this year ain't over yet

so I am still determined to end this year on a good note. It still will. If you do not know, which most do. Doug got laid off from his job last week. Apparently, they were eliminating one salaried position from every Seacoast Supply and lucky him, his was the one to be eliminated. They did offer him an hourly position thinking that he would just take that. Did he surprise them by saying "No thanks." He took the incentive package instead. This has given Doug the opportunity to do something he has been wanting to do since we got married...join the military. It is all in God's time. Every other time he wanted to join I absolutely stomped and squashed that dream by saying "No way" I refuse to leave and live somewhere else where I know nobody. We also could not afford it at the time. However, this time I am very supportive and actually excited for him for this opportunity. Will it be easy? no...especially when he has to go away for basic training for 9 weeks. This will of course lead the girls and I to move in to the in laws (His parent's, not mine...had to clarify before my mom reads this and has a stroke thinking we are moving in with them.) Will this be the easiest situation...no,. However, sometimes sacrifices need to be made and it is only for a season. we will trudge through and hopefully have attitudes that glorify God through all this. I also do realize that there is that chance he could get called to Iraq for a year and a half or some other tour somewhere else we can't go. However, he could get stationed in some horrible place like Hawaii or Puerto Rico and man would I just hate living there (yeah right, if that happens we would do lots of homeschooling lessons on how beautiful the beach is) So I am thinking about all the positive aspects out of this:



one: this is absolutely a cake walk compared to any other obstacle I have dealt with this year. Trust me on that one.



two: I never have to worry about my girls adjusting to a new school....They always will have the same teacher no matter where they go. homeschooling rocks!!!



three: Doug and I are such a team now that we are in this together and no matter what I know that where ever we go I will always be with my best friend. I am pretty extroverted when I want to be ,so making new friends is never a problem. the times when I want to be a hermit, I have my eldest daughter who will make friends with anybody anywhere and will force me to make friends with the parents of those she wants to play with.



four: my job, Partylite can be done anywhere....even out of country on any military base. I will continue to do that until God says "stop'



five:living with the in laws will save us so much money. It is actually very foreseeable to be completely debt free within the next year. Yes, I mean completely. We are selling our house and paying off every debt we have. We have been on the verge of bankruptcy and have been praying for a way to not have to do so. It seems that God is answering that...in a way that I never would have planned. We have so learned a lesson in what is really important and living within our means, not beyond. We refuse to ever have a credit card again and car payment if we can avoid it.



I feel like Job. I can look back at this year and see God saying " Have you considered my servants Tory and Doug?" Of course we did not handle every situation exactly like Job, but I can see God allowing the enemy to do certain things knowing full well what the outcome would be...while Satan on the other end does not. Satan just tries to do things to get us to turn away from God and reject him. Well I have news for him I WILL NOT REJECT HIM. I can not imagine going through anything I have been through without Him. I would rather have the stuff of life keep happening and have be close to my almighty Lord than have things be smooth sailing and not be walking with Him. Besides Jesus even said hard times would happen...it just is a matter of when not if


James 1:2-3
consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything



Oh yeah....now I am encouraged. That is what I love about His word. I just tried to find a verse showing that hard times will happen to those that believe...and I find this one. How cool is our God? Yes, I do find joy and yes, I definitely am learning perseverance. Bring it on...Bring on the rain, because eventually the sun shines through.

"Bring The Rain" by Mercy Me

I can count a million times

People asking me how

I Can praise You with all that I've gone through

The question just amazes me

Can circumstances possibly

Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed

Long before these rainy days

It's never really ever crossed my mind

To turn my back on you, oh Lord

My only shelter from the storm

But instead I draw closer through these times

So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace

Bring the chance to be free

Bring me anything that brings You glory

And I know there'll be days

When this life brings me pain

But if that's what it takes to praise You

Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of

The dark clouds that may loom above

Because You are much greater than my pain

You who made a way for me

By suffering Your destiny

So tell me what's a little rain

So I pray

Holy, holy, holy

Is the Lord God Almighty