Jim's Lay Off

Yesterday, Jim's biggest fear in life happened. He went to work at 7:30 and at 9:00 he was told that he was being laid off due to the company financial struggles. Over 100 people have been laid off at Mitchel & Scott over the past six months. Can you imagine how nerve racking it would be to wonder when and if the axe was going to fall.

It kind of reminds me that my biggest fear in life was cancer. But after my diagnosis and treatment, I realized it wasn't as big as I had built up in my mind. God was with me throughout the surgeries and treatments. Just the way he will be with Jim through this time of unemployment.

Do not fear is one of the most often repeated phrases in the Bible. That's because God knows that as humans we will all have fears. He wants us to overcome those fears and put our total trust in Him for our futures whether it be our health or our jobs.

Jim is doing well after the initial shock of it. Today we spent six hours working in the yard. He transplanted flowers and mowed the grass. I declared a war on weeds and I won! While Jim is off work we plan to put stone borders around our flower beds and maybe put down stone pavers next to our screened in porch for an outside patio. I am always concerned about burning the porch down when we grill on it. Notice I said concerned not fearful.

Jim will receive four weeks severance pay and three weeks paid vacation. He has already applied for unemployment. I told him we can just consider it a vacation to do yard work at our house and help my dad plant a garden. Romans 8:28 says that God will work all things for good to them that love Him and are called according to His purppose. I'm sure that we are going to see something good come as a result of Jim's lay off.

So keep us in your prayers,

Pat