Hi All,
Sorry that it has been a while since I have posted anything here for a while but I thought I'd take a second to actually fill you all in on how the family has been and whats happening in our lives these days. We have actually been either really busy or really preoccupied lately.
Beofre I do that I want to praise God for the amazing work He has been doing in our lives. Tomorrow......later this morning since its past midnight........we sign the papers to close on the Short Sale of our house. While it makes us sad to think that the place where we called home for years is no longer ours we praise God for how smooth the process was.
From the time we placed the house on the market in October, we really had no expectations for the selling process. It was a slow time of the year for the market and we were not sure how many people would be interested in the area. Well.....now its January and we are closing.......in 3 short months. Our mortgage company was easy to work with in the process for us and our realtor and, once an offer was made on the house, the approval process was just a quick. The realtor told us it was the quickest and easiest process he has even been a part of and that we are going to be the example he gives future sellers of the best case scenario in the Short Sale Process for years to come. This is a true answer to prayer and a testament of the God's work in our lives. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!
Jose:
I am working at JapsOlson company as a Data Programmer which is similar to what I did at Five Star Direct a few years ago. I work 2nd Shift (2-10) which makes for a long week of not seeing any of my family awake except for Isaiah and Audri as they get ready for school. This has helped me better enjoy the time I have with them on break days and the weekends.
Jes:
Jes is the Lead Teacher for the Butterfly Room at the YWCA in Minneapolis. She is involved in many aspects of the center and has been given more responsibility besides her room. She was chosen to join her Director at a conference in Florida. I guess God wanted her to scout ahead to see if Disney World was worth the hype..........Kidding! She does a great job of being a working woman and a mother while I sleep in and work late. I love you honey!!!!!! Thanks for your hard work.
Audri:
Audri adjusted well to the move and to a new school. She misses her friends but is working to find new ones. She still dances and has dance practice twice a week. She is doing well in school and is a good big sister. She just recently saved up enough money to purchase another American Girl doll, McKenna (the doll of the year for 2012) which is her third one. She loves to read and enjoys going to sunday school. We are so proud of her.
Isaiah:
Isaiah is doing good in school as well. He has been invited to a couple of birthday parties as of late which means he is making friends. His teacher says he is doing well besides liking to talk alot. He is into playing the Wii and just hanging out. We can tell that he has great rythm (gets it from Mom) and is musical. He is my mini-me and enjoys spending time with me and doing things with me.
Isabelle:
Isabelle goes to Jes's work so there are days when I dont see her unless I wake up early. She is a very happy and outgoing child and is making lots of friends. One of Belle's favorite things at her daycare is swimming, which is awesome that the YWCA offers this opportunity. She adjusted well to the move and has stayed pretty healthy this fall.
I hope this update finds you all well. Feel free to leave comments or shoot me an email or Facebook message or text (LOL). sturgej@hotmail.com / 612-275-1916. I would love to hear how you are doing, what you are up to, and how God is working in your life.
I will leave you with this......
I was listening to a program on the radio on my way to work that really opened my eyes and cause me to think. The subject was about being a sweet fragrence to God through our life and lifestyle. It was a question posed that really got to me. "What sort of fragrence will others smell when in your house and when they meet you?"
It is my prayer that the attitude I have, the actions I take, and the things I say are positive and a reflection of my relationship with God. I know I will struggle to be positive towards others, say nice things, and be a good example, as I am human, but I know I serve a loving and forgiving God.
"May the words of my mouth and the meditiation of my heart be pleasing in your sight oh Lord my Rock and my Redeemer."
God Bless,
Jose
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
A New Year!
Happy 2012! What did you do to ring in the New Year? Were you sleeping or at a party? Were you with friends or family? Did you celebrate midnight watching the Red Bull stunt or watching the ball drop? I spent my night with my family playing Phase 10 and having a wonderful time catching up with them. Its a great feeling to have your worries and cares seem to melt away when you enjoy the company of those you love and care about. The "problems" don't necessarily go away but it puts into perspective what really is important, what really matters.
The last part of 2011 was a hard time for our family. New schools, new job, new place to live......all were difficult changes that made. With that came unseen expenses and bills but the Lord is good! He has provided for our needs in ways I couldnt imagine. Out of hopelessness He has carried our family and I believe brought us closer.
I would like to share with you an instance of God's provision:
December can be a hard month for people, financially, spiritually, and emotionally. The can be a sense of emptiness from the loss of a loved one or the pain of seeing those you love struggle physically or financially. There is the cost of purchasing presents for family and friends along with all the monthly bills and for us it felt like a heavy burden......
