Life is stressful. I feel like I could end the post at that. Life. is. stressful. Amanda is working 50+ hours a week. TJ has 4 projects due + finals. Amanda has AWANA. TJ has Wesley. Bills need to be paid. Friendships need to be maintained. A marriage needs time. Expenses are rising. Feels like we are drowning. How is it possible to live on amanda's salary...but not TJ + Amanda's salary? How does one afford a house? What will Amanda do when TJ moves to Houston? No one seems to be hiring, no one wants a meteorologist. It is an odd feeling. After working for 10+ years to be facing a future without a job...its scary. Saying "The Lord will provide" and then really trusting it...is hard. I know the God we serve is Faithful. Always. On one hand its exciting to watch God show up. Watch Him deliver us from the mediocre life society has for us.
Rotation is nearly here. Two months. No lie...marriage is hard. It. Is. HARD. There are evenings we sit on the couch and stare at each other saying "how in the world do we do this?!" There are so many things that we have no idea how to do. I feel like everything we talk and dream about is being put to the test. Are we willing to trust that the Lord has a plan. And right now, I can honestly say I have no idea what that looks like. Faced with the reality that in 2 months my husband will be gone on an oil rig somewhere and I will be at home by myself. I am blessed to have the family at Living Hope Baptist Church to take care of me. What a phenomenal blessing they are. I am blessed with a great job. The future is scary and unknown. But I guess if we knew what was coming, we wouldn't need God. Please be in prayer for our family. We are facing lots of changes in a very short period of time. It is overwhelming at times. pray that we will do what Revelation 2:3
says, " You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. "
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, " Jeremiah 29:11-14
Ask us whats going on. Tell us what is going on with you. Please
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Wait....two of us live in this house?
45 Hours of work a week
2 tests
1 PETE 400 project
1 Full time senior engineering student
1 Full time employee
AWANA
Wesley
Welcome to our lives.
We don't see each other much. But the Lord has blessed us in that we have gotten to spend the weekends together. Typically I don't see TJ Mon-Thur because of work and school but Friday-Sunday I have been able to spend so much time with him. Life has been hectic to say the least but we can tell God is preparing us for rotation which is quickly approaching. TJ graduates in a month, we move in 2 months...life has never moved so quickly. We enjoy the brief quiet time we have together. The biggest blessing is that even though school is ridiculous right now for TJ and work is in the busy season for me, TJ is so excited to start work with BP. He cannot wait to apply all the things he has learned. Watching how excited he is encourages me every day.
We have been talking about buying a house, buying new cars, how life will work post- school. It is incredible what happens when you get paid for working instead of paying TAMU to work. We have different opinions on some things, but God has given me a very vocal husband who has learned to tell me "no". Not always a pleasant sensation but it has been good. Sometimes I skip steps and miss the present looking towards what is coming. In my mind we are buying new furniture for our new house and parking our new car out front. Which means I need to stress about a mortgage and car payments. In my mind we already live here:
Thankfully I have a husband who keeps my feet on the ground.
2 tests
1 PETE 400 project
1 Full time senior engineering student
1 Full time employee
AWANA
Wesley
Welcome to our lives.
We don't see each other much. But the Lord has blessed us in that we have gotten to spend the weekends together. Typically I don't see TJ Mon-Thur because of work and school but Friday-Sunday I have been able to spend so much time with him. Life has been hectic to say the least but we can tell God is preparing us for rotation which is quickly approaching. TJ graduates in a month, we move in 2 months...life has never moved so quickly. We enjoy the brief quiet time we have together. The biggest blessing is that even though school is ridiculous right now for TJ and work is in the busy season for me, TJ is so excited to start work with BP. He cannot wait to apply all the things he has learned. Watching how excited he is encourages me every day.
We have been talking about buying a house, buying new cars, how life will work post- school. It is incredible what happens when you get paid for working instead of paying TAMU to work. We have different opinions on some things, but God has given me a very vocal husband who has learned to tell me "no". Not always a pleasant sensation but it has been good. Sometimes I skip steps and miss the present looking towards what is coming. In my mind we are buying new furniture for our new house and parking our new car out front. Which means I need to stress about a mortgage and car payments. In my mind we already live here:
Thankfully I have a husband who keeps my feet on the ground.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Things TJ has learned recently
1. Amanda is pathetic when she is sick...PATHETIC
2. Bringing smart water home to your sick wife is just as good as a fancy date
3. Having a sick wife allows TJ two whole days to sit in bed and watch movies
4. Blankie does sleep in bed with sick Amanda (yes Blankie is 22.5 years old)
Amanda has bronchitis and a sinus infection. TJ is the best husband ever.
