Whirlwind

is probably the best way to describe how our week has gone. I'm a wordy girl, so I'm just cuttin' straight to the chase on this one.

Jon has applied from anywhere to 50-100 jobs in GA. On a whim, he saw a job in Jacksonville, FL (hey Nancy!!!) that peeked his interest. No one in GA has called, but the 1 stinkin' job he applied for in FL. . . you guessed it . . . called!!!

He just had a phone interview, so I was cool with that. After he told me he thought he totally bombed the interview and it was the worst and hardest interview he'd ever had, I felt a little relieved. However, as our conversation continued he told me they wanted him to come to interview in person on Thursday.

Okay, okay, I'm good with that. However, I sent an APB out for prayer like you wouldn't believe. News travels fast in a small town, and I really don't think we've ever had quite so many people praying for us. . . people telling us they'd be heartbroken if we left, that we just can't leave, that this was a tough prayer request for them to pray (joking, of course).

Jon said alot of his decision would be based on his Mom's reaction. After he told her I asked him what her response was. He said, "Nothing. She didn't say anything." What? Is this the same GiGi we're talking about?

Later that afternoon they came over to the house. She said, "I have never been depressed in my life. Today I have been depressed ALL day." Then, Jon's Daddy started crying. I hugged him and told him he was acting like my Mama (who'd started crying when I told her we were going down for an interview) . . . and not to worry, nothing has happened yet. His parents assured us they could help us financially until Jon got a job. I told GiGi I didn't think it was fair that they've worked their whole lives to build what they have. It isn't fair for them to have to help support us. She said something to me I don't think I'll ever forget, "Michele, all of it is no good if we can't share it." We're so blessed!!! Later that night they came back to the house and told us they would never want to stand in the way of a blessing. . . they'd released us and would be praying all day.

Thursday morning we head out for Jacksonville, FL (about 5-6 hours away). I drove b/c Jon had been up early and I knew he needed rest. As we were leaving G-town, it really hit me how really real this is . . . I started to cry.

The whole way down we are getting phone calls and texts from so many people . . . letting them know we are be prayed over. Jon's friend, Doug, is calling telling him he literally has him a job at Chick-fil-A . . . just to carry us over until he finds something more permanent. My friend, Faith, is calling telling me her hubby emailed someone this morning about a job for Jon. . . and she told me about 2 more openings for teacher positions. Jon and I felt so very loved on. . . so you know what I did? Cried. Yep, just the start of the tears for the day.

We get to the company. I see how big this place is and how big the parking lot is. I told Jon, "Babe, I'm nervous for you." We pray as a family. He goes in. I text Doug and tell him I just dropped him off. Doug texts back and says, "I love y'all and I selfishly want y'all here. There will be a big void in my life without you guys here. Ultimately I want the Lord Jesus to be glorified, so I am praying for His will. With that said, I hope my smear campaign worked (earlier he texted Jon and said he'd called every mortgage company in Duvall County and smeared his reputation) and they will send y'all straight home to G-town."

Meanwhile, the kids and I drive to the beach . . . which just happens to be one of my very favorite places on earth EVER!!! Our children's pastor calls me for a phone number she needed. She and I are friends but not the kind of friend you bare your soul to. She asked me one simple question, "Is this a bad time for you?" Oh me, Oh my. . . I just start dumping everything on the poor woman. . . tears and everything.

Here the kids and I are at the beach, fully clothed, and I start bawling like a baby. . . you know, ugly cry. Melissa calls. I just lose it!! Why was I crying so hard? Because I'm very scared. I could actually see us living down there.

I then start throwing a major pity party. "Only God is in G-town, only at our church. There are only good precious friends like ours here where we live. G-town has the best homeschoolers. Who will do my hair (yes I did think that)?" Y'all I was P-I-T-I-F-U-L!!!! Jacksonville is such a big city. . . I'm not used to big cities. I'm a small town, "Sweet Home Alabama", kind of girl. I'll have to drive big highways, and I'm not use to that.

I go get Jon. He has a pep in his step and a hop in his pop. Here I am moping around like Eeyore. He said the interview went well. He felt really good about them offering him a job. We should know something in a week or so. I think it made Jon feel really good to know he still has it. He's still able to walk into a professional and corporate environment and handle himself really well. He said he'd never felt so calm in an interview in all his life (he gets really, really nervous with things like this). We know it was all the people praying.

It is a really GREAT career move. Never has he had this good of an opportunity in the corporate environment since he graduated college!!! I would be able to quit my job. The company is a family-oriented company. He told me if this job was in Atlanta, he would be wanting it BAD!!!

However, with all that said, I feel like as close to perfect as life gets on this earth, we have it here. Our family is here. Jon's Dad is in poor health, and his parents really need us. My parents are 45 minutes away. We have dear, precious, like-minded friends here. Jon has really close Godly men in his life. Those things just don't happen to everyone. We have a precious pastor, who we have the honor of calling friend. Our church is wonderful. Other than our financial situation, life is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

Unfortunately, you need a job to live . . . and no one here in GA has called in the last year Jon has been searching for a job.

As we were leaving Jacksonville I start crying again!!! We were going to spend the night in St. Simons, but when Jon told me he was fine to drive home. I wanted him to put the pedal to the metal and get me home as quick as possible. I teased him and said, "I don't even want to vacation there." It really is a very nice town (much, much, much nicer than where we live now). I'm just so afraid of change, of moving there, of leaving everything I hold near and dear to my heart . .. here, in G-town.

On the way home, dear, precious friends and family are texting and calling, checking to see how it went. I'm so moved at how very loved we are. Some people live their whole entire lives and never have what we have. . . can we really leave all of that????

Jon shared with me this morning a few weeks back he prayed, "Lord, if we are not supposed to be here, please move us out." Is this a move of God? or a test? I don't know.

Thankfully, I am not the one who is in charge here.. . nor the one who is in control. God is . . and I trust Him no matter if we stay or if we go . . . and I love Him. . . no matter if we stay or if we go . . . and I depend on Him no matter if we stay or if we go. . .

So, here's to hoping . . . I feel so very confident we can't miss God on this one. . . too many people are praying. I'm praying mostly He and He alone will be glorifed in all of this.