back to the basics of gratitude and faith...

The trip to see hubby's parents took a lot more out of me than even I was anticipating... and my current health issue associated with being female, over 50 and having a body out of whack is rearing it's ugly head again... those things set me up for already feeling less able to handle outside stresses... so last week when we learned that Sir Knight is among the many in our state facing new job losses, it hit me harder than it might if I was feeling better physically... As a new employee still in his probation period he was bound to be cut no matter what... and they as a family were certainly were not alone in their loss... we have heard that over 700 people have already been cut in that company alone in about one week, which is going to hit that small town area's economy VERY hard... and there will probably be more cuts... So Princess Bride and Sir Knight are scrambling to adjust and are "retrenching" as they say... A new game plan is in the works for them... I am really pleased with how they are handling themselves with faith and fortitude... They have sought the Lord in all their plans.

Despite that news... I am even more convinced that the already funded bailout that the government continues to mishandle... and new ones that they are being asked for are WRONG and very BAD ideas for our country... mostly I believe in the long run it will make this all worse... that these crisis will last longer and cost more... When your boat is sinking you don't bail water IN to save yourself...

Anyway there didn't seem to be much but bad news to share even within my own life... and so I have avoided writing... then last night during family prayer as hubby was vocalizing our shared thoughts [through what I thought was amazing levels of inspiration... since we had not talked about these things before prayer...] I was impressed to look outside our family's challenges at the challenges of others... people just barely in my circle... and I was reminded how blessed we are... We are feeling the effects of the economy like everyone else, and we have some challenges others do not face... but we are not unable to meet our obligations and we are able to show love as a family in a very positive and hands on way right now, amd within our family circle we are not plagued with some of the family bitterness from hubby's parents that we have had in past years... that is something of a miracle actually... no matter how personally challenging our current lot of troubles are... we have much love within our family and many blessings others do not enjoy...

As a family I am encouraging everyone that hears me as a matriarch to buckle themselves more solidly back into the basics... to see all that we ARE already blessed with and to stay positive and reach deep for that faith we all need to keep at the ready right now... As we pray together and for each other we are united and more able to help each other with the challenges we do face...

I am especially grateful for hubby this morning as he actively leads our family in righteousness... through his own life and example he consistantly shows his faithful trust in the Lord... I am reminded of all the things I saw in him more that 25 years ago when we first met and of all the times he has sought the Lord to lead us over those many years, all the hard but right choices we have made together. The Lord is constantly blessing our family for hubby's faith and willingness to never wallow in fear and doubt... I must never forget that... As hubby reminded me last evening... the Lord is more than in charge, He actively blesses all and that we will recognize that if we will see through whatever "fog" we are personally facing...