God is Good!

1 week to the day of Jaye being let-go from his job, he had an interview at another company that had been recommended to him by 2 separate people. When he was doing his research he discovered that several of the people in leadership were believers and that many of their clients were Christian organizations/groups.

From the beginning of the interview it was quite obvious that Jaye was exactly the man they were looking for. His skill set matched perfectly the needs that they had. They seemed to be impressed with Jaye and Jaye liked what he could gather about the company. The only draw backs would be no dental/vision insurance and he wasn't sure they could pay what he was asking for.

Fast forward another 6 days and Jaye gets a call from this company, offering him a job. They could only offer $1k over what he was asking but they were willing to compensate in other areas to bring his total pay up a bit. While it wasn't the pay increase Jaye was hoping for, we both decided that the company itself had the values and integrity that Jaye was looking for and we had trust that God would provide for us.

Jaye was only out of work for 2.5 weeks...not bad at all! It almost felt like a mini-vacation, having him home everyday. I'm sure he was happy to go to work today as he's been with Hope almost every day. It was such a treat to see him everyday...to have him up when I got home from work and then to get to talk and spend time together each morning! I'm so grateful for the quality time we all got to spend together!!

Another positive about Jaye being home was that I got to really focus on running. I managed to get out 3 days each week, all by myself! On Friday I even got up to 5 miles!!! I have my 10k in less than a week and I am confident that I can do it! I may not run it all, but I will finish it and can do so in a decent time!

So today begins a new adventure for our family and a new job for Jaye. My prayer for him today is that he will get a sense of peace and will leave with the confidence that he is exactly where God wants him!

Run to Win

In 19 days I have a 10k run that I have signed up for. I signed my brother and I up back at the beginning of January and had this great vision of running the whole thing and being in love with running by the time my race came. I completed my 5k end of January and really did enjoy it, but found myself lacking motivation and drive after that race when it came to training at the gym. It was just so hard to run/train on the treadmill for up to 70 minutes at a time. I thought maybe I'd do better running outside so I searched Craigslist until I found a steal on a jogging stroller. I do definitely prefer to be outside, but it wasn't the cure-all answer.

I've still found myself not motivated and tend to stop to walk sooner than I should. I've not followed my Couch to 10k app since just after my 5k, over a month ago....but I have been out, just not as diligently as I should and definitely not at the intensity I should be running with. I was out last week with a cold, but did get 2 good walks in, but no running.

This week I am determined to get back into it. I've decided to make my own goals and just do my best, doing away with the app. I made it out yesterday and had a pretty good run. I now have goals of how far I want to run (to which landmark) and think I have found a pretty good system. I have 3 weeks to get myself ready which means I need to push myself hard and be VERY intentional about training.

Here's a verse that has been on my mind/heart the past few days:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." -1 Cor. 9:24-27 (NIV)

I learned this verse in the NIV but this morning found it in The Message...LOVE it!

"You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold for eternity. I don't know about you but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else about and then missing out myself." - 1 Cor. 9:24-27 (Msg)

I need to give this running thing "everything I've got"!!! That being said, I need to get dressed and get out there for today's run!

TRUST

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart. Lean not on your own understandings, but in all your ways acknowledge HIM and HE will make your paths straight." - Prov. 3:5-6

Last Wednesday I got a text from my husband, asking me to pray. Apparently when he checked our bank account to make sure his check had gone in, he discovered that he'd been paid more than double his normal amount. I didn't know what this meant, but he had a good idea and began packing up his things at work. Turns out his idea was right and he was let go an hour later. He called and asked me to pick him up as he had ridden the train to work that morning and another train wouldn't be returning home for quite some time.

As I drove the 40 minutes to the train station to pick him up I kept hearing Prov. 3:5-6 in my head. For some reason, I had a peace about all of this. After we picked him up and headed home we were talking in the car about what happened and what comes next. It seems his company is heading in a new direction and they just didn't have the business coming in to justify Jaye's spot. They reassured him that it had nothing to do with performance and told Jaye how much they valued him and how sorry they were. Jaye had just gotten a new iphone for work a few weeks ago and they let him keep it. We had also started talking about the need to buy a new computer as the one we had been relying on for the past 3 years was Jaye's work computer. It's hard to fathom making a major purchase like a computer when you know that income is limited and soon will be non-existent. When Jaye went in the following day to pick up his things and transfer files onto a drive, they offered to let Jaye borrow/hold on to his computer until he got settled in a new job. They didn't have to do that.

As Jaye and I talked more about what this all meant, he shared with me something that gave me even more peace. Starting on the 22nd of February we started a 40-day fast with our church. We were asked to write down on a card what we were fasting FROM and what we were fasting FOR (what we'd be praying for and seeking God about). On Jaye's card he had written down that he was fasting for wisdom at work...a possible raise in pay, whether or not he should begin looking elsewhere, and that somehow, he'd be able to make more of a dent in paying off debt. Well, God had clearly showed Jaye that his current job was not where HE wanted him. No doubt about it.

