We will be o.k.

The day after Bailey's 10th birthday we received some bad news. Bryan was laid off. I went through so many emotions that day. Fear, anger, uncertainty, did I say fear? The way we found out was horrible. We called to check our balance like we do every payday and noticed that his check had not gone into the bank. Bryan called to ask his boss what had happened. They recently changed accountants so we had been having these problems for a couple of weeks, so we didn't think much about it. But when he called, his boss told him that they were letting him go due to the fact that they weren't building any new stores right now. He explained to Bryan that they had always paid him 2 weeks in advance so that is why he didn't receive a check. No warning! Not even a day! We had bills coming out that day, including our mortgage! Luckily, Bryan had just turned in an expense report for travel and his boss was able to cut the check for that and it covered the bills, instead of going to pay off the credit card that he had used for the travel.
I had a few minutes of sheer panic. About a million thoughts went through my head at the same time. Will we lose our house? How will we pay Bailey's school tuition (due the next day!)? What about health insurance? Cars? Food? Christmas? And so many other things!?
Then I got angry. How dare they!? Bryan had spent most of the last 6 months away from us doing everything he could to make their business a success. He'd missed out on so much of the kids daily lives. He was constantly on the phone or flying off to help them at the last minute. He did everything he was asked. On top of his job, he washed windows, hung mirrors, installed phones, whatever they needed. I knew that 3 or 4 people had been fired (not let go) since he'd worked there due to wrongdoing. They were given 6 months severance. Bryan was offered 2, it was like a slap in the face. I know we were lucky to be offered anything. I don't take it for granted. But the fact that he did nothing wrong and was given so much less than people who were doing some pretty bad things on the job, just made me so sad for him. He respected these people, he trusted them when they assured him that even when they stopped building they would find a place for him. It just breaks my heart for him.
After the fear, anger and hurt, I started praying. I also called other people and asked them to start praying. Before I knew it, messages started pouring in from people I talk to all the time to people I haven't talked to in years. Messages of encouragement, prayer and support. I also learned that people had asked their friends, family and churches to pray for us. People I had never met. We also have had so many people putting in words for Bryan and he has received several requests for his resume due to these friends and family. It was, and is and amazing feeling. A feeling of community that I have never felt before. I felt peace for the first time since I'd heard the news.
I will admit, being human, the fear is still there. I don't do well with the unknown or change. The anger and hurt is something that I am working on and praying about daily. I know it does me or my family no good. But now I also have the peace that only comes through God. How can we fail when He is on our side? And with so many of our "community" speaking to Him on our behalf? We may not have the life we had before, but we will be o.k.
It has really taught us what is important and what we can live without. We have each other, we have our health, we have God's love and plan for our lives. There is a lesson for us to learn through this and I am determined to listen to God and hear what He has to say to me.
I have already learned so much and I am excited (and also a little afraid still) about what is in store for us. I am so grateful to our friends and family for the love and support that they have provided for us. We will be o.k.