Here I Raise My Ebenezer

Ebeneazer: (n) Stone of help. When God's faithfulness had been displayed throughout the Old Testament times, the Hebrews would build an altar to commemorate His faithfulness. A stone altar would be a little impractical now, so I write instead.

It's after 11pm and we have no bed to sleep in, seeing as how our bedding is still in the laundry. So, in order to not fall dead asleep on our crowded couch or something, I thought I'd write a blog entry detailing God's faithfulness in our lives. Mine and Cooper's, that is.

We are finally in our own apartment. Moved in September 15th. I can't begin to tell you how great that is, and how much of a burden and stress has been lifted off. I feel like we live like a married couple now, not like roommates. It's awesome! We still have quite a bit of organizing and arranging left to do, but I can finally nest like the busiest little wifey bird I have always wanted to be. I've already cooked a couple of actual meals (I have a crock-pot maiden voyage planned for tomorrow), and as soon as our place looks more like an apartment and less like a warehouse of a random assortment of junk, we will have people over. We're affording this because we have generous parents who love us so much. So Ebenezer #1: Apartment. Prayer answered!

I got a new job. I start October 18. My official title is Senior Administrative Assistant. P.C. jargon for secretary, I suppose. But it is salary, benefits, normal hours, free weekends, and no diapers to change or questionable merchandise to sell. This will help us become more or less financially stable, which may help us depend less on our parents to keep afloat, and make me less terrified of becoming pregnant with no health insurance. Ebenezer #2: Good-paying job! Prayer answered!

Now this one is a little backwards, but I was thinking about it and I think it can definitely count as Ebenezer #3. My car broke down. Pretty badly. It stalls and generally hates being a car. I took it in twice. The first time: mechanics couldn't find anything major with their $75 diagnostic tests. Awesome. Worked fine for about five days, then died on me again. Took it in today, found out that repairs will cost $700, or else I will just have a car that stalls in the middle of traffic. Soooo....it looks like we will be paying to have it fixed. Without Ebenezers #1 and #2, this would be a huge problem. But with some income coming in soon, and Cooper getting a lot of extra hours with his job (amazing, considering the job, but he has a fellow believer as a boss who also knows he's married so as soon as there are extra hours, Cooper gets dibs), we should be able to "afford" the repairs, even if that means a little trimming here and there. Ebenezer #3: Money for car repair. Prayer answered!

One of my favorite worship songs is called the Desert Song, and I close with the last verse:

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

I want to plant a flag in this season...so that when life gets really difficult, as it inevitably will, I can look back and say, God was faithful then. He will be faithful now.

I will sing praise,
I will sing praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here...