Catch up

Hello!

We've just spent a few days with Steph in her new little apartment. It's a lovely little one bedroom with polished floors in a beautiful old restored home. She loves it, has a lot more space than her previous one, which probably means she will make a lot more mess!

Our first day was spent helping Steph unpack and get her new apartment sorted. I've no idea how all her "stuff" fitted into her previous, much smaller unit. And then we had some nice girl time, getting hair done, catching up with friends for lunch and doing some shopping.

Thursday Steph's car was booked in to have a sensor replaced which was causing her engine to cut unexpectedly (not good in city traffic!). So Kym and took her car to the repairer and I took ours to go pick him up. Steph had mentioned that her car was starting to sound "like a aeroplane taking off" and after driving it Kym thought it was more like a jumbo jet. So after having the sensor fitted we rang our mechanic at home and he recommended someone to take the car to in Adelaide. We are so thankful that this was a specialist in Steph's problem (differential) and he was able to fit the car in right away (making a special allowance for us because we wanted to get it fixed for Steph before we went home). He thought it would take until late Friday. We were planning to go home Friday morning so extending that to Friday afternoon was ok. Ended up taking until Saturday morning to be finished but we were just thankful to have it done. Cost a fortune but the fact that we went to someone who specialised in the problem and was able to take care of it right away is definately evidence of the Lord going before us!

So Kym and I ended up going to visit Steph at work, and having her wait on us, always fun! It was lovely for me to see her at work, obviously enjoying herself. Finding a job is wonderful, but finding one she enjoys is an added bonus. Thankyou Lord!

As for the boyfriend, we never laid eyes on him. He didn't come visit Steph while we were there because he overheard a conversation Kym had with Steph where Kym told her he didn't think she should continue with the relationship. I feel a little bad that his feelings have been hurt but it doesn't change the fact that we don't think he is good for her.

Today is a day of washing and resting ready for the working week which I'm pretty sure I'm not going to enjoy. There are issues to be addressed at work and not sure how to go about that yet.

What do you do when you don't like your daughters boyfriend??

Because I really do. not. like. him.

He makes promises he doesn't keep. He borrows money from her and doesn't repay. He uses her car and computer like it's his own. And (this is the big one) he puts her down.

My hackles are up. I'm gritting my teeth. The mumma bear is coming out, and she may just go for the jugular.

I've told her what I think. She says when they are getting along the relationship is really good. And he always apologises, and says he was only joking, and she needs to toughen up and not get offended so easily. She doesn't want to break up with him. Doesn't feel she is strong enough to handle a break up. She feels responsible for him because he has no money because his parents aren't as supportive as hers. And that's the way he treats her, like she's his mother. He whinges and complains when she says no to him, demands money and then sulks when she doesn't have any.

So what am I supposed to do???

I've told her what I think she should do. I've told her that she deserves to be treated with respect and that she deserves to have her feelings taken into account. She says I'm over reacting, and he's not that bad. I don't think I am.

The difficult thing now, is that I've said my piece, and I don't think I can't keep saying it or she may stop talking to me.

So I shall pray. Unceasingly. Constantly. And trust that God will sort her out.

In other news...Steph got offered a job yesterday as a waitress (which is something she loves to do). She has her first training shift today. So that is an answer to prayer!

Of course I'm worried that the more money she has, the more he will mooch off her.

Dear Lord,
Please be with Steph today as she begins her new job. Help her understand all that she is being taught and really enjoy the experience. Help her come to the right decision about her relationship with Alex. Let her have the wisdom and courage to do what is right for her. In your precious name, Amen.

God's Wisdom

Funny but my devotionals of late have had a lot to say about wisdom, faith, and patience. Coincidence? I doubt it.

I AM waiting...just not very patiently. I have asked for wisdom but don't feel very wise!

Today I read that I need to drop anchor. I can't vacillate between the world's opinions and the Lord's wisdom. If I don't anchor myself on God's promise that He will give me His wisdom then I will be blown about by others thoughts, opinions and feelings.

That's a bit of a light bulb moment for me. Ok, I've been asking for wisdom, but I don't really think that I've been anchoring myself on God's promise that He will provide it.

So that's my challenge today. To ask for wisdom and have the faith to believe that I will receive it.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1 6-8.

Let him ask in faith, with no doubting...

No easy answers...

I have been waiting on the Lord, and praying and waiting and praying and waiting and I'm getting frustrated. Which I'm pretty sure isn't the message the Lord is trying to give me but that's my reality.

If you aren't up to reading a big grumble session you have my permission to stop reading now, because I just want to get it all off my chest...

Firstly I don't want to live here anymore. I don't feel this community (as tight knit and wonderful as it is) is the place for my kids to get the education they need (Steph is already in Adelaide) and I'm not ready to let them go. Scott is in year 10 and is really bright and our little school just isn't engaging him, catering to him, challenging him or giving him the choices to inspire him. I'm fed up with being a farmers wife (even though we've had a couple of good years now, doesn't mean that will continue and I'm over the uncertainty). I'm fed up with working full time and feeling under valued and under paid.

The thing is, this is where Kym is happy. And the reality is that I am more likely to put up and shut up than he is, and a miserable Sharon is infinitely more bearable than a miserable Kym. I have always been the compromiser and I don't see how I can stop that now. I don't even know how to approach the subject, and frankly I see little point.

I just feel stuck. I can't afford to stop working unless we re work the partnership of the farm so that we are no longer in partnership with Kym's brother. The way we are set up now is that we draw a wage from the business and that is all. So even though on paper we have lots of assets and lots of turnover, the reality is that we live on a meagre wage. And that means I have to work. Especially while we are supporting a child studying 700km from home.

So put up and shut up I shall. Except here. Here I will say what I think and feel!

Like I said I don't have any answers. I will just keep praying and waiting on the Lord. And maybe I'll learn some patience and wisdom. Stranger things have happened.

Dear Lord, if this is the place that you want me then please help me accept it. If it's not give me the courage to change it. Please help Stephanie find a job to supplement her income and help her move toward supporting herself. Please help us make a decision about Scott's schooling next year. Amen.