New Beginnings...Again

It feels like our family has gone through such a whirlwind of new beginnings ever since we brought our daughter home in January 2009. Let's see...let me reflect on all of the changes in the past two and a half years...Jay lost his teaching job he had been at for seven years, Penny entered elementary school in America for the first time, I left my job of four years after my hours cut in less than half, Jay taught in music in Greeley, Penny started middle school for the first time, Jay left the job in Greeley and ended up working part-time as a music accompanist at a middle school in Loveland, I started working with toddlers for the first time at Spring Creek School, Jay found another part-time job as a teller at a credit union in Wellington, Penny started high school for the first time, Jay started working full-time at the Credit Union this past Spring, my hours got cut down to about half again at my preschool and now I just got hired back at 30 hours at a new preschool very close to our house and a block away from Penny's H.S. You can imagine why we have been feeling like life has been rather out of control. We never dreamed that our income would be cut to less than half of what it had been and now that we have mortgage payments and a child to care for. But, somehow we are still surviving. It is only by the grace of God who is holding us up when we wonder how to handle all of life's cares. I know that many of our dear friends and family members, even new friends that we've met thanks to the internet, who are encouraging us and lifting us up in prayer. What would we do without such a loving bunch of people surrounding us?! We're so thankful to God for you all! During this time of reflection on September 11th I think of all the many changes that have come to this country and to our lives. On that day, ten years ago, I was a single missionary who had just moved back to the States and resettled in a new place, Loveland, Colorado. I had just moved into my apartment ten days before that infamous day and had no television to show the horrific images of terrorist attacks on our nation. But, the thing that stands out in my mind at that time was what a wonderful gift it is to live in this country where so many people believe in hope, healing, forgiveness and prayer! What a different atmosphere it was than when the tragedy of the Kobe earthquake happened while I was living in Japan. There the main reaction was one of stoic fatalism resulting in MANY people taking their own lives out of a sense of hopelessness and despair. And now the same thing is occurring again there after the terrible tragedy of the recent earthquake and tsunami. But, I am so touched at how so many people who do believe in the living HOPE through Jesus are reaching out to others in need. His love is real! I can feel it in our own lives. He will never leave us nor forsake us. This becomes all the more evident when things of this world seem to be snatched away. So thankful that we have a solid ground to stand on who won't be shaken through all of the upheavals of life!