Not Bad At All

The economy, good or bad, never really had an affect on me. When it was at its worst I was too young to care even with people onm the highways with work to eat signs. I saw them but didn't know why they couldn't find a job. My parents were working was the myopic view of my world. Other times, when old enough to understand that if the elite rich weren't shopping it changed the financial environment drastically. Still, even then I had a job and was doing fairly well. I thanked God for the provision and blessed where I was led to do so.

This go round with companies' answer to the drought in the shopping sprees, was to down size. Many people felt the push of "your services are no longer needed." Signing that "at will" termination contract never looked to be a good idea for those doing the work so the elite could shop (that sounded sour). I felt the pinch then. I didn't panic, at first. I knew the education, skills, and faith would take me to a new place of employment. God will provide, I kept saying to myself.

The weeks soon turned into months and panic was knocking. I went from searching for jobs in my field of expertise to looking for flipping burgers or cleaning office jobs. I found jobs that were available but no one answered my inquiry, resumes, applications, phone calls, or the taps at their office windows (I can see you in there!). It was like the Twilight Zone comes to reality. I answered the door to panic when I was given an aptitude test to work at Subway and froze in trying to answer what seemed to have been questions about polynomials! It took me forever to finish. I knew when handing that test in, I wasn't going to be called back.

I search online everyday - eight hours per day until I just gave up. It had been over a year without a paycheck. I always had a means to purchase whatever I needed but now with this change, I was at a loss as to what to do.

I stopped with all of the ideas that seemed to go nowhere in getting employment. I stopped looking for jobs on the internet. I stopped inquiring about positions I applied for and just got quiet. What was I doing? What did I need? Why was I in that emotional state?

God provided for me in the past when the economy had dropped before. He made a way for my parents to where I didn't feel any financial drop from what they had always done before. Why should now be any different?

I went back to studying the Word and praying like a normal Christian instead of the pleas and wailing to God as I did. When my Peace returned I was called in for a very odd sort of job. I would be the emergency contact for the Jewish elderly if they needed help calling 911 or some domestic problem in their apartments. It sounded easy enough. The strangeness was that in lieu of a paycheck, I would receive and apartment with utilities and cable paid for. I agreed.

It felt odd at first. No paycheck? But what would I need it for? God provided again as He always does. The shopping I do is minimal and when I look around, my barns are full (closet, cabinet, and refrigerator) and presses are filled with new wine (I am over joyed). I am in want for nothing. It is the M/O of the Good Shepherd.

It wasn't too long ago that I saw a verse in the bible of which I must have read over and over again but it wasn't as appropos as it was when I saw it this time.

"8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

9 Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God."

Proverbs 30:8-9 Amplified.