You Can't Always Get What You Want

...but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."

I wasn't sure how to address this, so I didn't say anything for a while. But now you will all know.

Art got laid off from his full-time job at the resort three weeks ago, right before American Thanksgiving (which is also right before his birthday). I won't get into the details, you can read about it on his blog here and here. A word of "warning": his blog is about fitness and healthy living, so you'll have to bypass that before you get to the story. :D

Thankfully, he got himself a part-time job right around that time, and it's with a CrossFit gym. So even though he's only working a few hours a week, he's doing what he loves. We may be struggling to keep our chins above water, but he is happier now than he's been in a long time.

Before he was laid off, I had been praying to God for a miracle, because we were struggling financially then already. I gotta tell you, this isn't the answer I expected. It seems like the opposite of a miracle. But God is using this to really stretch my faith and trust in Him.

And, as if this wasn't enough, Art's car broke down a week before Thanksgiving. It's been in the shop ever since, and for some reason, that mechanic hasn't even touched it. So Art was using his brother's car. And then THAT car broke down yesterday. Seriously God. What is this, Job Round Two? (I'm kidding. Things are not nearly that bad. Moving on.)

So, needless to say, this Christmas will the most meager one either of us have ever experienced. At the same time, the Reason for the Season has never been so clear. (And it certainly should be. We don't have lots of gifts and fancy decorations to get in the way! Not that there's anything wrong with gifts and Christmas decorations. I'm just saying).

I hope you know that I'm not bitter, or asking for pity and sympathy. This isn't a sob story. I haven't had much time to complain or feel sorry for myself.

Already, we've got several avenues of income until Art can get another job, which he is trying very hard to do. He can get unemployment, he has his 401K from his job, I still have some savings left. And he has his part-time job, which is paying pretty good for being part-time. His parents were very generous with their birthday gift to him. We have more than enough to pay rent and bills this month, and I think we'll have enough for January by the time it gets here.

Hopefully by then, he'll have a second job. But even if he doesn't, God will take care of us. Somehow, we'll make it.