April Fools---Really?

I have never really understood the real reason for having April Fools Day. In my forty-eight years on earth I have "celebrated" April Fools Day one time. I exploited my then 5 and 9 year old daughters into calling their grandparents to tell them they were home alone and didn't know where their parents were! Of course, they came running over, luckily just a five minute drive, and we April Fooled them! Fortunately they had a good sense of humor and were glad to come over and visit and to see their granddaughters.

But I have been April Fooled now two years----momentous days---April 1, 2007 and now April 1, 2010. I won't go into a lot of detail but I know that God has his hands on our life and I have to trust that. Both of these days signified a substantial change in our family, our finances, and our future----three "F's" every three years. We all know what has been going on with Obamacare and having a husband who works in the medical industry we all know that eventually your livelihood is affected. As an academician, it is hard for me to always understand how hard some of these recent changes in health-care are affecting many industries. Once again, my husband finds himself being laid-off due to the changes going on in that industry.

As someone who always sees the glass half full, I know that you can always take something bad and find something good and I will hold on to that. As for my husband, I know he will take this and turn it into something positive as well. What's different----the added stress-or of the MIL and I know that will weigh heavy on his mind and his heart as he makes decisions about his/our future. Let me give you my definition of the Sandwich Generation for today: Feels like a Panini, we (parents)are stuck between two pieces of bread (children & MIL) smushed between the sandwich maker; open it up and see the burned spots and lines running through the bread. Gives our sandwich character, right? Still tastes good doesn't it.

There are so many questions you find yourself asking God during tough times. The usual why me, why us, are we being punished, the typical whoa is me but that will only get you so far down the road. Today the Air One scripture is,"Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins!" Isaiah 53:4, NLT
When I read that this morning, I knew that scripture was for us----even we thought Jesus was being punished for being nailed on the cross but it was SOOO much bigger than that and punishment had nothing to do with it----thank goodness.

April Fools----really? I know I'm not a fool because I have a God who loves me unconditionally and as his scripture says, Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:25-27