Peace, Be Still

OK so it is 4:30 in the morning and I should probably resist the urge to write in the blog. It doesn't seem very sensible, but I have a lot on my mind, I am warning you now, you can still leave the blog and come back in a few days and something else will be up and you can just skip this entry all-together. Nonetheless, I am writing this to sort some stuff out.

1. So my husband was laid-off, part of me is scared and worried and part of me is hopeful and reassured that something amazing will come of this.

2. This weekend at church, the bishop (for those of you who are not Mormon-that is our head pastor) made an announcement about a guy in our ward (our congregation) who was very ill and in the hospital. He has had health problems throughout his life--heart issues, I think. He is married, both he and his wife are about the same age as Nathan and me. I have been thinking about them both and with technology being what it is, I have been keeping tabs on them on Facebook. Yesterday, he passed away. My heart goes out to Marla and Rob. I can't even imagine what she must be going through.

3. The girls have not been sleeping well(babies-teething, Hannah-allergies/cold). Which means I haven't been sleeping well (at all).

1+2+3=I am up because the girls were up and now I can't go back to sleep. I am just thinking about everything. I want to be worried about Nathan and the whole not-having-a-job thing and what to do with our life, but all I can think about is what is must be like to have to crawl into bed alone without my husband ever again. I am so grateful for his snoring and drooling; I am grateful for how positive he always is about everything, saying "it will all work out". I am grateful that I have three beautiful girls that need their mommy in the middle of the night. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have about God and the peace that we can find with Him. Right now I am thinking about the hymn "Master the tempest is raging..."

Master, the tempest is raging! The billows are tossing high!

The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.

No shelter or help is nigh.

Carest thou not that we perish?

How canst thou lie asleep

When each moment so madly is threat’ning

A grave in the angry deep?
The winds and the waves shall obey thy will:Peace, be still.

Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea

Or demons or men or whatever it be,

No waters can swallow the ship where lies

The Master of ocean and earth and skies.

They all shall sweetly obey thy will: Peace, be still; peace, be still.

They all shall sweetly obey thy will: Peace, peace, be still.

and the Bible verses that it is based on in Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 23-28

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

As I sit here typing I am moved by the incredible courage that so many around me have, I am grateful for this trial and think that I have a choice, we all have a choice really. Do I fear or do I have faith? Will I allow this horrible storm and tempest overcome me? Or will I have faith that our Lord is over all things and can calm this storm? Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, we need them, I need them. I have faith in Him who can calm even the greatest storm. Peace, be still. It will all work out.

Every time a door closes, God opens a window..

Nathan lost his job at Carlson today after being there for nearly 7 years and two promotions. Over the last three years Carlson has laid off a huge part of their workforce and the ax finally swung Nathan's way. We don't know yet what we are doing. That company is interesting in how it lays people off, it calls you into a office, sits you down and then tells you that you are done, then they walk you to your desk and stands there while you get your stuff and then you are escorted out of the building. (they have called security in case someone gets out of hand.) See ya! Last day, say goodbye to your co-workers as you walk by. So that was it, then Nathan called me and told me the news.

We have felt prompted to look for a new job, new place, new plan for the last year but needed to stay put with the babies coming and then being so new, but maybe this is our time to make a change. We are praying for guidance as to where to look, and what to do about insurance, housing, etc.

Hopefully if you get a call wondering about Nathan's character you will give him a raving reference.