Good news all around

I got the call from my boss yesterday afternoon that we all had been waiting on; the layoffs were officially over for our area. I had asked Monday morning that we be notified as soon as he was able so we could put any rumors to rest and encourage everyone a little. I was able to do that as soon as I hung up the phone with him.

What that means is that, for now, all of us who are working will continue to keep working. All of us have seen at least one person we have worked with for a good while be let go – here and in other areas of the company – so it is somewhat of a bittersweet moment but I could almost hear an audible sigh of relief go through the organization.

If oil prices stay where they are through the year (I expect they will) then we will see another effort by the company to reduce headcount which will be more severe than what we have just gone through. But that is months away for most of us. It is time to do a careful inventory of our personal financial structure and, knowing it is coming, prepare well. All in all, it was good news for many of us.

Last night Bro. Stallard read a mission letter from a missionary who works within a Jewish community in Florida. Having been there for a couple years he is starting to see some inroads being made – to the point that he is able to share the Old Testament prophesies concerning the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Invited over one Sabbath for the Shabbat meal he was quizzed thoroughly concerning his personal faith and had unusual freedom to open the Bible in support of his faith. In his letter he said something that we all know to be true but do not often practice; aggressive is rarely persuasive.  I thought that worth noting.

All is well with the financial dealings concerning Victoria’s house. We even went to Lowe’s last night on our way to church to pick up some discounted bulbs and a couple little blueberry bushes which will be planted at the two houses – however Mama and Victoria determine. Both of them were excited about the great deals.

Each evening Mama lets the chickens out for a few hours. They really like the freedom. Every evening as we approach the coop they are pressed against the door ready to fly the coop as soon as the passage is allowed. Each night they make their way back to the coop to roost – all of them except the one Mama calls Miss Friendly. She prefers to remain free and we have not been able to determine where she spends the night; until last night. She spends the night with the pigs, nestled into her own little straw bed in their building.

I am not sure what her cousins think about her choice of company but so far it has worked out well for her.