Challenges to being merry

'Tis the season, right?

We're having a really rough time though.

Although we applied to have our mortgage restructured, Bank of America is taking its sweet merry time deciding whether or not it'll happen for us.

We need the brakes on our car fixed but can't afford to repair them.

Bill's car broke down on Friday. We need to give him rides to and from work because he has no money to fix his car either.

Kristin has no snow boots and neither does Heidi. Well, luckily TB and I stopped at Goodwill the day before the storm. I picked up a pair of nice boots for me. I thought the girls already had boots. Well, now we're sharing.

We missed out on the pantry pick-ups this month at St. Ann's. We got held up at the doctor's office on the 10th. That's when we were supposed to sign up for the Christmas pick-up. I wasn't able to get our monthly food voucher from Family Services because we weren't able to get there for Kristin's scheduled appt. on the 19th. Next one isn't until Jan 2. We make just a little too much money in income to qualify for any food stamp assistance.

Bill needs Concerta but can't afford to go to the doctor to get his script renewed. He's on the year program created by the drug manufacturer but needs to be able to see a doctor to get a new script every month.

Heidi can't afford to get to the doctor either for her asthma.

TB keeps gluing his crown back onto his tooth because we have no dental insurance. He's got an appt at the clinic but it's his first visit there so I don't know if they'll fix the crown for him. I hope they do. He's been gluing the tooth together since before Thanksgiving.

We can't afford to get everyone presents for Christmas like we'd like to.

But the reasons I can find to be merry in spite of all that:

1. We have a roof over our heads -- so many don't.
2. We are warm -- so many aren't.
3. We can have three meals a day -- so many are hungry.
4. Everyone will get a gift -- so many won't get anything at all.
5. God works wonders in our lives. He loves all of us.