"Sometimes when it rains - it POORS"

Well, just when it seemed that life couldn't get any worse and we began to wallow in our misery, for a brief time I hit the depths of despair. Though we are blessed to live in such a beautiful place where it snows a LOT, I seemed to be more focused on how much it was raining! For months, it has seemed that we have been amidst a cloud of darkness that keeps pouring down on us, without relief. With Jason's January of "bad luck" and February's fight to keep paying the bills, March couldn't get any more miserable! Not so! It wasn't too long before he was laid off because of lack of work, and I began to wonder where the money would come from to pay even some of our bills. No doubt, the Lord works in mysterious ways, but right then it didn't feel like he was working for us!

It wasn't but the day after Jason was laid off from Everest Construction, that a good acquaintance of his - Jeremy - called to see how he was doing and told him of a job opportunity that seemed too good to be true. A job that could provide security, transportation, benefits, housing, and possibly enough money to pay ALL of our bills. It felt like the choirs of heaven were singing sweet melodies for us, and the answer brought comfort and peace to our troubled hearts.

However, it later became apparent that Jason and I had not been humbled enough. The poverty we were experiencing was not yet extreme and fortunately, we were rich with hope for the light in the midst of the rainstorm. But, we were lacking the ability to pay our debts and obligations. That is a frightening experience; there were no reserves left to pay anything. Having been in this position a little over six months prior, prayers were again getting more fervrent and frequent.

The job offer, to this day, isn't quite ready for us. So, after spending all of our tax return just to make ends meet, there was no more money to pay bills. Exactly a week from the layoff Jason got the opportunity to do a side-job for his cousin, which eventually would give us some money to help us survive. Because we sold his truck in January and have been driving one vehicle (his last job provided him with adaquate transportation to/from work) he was forced to drive our family car to work - pulling our utility trailer full of tools, nonetheless. Work was a blessing, don't get me wrong! Yet, the money wouldn't be coming in anytime soon and bills were piling up. There was no money to even put in the car to get it to the job! I spent most of the day on my knees trying to figure out what to pay and how to pay it. I had spent the last 48 hours mainly on the phone trying to figure payment arrangements with whomever would work with us - which was very few. In the midst of praying and wallowing and hopelessness, I received a text from Jason:

"Saaawwwweeeet well transmission just finally went!" Oh, how I cried. Our only mode of transportation, for the seven of us, isn't transportation now. What now? I admit that I was somewhat cursing the Lord for my adversity. We had tried to be obedient and had accepted the call to serve, having to move away from the comfort of a modest home and all of our family. What more did He want? It's all His anyways, so I guess He was determined to take it all from us. So many negative, discouraging, Satan-driven thoughts filled my head. I instantly went to my knees and poured my heart out to my loving father in heaven. "Please make the rain stop!", I pleaded. And then, admist my own flood of tears, an answer came and I promptly obeyed the subtle command.

We had been flirting with the idea of selling our 4-wheeler, one of Jason's favorite possessions. The Lord knew it. But, if push came to shove, we would part from it! It wasn't but an hour after I had posted the listing to sell our 4-wheeler that Jason got a phone call! Have you ever been outside when the sun is shining and it is still raining (not pouring, but just raining)? It's fantastic! The earth is washed and cleansed; everything left shiny and nourished. And the sunshine overpowers the darkness! That's how I felt. Although it was still raining adversity in our lives, the sunshine had come out for a while! And even better than just a few rays of sunshine - we actually had someone offer and eventually pay us MORE than our ASKING price! How does that ever happen? Only when the Lord is in charge and when He is willing to show us his tender mercies! Alma 36:20 "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!"

For family scripture study we are reading in Alma right now and a few nights ago we read Alma 36:3 (which was now really penetrating my heart)! "...for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day." I have surely felt the Lord's hand in our lives. He knows our struggles and He gives them to us to humble and refine us - ultimately to mold us into who He wants us to become. It seems as though he allows the rain to pour down on our lives in order to cleanse and nourish us, and definitely humble us. And once in a while, He lets the sun come out to show us that He is merciful, and to allow us to feel the warmth of His everlasting love. What sweet bliss!









We are so grateful for cousins who love us and have offered so much support to us in this time of great need! Not only did "Big Red" come and rescue the "green machine" from New Meadows, but he towed her all the way down the mountain to Nampa! And to top it off, D&K let us borrow their extra truck for the week (s) while our only vehicle was getting fixed! It is in times of desparation, crisis, or emergency that you truly find out who your friends are. We only hope that the Lord will bless them with the same mercy that they have shown to us in our time of need. And that was not our only blessing - we also had good friends offer their van to us, so that our WHOLE family could fit. How blessed we are to have such good friends who have enriched and blessed our lives so much, especially in our time of need. There were so many lined up and ready to offer help in whatever way they could. I felt so overwhelmed with love!



This picture speaks a thousand words!! Notice that Jason is not quite all smiles to have to give up his toy! But, he is willing to "sacrifice this fattest lamb without blemish"! And then there is little Tyler. He was crying when Daddy sat on the 4-wheeler for the last time and he thought he was gonna get left! This was one of his favorite bonding times with Dad, no doubt.

My favorite line in the scriptures is "And it came to pass...". No where does it say that it ever came to stay. So, all things come and go - friends, vehicles, toys, adversity, and blessings! Good thing we have the sunlight to overpower the darkness when things tend to linger a little longer than we'd like!