my mom's in hopes that she wouldn't read his letter.  Silly Debby.  Letters from my parents in the midst of a job loss for my dad and their constant faith and trust in our Living active God.  Letters from another brother wondering where God will send him as he is looking to be a missionary.  Sweet, sweet letters.

My mom loves to skype so she can see what I look like.  (I told her to hold up and move around my  most recent picture to get the same effect - doesn't work as well!)  At the end of our conversation, she said, "Debby, I'm praying that God directs you in the means where you should go and that you get a great job... let's pray right now."  Sweet, sweet blessings.

On thanksgiving, one brother called to let me know that my 2 year old niece has been praying for me in my job loss.  That morning they had been reading the story about Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus.  The little one said, "Jesus help Bartimaeus, Jesus help Aunt Debby!"  Sweet, sweet moments.

What blessings in the midst of struggle to be reminded that God is in the midst, is at work, and loves his people - for they are his.