COMING CHANGE

My brother Tyler left us on Tuesday. After a tearful goodbye he headed to D.C., and the next day completed his journey home to Chattanooga, TN. We all miss him and SO enjoyed our time together. Its really interesting how you get to know your siblings all over again once you both reach adulthood. Having passed through our college years with occasional updates and holiday meetings, it is truly hard to see your sibling as anything other than someone you fight with over the bathroom and who drank the last coke, and not to mention the person who knows way too much about you and can use that at any moment to tease or embarrass you immensely. But on the other hand, when used for good, that familiarity is a bond of similar tastes, experiences, inside jokes, and a mutual kinship something grand and rare. From the summer of 2009 where Tyler came to "manny" for us at Anderson Ranch to this last month together, I really feel Tyler and I have reconnected as siblings, and I really look forward to our adult relationship in the coming years. We are great friends and I am in debt to him for all the help he has given us, especially most recently of just being here as my buddy. I would have been dreadfully lonely, had he not been here, and the challenges of setting up house again in a new place were dissolved by having a helper and friend at my side. Thanks Tyler! Okay so the changes that are coming are because I GOT A JOB!!!! After inquiring and handing out buisness cards at most of the venues in Alfred, and checking employment openings at Alfred University, I applied for and got an interview at the International Ceramics Museum at Alfred. I met the director informally after I had turned in my letter, resume, and references to HR and had what was like an informal interview. After meeting her and hearing about the job, my interest was piqued. I just waited and hoped I would hear from her for an interview and a week later I got the call. At my interview this Friday, I dressed and prepared for the formal interview. Aaron watched the kids and I walked to her office on campus. She asked me ALOT of questions, but the general tone of the meeting was relaxed and our personalities get along well. It felt more like a professional conversation and I actually enjoyed it. But at the end she said "Well I would like to offer you the job is you are interested?". It was like being in a dream!! I of course said YES and if all goes well will begin on Oct. 5th....Okay for all the details about the job that you are wanting to ask me right now. I will be the Museum Assistant at the Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Arts at Alfred University. I will be working Wednesday- Friday from 9 am to 4:30 pm, in the same building as Aaron. The kids already have placement at the Alfred Montessori School which is right down the street. We will be getting childcare subsidy through the State's low-income assistance program. I will be working for 19.5 hours a week and I get $10 a hour!!!! Though we still wont clear all our bills, we will be alot closer! God is just so so Good! Coming here I was really bummed about the reality of having to return to work full time after happily being a stay at home mom for 2 years. I love being home with my kids and supporting my family through that full time job. So it was daunting to think about giving up what I love and time with my kids to work, most likely at whatever I can find which would probably be brain numbing and low paying. So lets just say i didnt have high hopes for this situation though I knew God was going to take care of us, I wasnt expecting it to be something that I was particularly fond of. And then up popped two art related jobs, at the University! The secretarial position was fulltime and the ceramic museum assistant was part time. The demands of the secretarial position seemed like alot but the museum assistant seemed just perfect. So I applied to both, pursued the museum director and God worked and moved mountains (yet again) and now LOOK AT ME! Working 3 days, home with kids 4 days, great pay, great hours, close to home, aaron, and kids, DOING SOMETHING I LOVE, and the kids will get a great school experience!!!!! GOD TOTALLY OUTDID HIMSELF THIS TIME!!!!! If there was ever any room for doubt in my heart of the extent that God cares for me, it has been filled by his extraordinary blessing and proven power to take care of me and my hearts desires. I prayed so much over the last 6 months, that God would hold in his hand all that was precious to me and know the strong desires of my heart to be with my kids, keep our hearth and home strong and warm, support aaron, and not have a work situation that would bring stress or hardship into our family in any way. I knew these werent factors like money or food or shelter, but they FELT just as big in my heart and I couldnt dismiss them as trivial or second to our physical needs. Our family's bond and emotional and spiritual health are more important than where we live, how we live, and what we eat, drive, or wear. I feel like God validated my feelings and really heard my hearts cry. I have never before felt how lovingly and carefully He has held my heart. I gave it to him to hold because I knew if I tried to protect them I would be anxious with worry and upset over change and distraught at my powerlessness. But He was BIG ENOUGH and STRONG ENOUGH to hold all my treasures and protect them when I couldnt see how it would all work. God you are magnificent in every way and gracious with your blessings beyond comprehension. I deserved none of all I have received and feel a wretch when I see how you blow through my doubt and fear with your MIGHTY gail of Love. I am humbled and thankful as I write you today of our glorious news. It may seem like a simple part-time job that doesn't pay enough for a family of four, but to me it means GOD HEARS ME AND GUARDS ALL THAT IS MINE. " Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!" PSALM 16:5 NLT May JOY be yours! Allison Benson