Ironically, Jaye had contacted a temp agency that he had worked with prior to being hired at his current job, just the day before he got laid off. This agency is specifically for graphic and web designers and they had placed Jaye at his current job 4 years ago. Jaye was able to meet with them the following day and they were very promising and hopeful about work for Jaye. It sounds like there is plenty of contract-to-hire work and there is also full-time work available that they feel he is more than qualified for. They also talked about salary and pay and it turns out many of the positions they would consider him for pay a lot more than he was making. Aside from the temp group, Jaye has also received several leads and recommendations from friends and has several other avenues to explore already.

I love the way God works! No, it is definitely not ideal to be jobless, but we have enough to get through this month and doors seem to be opening for Jaye. I am so grateful that we serve a God who is SOOOOO much bigger than what we could imagine or dream of. I find rest and peace knowing that HE has a plan for our lives. He knows what we need and I fully believe that He will provide for our family. I am excited to see what He has in store for Jaye and am looking forward to seeing HIS plan unfold for our family!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with ALL of your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord." - Jeremiah 29:11-13

Good Morning Girls

A group of us from my Mom's group are doing something called "Good Morning Girls". Basically it is a form of accountability for being in the Word. Each day we are supposed to post a verse or passage that stands out and then what it means to us. I am excited about this as I think the accountability will be sooo good for me!

2/20/2012 8:30am

"No worker can serve two bosses: He'll either hate the 1st and love the 2nd or adore the 1st and despise the 2nd. You can't serve both God and the Bank." -Luke 16:13

I will be the 1st to admit that I am not very smart or disciplined with money. I have little self-control in this area and tend to pick up little things that we don't really need. We've gone through Financial Peace University in the past and learned so many valuable tools, but I haven't stuck with it. Everytime I read the verse above I am reminded of the verse that says, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"...I want my treasure to be in Christ and I want to hide His Word in my heart...but reality is that my treasure often times becomes found in things, in material possessions. My desire is contentment and discipline financially. I want to serve God and put Him 1st and not waste our money on things we don't need.

About Me

This past week has been a week of self-inventories.... 5 Love Languages for Mom's Group & Strengths Finder for work. I took both tests and I think I have changed in both since the last time I took them...Interesting.

5 Love Languages:

1. Quality Time
2. Words of Affirmation
3. Acts of Service
4. Physical Touch
5. Receiving Gifts

Strengths Finder: (you have to buy the book for this one)

1. Developer
2. Adaptability
3. Responsibility
4. Relator
5. Belief

Now I need to read more and compare and figure out how these results translate into every day life...

#741. getting to witness her creativity...she's currently painting maps
#742. a new jogging stroller
#743. Disneyland nights with dear friends
#744. 65 minutes on a treadmill
#745. playdates with friends
#746. snuggling a sweet baby girl
#747. jumping motorcycles
#748. upcoming races and runs
#749. lots and lots of hockey
#750. Straight Fixation cream...what a difference
#751. friends who encourage this new running venture
#752. her silly sense of humor

Neverland Fun Run

Yesterday was our big Neverland Family Fun Run (my 5k)!! After 8 weeks of training and following a training plan, I was ready! Never in my life did I ever think I'd even remotely enjoy running...and yet, there I was, training for a 5k and running 3 times a week. A friend from work signed up with me and we decided to be pirates as we figured there would be LOTS of fairies...

We picked up our race numbers and headed to the Expo where we saw lots of really fun running gear. Saw a few shirts I liked, but didn't feel like I was qualified to wear them as most were for serious runners and many said stuff about 13.1 miles....someday. I did find 1 thing that I had read about and was quite excited to find "Sweatybands"...they're no-slip headbands that people swear by. I am not a fan of hair in my face when running and all the headbands I have slip off and I get annoyed at having to constantly fix them. I am now the proud owner of a sweatyband!

After the Expo we still had 4 hours to kill as our run wasn't until 10:30PM. We took a few pictures at Disneyland and then headed over to CA Adventure for dinner. After dinner we still had time to kill so we walked through Downtown Disney and found fun surprises for our kids!

By race-time we were pretty excited! It was a beautiful night and we were ready to run! As we waited to start we got to enjoy the Disney DJ and people-watch...so many fun costumes and ideas for future runs!

My goal was to run the whole 3.1 miles and I am VERY proud to say that I ran the whole thing. I didn't really have a goal as far as time goes, but I did the 5k in 32 minutes. It was great to run inside the park and to get a glimpse of life behind the scenes as much of our run was through the back lots. Our run started in Disneyland and then ended in CA Adventure. I was a little tired at about mile 2.5(ish) but was able to keep going. I loved that I was familiar with the course and knew that the finish line wasn't much further. I discovered that I don't love running downhill, but don't mind the uphill too much. It is definitely fun to run with a friend and I am so thankful to have had a buddy to run with!

The finisher "medals" are actually rubber, but oh well. I did it! I finished and enjoyed my 1st 5k and for the first time in my whole life, I ran 3.1 miles straight. I enjoyed every aspect of it and now find myself looking for my next race. I have signed up for a 10k in March and definitely think it is do-able! Can't wait for future runs and adventures!!

I can't forget to say THANK YOU to my amazing friends and family members who encouraged me daily and cheered me on as I endeavored on this new journey. I had the best cheer-leaders ever and am so grateful for their support!