I wanted to blog last week and couldn't come up with anything...so I went to bed. :) A few days later God worked some miracles (at least to me) for us...and I though at life group that night why not blog about it? I mean, this is supposed to be a blog about an army wife's day to day life right? So why not...here it goes! :)
Many of you know that being apart of the military is a struggle. Not with the part about being separated from your spouse, or moving all the time, (which are 2 big struggles...) but I'm talking about the financial struggle. Some people think that because we get a housing allowance and food allowance that we should be rolling in dough. Here's an update on that thought: NOT TRUE. :) While we do get both of those allowances, the amount depends on where Ellis is at the time...not where Eli and I are. Long story short, when Ellis and I decided he would be going to TX by himself while Eli and I stayed here, we took a pay cut because the housing allowance there is less than it is here. The few months Ellis was in training we didn't get the food allowance b/c it went the base where he was at...anyway all I'm trying to get at is that our income is never the same paycheck to paycheck. I'm not trying to complain about money b/c I really have nothing to complain about. Ellis has a steady job that pays and I am also blessed with a full time job, and that helps to subsidize the housing allowance pay cut. It also pays for Ellis' apartment while he is in TX... God has richly blessed us this year financially. Not that we are loaded, but that he comes through at just the right time. (His time) A few months after Ellis got down to TX, I freaked...we couldn't afford half of our bills and although I was trying to swing it with what we had...it wasn't working. Many people at church were praying for us, and God heard those prayers! The following week I was offered a part time job. One pay period went by and I realized it wasn't enough. Again, I was doubting how we were going to get through it...and once again He came through for me...and I was offered a full time job! I did nothing to receive these blessings. I didn't even have to apply for the job. (that's crazy to me!) So here we are now, 2 parents, 2 full time jobs, 1 son in daycare, and we are still pinching pennies. Since then, the Holy Spirit has brought to my heart (many times) that we should be tithing consistently...and not just when we have the money. Sometimes its just so hard for me to do that. Well, this past week (and here is the miracle I first talked about) I was driving home from somewhere. (those of you who keep up with everything here know that I am go go go all the time!) I was praying out loud (something I rarely do) and I said "I know you want to me to tithe God, I know its the right thing to do, but if I tithe 10% of this next paycheck, I will only have 50 dollars to get us through 2 weeks! I don't know what to do!" That was the extent of our conversation at that point. The next day I go to pick up Eli from the baby sitter's house and I get a call from Ellis. He sounded almost frantic. He told me to go check the bank account and call him back as soon as I could. The first thing that popped to my head was "great, he over drew the account, and now we are in the red." When I opened the account I saw that there was a counter deposit for $1000! I called Ellis and asked him what that was from, and if it was really ours...he said that the Army had paid him for going to Colorado, and that was the money! I was STOKED...and then I remembered my conversation with the Lord..."I don't know what to do!" Well guess what friend...I don't have to know, b/c HE DOES!
First miracle= God providing and being faithful to me...even when I'm doubting, and not having as much faith as I should!
Onto the second miracle that happened...
Eli (who is now almost 1.5 years old...time flies!) started waking up in the middle of the night lately and screaming his head off. (not literally off, but you know what I mean) Anyway...he would wake up random times and just cry. Sometimes when I would go in there he wouldn't even be awake, he would just be crying. This made for some VERY long nights, I mean mornings...I think one week I went to bed at 2AM almost every day b/c he would cry as soon as I put him down. So last week, maybe Friday or Saturday, I was watching Netflix (we cancelled our TV...best thing I've done) and I heard him start crying, then it turned to straight screaming. Not like "I want milk" scream, but "Mommy, I'm really hurt right now" or "I just fell down the stairs" scream...I ran in there to check on him. He wasn't physically hurt or anything but he was not calming down anytime soon. I didn't know what to do, I just rocked him in my arms until he was quiet. Again, as soon as I tried putting him down he would wake up and scream. I laid him in the crib and started singing Jesus Loves Me. That usually calms him but this time it did nothing. The only thing I could think of was to start praying for him...nothing. Then I started praying out loud...still nothing. Finally the only thing I could think of (besides letting him sleep on me) was to sing my prayer. Which I did...I just started singing whatever words came to my head...he calmed down immediately. He didn't fall asleep right away, but he calmed down, and I was able to walk out of the nursery! He didn't even cry when I walked out! He hasn't woken up in the middle of the night since! :) Praise Jesus!!!
Second miracle= God has helped Eli stay asleep and calm during the night...and he has helped me be able to get sleep! :)
So, that was what I wanted to blog about...God's goodness to me. Now only if he could get me out of my speeding ticket. :) That's right...I got my VERY FIRST ticket yesterday. Supposedly the cop said I was going 60, even though I had just checked it and I was going 56...in a 45mph zone. Either way I was speeding, and either way I think that its fair I pay the ticket. I'm hoping to find out how much it is today, I guess I can look online somewhere, but I haven't found it yet. Lesson learned from that experience...only go 5mph over! LOL I'm kidding! :)
I hope you have a great rest of the week, I'm gonna get workin now. Take care and God bless
-b
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