2. Bringing smart water home to your sick wife is just as good as a fancy date
3. Having a sick wife allows TJ two whole days to sit in bed and watch movies
4. Blankie does sleep in bed with sick Amanda (yes Blankie is 22.5 years old)
Amanda has bronchitis and a sinus infection. TJ is the best husband ever.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Spring Cleaning
It always takes awhile at the beginning of the semester for time to start moving. By the end of the semester weeks fly by and time passes in the blink of an eye. But at the beginning, time drags on. We are about to hit the halfway point of the semester so finally time is moving. Somehow it is Wednesday already which is great because its a payday Friday and then the weekend :) We are almost to Spring Break, my sweet husband graduates in 9 weeks, we move 4 weeks after that, and he starts work for BP a week after that!! Amazing. God has been so faithful this semester. In church we have been studying Ruth and what a faithful God we serve. This has been so evident in our lives lately. From unexpected tax returns, to petroleum competitions, God has provided abundantly and in every way.
School has begun to pick up for TJ. Long nights in the computer lab while his wife is sound asleep at home :) One of us is very lucky :) He has a huge project due next week so he has been quite busy. But the end is in sight. He is working incredibly hard and will be a fantastic drilling engineer in a few short weeks.
God has been teaching us to simplify our lives. We live on a strict budget so at first I didn't think this was even necessary. Then we started looking for a new place to live. MM....about that. We have a lot of stuff. unnecessary stuff. We were looking at beautiful apartments but kept coming back to the question "But where will all our stuff go?" Shortly after this we realized that God was telling us to simplify. So Sunday after church, TJ went to school and I started getting rid of stuff. At church we were given the opportunity to donate clothes for a mission trip. At Hope group a girl was collecting donations for a garage sale to benefit missions. What a perfect opportunity. So spring cleaning has begun at our house. Shoes, clothes, notebooks, books, paintball sets, lamps....we are simplifying. There are some selfish motives I will admit, having to move in June to a second or third floor unit will seriously motivate you to reduce the volume of junk. We are in a transition right now, financially, physically and spiritually as God continues to refine our views of money and what is important in the world. Mint.com has become our best friend and the worst punch in the stomach ever as we try and get our spending under control. Thankfully, our grocery bill is finally under control where it should be which has been a tremendous blessing. Now if we could cut out all the quick runs to the store to grab something I am craving. Next on the list is eating healthy....again meaning Amanda can't eat whatever she is craving.
So this is where we are. Cleaning out all the random things we don't use anymore, headed to a simpler life. Happy 2 months of marriage to us!
Shalom
School has begun to pick up for TJ. Long nights in the computer lab while his wife is sound asleep at home :) One of us is very lucky :) He has a huge project due next week so he has been quite busy. But the end is in sight. He is working incredibly hard and will be a fantastic drilling engineer in a few short weeks.
God has been teaching us to simplify our lives. We live on a strict budget so at first I didn't think this was even necessary. Then we started looking for a new place to live. MM....about that. We have a lot of stuff. unnecessary stuff. We were looking at beautiful apartments but kept coming back to the question "But where will all our stuff go?" Shortly after this we realized that God was telling us to simplify. So Sunday after church, TJ went to school and I started getting rid of stuff. At church we were given the opportunity to donate clothes for a mission trip. At Hope group a girl was collecting donations for a garage sale to benefit missions. What a perfect opportunity. So spring cleaning has begun at our house. Shoes, clothes, notebooks, books, paintball sets, lamps....we are simplifying. There are some selfish motives I will admit, having to move in June to a second or third floor unit will seriously motivate you to reduce the volume of junk. We are in a transition right now, financially, physically and spiritually as God continues to refine our views of money and what is important in the world. Mint.com has become our best friend and the worst punch in the stomach ever as we try and get our spending under control. Thankfully, our grocery bill is finally under control where it should be which has been a tremendous blessing. Now if we could cut out all the quick runs to the store to grab something I am craving. Next on the list is eating healthy....again meaning Amanda can't eat whatever she is craving.
So this is where we are. Cleaning out all the random things we don't use anymore, headed to a simpler life. Happy 2 months of marriage to us!
