Today's Verse: James 5:16(HCSB) -- Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful.

Due to the blizzard, our church was closed so we had a little family service in the house. It was pretty nice, we sang some songs and read some verses, then watched TD Jakes online. Schools are closed tomorrow so my step-daughter is staying another night. I'm sure I'll stay sane if the kids don't whine too much. :-)
In other news, I was almost at the breaking point on Friday. I was going to try to get some heating assistance. I really hate doing these types of things. I feel like I'm begging. I know the government sets aside the money and we do fall into that income bracket since I only work part time, but it still feels funny. What truly is funny is if both DH and I were working full time and paying for fulltime daycare for the babies and latchkey for ODS, we would have even less b/c of the daycare costs, but we wouldn't be eligible for any assistance. Anyway, the application I filled out beforehand, and the website, both said you could use your W-2's to show your income. After driving all the way there in the snow and waiting even though the only other person in front of me had left, they finally got my information and informed me that they had to actually have each and every paystub for the last 3 months and the W-2's were basically worthless. I got in the car to leave and I just had to sit and cry for a little while. I talked to God and asked how bad things had to get before we could have a breakthrough. When we were doing all kinds of things wrong, we still were okay, financially. We went on dates and out to dinners with the kids, ordered pizza's, bought new shoes when someone needed them, were able to pay the bills. We were doing just fine, but emotionally, and spiritually, we were poor. I don't believe God meant for us to just trade in one form of poverty for another. I know this is just temporary, but it's been going on for awhile and I just couldn't take it anymore. I just kept praying and crying the whole way home. I finally decided that there would be some good financial news at home. I said, "In the name of Jesus, there IS some good news at home."
Finally, when I got home, DH knew exactly what was wrong with me and he encouraged me. He told me things would be fine even though his first check from his new job (which already wasn't going to be a full check) hadn't yet been deposited in his account. About an hour later, the mail came and with it came his check and something else that meant we'll be getting some more money in a couple of weeks! I was so happy! I knew my prayers had worked. I believe we are coming out of this...whatever it is. I know things are going to be better from now on and I'm not going to stop praying!