We're rich

Firstly, sorry if I complain too much about not having much money. If I've come across as claiming to be poor then I have gravely misrepresented myself.

The fact is, Rene and I, our family - we are rich. Rolling in wealth, stinking rich.

MATERIALLY
Materially, we have much. Sure, we are technically classed as low income and are eligible for WIC and other assistance (though we don't claim it, for a number of reasons. One of which is we disagree with WIC's opinion of what is healthy, and also simply that we didn't move to the USA just to live off of tax payers' money).

But when you zoom out a bit and compare us to just 2 years ago, when we left behind all our worldy possessions and stepped out on a limb, moving to a new Country with 5 suitcases of photographs and papers and 1 of clothes as our only belongings, and 2 kids on tow plus one more due in 5 weeks. We had naught. But we were trusting in the bible verse my Dad read to us on our Wedding day,

Psalm 37
3 Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

My Dad and Step Mother took us in and took extremely good care of us for those first few months. We are so grateful. It was scary leaving them May 2007, to go off to Nebraska, where we knew no-one and had no job and no savings.

But God delivered. He took care of us. When we look around our house, we can count on two hands, the number of things we have actually bought, rather than were given. And we can count on one hand the number of those which were bought at full price. We haven't had to buy the TV, beds, dressers, sofa, microwave, kitchen table, chairs, dishes, silverware, cooking equipment. We've been gifted everything and are so grateful.

There are so many people around us who have so much less than us. We pray we will be good stewards with what God has given us.

And Rene is starting a new job in 3 weeks. It was a very tough decision to make, but we feel this job will provide us more financial stability and job security, especially given the state of the economy just now.


But really, materially wasn't where I was going with the whole rich thing.



FRIENDSHIPS

WOWsers have we ever been blessed in this area. I'm an introvert, and Rene is the extrovert. I wasn't overly scared about the social issues with moving country. Rene was deeply troubled however, that we wouldn't be able to integrate well in our new home. Admittedly, in those last few weeks in Scotland, when we were saying goodbye over and over to so many amazing, incredible people, I started to wonder, "what in the heck are we doing?". We left behind some life shaping, amazing relationships with the most wonderful people.

But again, God has provided for us again here. We have an awesome support system around us here. Lincoln has been so welcoming to us, and there are folks here who have just embraced us with open arms and made us feel we truly belong. In 2 short years, we've gotten to know some people who it feels like we've known forever. People rally around us when we're in crisis, and truly our cup of friendship if overflowing. Yes, I did just say something as cheesy as that.


KIDS

When I was a young girl, I used to say when I grew up I wanted to be a wife and a mother, and have 12 kids. I'm not quite there yet, but well on the way. I have always had a deep yearning to love my own offspring, and sometimes I look around me at my sweet little ones, each busting with their own personality, and I just can hardly believe I've really been given all this. It's everything I ever wanted. And I am everything they need right now. And that is a privilege that completely blows my head off. The only thing that would make this more perfect is of course, if Heather were still here. But then 10 weeks I had with her were also an incredible blessing.

I am so thankful that Rene makes enough money so we can pay our bills and can afford for me to stay home and educate the kids, nurture them and help them grow. I believe I have one of the single most important jobs in the entire world, and I pray I will do it well. I am certainly savoring it, I truly am. I'm so grateful that I get to be the one to sit beside them on the couch and teach them to read, that I am the one who gets to show them nature and explain what it is and what it does, that I get to be the one to see the look of satisfaction on their faces when they figure out how something works or how to solve a problem. And I get to be the one my little girls want to be just like when they grow up - what an amazing, beautiful responsibility. I am so glad that they are growing up with the assurance that I am there for them, any time they need me. That's worth more money than the richest person on the planet could afford.


EACH OTHER



We married young. You could say, young and stupid. We were dating at 16 and 18 years old, and married at 19 and 22. (2.5 years age difference) We've learned a heck of a lot in that time. We had some really difficult times, and have grown through them. We went through marriage counseling a few years back, which completely changed the direction we were going in for the better. I believe, in my heart of hearts, that God brought us together, that we were chosen for each other. Rene really is my soul mate. I love him endlessly.



Ultimately, I don't want to be wealthy financially. I feel it would only distract me from what's truly important in life. We make ends meet, and that's sufficient. God has given us so very much. We are rich.

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