Shalom
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Male vs Female
So before we got married, I thought TJ and I had so much in common. We love Jesus, like the same food, hobbies (frisbee) we are both math people. Then we got married. And I realized we are very different! We were praying last night and TJ's prayer was very sweet. About 3 minutes but he said everything I was feeling. Then my turn...10 min later TJ is laughing as I'm praying that God will give someone dementia. The point of the prayer was to ask God to help us forget the lies of the world. TJ says "help us forget the lies" Amanda says "and even if you have to give us dementia for awhile so we can forget them, I would be ok with that because I just don't want to remember them anymore" Point of the story, girls use more words than boys. This is our life :)
Monday, February 14, 2011
Break us of our need for the familiar
We fix our eyes on You, You are God alone
We fix our eyes on You, You’re our only hope
For all we have to lose is our very souls
We fix our eyes on You, You are God alone
We fix our eyes on You, You’re our only hope
For all we have to lose is our very souls
Save us from these comforts
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You
Yeah, we will worship You
Satisfy us, Lord, in Your unfailing love
Satisfy us, Lord, that You would be enough
We have nothing here, let Your kingdom come
Save us from these comforts
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You
Yeah, we will worship You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Save us from these comforts
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You
Yeah, we will worship You
Carlos Whittaker- We Will Worship You
My need for the familar is great. When things arent familiar, I tend to lose it. Life appears to fall apart. I am miserable. Change makes me terribly uncomfortable. I hate it. Strong word, but i HATE change. Gradual change so that I can look back and not realize change happened, I am fine with. But change that happens within an hour rocks my world. In reading the Bible tonight you can imagine my shock when I couldn't find a verse that says "I will not change your world abruptly and radically in a short period of time" Its like the Bible wasn't written just for my comfort. This song just puts into words all the frustration, nerves and worries I have for the future. Define comfortable "free from stree or anxiety" that is what I would love to be, but God never promised that. Lately He has done nothing but redo our plans over and over. It has gotten to the point where I don't know why we make plans. Its a joke.
We fix our eyes on You, You’re our only hope
For all we have to lose is our very souls
We fix our eyes on You, You are God alone
We fix our eyes on You, You’re our only hope
For all we have to lose is our very souls
Save us from these comforts
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You
Yeah, we will worship You
Satisfy us, Lord, in Your unfailing love
Satisfy us, Lord, that You would be enough
We have nothing here, let Your kingdom come
Save us from these comforts
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You
Yeah, we will worship You
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Save us from these comforts
Break us of our need for the familiar
Spare us any joy that’s not of You
And we will worship You
Yeah, we will worship You
Carlos Whittaker- We Will Worship You
My need for the familar is great. When things arent familiar, I tend to lose it. Life appears to fall apart. I am miserable. Change makes me terribly uncomfortable. I hate it. Strong word, but i HATE change. Gradual change so that I can look back and not realize change happened, I am fine with. But change that happens within an hour rocks my world. In reading the Bible tonight you can imagine my shock when I couldn't find a verse that says "I will not change your world abruptly and radically in a short period of time" Its like the Bible wasn't written just for my comfort. This song just puts into words all the frustration, nerves and worries I have for the future. Define comfortable "free from stree or anxiety" that is what I would love to be, but God never promised that. Lately He has done nothing but redo our plans over and over. It has gotten to the point where I don't know why we make plans. Its a joke.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Life is precious
The events of the past two weeks have really shown me how delicate and precious life is. We have had a friend pass away, a family member in the hospital, and a coworker hit by a drunk driver. The news flashes stories of an infant abandoned in a toilet. We live in a fallen world that needs a Savior. With all the tragedy that has surrounded us lately, it is easy to slip into a state of worry. One that is paralyzed by fear of what is to come to the point that we miss what is already here. After a long talk and much prayer, the Lord has challenged us over and over again to trust Him. To abide in Him. To rely on Him.
Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
How thankful I am that my Savior knows me; my failures my strengths, my dreams and passions. He knows my heart and all my misguided energies. He knows how often I lose motivation to spend time in the Word, yet he never gives up on me. He knows that when I fail my husband and lose my temper, that I am still His child and He still loves me. What a tremendous blessing it is to have a Lord and Savior who has endless patience with me.
As Tamanda faces changes on the horizon, graduation, full time employment, rotation, the Lord has proved Himself faithful (as if He needed to...HA!) He continuously places people in our path who can support and encourage us. We have started the marriage class. In the first class, Butch challenged us that as a married couple we should be mentoring unmarried couples and by the end of the class, we should have written our own premarriage class. Oh goodness. Overwhelmed. I tried to hide my wedding ring. TJ informed me that people will still know we are married. He is typically correct so I went back to flashing my new bling.
Needless to say God is stretching us.
Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
How thankful I am that my Savior knows me; my failures my strengths, my dreams and passions. He knows my heart and all my misguided energies. He knows how often I lose motivation to spend time in the Word, yet he never gives up on me. He knows that when I fail my husband and lose my temper, that I am still His child and He still loves me. What a tremendous blessing it is to have a Lord and Savior who has endless patience with me.
As Tamanda faces changes on the horizon, graduation, full time employment, rotation, the Lord has proved Himself faithful (as if He needed to...HA!) He continuously places people in our path who can support and encourage us. We have started the marriage class. In the first class, Butch challenged us that as a married couple we should be mentoring unmarried couples and by the end of the class, we should have written our own premarriage class. Oh goodness. Overwhelmed. I tried to hide my wedding ring. TJ informed me that people will still know we are married. He is typically correct so I went back to flashing my new bling.
Needless to say God is stretching us.
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