Wednesday, August 31, 2011

The Blessing of Unemployment

Dear God,

I know I've been asking you for awhile now to give Steven a job.  I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for NOT answering my prayer.

If Steven had started a new job, he might not have been able to stay with me at the hospital when our baby was born.  He might have had to work rather than staying with me at the NICU as we waited for our son to come home.

With the pressure of employment, Steven would not have been able to put in all the hours necessary to work on the house so we could move in.  Our move certainly would have been delayed, and the unpacking and settling-in would not yet be done.

Yes, I can see how it has been best that he has been unemployed.  You had it worked out all along.

Usually I associate unemployment with lack and despair.  But not now.  You have met our every need, and then some we weren't even asking for.  Thanks for the house that is big enough for our family to spread out a bit.  Thanks for giving us a refrigerator and a washer and dryer before we even moved in.  Thanks for providing for movers to get all our stuff moved on one of the hottest days of the year.   Thanks for giving us a whole new living room full of furniture so we can offer people a place to sit when they come over to visit.  You have blessed us in so many ways; I'm overwhelmed with gratitude. 

Now that the baby is home and healthy and the home improvement projects are done enough for us to live comfortably, I'm tempted to worry and fret, thinking that now would be a good time for a paycheck to start.  But I've learned that I don't always have the best perspective and that you don't need a paycheck to provide for your children.  We're committed to follow wherever you lead.  You are always faithful.