I realize I haven't posted since creating this blog and to those who might have been reading without officially following I do apologize (remember to follow so you can get my oh so rare updates as soon as I publish).  Our journey has been interesting to say the least in the last couple months.  Money we expected did not come through and as such plans we had made had to be rescheduled.

Krysta was offered a job that she was scheduled to start at the beginning of February. This and other factors that I don't care to go into caused me to leave my job at the time.  It was with Walmart, so it wasn't that big of a loss.  To shorten a long story, her job fell through but I was able to get on at Comcast.  Through God's mercy we were able to survive until I got my first check.

Barely...

The weekend before my scheduled start date we had taken a trip from Anderson to Muncie to attend the birthday party of one of Krysta's friend's daughters at Chuck E. Cheese.  On the way there we noticed a lot of shaking when I accelerated past 50 mph.  Krysta called her mother and asked if I could use her car for the next week until I got my monthly housing payment from the GI Bill on the 1st to take care of our van.  She told us we could which eased our minds.

The party itself was fun though crowded.  I had noticed when we left the van that one tire was low and some of the tread had worn off pretty bad.  I was hoping to not come out to a flattened tire but did my best to keep my spirits up and not be a stick in the mud. (Krysta tells me I can get a bit too grumpy when distracted by financial matters.)

When we left I decided to make a pitstop at the gas station to put some air in the low tire. BIG MISTAKE!  As we travelled home our tire suddenly burst!  God took control of the situation and allowed me to pull slowly off the road without any incident. Quite a feat as we were going about 55mph when the blowout occurred.  Krysta's dad got a tow truck for us with the promise that we would pay him back (we had less than $5 in the bank since I had just put $30 into the gas tank).

To wrap it up, mother-in-law to the rescue by allowing me to use her car my first week of work and father-in-law to the rescue by getting us the tow truck.  Thanks to my parents as well for taking Krysta and the kids home. 

Video games were sold for gas money to last until the payment on the 1st, but we made it.  Rent however needed to wait.  We got a new tire pretty cheap for only $30, but I knew the alignment would need an adjustment.  Wrong again...sorta.  The mechanic told me the van had a separated tire and something else wrong (memory fails).  NOT SAFE TO DRIVE was in bold at the bottom of the estimate.  They were closing so I had to go to another mechanic who price matched the estimate.  Yet when it was done final cost was about $285.  Ouch. 

I'd love to tell you that this was our only problem, but we owed 3 utility bills and were in danger of being shut off.  So that money I received on the 1st went to pay of some of that as well as our cable bill, internet and phone as well. 

Fortunately, our landlady appears to understand and is willing to wait until my first 2 week paycheck from Comcast on the 22nd.  It will be nice to be able to pay that off.  And then to also pay off the Comcast bill we owe for one of the benefits I will list below.

I realize I'm rambling a bit so I'd like to point out some highlights from my new job without a ton of detail:

- New job that will be paying at a higher rate then I had previously
- good benefits available after 90 days
- plenty of vacation time to take Krysta and the kids somewhere (hopefully)
- complimentary service for tv, phone and internet that will have our bill at around $40/month (saving us almost $150/month) as soon as the past due is paid
- being able to save back enough after the necessities to start a savings account for unseen emergencies like the one above

Very shortly we will be back in complete control of our finances and will be able to get that stress off our minds.

I try to include at least one Bible verse in each post and have had this one on my mind lately:

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.  -1 Peter 5:6-7

Step one to any journey

It's almost impossible to find adventure while sitting on your couch watching television. Sure, you can catch up on the latest sports score or the news, but that's someone else's journey.  It's only when you get up and take that first step that any true journey begins.

My family's journey starts here (figuratively of couse).  I'll be brief, but just like any good tale, you must know who the characters are.

My name is Brent.  I'm 27 years old. A veteran of the United States Navy.  Husband. Father. Walmart worker (for now).  I have many titles, but these only define what those on the outside can see or know. My wife could tell you much more about who I really am and you can make your own judgements from this blog.

Speaking of, I am married to an amazing woman. Krysta is my best friend and better half.  She is there to support me when I need it and there to help me see things in a perspective that perhaps I didn't see it before.  My life is so much better for having her in it and I praise God for her every day.

Jesse is our 5 year old boy.  Energetic, mischievous, smart.  He can be a handful at times, but we love him and wouldn't trade him for anything.  Jesse is a good big brother to his little sisters who he absolutely adores.  Jesse has his own obstacles that he's had to deal with already in his young life, but we believe that through the grace of God these will make him stronger.

Leah is 3. This blue eyed, brownish-blond haired girl can make a bad day better with one of her smiles.  Her favorite songs right now are "Jingle Bells," even though Christmas is over, and the opening song from "Beauty and the Beast." She knows all the parts and even sings the "Bonjour" parts.  Leah is going through speech therapy as most outside of the family have a little difficulty understanding her, but she's getting better.

Lilyana is the newest member of the family.  At 13 months she has already established her own personality. While Jesse and Leah prefer to jump head into any activity, Lily is content to study it from afar at first before venturing in.  She is content to play by herself most days, but loves it when her brother and sister decide to play with her.

Now, to explain the title of this blog.  Through various trials, God has been testing us.  Testing our faith.  Testing how patient we can be. Even testing how much we rely on Him to provide for us.  Throughout it all, He has been nothing but true and good to us though we don't deserve it.  He provides when we think all is lost and surprises us in ways we don't expect.

Yet through it all, I seem to have the most issue with trusting Him. Perhaps it is my fleshly nature stepping in and only seeing the dollars and cents before my eyes (or lack thereof).  I long to have the patience and understanding of Job.  Here was a man of God that setting the true standard.  God has promised to provide for us if we trust in Him.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:34)

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

And the one I try to remember most:

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin  (Matthew 6:28)
God seems to be opening some doors for us to go on to bigger and better things. I hope you will follow us as we go on this journey as a family.  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20)