APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING

Well, my two readers, it’s almost Xmas time again and, again, I’m wondering how I’m going to get any presents. My two oldest are… older, plus moved out, so I’m not that concerned about them, though my wife might have a differing viewpoint. But I’m sure she’d agree that our ten year old daughter deserves to have a decent Xmas.

Since I can’t seem to get anyone to read this blog anyway (any bitterness you might think you detect is strictly your imagination) I figure I can be more honest for the two or so readers that I do have. So I will admit that I am struggling just to pay the usual bills, much less free up any money for Christmas. But, like I’ve written about before on this humble site, I EXPECT BLESSINGS! So I’m keeping my head up. This is far from the first time that Christmas has looked as if it was going to be a bleak affair – last Christmas, for instance – but God has always bailed us out. I don’t expect this year to be any different.

I want to say that things have been particularly difficult lately, but I would’ve said the same thing about a month ago and, oh, about 500 – 600 times previous to that, so I’m not going to claim that this period of woe and worry is any worse than the countless other times. What I am going to do is trust God to see us through. My wife and I have been working hard. She just started back to school and I am working and going to school. And I’m talking about “going” to school – as in, going to a brick and mortar establishment, both of us. But we are working toward a better future. It means perpetual exhaustion and little time for much else, but I’m looking forward to a much better financial existence by this time next year. Then all of this will be worth it.

Plus, one thing that I’ve learned as I rapidly near the half-century mark is that I should surely expect the unexpected. I have had major changes happen in my life in the last twenty years and, though they were all, literally, answers to prayers, none of them happened in a way that I imagined or really believed could or would happen! So all I know for sure is that I expect to be in a much improved climate, financially, and soon! I’m claiming that bad-mah-bean! (What the hell is a “bad-mah-bean” anyway?)

On a related note: We just had to move out of our nice home in the suburbs and into an apartment complex (in the same suburb) a few weeks ago. One of the upsides of that occurrence is that there is a small gym, decently outfitted, at our site. So I have been hitting that mug daily! I couldn’t go yesterday because I simply didn’t have time, but other than that I have been going faithfully (well… since Sunday, anyway)! It feels good! Psychologically, I mean, as well as physically and emotionally. I quit smoking in April of 2007 and I’m committed to getting back into post-dad and husband shape and beyond!

I didn’t really go into the details of our financial travails because it’s personal but trust me when I tell you that things look bleak! But I believe… I expect things to get better… and soon!

And the thing about things looking bleak…….? None of those Matrix-like illusions mean jack! With God all things are possible!

Appearances can be deceiving.