Oh me, oh my, oh MERCY!

When I quit my job in December of 2008, many things changed in our lives. MANY things. Going from two salaries to one, never balancing the checkbook to having to sit down and focus on a budget, eating out all the time to signing up on a budget-friendly recipe/shopping planner site, etc. Mike and I made changes that I never would have thought I would have CHOSEN to make. There was some worry, especially on Mike's part, about whether or not I could adjust to a budget. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to shop. I can shop anytime, anywhere. I can window shop, online shop, gift shop, and major spend shop. There can be no stopping me. Nevertheless stop is exactly what I had to do. Oh the depression! But let me tell you that never before have I seen God's hand in something in my life as the past 14 months. Not in a prosperity way by any means, but in a heart-changing, "you will learn to depend on HIM" way! I have seen Him guide our decision-making, strengthen my husband's professional drive, and bring us closer together than I ever thought possible.

When I stopped bringing home a salary our whole marriage structure changed. The roles we had assumed changed. Mike was able to fulfill his God-given roles as a husband, and I was able to practice my submission. Notice I said practice. Boy is that a hard concept for a strong-willed woman! But God is not through with me yet! I'm also pretty sure that just in case a feminist has been reading my blog she will discontinue doing so after this post! I firmly believe in the Biblical roles God has ordained for a man and his wife, and I will not shy away from saying so! I respect my husband in a way I never have before, and I cherish the role of wife more than I ever have before. This has been a fantastic transformation in our marriage. This change alone has been worth all of the slaps on the face of my ego and struggles with insecurity. (sidenote: Are we "there" yet? No, of course not. The Christian's walk with the Lord is never done here on earth! There are constant struggles, time spent kneeling on our knees praying for forgiveness, and the ever-present awareness of my weakness and His strength.)

I truly believe that while quitting my job was done rashly, God has been able to move in such an amazing way to bring glory to Him! All of the little things that have taken place in our lives have only increased the knowledge of our dependence first on God, and second on each other.

I've been meaning to write this post for some time, and while it contains nothing earth-shattering or life-altering, I feel it is important to praise God in this area of our lives PUBLICLY! It is one thing to acknowledge between ourselves when we see God working in our lives, and it is another to proclaim it! I started thinking about this awhile back when I was reflecting over the past 14 months since I left the corporate world. I feel so much peace about the decision, even though I will admit I did not at all stop to ask what my Savior thought of this decision. Praise God for working in our lives even we fail to include Him in our decision-making. God is all-powerful and my failings never change His will or ability!!

I also want this blog to be a source of remembrance for us on our lives: before children, during and after children, and through all of our struggles. I am going to be as open as I can on the World Wide Web, and share our lives with you: the good, the bad, and the ugly. And if it gets so ugly that no one reads it then at least we will still have it for posterity's sake.