Fantastic?

Yes, married life is fantastic. It's so different from life before in so many ways, and yet so much the same in others. I'm still trying to get over the shock of seeing these wedding bands on my finger and his, and of hearing myself saying my husband when I'm talking to other people. And I can't tell you how confused I've been over which last name to use when. I'm introduced as Elizabeth G---, but where my credit card and my bank are concerned, I still have to sign as Elizabeth B---. I've got things squared away with the Social Security Administration, but due to technical difficulties I have yet to get my driver's license changed over. *sigh*

The odd thing is, I'm finding that now that we're married, I've got the time to really sit back and study my husband. Everything before this has been him being here for a tiny space of time, and now it's forever. Now, at long last, I have time to really learn every facial expression, every word of his body language, every look in his eyes. It's incredible. I've learned his tones and how to read him through his voice so well over the past couple of years, but to study those tones in conjunction with his body language is something entirely new, for the most part. I mean, in all honesty, we'd spent less than five whole months together in person before we were married...and those times when we were together things were always so busy that I never really had a chance to just study him. I love being able to do that now. Although, I have to admit, it does get confusing sometimes when what I'm reading in his voice and what I think I'm reading in his face or body language seem to contradict one another. *sigh again* Impossible man!

Anywho...such are my ramblings tonight. On the "day to day" front we're still trying to work a number of things out. I've got a job interview with Sears on Tuesday morning, so y'all could pray about that for me. It's really close to here, and I've got a good feeling about it, so I'd really like to get it. It's only part-time right now, but there are some other things in the works at home that actually make that ideal at this point in time. My mother is looking for a full-time job, and thinks she may have found the right place (where she'll actually enjoy what she's doing, for once, instead of just taking the first crap job that comes along because we're that desperate for the money). Really pray for her, because she deserves to get something good this time around. And I'm tired of watching her practically kill herself working fast food because "that's what's available".

Keep us all in prayer. God's got big things in the works right now, and for the first time in my life my whole family is coming together and really seeking His will as a unit. We're actually all praying together, as a family, every day now. At my mother's suggestion. This is big, people. Mom and dad have always been very private with thier prayer lives...with their faith as a whole, really. They've always had deep faith...we just don't usually hear a lot about it, other than the odd Biblical discussion at three a.m. or reassurance that "God's got everything under control, no matter what". I'm excited!

Other than that, things are still really bad money-wise. Especially since I lost my job. Praise God that I don't have a higher credit limit right now, or we'd be in even bigger trouble, I'm sure. As it is we don't know how we're going to cover everything. Dad's the only one working at the moment, and his last check was about twenty to thirty hours shorter than usual because of a new system they've put into place at his work. We're trying to sell our van, but it's a race against time right now as to whether or not it'll sell before we absolutely have to get that half of rent to the landlord, or finish paying on this or that. Or before we run out of gas or food.

It's one of those times where we're out in the middle of the sea in a raging storm. We can either wring our hands and cry out "We're going to sink! We're going to perish! Someone wake Jesus and beg Him to do something!", or where we can trust that He already knows what He's doing, and meet the storm head-on. It's tough to keep up courage and the will to fight when you're being battered by the waves, but if Jesus can find peace enough to sleep in the middle of that, surely we can find enough of His peace to keep fighting and perservering.

God bless and keep you all, my friends. May you know God's peace and presence today and every day of your lives. May you grow closer to Him with every breath that you take. May you know that He's there with you when you cry, wiping away every tear, and at your side when you laugh, dancing with you in utter joy.