“A positive attitude is something everyone can work on, and everyone can learn how to employ it.” – Joan Lunden
In March, I lost my job on the very day that my Mom’s health took a turn for the worse. She passed away two weeks later. A friend asked why I’m not bitter about this. Why aren’t I feeling sorry for myself?
The truth is that I did have moments when I felt sorry for myself. I had been very dedicated to my job at a nonprofit organization. Although I worked more than 30 hours a week, management decided that my position needed to be full-time. I was unable to work more hours, and I was terminated. After my Mom died, I was in shock for a couple months. Two big life changes had occurred, and I had difficulty making the transition.
However, I see God’s hand at work in what happened. Losing my job enabled me to be with my Mom for her last 15 days at the hospital and hospice. This was a gift to both of us. She could not breathe well, and she was scared. It was comforting for her to have a family member with her, and being with her throughout her illness helped me talk to the doctors knowledgably and to honor her wishes about her care.
The way things happened also enabled me to leave my job with no regrets. If I were still employed, I would have been terribly conflicted about leaving work to care for my Mom. I could not have stayed most nights with her as I did. Knowing that I was able to be there for my Mom made me see that God’s timing is perfect.
I had choices in how to view my two life changes:
- “Poor me, I got terminated” versus “Lucky me, I had the opportunity to share my Mom’s dying moments. And now I have the time to explore my dream job of being a writer.”
- “My Mom passed away. That’s heartbreaking and unfair.” versus “I am sad but it was her time, she was ready, and she was released from her pain.”
By looking at these situations through the eyes of faith and gratitude, I see that God was looking out for me.
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Have you faced a difficult situation? Do you have a choice of how to think about it? Please share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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You have an amazing outlook in life, and you are a very wealthy woman. No money in the world or position of power can attain the understanding you have reached. You are truly blessed.
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Darlene, what a boost! Thank you.
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Beautifully written, I am proud to call you friend. I believe it is always healthier to look at things in a positive way and see God’s hands in our lives. He doesn’t control us, but guides us. I am constantly reminded to live in the present moment because that is where God is present. Good luck with your book!!!
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Thank you, Theresa. I love your reminder “to live in the present moment because that is where God is present.” Living that way would surely fend off anxiety.
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Susan, thank you for sharing your story. Mine is not a job loss but does reflect a similar experience with my mother. In fact, I had already retired but continuing with consultant work. Mom had taken a severe fall and was hospitalized. No broken bones but her body was so bruised she looked as though someone had beat her severely. She was hospitalized right before Thanksgiving in 2010. My bother (Wes) and I rotated shifts to be with her. She felt alone and scared, too. Wes had to leave suddenly to return to his home because the ceiling in his upstairs bedroom had collapsed and the entire first floor was flooded. He had not left her for three weeks. The following morning Mother was transferred to a medical center 40 miles away much to my dismay. To make a long story short, I rode with her in the ambulance never thinking for a moment how I would get back home. After a grueling 2-hour experience in the emergency room, she was finally taken to a private room. Needlesstosay, she did not make it through the evening. The time that we spent together in the ambulance, talking and holding each other’s hand is priceless. The time we had alone together in that tiny hospital room is priceless. She was so frail and uncomfortable with each breath being a struggle. As I sat by her bedside, I took her hand, stroked it softly and told her everything would be alright. She would soon be with Daddy. She was ready to join him in Heaven. As soon as I finished with those last words, she sighed and a peace came over her as she finally rested. I cried and cried for I had really never envisioned life without my mother. Yet, I smiled through the tears because I had been blessed by the Lord to have those last moments with her. She was 91.
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Thank you for sharing your story. I’m sorry for your loss–it is so hard to lose your Mom. But it’s wonderful that you shared your Mom’s last moments with her.
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I can relate to God’s timing. My hubby has been unemployed for four years. He went from Executive Director of a non-for-profit to learning how to be a house-husband. His attitude has been inspirational. We watched God continue to meet all our needs as we ran through unemployment benefits, our savings, and our investments. When we thought we had totally run out God provided in an unexpected way by bring three of our adult children back home for a season of time.Their financial help made all the difference. My hubby and a friend are building a Grant writing business that is struggling. He now has social security along with his pension from a previous job. During all this time we have grown closer together and seen God answer prayers we have been praying for years. My elderly parents moved back to Illinois from Florida after being there for over 30 years.We were able to go down and help them move and now can watch over them as they continue to slow down. And after a five year absence from sharing the Word in small churches in the Philippines God made a way for us to return. This was our fourth time in our over 30 years of marriage that my hubby has been unemployed. Every time he teaches us something new, deepened our relationship with Him and one another. This is the longest time of unemployment but it has been the most fruitful in the Spirit.
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Cindy, you have been through so much. Your eyes of faith are an inspiration to me as is your husband’s attitude. I hope that your husband’s grantwriting and your own writing will be successful. Praying for you and your parents!
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Dear Cindy I love you blog. Your experience was very much like my own many year ago. I was not wise enough to view my moms death like you. I was very bitter for many year. I am so glad you shared your story. God bless you.
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What beautifully written and meaningful words. Thank you for sharing with us.
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Penny, coming from a great writer like you, that means a lot! I love your blog.
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Sue, I enjoy your beautiful writing which speaks so eloquently of the grace we receive to meet the challenges of life. Ann
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These things are always blessings in disguise, and only through time can we recognize them as such. That was a wonderful, loving, emotional post. Thank you
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Your words reflect the joy of life in your loving and sharing heart! Your post is wonderful, i could share so many things similar to what you went through that happened in my life…but the bottom line was always when i took the time to reflect i saw God’s hand in everything that happened. I lost my job in 2008, became 100% disabled also, tried to get another job, because i have never been without one since the age of 11. I prayed to god constantly while sending out employment applications doing as we usually do, trying to take care of things ourselves…thought no job, i will lose my home and everything else, stressful right? But one night in 2009 i was crying to God in quiet time early in the morning and he answered me…he told me i gave you a gift! Now i had to think about that one…what did he mean. You see i had been writing poems for him since 1971 and had never shared them or try to publish i thing only one time but they turned me down and i went off chasing the mighty dollar! The next day i took my 15 year old daughter with me to get our stuff out of storage because we no longer could afford it. And behold she picked up a tote and said Dad what is in this thing it weighs a ton and she dropped it and it opened and inside more than a couple thousand poems. God had prepared me for this time in my life. I work for him now and he gives me my daily bread, a struggle still but i am happier and more blessed than at anytime in my life. Your words reminded me of the blessings that God brings to us at the right time when we actually believe something detrimental happened and he actually opens more doors if we believe and give him the chance. Thanks for follwing my site, and i will enjoy following yours. May your beautiful light shine ever brightly into all of our lives my sister!
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Wendell, Thank you for sharing your story. Best wishes for continued success with your beautiful poetry.
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