Dealing with Alot!

I have had so much going on.  Bryan is still only working part time so we are getting more and more behind with our bills.  We are hoping that our old mobile home will sell soon and that will help us alot.  Financial struggles are the least of my worry right now though.

Our son has been having a lot of problems since he started the 6th grade.  He has been bullied over the years, that is a given.  He has his own issues that we've dealt with over the years and we are used to dealing with the bullying.  The problem we are running into this year (at a new school) is that he has started retaliating and getting into trouble for retaliating.  We have taught him not to start fights, but that if anyone puts their hands on him, he has the right to defend himself.  Unfortunately he has paid the price for retaliating.  I think the problem is that the kids know how to push his buttons.  They know what to do and say to get him riled up.  Then he becomes aggressive and retaliates to the point that he is punished.  I have been up to the principal's office and talked with them, I've talked with the counselor and we are scheduled to have a meeting the week after thanksgiving to put him in a program that will hopefully help him.  It's called 504 but I think it is very similar to IEP.  It may be the same thing, I'm not sure.  Either way I am hoping and praying that it helps.  The counselor will be meeting with Matthew and will be working with the teachers to get this plan started.  It is just so hard to see him go through all of this.  Every time he is bullied and retaliates, he gets in trouble and is made out to be the bully!  It's just alot to deal with and I am very worried about him.  Even though I know worrying is not going to help! I know that I've got to let go and let God handle it but at the same time I feel like there is more that I can do.


We have decided that we will give this program a little time but if it doesn't work we will probably home school. My in laws have offered to help us with this.  I am just praying that this gets better soon!



"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Just a little update...

Update on us:

Right now we are still waiting on the Lord for answers.  We see the Lord working and He is taking care of us.  My husband is working 3 days a week at the local funeral home so that is helping a little a lot.  Also, we are getting blessed in other ways.  You start appreciating the little things more when you are in need.  I received another blessing this past Saturday and I didn't know whether to be ashamed or just enjoy the blessing from the Lord.  I decided to the the latter!

I have doing a lot of couponing and trying to catch all the deals that I can find.  I haven't been able to get $1,000 worth of groceries for $2 yet but I am doing pretty good.  I went into the grocery store excited with coupons in hand.  There were alot of good deals to be gotten this week!  I got $165 worth of groceries for only $82!  I was joking with the cashier, her husband and son were there for some reason that day helping her bag groceries(still wondering about that but I don't question the Lord).  Pretty good, but there was a problem when I went to pay.  My debit card wouldn't work, my credit card wouldn't work.  I couldn't figure out what the problem was. I know we are short of funds and I wouldn't share this with everybody.  (That's the nice thing about this blog, it's kind of private from my friends and family and I can be more free to share on here.) I reached for my checkbook and low and behold - no checks!  What in the world!?  LOL  It's kind of funny now because I can look back and see how the Lord was working.  Anyways, I pulled my buggy over to the side and started calling my angel of mercy (my mama) to bring me some money so that I could pay for these groceries and get out of there.  While I was doing that, the cashier's husband told me that my groceries had been paid for!  HUH!?  "What do you mean?" (Whatch you talkin' 'bout Willis?!)  He wanted to bless me by taking care of my grocery bill.  He had no idea who I was.  Had no idea that my husband is a Pastor without a church and that we are struggling from week to week to make ends meet.  But, he was obviously a Christian wanting to help someone out. I wasn't sure how to feel about this.  I stood over to the side and prayed about what to do.  I had already called my Mom and she was on her way. She lives just a couple of blocks from the grocery store.  So, I prayed and told the Lord, "Lord, I can't let this stranger pay for my groceries.  It's too much."  I sat there and felt the Lord tell me "Look, I'm trying to help you.  This is my way of helping you, don't turn it down." 

I did go back and offer the man the money that my Mama brought me but he refused. So, I just hugged him and left.  When I got to the truck all I could do was cry.  I was embarrassed, aggravated, touched and blessed all at the same time.  I wasn't sure how to feel.  But, I do know that the Lord was in it and He is still taking care of us!

My husband is working 3 days a week for the funeral home and there is another opportunity that we will know more about hopefully next week.  It is a possible part time ministry position.  Keep praying, we appreciate all of the prayers that have been lifted up for us!



"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

God is AMAZING!

We were pleasantly surprised yesterday with an unexpected blessing!  A former church member came by our house yesterday morning while we were getting ready for church.  He wanted to let hubby know that he was sorry he'd missed his birthday.  (DH's birthday was on 9/19)  Then he handed my husband a check for $250!  I can think of two bills that I can get caught up with that money! LOL  It just shows you that God has His hand on us and is providing in ways that we didn't even expect.  He has a way of doing that (when we least expect it)!  I just wanted to give God a shout out today!  He is awesome!

Also, pray for me.  I feel that God is leading me to do something that I've never actually done.  I want to share my testimony with our ladies group at church.  But, I need lots of prayer and guidance on this.  I've shared my testimony in a small way about how I got saved, but I am feeling led to go a little deeper and really share what the Lord has done in my life.  So, if anyone is reading this please keep that in your prayers!

