No Surprise! He is Faithful!

In regards to my last post, I am so glad that I faith-ed it!

My "non-existent" eye insurance ended up covering the eye exam and I was even able to find $9 frames.  How good is our God!?!?!?!

For some reason, the bank account didn't dwindle as I thought it would.  It was like that story where Elijah stayed with the widow and her son.  They literally had only enough flour and oil to sustain themselves for a few more meals.  And then when the prophet came to stay with them, they gave what they had to feed him as well.  And for some reason beyond comprehension, the supply of flour and oil never ended.

In the same way, it is looking up for me.  I am so glad that I chose to be faithful to my faithful Lord.

My New Glasses!  YAY!

Attempting to Faith it!

While running the Coastal Fishing Station at work, I lost my glasses.  There is a moment at which I address my students in the Education Building, then I head out with equipment in hand to the beach.  At this point I put my glasses in my breast pocket of my work shirt and switched over to my prescription sunglasses.  Sometime between that point and the second rotation of students...the glasses were gone.

Now, in that time I had been running up and down the beach untangling lines, baiting hooks, and putting fish off.  So despite my efforts to find them after my second rotation...they were gone.  I did one last sweep before I moved on to the afternoon activities, but by then over 120 feet had trampled that area...so I think they are toast.

Now to be completely honest, I probably needed a new pair anyway (it's been 2 years since I got them).  BUT I have to admit I cried out of fear.  I am so afraid that I can't afford them.  You see, my insurance doesn't cover eye-care.  And to be completely honest, with my monthly salary in the 3 digit range, I have been borrowing money the past couple months.  I haven't actually tithed for a while either (though I have kept a log of what I owe God).

Anyway, I am just extremely tired of not having money.  And I really thought that this month would be the one that got me ahead.  (Not too ahead, I still have student loans that eat up 2/3 of my monthly paycheck).

The point is, I have tried to pray the prayer, "I will not put my trust in the dollar, but rather the creator of the universe."  Sometimes you pray it without feeling it.  But I want to mean it.  So I am prayerfully considering tithing the money I owe God, even if that means that I can't afford glasses this month.  I think it's time to put the money where my faith is, and trust that God will work it out.

Please pray for me as I do this...because it is a very big step.  Without the glasses, I can't drive much, and my teaching might even be affected.  But with the grace of God, I want to sow in faith.

A Mom for Mother's Day

I had the joy of getting to see my mother for Mother's Day!

Actually, I got her for a whole week.  

Work has been crazy lately, with recent cut back in hours, the majority of the staff can't get all the work done in the little time.  Because my co-worker and I are contracted, we wouldn't be affected by the cuts right?  WRONG!  We work the same amount of time, but do more...with the housekeepers picking up the slack in the kitchen, we are required to moonlight as janitors.  I think by the end of this experience, I might be able to clean 4 toilets in 2 mins.  (A skill I have never thought I would need :-P )  In addition to the cleaning, (and soon to be the food prep since we have now been told to prepare our own meals on the days we teach), we have had school groups almost every day of the week.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, I needed some mom-time.  And my momma delivered!

We packed a lot into her visit.  She came on a Saturday afternoon, and after a trip to the steakhouse we joined in a historic Ghost Tour.  On Sunday we had tea with the ladies from church and then enjoyed some rented movies.  Monday I asked off of work.  We hopped on the ferry over to Fort Fisher and went to the NC Aquarium.  Then it was up the coast of NC to Wilmington for the most delicious day of eating ever.  We started in "The Shuckin Shack" for lunch (amazing oyster po-boy) and then had time to mosey on over to the Cotton Exchange for some window shopping.  That evening we went to "Circa 1922" which is the most amazing Gourmet restaurant in the region by far!  I had a mountain goat cheese ratatouille and mom had the filet minion.  We ended the evening with a horse drawn tour of the historic district.

Though I worked the rest of the week, we were able to do quite a bit in the afternoons.  We lazed on the beach, rented even more movies, shopped, sat on the river front, toured the local forts and museums and even went fishing. 

My momma and I at the Aquarium!

It was hard to say goodbye to my mother yesterday.  She is one of the few people I can be myself with...and it was just so comfortable to have her here. I love her to pieces.  Needless to say, I had a great Mother's Day.  And I am certain that she had a great Mother's Day as well.