Cancer sucks, but God loves you

I'm currently unemployed. It sucks. I work in the tech sector, and was laid last fall. This journey has given me new perspective, knowledge, and appreciation for the little things in life. I have learned a bit about how to navigate the unemployment systems in my state. My faith has been tested so much over the last few months. I wish I could simply snap my finger and have a job again, but that is not how things work. I think one of the hardest parts about this experience is that I can give it my best efforts, and yet at the end of it all, the decision to reach out to me for a phone screening or interview is out of my control. After doing all I can with what I can control, the only thing left is to have faith that God will handle the rest.

Earlier this week, I found out one of my parents had gone to the ER. This was not news anyone wants to hear. Cancer. They were admitted to the hospital to get treatments right away. So far, they are handling it well, but the extra bumps on my emotional rollercoaster have painfully stretched me. I think my gut tells me that everything is going to be ok, yet sometimes, my heart and head race with anxiety. I'm doing the best I can to keep moving forward, being there for my kids, applying for jobs, helping others when I can. I only wish I knew how all this was going to end up.

I was able to go do a Temple session earlier this week and spend some time pondering. It was good and peaceful, despite my anxious thoughts. I truly believe God is watching out for us and has a plan for each of us. I can't count how many times in my life He has carefully led me and my family along through difficult times. I know he is doing this now, even though I can't see where we are going, but I know He's there.

I don't always know what words to use to describe how I feel or how my wife and I are handling our situation, especially when our friends and family ask; "How are you doing?". Earlier this week I said to my wife jokingly, "If I could describe our situation in one word, it would be; It's like trying to smell the color seven." While that might not make sense to some, she responded by saying that she feels like we're in a storm, and every time we're about to drown, someone shows up and throws us something to keep us from drowning. It's those actions, that service, that we are getting from others that I know is a sign that God is watching out for us.