Love y'all!
Cheryl

Update

Just thought I would update everyone on what is going on with us.  We are currently attending our old church until the Lord opens a door somewhere else in ministry.  The kids like it there, they (and we) are comfortable there. 

Meanwhile my husband has accepted a job.  It's not exactly full time but it pays decent and it will still allow him to minister.  He is working with our local funeral home.  The people that run it are good Christian people who have always treated the funeral home as a ministry.  They are the same people that handled my Dad's funeral 6 years ago!  This is really a blessing for us.  It will provide income as well as give DH some way of being able to minister to people.  They have several locations and they need someone to run one of the offices plus help with funerals.  He is excited and glad for the opportunity.  I am happy for him.  I think it will help him feel like he is providing for his family again!

I had to make a difficult decision this past weekend.  Things came to a head and I had to make a choice as to whether or not to continue my online classes or not.  I had already began the semester but I was struggling.  I didn't understand the material and I was having a hard time making the time to do the work.  So, Saturday morning I sat on my front porch with my Bible and I prayed about what to do.  I knew my husband would be upset and disappointed in me.  That is one of the main reasons I didn't want to quit.  But, I realized I can't do this for him.  I had to pray about what GOD wanted me to do.  I really feel that quitting is the right thing.  I may be wrong, I might be feeling that way because it's what I want.  But, I feel peace about this decision.  There are several reasons for my decision.  Lately I have been feeling like I'm not meant to be a web designer.  I've been feeling that my purpose in life has nothing to do with computers.  I just feel like God is calling me to something more.  What is so bad, is that I don't feel like I can talk to my husband about that.  I don't know why.  You would think He would be the one person that would understand.  I told him, and as I figured he was disappointed.  He doesn't understand how hard it is for me.  He thinks I should be able to make the time to do this.  One of the main things he doesn't want me to do is just give up.  We don't want to teach our children to give up on things just because it gets tough.  I understand that but this goes deeper than that and I just can't get him to understand.  I'm sure he will understand better in time.  I told him I would try harder to lose weight if I didn't have to concentrate so much on school!  LOL 

Meanwhile today is his birthday!  I know, good birthday present right?  "I'm quitting school, Happy Birthday"!  LOL  We have been so busy this past weekend that we haven't had a lot of time to celebrate.  I made him a pound cake Saturday and we had a fish fry with his parents.  I bought him something but I haven't given it to him yet.  I can't really buy much for him since he is unemployed and we don't have any money.  But, hopefully that will change soon.  He has an interview tomorrow that sounds pretty promising.  I'm praying about that!  We both are.  I think it will work out good for him and for our family.  We will see soon enough I guess!

Done

Well folks, we are done.  This past Sunday was our last Sunday at LRBC.  It was a day of mixed emotions.  It was part relief and part sad.  The kids were pretty upset.  That broke my heart more than anything.  They just don't understand.  They don't know what their Dad has been through.  They don't like saying good bye.  My daughter (the drama queen) said it was breaking her heart!  There are many friends at that church that I hated to say good bye to and I am going to miss seeing them every week (very much!).  But, I am also relieved that next Sunday when we come home I won't have to see that defeated look on my husband's face.  Or atleast if I do it won't be because someone told him he wasn't doing his job as a Pastor, or because he's been trying to stop a gossip line going around in the church.

He did explain some things to the church on Sunday night as to why the Lord has led him to leave.  Some people had no idea that he has had to put up with and some people knew and understood.  Some people were probably secretly jumping for joy.  I hate that it all had to end this way but I am proud of my husband for sticking with the Bible and not giving into the temptation to strike back when he was put down, lied about or lied to.  He can honestly hold his head up and not be ashamed of how he handled things.  I know the Lord will bless him for that and that the Lord has a plan for him.

This Sunday will be our last Sunday at our church.  I'm a little nervous about it.  I'm sure my husband is also.  I think he's a little bit glad/relieved but also nervous. 

I personally am nervous about how hard it will be to say goodbye to friends that we have come to know and love.

We both will feel relief because we will be done with the drama.  (At least that particular drama, LOL!)

We are also nervous because we have no idea what we are going to do for income.  I mean, I have my job, but it's not enough to pay all of our bills and pay for groceries and gas etc. 

I know (that I know, that I know!) that my Lord will come through for us.  He has never let us down, but I am just afraid that I will let us down.  By not managing the money like I should.  I am wishing now that I had put money back for a rainy day, because the sky is starting to get pretty dark!

I am trying to figure out what I can do to rearrange our bills so that we can be caught up and ahead a little bit.  Financially right now if y'all would look at my check book and bills you would be worried for me as well!  LOL  But, I am praying and I think I have figured out a way to help us out a little and get us ahead.

Pray for us as you read this and I will try to keep this blog updated as we get prospective ministry positions.