Not too long ago I announced that there were some changes afoot. Although we’re keen supporters of homeschooling, we started sending our children to a nearby very small Christian school and my wife was going to look for work. It had become clear that there just wasn’t time available for me to work on writing, publishing, and generally putting in the work required to work towards the kind of academic role I’m looking for, plus another income wouldn’t go astray.
It will come as no surprise that I’m a firm believer in the providence of God, so it’s only appropriate that I’m now very thankful to God for the way things are turning out. Just a matter of days after deciding to send the children to school Ruth was given a job at a nearby rest home / hospital, working between 19.5 and 30 hours per week, give or take a little. Within a week of this happening, I got a change of hours at work approved, meaning that soon I’ll be working four days per week. The way New Zealand’s welfare and tax system works means that we’re only slightly better off financially than before (but hey, slightly is better than not at all). The other side to that is that we’re earning a much higher proportion of our income, which is much better. Also, although the change of hours at work has been approved, there is a project at work that I need to make myself available for (one that we’ve been planning for a while), so the new hours won’t kick in for a little while yet, but it’s pretty much a done deal. Also, I have exams on the 16th and 17th of November, so initially what extra time I have will be spent preparing for those. But the upshot is that we’re doing a little better now and I will have more time available to work on my own projects, which is what we had hoped for.
I had expected that this process would take a couple of months, but from start to finish it took only a couple of weeks. Think me terribly superstitious if you will, but I’m calling it a sign.
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
EDIT: I’ve started putting some of my music clips up at YouTube, and this one is apropros here!
Jared
Time to play the “Old 100th” on the electric guitar!
[Note from Glenn: I have now added a clip of me doing just that!]
semmie
glenn! this is wonderful!!! i thank god for all he is bringing to pass in your lives (you and your family), and i rejoice with you in his great faithfulness! pax christi.
Glenn
Semmie, I always find your comments, both public and private, to be very loving and supportive. Thank you 🙂 (You remain in my prayers, as always)