Dependency

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I predicted this back in October and November when we were having one of the warmest and most beautiful falls I could remember. We live near two of the great lakes and the water is warmer than normal which means that when the cold weather did come pouring in the lake effect snows were going to happen.

It's been snowing all week and we have more on the way through tomorrow. Despite the snow and cold, I have been making myself get outside and go for walks. I  wear my hiking shoes which have better tread and I'm cautious so am not walking very fast. However, I'm so thankful I've been getting out because the fresh air and movement lift my spirits. The lack of sunshine really affects me so getting outside helps.

The Christmas decorations are up and some Christmas cookies have been made. But this year is just has a different and weird feel to it. Prices for everything are through the roof and it's depressing to go to the grocery store. I couldn't believe how high my grocery bill was the other day, purchasing the same basics I always get. Our health insurance monthly premiums have quadrupled for the new year. Our other  fixed expenses have gone up as well. And yet, our income has stayed the same.

So I'm doing my best to tighten the belt and find ways to cut costs, but there isn't much I can cut. Food? Gas? Other than that, we don't spend money on extras. I was getting in this panicky fearful mode the other day when I came across the following quote by Elisabeth Elliott, "Fear arises when we imagine that everything depends on us."

It was a good reminder to me that I can so easily slip into a "I'm alone in this and need to fix it" mentality. But the reality is that I am not alone. Dan and I have seen God show up time and time again. I need to trust Him and not burst into a flurry of activity and panic. 

I'm doing what I can, but then I need to trust Him and not give in to fear. I wrote a few weeks ago about trusting God to move the mountains in my life and have seen that happen with a few of them since I wrote that. So I will continue to trust, move forward and believe that I'll see those mountains topple.

It's a chilly 19 degrees Fahrenheit at the moment, but I'm going to try and get out and walk again today. The fresh air clears away the dreariness I can feel and gets me rejuvenated and ready to face what comes my way, as I stay dependent on the Lord.

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