Choosing Contentment

As you may know, G and I share one car. Since he didn't bring one into our marriage (or have a license for that matter) it's just always been that way. We've had times when it was tricky or difficult splitting the transportation needs of two adults to just one car, but for the most part we've coped very well.

G's new job has been great with this. He's been working at a branch just 8 minutes away, with no traffic! His work days are pretty long, but he has been coming home for lunch to see us, then we'd switch who had the car and M and I could get out and about. It was pretty awesome.

Then Tuesday happened. G got moved to a different branch. This move is wonderful for his career, really wonderful...I guess you could even say this is a promotion. I'm proud of him for all of his hard work and that he got chosen for the bigger, busier branch.

And here's the downside. The branch is not 8 minutes away with no traffic, it's more like 30 minutes, more with traffic. He will now leave earlier, come home later and not come home for lunch breaks. If we want the car, I have to wake up Makafui and leave by 6:30. Makafui may or may not go back to sleep and by the time we get home he will have spent at least an hour in the car. Picking G up is even trickier. He technically gets off at 6, but since this branch is so much bigger, that can vary a lot. So it's quite possible that we would leave at 5:30 to get him, sit in the parking lot (crying) for half an hour or more, we never really know, then spend another half an hour or more getting home. THEN I would start dinner and the whole evening would go downhill from there (can you tell we've done this a time or two?). Sounds fun, huh?

Our budget doesn't have room for another vehicle right now, so the alternative is being stuck at home for 12+ hours a day.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I spent MUCH of the day yesterday being really sad and distraught over this. I kept thinking about how isolated I'll be; how I can't go to Bible Study or play groups or just get out of the house. How we'll NEVER see G anymore, how all the good things I've been enjoying are just over, how I like fresh air! I was seriously whining...to myself and to God.

And then it hit me. Just like all the bigger things we've gone through, this too is our story, this too is an adventure and a challenge. I GET to be home with my baby all day. I am blessed to be able to raise him full time! What is there to complain about that? And, Gigi is close by, we aren't completely stranded. The Lord really impressed upon me that I have a choice here. I can choose to be bummed and to whine about our circumstances, or I can choose to be content and to model joy and thanksgiving to my son. I like the latter. God is providing for us, I'm sure when He thinks we need another car, He'll provide that too...now the key will be to remember this on long days with no G and no out. :)

We are very blessed.