He is Faithful

January is right up there on my list of least favorite months. The only reason I give it any positive points at all is because at least 3 of my favorite people on earth were born in January. Otherwise, I would have a hard time thinking of a redeeming quality.

Mark is a corporate accountant. His busy time of year is now, in January, as opposed to tax time, as a lot of people assume it would be when hearing he is an accountant. He is not a tax accountant and his busy time of year is year-end. In other words....now. Mark's job always requires late nights from him to some degree. He works late at least one night a week and often, it's more. There are several reasons for this, and all of them are too boring to share with you. Yes, a new job might be nice, but there is no guaranteeing that and in this economy we are just choosing to be thankful that he has a job and that he has seniority there. Also, despite the long hours, he likes his job and he likes his co-workers. So for now, he will stay where he is. Despite the fact that he has been working 16-hour days for the last week and a half.

There was a time when I would make Mark feel so terrible for all of the hours he had to put in. I knew it wasn't his fault, but I was frustrated and had to take it out on someone. He was that someone. Looking back, I'm embarrassed that that was ever true. I know that he was tired and frustrated, too, and I should have been a soft place for him to fall. Instead, I was nothing more than an addition to his stress. One of the most tangible areas I can see that the Lord has worked in my heart is in this particular scenario. I no longer take out my anger on Mark, and in fact, I feel very little anger about his situation at all. Don't get me wrong....I still think the long hours are ridiculous, but now I turn to the Lord to give me the patience and peace I need for the situation. As always, He has been very faithful.

One of the ways he has been most faithful is He has given me tremendous joy in the ministry I participate in at church. While a large portion of each day is spent doing laundry, making beds, playing with toddlers and microwaving chicken nuggets, I know that the Lord is using me beyond the walls of my apartment and that helps the apartment feel less suffocating on the long days. He has also blessed me with fantastic girlfriends. Every Tuesday, while Elijah is at preschool, I meet 2 (now three, as of yesterday!!) girlfriends and their kids at a local play park. Those women have no idea what a ministry that is to my sanity. To be able to meet with my girls and laugh about everything from tattoos (Katie...are we doing it?) to how our new Bible study is touching our hearts is such a recharge to my batteries. Of course there is always Thursday. You all have heard me go on and on about my Thursday morning study and nothing has changed. It is still my favorite 2 hours of the work week and I love it. Knowing I get to see all of my ladies and discuss God's Word with them tomorrow will help get me through today.

And of course my kiddos. Despite the fact that they are turning my hair gray at an amazingly rapid rate, they do bring me joy. They are sweet, funny and adorable. I don't want this post to imply that I don't love spending time with my kids. I do. It's just that when Mark works these kinds of hours (leaving at 5 in the morning and not home until 10 or 11 at night), it's easy for my kids and I to get on each other's nerves. I'm thankful that the Lord knows that and gives me chances for us to get little breaks from each other.

So while I'm going through a few tough weeks, I know that God is both equipping me and providing for me. I won't lie to you, though. I wouldn't mind a prayer or two tossed my way if you think of it!