Neglected, no more

Well, I fell like singing '...same song, second verse; a little bit louder and a little bit worse!'  But I won't.  It would be appropriate, though.  I went into work this past Monday morning--and not as grudgingly as I usually am on a Monday morning--and left at 3:34 p.m. with a severance package in hand.  Ugh.  Not the best way to end my already least-favorite day of the week.

Has this ever happened to you?  It's one of the worst feelings in the world and, though it has happened before--albeit much more harshly--it is not something that you get used to.  'The First Cut is the Deepest' is not applicable here.  If anything this cut hurts much, much worse as it goes much deeper than the last, cutting all the way to the core of everything I've trained to do and all that I want to do.

I cannot even begin to describe to you the roller coaster of emotions, thoughts, and feelings that this past week has been but I can tell you that I have been surrounded by the love and support of those that I love the most during this sudden change of events.  Jeff--who was quick to remind me that we made it through this the last time and only about 4 months into our dating relationship--has been more than amazing by offering his best support and encouragement.  He even attended an IIDA [Interior Designer's Assoc.] networking event with me; although I'm not sure that the chili cook-off didn't have anything to do with his willingness to attend ;)  My parents have also been extremely supportive, calling and checking in on me daily to offer encouragement and advice.  Emily/Roomie helped me design and create some really cute contact cards for me to pass out at said networking event.

Pre-water works; waiting for Bible study to start!

Emily also went with me to Beth Moore's first night of her new Bible study on 1 & 2 Thessalonians.  26 hours after being laid off from my job, there was no other place that I would have rather been.  Before getting started, Beth encouraged us to worship in any way that we felt comfortable; anything, that is, short of distracting others from worship.  I thought I would be okay in this until the very second that the band started up on 'Desert Song' and 'Waiting Here for You'.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Thankfully I wasn't escorted out by security for causing a distraction but it's safe to say that my emotions put me very close to the edge of the No-Distraction-Zone warnings.  But, I know that there was nothing sweeter to me than standing there, my sister's arms around me, and stripped raw before My God.  Wow.  I really had not had such a powerful, worshipful moment since, well, maybe since the last time I was knocked down into this boat.

Ok, before this lump forming in my throat turns into more sobbing I will leave you with my memory verse that I will be dwelling on these next two weeks.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."  Phillipians 4:19