My wife and I were in the process of Christmas shopping and all I could think about was the fact that every dollar spent was another dollar that wasn't going towards rent. Needless to say, I was having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit.
Like I said in a previous post, we have been learning in church the fact that God will supply for our needs and that we need to trust in him. This lesson is something that I have been struggling with for a long time and it has been refreshing to watch God work in amazing ways to provide for our family. I don't remember what cause my change of heart but I was able to enjoy my date with my wife.
We shopped at the mall, thrift stores, and bookstores and found presents for everyone on our list. We had a wonderful dinner at Subway and enjoyed each others company. It was a good night.
We were blessed on Christmas with gift cards and money that allowed us to afford to go to Des Moines the next weekend. Thanks Nancy and Grandma Emery. My brothers even offered to pay for a hotel room and for gas money for our trip.They called it a SkilCut Christmas present. Thanks Josh and Caleb!
After budgeting for the trip to Iowa and praying for no car troubles.....lol......I determined that we were approximately $225 short for our rent that was due on the first of the month. There were no more paychecks coming and no other way of making any more money. In addition to that, there was an unexpected bill that put us even further in the hole. There was nothing that I could think of that could solve our situation.
But God is good.....My grandmother blessed us with Christmas money while we were down in Des Moines. Before we left I recieved some health insurance documents showing what medical expenses I needed to withdrawal from my Company's Health Savings Account (HSA). In looking at the checkbook further, it was noticed that a number of these expenses were already paid out of pocket and that the money that we would get back was ours to keep. This amount was right around.......$225.
I am writing the rent check today with thankfulness in my heart for what God has done. God is good, all the time and all the time God is good.
As we enter into this New Year I pray that God will work in a special way in each or my reader's lives. May He bless you in amazing ways and give you peace in any struggles you may be dealing with.
Here is part of one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Psalm 91:
"Because he loves me say the Lord, I will rescue him. I will protect him because he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
GOD BLESS!!!!!!
The last part of 2011 was a hard time for our family. New schools, new job, new place to live......all were difficult changes that made. With that came unseen expenses and bills but the Lord is good! He has provided for our needs in ways I couldnt imagine. Out of hopelessness He has carried our family and I believe brought us closer.
I would like to share with you an instance of God's provision:
December can be a hard month for people, financially, spiritually, and emotionally. The can be a sense of emptiness from the loss of a loved one or the pain of seeing those you love struggle physically or financially. There is the cost of purchasing presents for family and friends along with all the monthly bills and for us it felt like a heavy burden......
My wife and I were in the process of Christmas shopping and all I could think about was the fact that every dollar spent was another dollar that wasn't going towards rent. Needless to say, I was having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit.
Like I said in a previous post, we have been learning in church the fact that God will supply for our needs and that we need to trust in him. This lesson is something that I have been struggling with for a long time and it has been refreshing to watch God work in amazing ways to provide for our family. I don't remember what cause my change of heart but I was able to enjoy my date with my wife.
We shopped at the mall, thrift stores, and bookstores and found presents for everyone on our list. We had a wonderful dinner at Subway and enjoyed each others company. It was a good night.
We were blessed on Christmas with gift cards and money that allowed us to afford to go to Des Moines the next weekend. Thanks Nancy and Grandma Emery. My brothers even offered to pay for a hotel room and for gas money for our trip.They called it a SkilCut Christmas present. Thanks Josh and Caleb!
After budgeting for the trip to Iowa and praying for no car troubles.....lol......I determined that we were approximately $225 short for our rent that was due on the first of the month. There were no more paychecks coming and no other way of making any more money. In addition to that, there was an unexpected bill that put us even further in the hole. There was nothing that I could think of that could solve our situation.
But God is good.....My grandmother blessed us with Christmas money while we were down in Des Moines. Before we left I recieved some health insurance documents showing what medical expenses I needed to withdrawal from my Company's Health Savings Account (HSA). In looking at the checkbook further, it was noticed that a number of these expenses were already paid out of pocket and that the money that we would get back was ours to keep. This amount was right around.......$225.
I am writing the rent check today with thankfulness in my heart for what God has done. God is good, all the time and all the time God is good.
As we enter into this New Year I pray that God will work in a special way in each or my reader's lives. May He bless you in amazing ways and give you peace in any struggles you may be dealing with.
Here is part of one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Psalm 91:
"Because he loves me say the Lord, I will rescue him. I will protect him because he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
GOD BLESS!!!!!!
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