Things we learn...

So every now and then, something happens that teaches us a lesson. And when I say this, I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression and think that I didn't know this before, because I most certainly did. Recently, James has been going through some really hard times and it has really made me realize how much family and friends mean to me. We would be nowhere and nothing without our friends and family. When he moved down here, I knew it would be a struggle for him but I never imagined it would be this tough. I had a feeling when he told me about the job he had taken (it was through a temp agency) that it might not be as clear-cut as we had originally thought but then the company sent him to a conference in Atlanta to learn about a new piece of equipment. After that, I thought everything was going to be okay. Then, about 3 weeks ago on a Tuesday, he texted me and told me that they had let him go. That, I'll be honest with you, felt like I got hit by a train. I knew at that point that things were probably going downhill at a very quick rate. Then, 2 weeks had passed and he still had no job and I thought to myself, "What in the world are we going to do?" I knew how few jobs there were around here, especially for somebody that doesn't have a college degree of any kind. There aren't many jobs available right now for certified forklift drivers/steel workers/whatever else he may be. The only jobs that are readily available are, well, none.

Then, yesterday he texted me and told me that he had received his eviction papers. Well being that he has no form of income and hasn't been able to pay rent in a month, I'm sad to say that this didn't come as much of a surprise to me. I wish that I had been shocked but I had kind of been preparing myself to console him if/when that were to happen. I had kind of been rehearsing what I would say to him when he told me but I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to. I kept thinking that maybe, just maybe, something would work out to where he could keep his apartment and everything would be okay but just is not the case.

If he had retail experience at all he might be able to get a retail or restaurant job somewhere but unfortunately he doesn't. While he is a very quick learner, most employers don't take that into consideration much. The majority of employers focus solely on previous employment experience and where your concentration is. I wish there was something I could do to help him but the only thing that comes to mind is be there to support him, pray for him, and help him keep his faith. I want to help SO badly but I feel like God is telling me to just help him keep his patience and his faith by keeping my own. I feel like there's something great out there for him but I don't know what and I don't know when it's coming. I want to know SO badly so I can tell him that everything is going to be okay and this is why but I just can't and I'm not supposed to be able to. That's the entire reason we have that little thing called faith. Just please keep him in your prayers and know that we're both very grateful for everything you guys are doing for him. We thank you so much for your prayers.

Reflection...

Some of you may be expecting some elaborate explanation of something but the next few words that you will read are simply going to be me telling a story...a story that sends chills up my spine even to this very day. The story popped into my mind last night while I was sitting at "This Night..." listening to the speaker talk about her horrific car accident that very easily could have left her paralyzed, or worse.

I remember the night like it was yesterday...but it was 8 years ago. I had was playing basketball for Upward at the time and I had practice that night. Usually, because there were only 3 of us at the time, Mom, Jon, and I would go everywhere together. But this particular night, I believe God was really watching over us. Mom had decided to stay home that night because she had some horrible stomach bug so Jon and I went alone. It was January so you know it was bitterly cold outside. As we were leaving the gym and walking out to the van, I was still carrying my purple Adidas pants because I was burning up from practicing. I did, however, put my jacket back on because Jon insisted. I was 12, what can I say? We got in the van and took off down the road. At the end of this particular road was a stop sign. This road ran perpendicular to one of the main roads in Knoxville so, needless to say, it was an extremely busy road and very difficult to turn left onto. We were actually supposed to go to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese down the road for a little girl in our small group at the time but that was about to get interrupted in a major way. I remember bending down doing something to my shoes when Jon said, "Look out Dana, we're about to get hit." That's when it happened...there was a black car going way too fast over the hill with only one headlight and she t-boned us. The impact was right behind the driver's side door, where I normally sat. Had Mom been there that night, the damage would have been much, much worse because there was a major power supply running right where the main impact was. There was a back control panel right there that controlled the radio, heat/AC, and numerous other things and I usually sat in that seat because I liked to mess with Mom and Jon and change the radio stations while they were singing along. :-) Anyway, when the impact occurred, my little 12 year old head went flying over toward Jon. My head hit right at his shoulder which, in all honesty, probably could have given me a concussion. Luckily though, he was wearing this big forest green down coat so instead of hitting his bare shoulder, I hit that. Upon impact, all of the windows except for the windshield, the driver's, and the passenger's were busted. Seats were shoved so much that they couldn't be moved. I remember vividly trying to get Mom's favorite golf umbrella out from under a seat to no avail. It was wedged in there so well that there was no saving it. All of the back control panel was smoking and busted out. Our van looked like it was nearly folded in half. That was a very scary night but the part that still gives me chills to this day is that Jon and I both walked away from that accident. The only "injury" that either of us suffered was a bruise to my kneecap from the rearview mirror that fell.

God kept us safe that night. He wrapped his protective, loving arms around us and kept us safe from any danger. That is the closest to death that I think I have ever come and, hopefully, will come to until the day that He calls me home. If anybody reading this does not believe in miracles, I say this to you: you just read all about one.