spring days

today has been a nice lazy day so far. david and i slept in for the first time all week. it was also the first morning we've had together for a while, so we got up, had some coffee and watched this week's episode of LOST that my mom taped for us. we are so addicted to that show! then dave read part of John 9 and prayed for our day. he had to get ready to be at work by 12 noon, and i left the house early to come down here to the cafe before i work at 3:45. i am sipping some chai tea and working on some office stuff for the cafe here on my new computer! it is a beautiful day out, not at all like yesterday. it was very rainy and dreary, but i'm not complaining. apparently, PA is in a bit of a drought. we've been asked to cut our usage of water back by 5%. so this week's rain was much needed. it's so nice to be outside without coats now. i've broken out the flip-flops and short sleeves. the buds are coming out on our lilac tree and the grass is a bit greener. and it smells so good outside! so earthy and grassy. i love it! it's invigorating after a long winter.
david and i are in the midst of trying to figure out where God is leading us too right now. it seems like the job at Staples is just not going to work out. they've been so wishy-washy with what they've offered him and how much they'll pay him and what hours he would work. it has become very clear to both of us that it is just not compatible with dave's ministry here at our church. so he has been trying to talk to the manager there but has been unable to see him, due to various reasons. there is a good possibility he will be able to have his job back at the country club, which would fulfill all of those criteria he needs. but we're still trying to connect with the manager there as well. he may have to pick up shifts again at the roadhouse (he had quit for the summer there, but he can go back anytime). the ulitmate goal for dave's jobs is to enable me to either cut back my hours or quit altogether. this past year has been stressful in ways that i didn't realize, but now the stress is taking a toll on my body. i talked to my doctor this week, and she advised me to find outlets for stress and to reach the goal we have. it's not necessarily the job that is stressful as much as it is working in general. i know that i am not a working woman, and i've been living that way for so long that i'm having a hard time handling it now. in the middle of all this, God has really been testing our faith regarding our financial situation. it just seems that one thing on top of another has been coming. but the weird thing is that it all came after we bought our laptop with our tax return money. since then, it seems God is testing us in various ways. 3 examples: first, i desperately need new contacts. i've stretched the last pair i have as long as i can and my insurance doesn't cover very much. glasses are not in any way practical for me now and not any cheaper; second, yesterday we got our monthly gas bill in the mail (we've been on the budget plan this year, paying about $80/month up until this august) and they sent a letter saying that they may have miscalculated how much we were using and were raising our monthly bill to $208/month!!! no warning that we might be using too much, nothing, until they raised it over 100% more than what we were paying; and the third, we need a new car. dave's has almost 200,000 miles and we aren't sure how many more trips to indiana it'll make.
i tell you all this, not to make you feel bad for us, but because we know that somehow God has to provide. we know our needs, we feel that we haven't been spending foolishly and we know that He is leading us somewhere for our good. sometimes it's difficult, and sometimes it's ok. but however God works, i will be sure to let you know! we are praying that it is obvious and that we will make the right choices. i think this is getting pretty long, so i will get going. have a blessed Easter!