Tomorrow is going to be strange. We're closing the shop on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning this Monday. It isn't because we want to but rather because we need to. Insurance is killing us- it's more than our mortgage- and with the economy we just can't seem to make up for it. Tommy has a potential part time job lined up that he'll be working Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturday afternoons, so I hope and pray that having a stable income is the help we need (I know it may seem strange to close up in order to make money but Monday & Tuesday are the slowest days for us and it gets expensive training people and paying for labor in our absence). I'm teaching again this semester- but not very many hours so my supplemental income isn't supplementing very much. My plan was to stay at home after the baby... but I'm starting to accept that I may be teaching in the fall as well. (That makes our mothers happy because they would be forced to come up and watch the baby for us during my class time.)
This shop is more than just a job to us. We opened in September of '07- I was just finishing up my first trimester with Levi and though we knew very few people in town, we quickly grew to feel like a part of the community. After Levi died we felt even stronger that this town is home to us- people reached out even though they barely knew us.
Coming back to work, this shop brought healing. It forced me to become a part of society again. Over time I found I wasn't wearing a mask but truly smiling. I went from just getting through each moment, to getting through each day, to getting through each month... to only having some days I struggle getting through. And it is not just words of comfort that people share but it is primarily through the generosity of our customers that we have funded the pregnancy loss kits for the hospital and who have knit many of the blankets given.
People have looked out for me this pregnancy too. When they've asked how I'm doing and I say excited but nervous they tell me they understand. We wanted our shop to minister to others but we've been the recipients- I can't even count how many people have told me they're praying for me- and I know they truly are.
I hope and pray that closing Mondays and Tuesdays is all that it will take for us to ride out this economy... but no matter what happens I believe God is in control. I believe He knew that this shop (among other things) is what we needed during this time in our lives to get us through and He will lead us and guide us through the path ahead that we cannot yet see.
*****
This week I was looking back at the world shaking events in my life but others were just beginning to experience the quake in their own. Yes, I have lost a child... but I cannot imagine what some of the people are going through right now- they are losing their children, spouses, parents, homes and jobs all at one time.
My aunt worked with one of the people that died as a result of the earthquake in Haiti. I don't know all the details but I know he was down there before the devastation to reach out to those that were hurting already. He survived being trapped in a collapsed building for 55 hours but then died. I hope only that his family finds comfort knowing that his death came because his heart was full of love for the hurting in this world. Some of his co-workers that were also there survived- though one is in critical condition. I pray for all the people effected by last week's quake. Just as we have felt the comfort from our community- I pray that Haiti may be touched and feel the comfort of the community worldwide.
This shop is more than just a job to us. We opened in September of '07- I was just finishing up my first trimester with Levi and though we knew very few people in town, we quickly grew to feel like a part of the community. After Levi died we felt even stronger that this town is home to us- people reached out even though they barely knew us.
Coming back to work, this shop brought healing. It forced me to become a part of society again. Over time I found I wasn't wearing a mask but truly smiling. I went from just getting through each moment, to getting through each day, to getting through each month... to only having some days I struggle getting through. And it is not just words of comfort that people share but it is primarily through the generosity of our customers that we have funded the pregnancy loss kits for the hospital and who have knit many of the blankets given.
People have looked out for me this pregnancy too. When they've asked how I'm doing and I say excited but nervous they tell me they understand. We wanted our shop to minister to others but we've been the recipients- I can't even count how many people have told me they're praying for me- and I know they truly are.
I hope and pray that closing Mondays and Tuesdays is all that it will take for us to ride out this economy... but no matter what happens I believe God is in control. I believe He knew that this shop (among other things) is what we needed during this time in our lives to get us through and He will lead us and guide us through the path ahead that we cannot yet see.
*****
This week I was looking back at the world shaking events in my life but others were just beginning to experience the quake in their own. Yes, I have lost a child... but I cannot imagine what some of the people are going through right now- they are losing their children, spouses, parents, homes and jobs all at one time.
My aunt worked with one of the people that died as a result of the earthquake in Haiti. I don't know all the details but I know he was down there before the devastation to reach out to those that were hurting already. He survived being trapped in a collapsed building for 55 hours but then died. I hope only that his family finds comfort knowing that his death came because his heart was full of love for the hurting in this world. Some of his co-workers that were also there survived- though one is in critical condition. I pray for all the people effected by last week's quake. Just as we have felt the comfort from our community- I pray that Haiti may be touched and feel the comfort of the community worldwide.
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Blessings...