Life's a vacation when you have no job

Paul has been without a job since May.  At first we, mainly I, freaked.  This meant no health insurance, no cell phones, no truck for Paul, not to mention NO income from the man that put the turkey on the table.  I have had a part time/fill in position, but no guaranteed hours, and no benefits.

We tried to jump into action, pulling Jules out of school so there wouldn't be that payment, trading in both of out nice cars for a KIA (I almost cried), no satellite TV, and no dinning out.  And I started picking up as many hours as possible at the clinic, still not much though.

Alot of praying, crying, and nagging worrying.

I was offered a job that fell through, Paul had a few prospects "that would be available in the future" but not much.

Then I was reading in a daily devotional book about how God is in control, and if you keep coming to Him with worry and fret over the same thing over and over...you really are not trusting Him at all.  And that's when the light went off.

I wasn't putting my trust in God to bring us through.

So,

I stopped worrying.

And you know what happened?

Life started to go smoothly.

It started with an unknown person gifting us some money.  It was just enough, and when I say just enough, I mean the exact amount of a bill that had come in.

We started selling small things, and so on.  It always seems to be enough to pay bills and make ends meet.

The best surprise was the fact that we had applied for AR Kids First.  I got the rejection letter in the mail, and cried.

But, the day I found out about the job, we received a letter with the girls cards.  I had accidentally applied for both forms of Ar Kids, and had been denied for one kind, but not the other.  God just kept making things happen.

" You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you." He also promises to "guide our feet into the path of peace."

Once I stopped worrying and trusted Him to take care of it, Paul and I just started living and seeking God's will in our lives.  I really think that God placed me in that temporary job at the clinic because it is such a faith based atmosphere.  There were a lot of awesome women there for prayer and support, and also to help strengthen my trust to be able to completely lean on Him. 

It is amazing that for the first time in our 13 year relationship, Paul and I talk about God on a daily basis, we pray to Him, and we have both seen that He has big plans for our future and family.  We are here to serve a greater purpose.

More on that later.

but as for now, We feel like we have been on vacation for weeks!  We are so rested, and having so much fun together as a family.

 This is what we call the attack of the BIG A! This was taken the morning after a very late night Barbie hunt.  We set out at 8pm, thinking it would be a quick trip to the local Wal-Mart for the ever coveted mermaid barbie.  Jules still had a gift card from her birthday, and finally knew what she had to have.  Well, leave it to walmart to disappoint...so after a call to the Barbie Queen aka Saletha Jean, we headed to walmart in the next town over.  Guess what. They don't sell those anymore.

The girls had their hearts on taking home a barbie, so we sat and played with EVERY barbie in walmart for 2 HOURS!

And they finally decided on those/ let me re say that Jules finally decided.  Lilly held the pony from the moment she laid eyes on it.

 This is why.  She has fallen in love with horses.  This is on the 4th of July, at Bryant family fest.  Her very first time on a pony, and she wasn't the least bit scared!

 We spent a week at the lake and it was great.  Jules and Lilly are at the perfect age to be able to sit back and watch them play.  They had swim lessons the first of summer, so they think they are pro swimmers.

And this is my happy husband, doing what he loves most...About to smoke some ribs. 

So, the last 4 months have been a sort of vacation.

God answered prayers because Paul and I both got jobs today.  Insurance again and making more that before.  Thank you Lord!