Saturday, January 10, 2009

Ch-ch-ch-changes

There are so many things I'd like to discuss today. I'm sure I won't have time to discuss everything. I am STILL planning on blogging about the New Year and my goals and everything. But, it seems like there are so many more things I need to talk about right now.

I was going to write about the MANY friends I have that are still employed by my former company, Goody's. How it stinks, really bad, to see what the company has turned into. It was once a GREAT place to work, but after the owners sold, it gradually went downhill. Well, I can't even say it gradually went downhill because it took a huge nosedive, actually. I have been thinking about what each and everyone of them are going through. I was in that same position 6 months ago. They will be fine. They will survive. They will get through this. They will all be better off in the long run.

As I've been thinking about the situation and praying for all of them for quite some time, guess what? Mike was laid off this week! Yep, from another company in town. Rumors had been circulating for a while, but there weren't exact details of when layoffs would happen. The layoffs started this week. It's crazy. Mike and I have both been praying about it...realizing that he could be one of them that were cut.

He called me at work Wednesday afternoon. When I picked up he said, "are you ready?" I was said, "ready for what?" (I was absolutely clueless) He said, "I just got laid off." "Oh, okay" was kind of my reaction. We both have a strange peace about the situation. It's not the end of the world. Yes, unemployment doesn't offer the greatest pay or benefits, but at least it's SOMETHING, right?! We made it through my unemployment for a little over 3 months this summer, we can make it through this.

I was going through old emails earlier and came across one that I sent my very good friend, Mishael, during the time that I was unemployed. I wrote the following words: "so, we're really not stressing. it's such a weird, unexplainable feeling. we both feel a peace about EVERYTHING. not to sound too crazy, but you hear the saying that god has you in the palm of his hand. that is how i LITERALLY feel. i've never felt anything like it before, but the other day i was sitting, thinking about what is going on in our lives, how we SHOULD be freaked out, and SHOULD be nervous, and SHOULD be stressing b/c as we look at it, the future is uncertain. BUT, as i was getting ready to sit down the other day, i just literally felt like i was sitting down in the palm of god's hand, legs hanging over the edge of his fingers...he's holding us up, protecting us from all of the elements.......like a bird protects her babies, spreading her wings out over them, not letting any harm come to them. it's a sweet, precious thing that i can say i have never ever ever ever felt before. it's pretty amazing!"

Like I said, we've both been praying and seeking God more than we ever have in our lives. It's a nice, peaceful feeling KNOWING that He is watching over us and is in control of our situation. If he watches over the little birds making sure they have food and shelter, how much more will he watch over us???

P.S. This is a picture I took while I was laid off and looking out my back window one morning.


Maybe I'll try to write more later.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
JANET! :)

3 comments:

Mish said...

great words Janet! We will all be stronger after this.. God knows best!
Mish

JANET! said...

thanks girl. we WILL all be stronger, even when we have NO idea what his plan is.

Mama's the Boss said...

I heard about the lay-offs and wondered if Mike had been affected. I am so sorry to hear that.