Coping With A Big Change
Submitted by kim on Mon, 11/14/2011 - 21:04 in
The current economic recession has affected our family in numerous ways. Rich experienced reduced hours in his field of residential carpentry within six months of the fall 2008 crises. By last winter the home building industry in our area flat lined. The company he worked for couldn't offer even part time work. After a six week layoff, Rich found work in the commercial building industry last April. The work has been fairly steady. We have been thankful.
A few weeks ago this new company offered work about four hours from our home. Rich was told work locally was slowly down. After much prayer, (and many tears!), we decided it was necessary for him to accept this opportunity. He is away from home Sunday through Thursday evenings each week, working four 10-hour days.
So, we have a fox lurking. One wearing the name Anger or Sadness or Loneliness. The fox will probably change names over time. And each family member might have their own fox that tries to use this opportunity to ruin the fruit of life. We will have to watch closely.
One aspect of our daily routine that we knew would impacted is the reading aloud we try to do every evening. We have decided to have Rich take the books we had set out to read this week. We will Skype to share the time as normally as possible. Rich is reading now to Josiah and I as I type.
It is a bittersweet experience - seeing him, hearing his voice, feeling so familiar and connected - but yet so distant.
We have some kinks to work out. Rich needs to get a better microphone for his computer. Tonight, we improvise using both the computer for video and the cell phone on speaker for audio.
But tonight, we are praying this system will keep the fox of disappointment away for Josiah and let him share this quality time with his dad.
I read a book last summer about a father's commitment to read nightly to his daughter. The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared was an encouraging book - told by Alice Ozma in celebration of her father's devotion.
Fox Catcher: Ephesians 6:4
