We can’t catch a break.
In March, after planning for a few years, we bought our camper, Betsy Ross. So exciting! So many plans! Dreams!
I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.
I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy.
On Easter, after a beautiful day–like a perfect sunny day to celebrate Jesus and eat too much candy–we put the girls to bed and then welcomed a severe hailstorm to our neighborhood. Our house and our rental property a few streets over were both heavily damaged. Now we need new roofs, new siding, new gutters, new garage doors, new screens, and a million other little things. Insurance deductibles on two houses right after we pay a large chunk of change to buy a camper is painful to think about.
Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.
God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.
About a week later, the water heater at our rental stopped working and we had to replace it.
Look at him, give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.
When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.
Soon after, the brakes on my barely-holding on minivan went out so we had to buy and install new brakes. Then the truck needed work.
God’s angels set up a circle
of protection while we pray.
Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see–
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
Then the weather warmed up, and the air conditioner at the rental–which is only a few years old–quit cooling. Let’s call the repairman and get that fixed.
Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.
Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.
Last weekend, our washing machine stopped spinning. We got it fixed a few days ago and while it’s working now, it’s older and who knows how much longer it will last. There’s a leak in the transmission so it’s only a matter of time.
Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.
Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?
The day after we got the washing machine fixed, our renters called and said the air conditioning isn’t working. Again. New parts have been ordered; thankfully, the weekend was cooler but more charges, more money.
Guard your tongue from profanity,
and no more lying through your teeth.
Turn your back on sin; do something good.
Embrace peace–don’t let it get away!
The van has been acting up again so I’ve been driving our truck and weighing our options. We need a new car. Something more reliable. But we’re not ready to pay cash for something because we just bought the camper–we thought we had more time with the van–and we can’t seem to stop spending money. It feels like we can’t get ahead.
God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.
God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.
It looks like soon we’ll be gaining a car payment which is really bumming me out, but it’s also unavoidable. We worked so hard to be debt-free and it’s only been seven months and here we go again. I feel like a failure.
Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.
If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
If things continue the way they’re going, I can’t see it being financially responsible to take a seventeen-day vacation in July. I’m trying not to be upset by this. We’re not homeless. We’re not starving. We can pay all our bills. We are lacking nothing. I am trying to keep things in perspective. But I am disappointed and sad.
Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.
He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.
I’m praying for a good attitude but it doesn’t seem to be working. I’m nasty to be around right now. Money worries make me mean. A possible shortened vacation makes me grumpy. But I’m praising God in the midst even though it feels false and fake. Even though my heart doesn’t want to do it. Even though I’m mad.
The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.
God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.
We’ll be fine. We are well taken care of by a God who wants what is best for us. When his plans and my plans don’t match up, no matter how many times I’ve learned this lesson before, it still smarts. But I know I have to worship and praise through the stress, through the disappointment, and through the storms. Because if I only praise him when things are going my way, what kind of faith is that?
(Scripture: Psalm 34:1-22, The Message)
Thanks for this reminder. I just cried this morning, when on my way to take Lincoln to the dr, my car decided to start acting up. Some days I feel like it’s never going to get easier and we just can’t catch a break. BUT, God has always had my back and he has it now. So, I wiped my tears and thanked him for all of the things he’s already provided and will provide.
Amen. Being grateful in a season of hardships is where God shines the most, I think.
I hear your disappointment, Mary. Your wanderlust wanted satisfied. I also know that you will find a solution. Maybe a state camping ground will do this year. It’s not where you go, but who you are with that matters.
Thank you for being so real. We all need reminders that life throws curveballs. I’ve read enough of your blogs to know htat you have gotten through much worse and come out on top. Diamonds from ashes.
So true, Marjorie. And it’s pretty amazing the way He’s changed my attitude in the past week or so–we’ll make it through this, I know it. Thanks for the encouragement.
I hear you loud and clear, Mary! For us, the bad news was hearing our AC needed to be replaced when a routine check showed a leak and the gas need to give a short term fix could not be used. Additionally, since it had exceeded its expected life (23 years!), we should be looking at the furnace as well since they were put in at the same time. Last week two days of work brought new AC and furnace into our lives and a twelve months same as cash payment to add to our retirement budget. Looked like no vacation would be an option, but I recalled how last year our bankcard had accrued a ton of points we had never used and it paid for all our lodging for an almost two week trip west. I decided to check again since we had decided to use the card for almost everything instead of cash and pay it off each month. Sure enough we found out we had enough points to cover 9 days in Vermont in October. Thank you, Lord! Yes, we still have those nasty payments for the HVAC, but….October in VT makes me smile!
Yay for unexpected vacations! There’s always a silver lining, huh? 🙂
Thanks for the reminder to get my emergency fund fully funded before booking any trips after paying off my debt.
Ha–definitely. We have the emergency fund and then the vacation fund…so we haven’t felt the pinch, it just hurts to see all that money leaving so quickly. And if it doesn’t stop soon, I feel like we need to take our vacation money and put it into the emergency fund account to replenish the reserves. BEING A RESPONSIBLE ADULT SUCKS.