Life with us ~ The Wandering Workentins

I often share about our financial status…often to show how the Lord takes care of us in ways we couldn’t ever imagine. One of the benefits to Ron’s employment at Amazon is our health insurance benefits. First off, it started on the first day of his employment! This is the first and only company that we have ever seen that!!!

Well that benefit has really helped us this month though it hasn’t always felt that way…in December we were notified that the insurance would no longer cover my Lantus (Basal Insulin). UGH…but the one that the insurance will cover is called SYMGLEE…and not only does the insurance cover it, I also get double the number of Insulin pens for the same cost, $30 for a months supply!!! That means I don’t have to worry if I will have enough insulin to get me through the month…it’s no longer an issue!!!

Yesterday we went to CVS to pick up our meds for the month. We changed to CVS because Walmart does not carry the SYMGLEE 😖… we have used Walmart since 2010 when we started traveling full~time… but we changed to CVS. Back to yesterday ~ we stopped in and I picked up 9 meds…usually these 9 meds cost us about $90 a month but yesterday it was only $35.50 for all nine meds, for a one months supply…1/3 of the cost we had been spending at Walmart!! Go Figure!!! So what could have cost us $1382.50 was only $65.50 for the whole month!!! Yes, we give thanks that Walmart didn’t carry the new insulin because we have saved quite a bit of money on our one month of prescriptions!!! As well we give thanks that Ron has a job that has good medical coverage for prescriptions!!! That’s a lot to be thankful for!!

One of the passages I have been thinking about since our sermon on Sunday is James 5:1-6. The theme is earthly wealth. Ron and I have never had a lot of money and yes we live most of the time payday to payday and have for almost all of our 46+ years of marriage. And that is just how it is. Yet we have always had enough money to pay our bills, yes sometimes a bit late, but they always get paid. We have always had groceries…even though at times I wondered where the groceries would come from. Yes, I have had to go to the food bank a time or two…but we had groceries provided. Do we eat steaks and seafood every night? No, but I have learned how to cook a mean taco soup or at least a hundred different ways to cook and use hamburger! BUT we have never gone without. In fact, Ron often jokes that is “he is definitely all paid for, big belly and all 😂🤣!”

We also know that we are not considered successful by some people because we don’t live in a big house, own multiple cars and don’t take cruises or fancy vacations. But we know we are successful in God’s eyes!! We are blessed beyond measure!!!

Our lives are filled with the Fruits of the Holy Spirit and we are able to share those gifts and experiences with others. We may not have lots of money but we have laughter and encouragement to share with others. We have a testimony of being able to show how the Lord has protected us in so many ways…one of those ways is in all the traveling we have done and the many vehicles we have driven we have never been in a serious accident. We give thanks for the many times that the Lord provided a place to park our little home on wheels when repairs needed to be completed.

I’m not saying that maybe having a bit more money wouldn’t be helpful at times, I am saying that we have what we need, we have enough. We are rich with friendships, we are rich in our children and grandchildren are pretty darn healthy ~ yes some of them have some health concerns but nothing that can’t be addressed and dealt with by the doctors/providers in their neighborhoods. We have our own good health…yes we each deal with certain health issues like my diabetes and Ron’s recent heart attack but we are still living each day, sharing a smile with those we come into contact with and giving thanks for the many blessings…like today…sunshine…I love the sunshine and being able to have our trailer door open letting the sun shine in our little home, seeing God’s creatures ~ we have quite the goose family living in our pond and feeling peace about where we are and what we are doing.

Changing directions, this morning the passage for the day came from Deuteronomy 31: 1-8.

And I was reminded that even though some things concern me and I still wonder/worry how we are going to make it from payday to payday God tells me God is with me every single day. And He is with me as I take on new challenges…right now I am wondering/contemplating opening up my own little crochet business as I have shared in the past few days. I have received a few encouraging notes saying go for it! And so I take a few steps forward in that direction and push down the thoughts of “what if I fail?” “what if no one would buy anything I make?” “where the heck will I find a customer or two?” And God reminds me He is with me every step of the way and Guess What? I received an order for three dish towels!!! So I move a bit forward, enjoy my crocheting and will see how the Lord continues to lead me in this endeavor.

The closing line of my devotion today is “when faced with a temptation, a worry or concern, recall the stories of His great faithfulness.”

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What do you think about when life is throwing you a curve ball?