just need to write.

I have alot I need to write about here. Our caterpillar turned to a butterfly, my dad had surgery, Todd's mom is having surgery again, Todd's first days at his new job, Madyson and her new attitude...

But I have the need to just write about nothing.

When change takes place, my life gets so chaotic. My dayplanner can't keep up, my laundry piles up, and for no other reason than I am still learning how to deal with change. I don't write alot about life after being an alcoholic because to me labels make life harder. But in all fairness. I was a complete alcoholic and I did that, to myself.

I use to deal with change and new things the same way I dealt with day to day life. A pint of vodka in the morning, some tequila through the day, finishing a pint (or two) of rum at night. And I functioned, and life was marry.

Now, when changed takes place I just get all discombobulated. I literally fall apart. I have a grip on life 97% of the time but still have a hard time dealing with change. Which is why my husband stayed at a job he was unhappy with for so long, because of me and my desire for routine.

How am I doing? Well, glad you asked. Since March 10th here is all the change we have gone through. Todd's mom had a MASSIVE stroke. MASSIVE. we have lost our favorite babysitter, my shopping buddy, and our weekly dinners with his family. THATS ALOT. She is recovering and making progress but its not the same. Monday she underwent phase 1 of 3 to remove a tumor in her brain they found because of the stroke. She has another surgery Wednesday, then the final surgery Friday.

I have a new job that is anything other than routine and I have to remind myself everyday that God has a purpose for me and its okay for it not to be the same thing everyday. Not getting up and "going to the office" everyday. I am sort of pretending that I do. I get up and I get dressed to go to the office in our house. but still, I am here and then I go out and I drive alot. I don't drive...ever. I have driven more in 2 weeks than I have in years.

Todd has a new job. Less hours at work, means more hours at home. We are thrilled, but that gets some taking use to.

spring time means more yard work, more allergy medicine, more bug bites. all change...

and me, well....I'm lucky to have friends who I text throughout the day. Who tell me when I need to be somewhere and what I need to bring. I am thankful for these friends.

I guess the best way to describe this feeling is I am walking down a busy street with everyone else walking the opposite way. I can hear them, and know I need to turn around to walk "with traffic" but all i can focus on is getting out of the way.

But you know what? I am walking. I am not stumbling.

I think if I am to be completely honest on this blog this past month and half has been extremely hard. There have been and still are alot of tears. Did we do the right thing? Is this the life God has planned for us? Why can't the answers be clear instead of fuzzy??

The answer is simple, sometimes we have to go through turmoil, pain, and change to allow God's plan to play out. Life isn't full of rainbows and sunshine. Some days are dark and sometime change is hard.

My prayer for our family is to embrace this change, to seek Him, to keep Him first, and to remember its not about us, its not about money, its about serving Him, loving Him, and making sure we never loose sight of that.

Thanks for just letting me write. I promise to be back soon to catch you up on all the good stuff.

im here, I promise!

I don't even remember the last thing we talked about...so I think a phone dump is the best way to go.

1) I started my new job and I love it! It is taken some getting use to. But it is really fun! Follow me on twitter @SarahBroadus or @JxnRestaurantWk We are also on facebook and Pintrest ( EatJackson)

2) Todd has a new job and we are very excited he hasn't started yet, so I'll give details as soon as I have some.

3) Our house is almost finished! We have a few minor things like trim work and painting the laundry room. Then the only thing left is the baby room!


The girls are taking all this change in stride. Mommy being home all day is taken some getting use to. Esp. since I am working...This summer should be interesting.

Now pics....

madyson has her calendar now...bc I do mine...all the time

shredding chicken in the mixer is my new favorite thing

we went to the caterpillar parade in clinton!

madyson has been designing paper doll clothes for me

My office while todd built the new one

minnie pearl

im doing some reviews for EatJackson.com

i love these plates

Spring Saturday stuff below!

dance recital pics

todd's mom is doing better!

got a mani and a pedi!

been doing some baby sitting for my youngest nephew!

AK is playing Tball!

mad at girl scouts!

He Is Risen!

Happy Easter 

 From The

 Broadus Bunch

next for me...

So now that everyone is up to speed, Here is what I will be doing "from home"

that's right! I am working for the wonderful creative genius foodie, "EatJxn"  I am so excited to have been selected to be on this team! And what better time to start than the beginning of Jackson Restaurant Week!!!

so stay tuned, there is a lot more details coming soon!

Dependence: Guest Blogger Jill Kyser prt 2

We are getting use to life right now. Its a little odd but we are adjusting. Todd is interviewing at different places this week, and we just pray that God puts him in a place where he will be able to be a dad and still work. We are expecting a pay cut. Todd was at the top of his game when he left his company, so we know that you can't start at the top...and we are okay with that. We had gotten use to a life of frivolousness and now, we have to get use to a life of necessity. As I was trying to drown myself is self pity that I couldn't go and buy the stuff I wanted for my next pinterest project I decided to catch up on the lives of my friends The Kysers. If you remember a few years ago I shared about how they (mom and dad and their 3 kids) had been called to be missionaries in Africa. Well they have been there about a year, they have welcomed their 4th child and they are still serving the Lord. 

