"Promise Me this Won't Ruin Your Weekend"

So I had just woken up from my nap that I was taking in the passenger seat.  We were getting close to the food exit and since it was past supper time, I was ready for a pit stop.  The only thing on my mind was whether I should get a six inch or foot long.  Our family was taking a two day trip to West Nebraska for my wife's 15 year reunion, and I was looking forward to the mini-getaway and the chance to connect with family.
But then came the question.  As I wiped the sleep from my eyes, my wife asked me, "If I tell you something, will you promise me that you won't let it ruin your weekend?"  Now I was awake.  "Oh boy," I replied as I sat up in my seat.  "What is it?"  My wife then proceeded to tell me that earlier that day she learned that her company was having an important meeting the next day and it was very likely that her entire department would be cut.  Did Subway sell deli ham by the slice?  I had just lost my appetite.
A few years ago my wife showed me an article that listed the "recession proof jobs."  Mental Health, her field, was one of them.  Then, fourteen months ago, my wife's company filed for bankruptcy due to the State's delinquent payments.  But thankfully she was hired on at a new company four days later.  Afterwards, I thought that would be our one "job loss" story.  But here it was a year later and soon the news of another layoff would be delivered - my wife would be out of work in one month.
My reaction wasn't exactly reassuring.  Maybe my nap wasn't long enough because I quickly slipped into "I'm angry at life mode."  Perhaps you seen or experienced it before.  No smiling. Little conversation. And periodic shaking of the head.  My wife did her best to accentuate the positive and express her faith and trust in God.  But I was a pillar of frustration that would not be shaken.
After a restless night sleep, I rolled out of bed bright and early sometime past 9ish.  I knew that God and I were due for a talk.  I spent most of my prayer time venting my frustration and hurling familiar phrases like, "how could you" and "why now?"  Then I flipped my Bible to Psalm 71:1-3.  After reading, "Be my rock of refuge to which I can always go; give the command to save me; for you are my fortress," I broke down and really began listening for God's reassurance and direction.  I knew that I had no reason to be angry at life.  God was there in the midst of our life changing event.
But it wasn't until I resumed my study of Hebrews this week that God opened my eyes to something which I already knew.  It wasn't an "ah ha" moment.  Rather, it was an "oh yeah" moment (others might call it a "duh" moment).  Reading Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever."  That's right.  The same faithful God who helped us through the first job loss was with us for job loss number two.  He hadn't forgot how to provide or comfort us.  And His amazing love and grace still covered us from head to toe.
How could I forget this?  Life's trials and uncertainties tend to shake our faith from time to time.  Honestly, it's not easy to have faith when the world around you cracks or crumbles.  But then again, I can't imagine going through something like this (or worse) without faith and the lasting hope that only can be found in Christ.  I can't imagine being angry and frustrated with life for more than one evening.  And I certainly don't want every piece of bad news to ruin my weekends.
Thankfully this news didn't ruin our weekend and my wife had another job offer this week.  There will still be a brief time of unemployment and it won't be without stress, but God was faithful...again.  We have yet another reason to be thankful, and one more experience that will strengthen our faith.  Even more, we have a reminder of why we must share that faith - because too many people experience these same angry and frustrated times without the hope found in the "oh yeah" moment.