Cool experience driving home today

I was driving home from work with a lot on my mind.

The transit strike is over it looks like, so I was thinking about that. And, how I'm hoping the city didn't end up costing the average joe like me more in taxes. Along with the budget deficit, I'm wondering where the federal government is going to GET that 64 billion dollars...

I was listing in my head all the things that are proof that we are right at the limit right now.

We don't live above our means
2 cars, one is a 1994 and needs to be replaced, badly. 1 is a 2001...and is a Ford ;)
We live in a semi, we didn't buy more than we could afford.
We don't buy clothes often, I badly need some new clothes.

Our taxes have gone up steadily for years. the pay raises we have had can in no way match the increase in taxes and costs, since I've moved up here our cost of living has risen steadily, so our quality of life has gone down.

I'm counting our pennies when I go the grocery store. We don't eat out, except occasionally when we will get McDonalds after church. We don't have extras for movies or vacations. But we do our best to save in our RRSP's...which has gone down by half this past year.

Currently, I'm looking for a second job while hubby is off on a medical leave. We aren't sure when he can go back to work right now.

My pay has actually gone DOWN this year.

School expenses have gone up, etc etc etc.

So I was listing all of this in my head, and getting agitated, more and more worried.

All of a sudden, I kid you not, my car filled with the scent of jasmine. I have no air fresheners in my car.

I live in Canada, and there is at least 2 feet of snow on the ground. There are no flowers blooming at all here, everything is in hibernation. When the car filled with the scent, a peace came over me. There is no where that scent could have come from, and my car def doesn't smell like jasmine on a regular basis...it usually smells a little like gasoline...from the small gas leak. sigh. :)

I really think God sent me that reminder to get my attention. I need to remember that He knows all of this going on. He is the one who provides, He will be faithful until the end. My job is to serve Him, glorify Him and cast all my cares upon Him.

Even so...Come Quickly Lord Jesus! :)

Happy New Year!

I watched the ball drop abot 20 mins ago and now I'm examining 2008.

On first look, it pretty well sucked

The beginning of the year started out well, I was with my parents and had a nice visit there.

Then I settled in for the worst winter since I moved here. In march, Michael and I got to go to my brothers wedding in CA while Nick dealt with with a 50 cm snowfall.

Within a few weeks of me getting back I crashed and burned and was in the hospital for depression.

I was off work for a few months while I did 'the program'. Towards the end, I had a huge stressful situation to deal with workwise, the same week I found out that I was pregnant again.

The work situation worked out, but I lost the baby before the week was out. I've done research and my PCOS can cause recurrent miscarriage.

Once I graduated I was back to work full time. Nick on the other hand had some of his own challenges to deal with.
Throughout the fall I tried not to focus on the economy and uncertainty, and focus on the positive things going on.

As the year comes to a close I find myself struggling.

But, I should quantify the things that went right this year.

1) I'm still here
2) I finally finished my college diploma
3) Michael is doing well in school
4) We are all basically healthy
5) I have a new niece :)

That's all i can come up with right now...