The below post is what Jill posted today. Its amazing how God uses your friends to speak to you.

 

 

Dependence

Dependence- Websters defines it this way: 1) the quality or state of being dependent; especially: the quality or state of being influenced or determined by or subject to another 2) reliance; trust

I love that definition.  This is lesson number one that the Lord has taught me over the past year.  Dependence.  I thought I was dependent upon the Lord before moving here.  I thought I trusted HIM for everything and turned to HIM for what I needed.  I did not.  I lived in a society that had more than enough of EVERYTHING.  If I needed fuel, I went and got it (and I complained if I had to wait 10 minutes for the two cars in front of me to fill up first).  If I needed food then I went to one store and was assured that it would be there.  If it wasn't there it was surely at another store and all I had to do was let the store manager know what was missing and it would be there next time.  If my power went out then I knew that I could call Entergy and let them know (although hundreds of other people had already beat me to it I'm sure) and that teams from hundreds of miles away would be hauling tail to get to our area if we needed more help to get that power on quickly.  And if water went out, well....our water never went out.  That was unheard of.

But I didn't consider these luxuries as hampering my dependency upon the Lord.  I mean, when we think of dependency on HIM we think of good health, safety, and well-being.  Right? We think of the big things that the Lord can provide for us like a home, a job, a husband, or a child.  Well, Philippians 4:19 says that, "my God will supply all your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ."  Notice that word: ALL.  He will supply everything that we need.  He has proven this time and time again in our lives but many times we credit our own resourcefulness with HIS provisions.  Honestly, I'd just never HAD to depend on God for a lot.  I lived in one of the richest societies ever known to man.

Then the Lord changed all that.  We were called to Malawi and our world literally got turned upside down.  Summer is now winter.  Winter is now summer.  Left is now right.  And right is now wrong.  We have gone without (yet we still live like kings compared to the vast majority of the country).  We have searched for things in vein. We have rejoiced over sugar being on the shelves.  We have cried when those around us have taken our trash home to their family for supper. We've learned so much. We've changed so much.  But the most important lesson is that we have learned that we truly are dependent on HIM to supply all of our needs.  All things come from Christ.  Our daily bread, our needed water, our comfort and peace...it all comes from HIM.  And the miracle that we see daily is that HE indeed supplies it!!!

Acts 2:22 says, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God performed through him in your midst, as you yourself know...".  When Jesus was on the Earth he performed many miracles, signs, and wonders.  The fact is, He still performs these miracles, signs, and wonders but we are sometimes blind to see them.

Our fuel tank is currently below empty and there is no sign of petrol anywhere in the country.  But I know that the Lord will provide for us when it is time.  How do I know this?  Because He has proven himself time and time again.  Sometimes he provides before the needle hits "E" and sometimes he provides after.  Sometime I'm sure he will let us walk or ride our bikes and this is a provision in itself.  The fact is, HE WILL PROVIDE even if it's not when and how we want.  He is faithful and true.  He is always there and He knows what we need without our asking.

Our fuel tanks are low quite often here (literally and spiritually) yet it is in these times of need that we have become dependent upon HIM.  Praise God for our need!  Praise God for HIS provisions.  Praise God for our dependence!

Jill

and now...the rest of the story.

So during my Lemon rant, I told you some things were changing in our family that would drastically change the way things are.

Well, here we go.

Friday, Todd resigned from his company. Life had gotten really hard around the Broadus house. Daddy was working 11.5-13 hours a day, plus when he was home, he was getting phone calls about work, getting called off to collect cars, etc. It was a rough life style. Todd has been praying about what to do for over 6 months and finally, with a little push from his boss, He resigned. I am very thankful that he has a desire to be a better father/husband to us. But boy, the stress that you obtain when you lose your health insurance and main source of income all in one day.

He doesn't have a back up plan, or any leads on where to go. He (we) know it needs to be somewhere with set hours that won't over take our family's life.


And with that being said....There's more.

Before everything went down with Todd, we had been praying about what to do about my work life. I adore my job, and the people I work with. But I work for a church and being paid to serve seemed like a bad use of the church's money. Yes,  I am working 32 hours a week, BUT to me, it wasn't work. It was serving the Lord because that is what He wanted me to do. We had decided that I would voluntarily give up my salary and work for free. Because, in the long run, my salary was our "play money" anyway.

Then when everything with Todd's situation changed. We knew I needed to continue to work, but still volunteer at the church, and need to have a boss that understood family, and possibly...be able to make my own hours? Sounds like a lot to ask for huh? Well, God provided this exact opportunity for me, so my last day at the church will be Easter Sunday. It is a very bittersweet change for me. I adore all the people here, the work we do, the knowledge that everyday I am surrounded by Christian people working to better the lives of others. All that makes this SO hard.

But, my new bosses are amazing. They are friends of mine and Todds (actually, we use to be neighbors) they understand family, and understand my desire to remain apart of the church. I get to work from home and I get to do something I love (more on the details later) and they are amazing Christian examples.

So, yea....WOW! big changes about. Please pray for us as we transition into the next stages of our lives. It is a scary time and we are completely relying on the Lord to guide us through this.