I never plan on taking March Break. This year I didn't even know exactly when it was, but somehow, through friends, or who knows how, the kids found out. So, last week on Monday, they revolted and wouldn't you know it, we took March Break. I have to say, a little switch up in life is soooo good sometimes. I slept in a little bit, just like Christmas break, and it was as if I had been on vacation. God knows what we need.
I know I've veered off the direct "debt" blogging for awhile, so should perhaps update. There's been nothing to say as there wasn't any money coming in! We were surviving off of the money we made from the hay we had sold in the summer or from the "baby bonus" money from the government. One of RM's contracts paid early, that was awesome. Sometimes we had a "gift" from a parent who might have just sensed we could use some extra cash.......All of it was from the Lord, though, the true giver of good gifts and we can say, with confidence, that He has been faithful through this dry period, or should I say, cold period (does anyone else have frozen pipes AGAIN this morning????)
We are nearly at the end of his major contract and he's been shipping stuff little by little. The nice thing about that is that we can invoice as we ship. Once again, we offered the customer an early payment incentive and we weren't sure that they would take it, but they did. So last week, we shipped on Tuesday and by Friday we'd been paid for the order. That might not sound like much, but it was a huge deal to us. It means all the suppliers get paid which is debt! We are making serious progress. Once all those supplier-type debts are taken care of, we can tackle the mortgage.
God often gives above and beyond what we need, but He knows us well enough that by giving too much then we lose dependence on Him. It's simply our human nature. We aren't out of the woods yet, not by a long shot. We need more work! There is a huge tax bill coming and there isn't the cash to pay it. Maybe God didn't know about that one, perhaps He just forgot? I hardly think so. Only God can provide the work to cover that bill. Renaissance Man is doing his best to find work, so we have to leave it up to Him.
If you've been following the Porsche story, you'll know we now have two in our possession. RM and the boys worked all day on it and got one of them started, but it just won't stay started, so back the to the drawing board....but RM is convinced he'll figure it out. Funnily enough, he is so convinced that he can get these old cars going that it occurred to him (another money making idea from above?) to list his Porsche mechanic skills on-line. Within minutes, he had several emails asking for help on their cars. He's since then been hired to work on some guy's car which is another small contract for RM - very funny, but a small miracle, too! Where does he get these ideas????? Well, I know....
Meanwhile, he's down 20 lbs. now! His pants are starting to float on him. His belt has slid over several notches. To think he was carrying two bags of 10 lb. potatoes is mind boggling. Think about that! That is heavy! He says he literally feels lighter. I believe it! He continues to eat whatever odd thing I give him. I never thought I'd see the day that he would eat kale and eggs and tell me how delicious it was! That's a pretty normal breakfast for him now - some green vegetable with some form of eggs on the side. We both eat that and love it! I think it is really neat to lose the weight debt alongside the financial debt. It's like he said, he feels lighter, literally. Losing the financial debt (he'll be waking up early this morning to sit down and write cheques to the supplier he owes) is exactly the same feeling - we feel lighter emotionally. It's such a burden to carry the debt, isn't it? How wonderful to know there is money in the bank to pay these people.
We all know that nothing comes for free though. There's been a new theme developing in me over this past winter.....the idea of diligence vs. laziness. These contracts have been a real challenge to complete. It involves working outside in the frigid cold weather standing on concrete for hours (his miracle boots have saved his feet - he's still so grateful for them). Then because these towers that he's manufacturing need to be painted, I've had to turn my house into a manufacturing facility, so all my "extra" rooms have been turned into painting labs. It's just been too cold to paint them outside. This has meant more heavy lifting, somewhat unnecessarily because if it had been warm RM could have simply left them in the shop and painted them there - that adds a certain physical element that is already a challenge with these towers as they are HEAVY! It is also extremely awkward getting them in and out of a small farmhouse - the house wasn't designed to have gigantic towers go in and out! But the Bible has so much to say on even these little complaints.
When RM was building our house 3 years ago in the middle of winter, my son came across this verse, and we've never forgotten it,
Proverbs 20:4
"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing." Isn't that an incredible verse! God knows the exact excuses we are going to use and makes sure there is a verse in scripture so we can't get out of working hard even in this brutally cold winter. What is so interesting about this verse is that the consequences aren't immediate. The effects of not working hard aren't seen for months, but then, come harvest the sluggard has NOTHING. The Bible doesn't mince words, does it? Not getting paid right away sometimes makes it seem like he's working for nothing. But reading the inverse of this verse is very encouraging, "The diligent man who plows even when it is brutally cold, will not beg in harvest and will have plenty." So, we plow, even when it is so cold and we know there will be positive consequences....eventually!!!! RM's hard work will pay off!
How about this one - Proverbs 22:13
"The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets." That's what the lazy man wants to say. He doesn't want to leave his house. He'd rather stay all cozy in his house, so he looks outside and sure enough, wouldn't you know it, there's a lion out there. Is there really? I somehow doubt it, but if there is, thank goodness! Now he's got an excuse to stay home! He was literally looking for a reason to not work, to not leave his house. Trust me, RM has wanted to do the same. He has stood in the kitchen and looked outside, especially knowing how cold it is and he's had to psych himself up, give himself that pep talk to reminds him why he's doing what he's doing. If he could, I'm sure he would call out, too, "I think I see a lion! Yup, it's definitely a lion. Too bad. Can't work. I'm going back to bed." I love that verse as it is so ridiculous. The lazy man is so desperate to get out of work that he was starting to see lions in the street. It's really quite a comical verse! I love that it is in the Bible. We've also had so many excuses that we've wanted to use, but there is just no getting out of working hard.
Over the next day or so I've got more awesome stories to share on this idea of digligence vs. laziness. I've had a couple experiences with my boys over the last week that I must share. Diligence is something we long to see in our children, isn't it?
So, back to school and "regular" life it is - may this be the week we see Spring! It's freezing!
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