Since being left go on January 2nd, I have received many blessings. The out pouring of support, constant messages of people praying for me on Facebook and getting to know my children has been special. For the past 10 years, my wife has been a widow during the golf season while I worked 12-16 hours and day for 3 months, often getting home after everyone is asleep or at least in bed. Now, I spend 30 minutes to an hour playing golf with Daniel and Lydia on my golf green in our backyard after school. My children also have helped me with my recent you tube videos as well.
Another thing God has revealed to me is the blessing of time. Time to read books and the Bible every day. Time to write Express Yourself, send out my daily blog and correspond with people on Facebook that I haven’t seen in almost 20 years. Time to coach Daniel’s baseball team and time to help lead a Thursday night Bible Study. While I was teaching, I always felt rushed, never taking or feeling like I could spend time with my co-workers. Now, I have had the opportunity to spend time once a week with Spencer Saints, a dear friend and co-worker who is in the same position I am, unemployed.
This leads me to my curse, unable to currently provide for my family. In the back of my mind, I always thought I would be at Red Lion until Lydia graduated, but this was not God’s plan. I know some time, hopefully sooner than later, God will open a door so that I can walk through it by faith. However, for know I feel like an explorer, either about to fall off the flat earth or discover a new land, filled with milk and honey. I feel compelled to complain like David, asking God for justice, as the wicked prosper, I am struggling to keep my head above the flood waters of debt. In the end, I know God has a plan, I’m just waiting in the dark, pleading for a prompt answer. In life there are many blessings, but the greatest curse is forgetting just how blessed we really are to live in the greatest country in the world. May God bless the U.S. of A.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 