Licensing, gardening

I finally got the call from licensing yesterday. I was told that all the spots are filled for this year. It was not the answer I was looking for but I know the Lord is in control so it is the answer I needed for this time. I called Mama right away. I also let my supervisor know – as well as several people I work with – so we could all adjust our plans accordingly. Everyone I told was disappointed for me but greatly relieved that I would be staying in my current role. My emotions are somewhere between disappointed and relieved.


I am disappointed to not get the job with the financial and professional advancement that it offered, but I am relieved at not having to work out all the domestic issues of mortgage payments, routine bill payments, etc. while living abroad. Not to mention the family issues we would have to deal with very long distance. Mama is disappointed to not be going to Australia – always the practical one, that woman. I am relieved as well at staying in my current location which will allow me to keep whittling away at the projects we have on the farm. I am not sure what the future holds economically so being in a stable place is reassuring. Everyone at church will be relieved.

Mama really searched me out last night to make sure I was not too disappointed. I assured her that if “no” was the answer God had given then it was the best possible answer I could have gotten. I did not get the impression that there was any future commitment to an offer from the Licensing group either. So for the time being, we will continue as we are and watch as the Lord makes up the difference in all areas of our lives. I am convinced we never suffer a permanent loss when we follow the leading of the Lord.

I had a very busy day at the office yesterday. All our computers are being replaced with updated models using Windows 7 and Office Suite 2010. It is quite a switch for many of the operators and those less computer literate. I did not get mine done yesterday but I coordinated the process for many others. Also, yesterday our new training coordinator arrived on site and I got him setup and running. He will take on the role I have been doing for training. I will settle back into the Business Support role as my only job. My boss is happy with that; another relief.

Mama and I worked in the garden last night. I re-tilled some ground and we planted four rows of corn. Mama wanted to do the same amount of green beans but I did not have that much energy to offer. If the weather continues as it has, we will do the green beans tonight. The winds were so light last night that I got out the regular sprinkler – the kind that slowly cycles back and forth – and watered the newly planted rows. It was as much to settle the dust on the rows as it was to water the seeds.

There are some pepper plants I need to get in the ground and it is a good thing we have them since the last frost killed everything I was not able to cover. We have Trade Days this weekend and if there are any vegetable plants offered I will buy some to finish out the garden for this spring. It will be too hot soon for many of the plants we want to grow to make it to harvest. We are already making plans for a fall garden to compensate for the loss.

Right now moisture is our greatest concern. Grandpa has us a little worried about overusing the well to water the garden when we need the water for so many other more important functions, but we still do enough to keep everything alive.

We are really praying for rain – and lots of it.