A month of changes

Have you ever followed a cloud by day and a fire by night? Hmmm, you're wondering. What's she talking about????

Let me explain. Do you remember the story of the Israelites and how they wandered in the wilderness? In Exodus 13:21-22, it says "And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people."

Clear leading. If you have a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire in the night, it's kinda hard to miss the twists and turns in front of you. That's how my life has been this past month. God has made it very clear where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to do. It doesn't always happen that way, let me tell you. But it's exciting when it does.

I'm in Texas right now. I was in Tennessee. How did that happen, you wonder. Me too, sometimes. And yet it did. A series of events unfolded before me -- that cloud by day and pillar by night -- that began with getting laid off from my job in Tennessee and moved into a clear leading on what I was supposed to take with me to Texas (I stored everything that I couldn't fit in my car and it waits for me back in Tennessee) and when I was supposed to leave (there was a small window of opportunity between the snow storms that kept pelting Tennessee).

So I left the Volunteer state and drove for two days to Texas. On the day I pulled into Austin, I got a phone call from a newspaper that I had sent a resume to the week before. Now mind you, I had been sending resumes out for several months, and had not received one call about it. This paper is two hours from Austin -- close to Emily and the kids, and closer to Houston than Austin. I did not care for Austin.

I drove out for the interview, and was hired that day. Amazing? No. One more step along the constantly illuminated route. I had been trying to find a cheap weekly hotel in Austin, but when the job came through, that plan quickly changed and I paid for a week at a hotel 25 miles from my new job. I started work that next Monday, and began looking in earnest for an apartment, as I only had enough money for one week at the hotel and did not get paid for two weeks.

Was I going to be homeless after that week? No. Pillars again. I looked at several apartments and none seemed to be right. Finally, I was directed to a man who owned several apartments in town, and he let me move into one with no cash outlay until my paycheck came. People have brought me a couch, a tv, a mattress and more.

I am where I am supposed to be. I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. No doubts. I am working at a newspaper as an editor, and I am enjoying it. And I am very aware that God has me here for a reason.

It is satisfying to know that God has been leading me so obviously. Scary, too. It has been a month of big changes, but God has comforted and led me through it all. I await the next twist and turn on this road before me.

God is moving...and so am I!!!!

Wow. I stand amazed at how God is working in my life right now. Overwhelming.

I have been wanting to go to Texas to be with my daughter and grandkids for several months now, but the time has not been right. I needed to work and save up money to make this grand move, so I stayed. And I waited for a sign that it was time to go. Well, several weeks ago I just knew it was right. Time to get started packing and readying to move down the road. I wasn't sure how I was actually going to do it -- takes a lot of money to make that kind of a change, and I didn't have a job or apartment or anything.

I've never been one to shy away from stepping out on faith, but this one was pretty scary. I've been steadily packing. And packing. And I put a bunch of stuff up on Craigslist that I was wanting to get rid of before I left (and of course, the money for it doesn't hurt, either). Well, I was planning on staying here and working -- to save up more money -- until the first part of February. But everything changed today.

I went in to work and there was a note in my mailbox that said to see the Human Resources lady. This is the lull in the year, and our theaters typically lay off several hundred people until March, when the shows resume. Everyone pretty much knew they would be laid off -- but I worked all winter last year and thought it would be the same this year. So the HR lady says she gets the dubious honor of telling me that the company has decided to eliminate my position and I am being laid off -- immediately. Wow. I was counting on several more paydays to give me some extra money. Guess not.

Actually, I had been worrying about this move, because I don't have a job. It's called falling without a net. Hopefully, I could get a job quickly when I got there, because no more money would be coming in for me. Well, it's funny how God sees ahead of us. Because I will be on unemployment very shortly, and it pays almost as much as I make working full-time. So I can make this move knowing that there is an adequate net underneath me. And while I was kinda bummed about being laid off, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

And to top it off, I've had people at my house this evening, looking at some of the bigger items that I have to sell. And they bought both of them. So I have enough money to make the move, and enough to live on until I can find a job. And because I am laid off now, I qualify for food stamps, and I'm not too proud to accept them while I'm transitioning.

Praise God for his compassion and care!!!!!