The Forties

Psalm 16: 7-11 NLT

 ⁷ I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
 ⁸ I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

 ⁹ No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
 ¹⁰ For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
 ¹¹ You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… (Charles Dickens – A Tale of Two Cities)

My forties were just what Dickens wrote about.  The best of times included more career growth and an opportunity to live and work in Brazil.  We were there in Sao Paulo for nearly three years.  I loved the job – I’ve never worked as hard – or played as hard.  We had fun – vacations in Rio, Manaus, Las Vegas, Colorado.   Tracy had an opportunity to be the stay at home mom.   Fancy dinner parties with long dresses and tuxedos.  We made some incredible friends including Ken and Mary.  Then we came back home.  Tracy stayed home and I changed jobs.  The worst of times began - Enron collapsed and the entire energy business was in upheaval.  Nick struggled with the return to the US and trying to enter a high school mid year as a junior.  I took a step back job wise looking for a fresh start, and we moved to Florida.  There we experienced six hurricanes in 18 months, including a Category 4 going over the building I was working in.  Tracy started experiencing some health issues with her back.  I left my job before getting another and learned what it’s like to be unemployed for six months.  But I also learned to have daily quiet times and I kept a journal of my pilgrimage and grew closer to God as He sustained me. 

¹⁰ For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
I was blessed with a new job that was a perfect fit for my skills and desires.  I know was God’s plan for me in Indiana.