Saturday, October 27, 2007

Pennies From Heaven

Most of you that read my blog occasionally know I've just come out of a short period of unemployment. I assumed that by accepting a job, I'd no longer qualify for unemployment benefits. That stands to reason, doesn't it? Patsy only gets paid every other week, and we were between paychecks there. Also when going to work for someone you get to skip the first week's paycheck while they do the paperwork. Things were starting to get pretty meager around our household.

At one point we were down to less than $20 to do us for a week. Where was the money for gasoline to get to work going to come from? What would we eat? How could I pay the various utility companies to keep them from shutting off our service? Rest assured, I was doing a lot of praying on the matter along with a lot of worrying.

I went ahead and submitted information to the Ohio Dept of Job and Family Services [ODJFS] to let them know I had a new job...and they quickly e-mailed me back to let me know that I still qualified for a $60 check that week and it would be direct deposited to my checking account the next day. Less than 24 hours later I received $20 from a total stranger who donated some money to a cliché photo website that I run (it's free, but I have a "donation" button for anyone who wants to help me keep it online).

It wasn't a windfall, but that unexpected $80 would cover gasoline and put some food on the table. A few days later, a relative who knew the financial problems we've been having gave my wife enough money to get us through the rest of the week without going belly up financially.

God seems to still be keeping me on a short leash, but I want to say "Thank you, Lord!" Just when things seem so dark, a ray of sunshine pops through to let me know that maybe things won't always be this difficult.

Yes, God IS good all the time. I'm slowly learning that I can trust in that statement as a fact.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Got A Job!

Well, yeah, I got a job. Not the greatest pay in the world, so I'm still keeping an eye peeled for something that pays better. I took a job with a local furniture and appliance distributor a couple of weeks ago. They first put me in the upholstery repair department but I couldn't do the lifting and bending it required, so they moved me into inventory tracking which is a lot easier on my back. I'd appreciate continued prayers that I might find something that pays better or a raise in pay at this job :)

My older son is still looking for work and it appears that they may be moving to a smaller place that is closer to his wife's job. Prayers for them also, please.