Coincidence? Maybe not
So the past few days have been . . . .. . . discouraging. Many hours on the job, many early meetings, some of them difficult and uncomfortable, but all of them manageable. I love my job and the people I work with. Some of the specific challenges can be frustrating, because they never should have happened, but all in all I wake up looking forward to getting to work and making a difference in people's lives every day. That's something not everyone can say, so I'm blessed.
Election day however, was not exactly what I would call . . .blessed. I didn't like the outcome of the presidential race, but the man clearly won the popular vote this time, so I can live with it. I won't get into the merits of the electoral college here tonight, but I had a very difficult time digesting the last election with all of its irregularities AND the fact the person with fewer votes won. This time there were far fewer irregularities, and the winner clearly had the most votes (51% to 48%), so I can deal. I may move to New Zealand, but I can deal. I won't get into everything else with the election that didn't help, but I will list them. The Republicans gaining dominance in both houses didn't help. Proposition 200 actually passing didn't help. Tom Daschle losing didn't help. Hmmmmm, New Zealand is looking better and better.
Finally my benefits package came in, telling me how much it was going to cost to provide health insurance to me and my family this upcoming year.
Ummmmmmm, WTF!?!?!?!?!?
I expected to see some increase (Bush has been president for 4 years after all), but my premiums are going to cost me 478.40$ MORE dollars next year than this year!?!?! And we will now have deductibles, to a max of 500.00$ per family per year. Ummmm, if my wife and kids ONLY go to their REGULAR visits next year, we'll meet that deductible easily. So the bottom line is that I'll be paying a GRAND more to insure my family than last year, NOT including any ED visits or scheduled surgeries (I hope Joshua's left testicle drops, this could be difficult). I decided to not even look at the dental benefits at this point.
More good news. Our property taxes will be going up a bit next year. Our initial property assessment was based on the lot BEFORE the house was built on it. Now that's there's a house here, the property is assessed at a considerably higher value (understandably). The bad news is that we'll be paying 800$ more in mortgage payments next year. Whoopee!
How much was my raise this year again? Not this much. Then we must look at the cost of gas, milk, Marcus' new gluten and casine free diet, cost of living expenses. Hmmmm, making ends meet is going to be a little . . . . . .crap, they are not going to meet at all. So now we've got a couple of choices. Brandi could pick up a 12-hour shift every Sunday, or I could find a higher paying job. Neither option fills me with glee. Time to pray.
So after I took out the garbage tonight, I spent some time talking to God. I say 'talking to God' because I talked, he listened. Sometimes you just need to vent and get stuff off your chest, and tonight was good night for that. I let him know our position, and told him what I thought of it, and asked for some direction when his time would allow, and I vowed to keep my ears and eyes open for any response.
Later, when I had to burn a data CD for work, I discovered we HAD NO DATA CDs, only music ones. Great. Time to go to K-mart. When I got into the car, God had a reply. On the cd-player was one of Marcus' kids sing-a-longs. I expected to hear Veggie Tales Jonah or Brandi's dance music (the car had just returned from her dance class after all). But what was playing was, "I've got peace like a river." Not only that, but it was cued to my favorite verse singing, "I've got peace, love, and joy like a river in my soul." This is my favorite song in Marcus' entire 4 disc set, and my favorite part of that song.
Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. If not, is the message anything more than to retain my peace, love, and joy? Gifts of the spirit. Is this telling me I'm doing well and the worst is over now? Or is this only the beginning and I'll need more peace,love, and joy to endure what's coming? I'm going with this was NOT coincidence, AND that there was nothing more to it.
I'm resolving to do my very best to keep my peace, my love, and my joy like a river in my soul, and my it nourish me (and those around me) through whatever comes.
Election day however, was not exactly what I would call . . .blessed. I didn't like the outcome of the presidential race, but the man clearly won the popular vote this time, so I can live with it. I won't get into the merits of the electoral college here tonight, but I had a very difficult time digesting the last election with all of its irregularities AND the fact the person with fewer votes won. This time there were far fewer irregularities, and the winner clearly had the most votes (51% to 48%), so I can deal. I may move to New Zealand, but I can deal. I won't get into everything else with the election that didn't help, but I will list them. The Republicans gaining dominance in both houses didn't help. Proposition 200 actually passing didn't help. Tom Daschle losing didn't help. Hmmmmm, New Zealand is looking better and better.
Finally my benefits package came in, telling me how much it was going to cost to provide health insurance to me and my family this upcoming year.
Ummmmmmm, WTF!?!?!?!?!?
I expected to see some increase (Bush has been president for 4 years after all), but my premiums are going to cost me 478.40$ MORE dollars next year than this year!?!?! And we will now have deductibles, to a max of 500.00$ per family per year. Ummmm, if my wife and kids ONLY go to their REGULAR visits next year, we'll meet that deductible easily. So the bottom line is that I'll be paying a GRAND more to insure my family than last year, NOT including any ED visits or scheduled surgeries (I hope Joshua's left testicle drops, this could be difficult). I decided to not even look at the dental benefits at this point.
More good news. Our property taxes will be going up a bit next year. Our initial property assessment was based on the lot BEFORE the house was built on it. Now that's there's a house here, the property is assessed at a considerably higher value (understandably). The bad news is that we'll be paying 800$ more in mortgage payments next year. Whoopee!
How much was my raise this year again? Not this much. Then we must look at the cost of gas, milk, Marcus' new gluten and casine free diet, cost of living expenses. Hmmmm, making ends meet is going to be a little . . . . . .crap, they are not going to meet at all. So now we've got a couple of choices. Brandi could pick up a 12-hour shift every Sunday, or I could find a higher paying job. Neither option fills me with glee. Time to pray.
So after I took out the garbage tonight, I spent some time talking to God. I say 'talking to God' because I talked, he listened. Sometimes you just need to vent and get stuff off your chest, and tonight was good night for that. I let him know our position, and told him what I thought of it, and asked for some direction when his time would allow, and I vowed to keep my ears and eyes open for any response.
Later, when I had to burn a data CD for work, I discovered we HAD NO DATA CDs, only music ones. Great. Time to go to K-mart. When I got into the car, God had a reply. On the cd-player was one of Marcus' kids sing-a-longs. I expected to hear Veggie Tales Jonah or Brandi's dance music (the car had just returned from her dance class after all). But what was playing was, "I've got peace like a river." Not only that, but it was cued to my favorite verse singing, "I've got peace, love, and joy like a river in my soul." This is my favorite song in Marcus' entire 4 disc set, and my favorite part of that song.
Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. If not, is the message anything more than to retain my peace, love, and joy? Gifts of the spirit. Is this telling me I'm doing well and the worst is over now? Or is this only the beginning and I'll need more peace,love, and joy to endure what's coming? I'm going with this was NOT coincidence, AND that there was nothing more to it.
I'm resolving to do my very best to keep my peace, my love, and my joy like a river in my soul, and my it nourish me (and those around me) through whatever comes.
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