Well, because we love to get away for a day or two and because there is NO money, we went to a timeshare presentation yesterday. The promised "gift" was a trip to San Diego. We visited San Diego a few months ago and could have stayed another two weeks and not seen everything I'd like to see. So, sitting through a timeshare presentation when you're broke is pretty simple. There's no chance you're going to buy something you can't afford and the reward, the trip, is something you just can't get any other way. So, we went. Well the promised 90 minutes turned into 3 hours, but, there's a good chance our lives have been changed forever.
First, we were really impressed with the presentation. This company has blanketed the west coast with new, debt-free resorts. One thing that impressed me is that each resort is designed to "fit" in the atmosphere of the area around it. For example, there is a town called Solvang in California. It is known as a "Danish" village. I was there many years ago and loved it. Well, there's a resort there and it's built in exactly the right style to fit in with a Danish village. There are resorts in a couple of areas that are mountainous or known as fishing areas. The resorts in those areas are beautifully rustic. The variety is amazing and there are 63 resorts in all with 4 more due to come on line within the next 6 months. Second, this is the largest timeshare company in the US. Third, they OWN RCI which is the exchange club that allows you to go anywhere, whether they have a resort there in company or not. I could go on from there, but you get the idea. This is a PREMIER timeshare company and I've seen the stats on time share from inside the industry. When we reached the appropriate place in the presentation, we told them quite frankly that there was NO WAY we could afford to invest in such a venture at this time. Well, the upshot of it all is that Joe was offered a job!
We are still going to try to keep all the other balls in the air. Joe's business is VERY slow right now, but because this is mostly working from 3PM til bedtime and on Saturday, it will afford him time to take care of whatever business comes in and still keep the lending business going. We've discussed the signing business. We will have Joe do the morning signings as much as he's able and I'll take over the afternoon signings. We're not sure what we'll do about the evening signings......I guess I'll try to take on as many of those as I can manage as well, since they're the big money. But since the signings are tied into the real estate/lending market, and since that market is crap right now, our hope is that I won't be overwhelmed.
We talked a little while a few weeks back about our situation. When Joe asked me to quit work and stay home, he indicated that if a time like this ever happened, he'd take a second job. And, I've felt for a long time that if God wanted him to stay in mortgage loans, God would provide the clients necessary for us to pay our bills and eat. That just hasn't happened. So, in the meantime, I have watched him lose the good, easy deals to credit unions, and work his guts out on deals where the borrowers had crappy credit. And, still we've lost money month after month. A few weeks ago, I asked him if he thought God might be easing him out of lending.......... He said he, too, had prayed about it, but felt if that were true another opportunity would open up.
So, I am counting yesterday's encounter as an answer to prayer in several ways. First, we have next to nothing saved. We've been unable to add anything to our meager retirement funds during the course of our marriage. And, we've exhausted our current savings, just trying to keep the bills paid and food on the table. And we know that our God has promised to meet our needs. In fact, we know that He wants to bless us and, God knows, we need to be blessed. There is a verse in Proverbs that promises that God's blessing brings wealth and with the money, no trouble comes. I've been claiming that and I believe this is the fruit of that. I've actually been praying that the Lord would give us $750,000 over the next 10 years, over and above what is needed to pay our current bills. That is about the only way we will ever be able to survive retirement. Having worked in this industry, I know that it is totally possible for a good timeshare salesman to earn 6 figures and Las Vegas is the biggest timeshare sales area in this country. That means, my crackpot $750,000 prayer has been answered!
So, once again, Jehovah Jireh lives up to his promises. I walked out of that timeshare sales office, doing a singsong "My Daddy loves me, My Daddy loves me". Joe sees the same thing here as I do, so it's not just me going off the deep end. If I'm over the edge, so is he. We haven't seen a single timeshare sale yet, but we are both sure this is God's answer for us, either short term or long term--which , we do not know.
So that is my news for the day. Jen, Jason and the boys are in the northwest this weekend, visiting Jason's family. Jason will travel on business tomorrow, but Jen and the boys will be home tonight. I spoke to her very briefly on the phone last night and she says Atticus is clinging to her, feeling that Jason's family are "strangers". It's just a phase all little kids go to, and we see it as well, particularly with Joe. He knows me pretty well now, so I have much less of a problem, but sometimes he even shies away from me. I'll be anxious to hear everything she has to tell about their weekend. I would imagine the weather in that part of the country should be fantastic this time of year.
Well, I'll post a few pages and then I have to go. Have a blessed day!
I found this cute photo of DH and his older brother. They were all dressed up for church, 1959 style. I used Lynn Grieveson's new kit called Hugs for this page. I also used a photo corner by Marcie Reckinger which I enlarged, recolored and reduced opacity as a stamp on the corners of the page. I did this for an Ad Challenge at DSD. Lynn's products are available exclusively at Designer Digitals.
I did this layout for the scripture challenge at DSD. Just a letter to my very special DD. I used a mini kit by LaWanna Desjardin called Timeless for this page. You can find this mini kit at O Scraps. The polka dot ribbon is by Gina Miller. I used an alpha by Lynn Grieveson as a clipping mask for papers from the kit for "gift". Journaling says: Dearest Jennifer, For years, when you were a little girl, I used to tell you that you were my reason for living. It was the truth. I got up in the morning so I could go to work so you'd have food and shelter. I went to bed at night so I would be healthy enough to be a single parent. Many times I would have given up, but for you. It was "you and me against the world". Things got rocky during your late teens and I was afraid that somehow I'd lost you. Worse, maybe I'd never get you back. I was heartbroken. But over the years that has changed and I am so grateful to be able to say that today we are good friends. We talk, either by phone or IM, daily. It fills me with joy that we have such a relationship. It has always been my greatest wish. You make me so proud. Sometimes your strength, your intelligence, your abilities just leave me in awe. I wonder, how could I be related to you? But I am and it is a joy and a privilege, only made richer by the two beautiful grandsons I now have. Truly you have been the gift of a lifetime to me, a gift only God could have given me. I couldn't be happier. Love, Mom
My stepdaughter (age 13) was so proud of herself that she took this photo on Jonathan's first day of kindergarten. I had to scrap it for her! This is DH's grandson. I used Kim Hill's Teen Spirit kit for the page. I added a border by Gina Miller and a swirl by Ronna Penner. The alpha is by Dani Mogstad (recolored) and the torn paper/ribbon combo is by Corina Nielson. The tiny beaded alpha is by Kimberly Giarrusso. Kim's Teen Spirit kit is available at ACOT.
In September, 2006, we spent a few days in the Oxnard/Ventura area. I really enjoyed seeing the Olivos Adobe which was originally built, obviously of adobe construction, in 1847. I loved using this multi-photo grid to layout some of the photos of the interior. The grid is by Heather Ann Designs. I used paper from Marcie Reckinger's Nevaeh Mist kit, available at ACOT (on sale). I did this for the ACOT CT--I'm a guest CTM this month and this week's focus is on blocked layouts.
We go to California fairly often, primariily because we can drive there inexpensively and DH's daughter still lives there. One thing that always blows me away is the beauty and variety of flowers we see there. I used papers from ACOT's Celebrate Life collaborative kit. I recolored one of the papers to get the pink paper. I also used a template from Kissed Studios. I am the Guest CTM at ACOT this month, and the CT's focus this week is on blocked layouts.
Just another cute picture of DGS. He's such a little stud! I used Amanda Heimann's What Goes Around kit for this layout. Amanda's products are available at The Digi Chick but you have to buy her grab bag to get this! Other credits include: Doodled Border by Gina Miller, Doodled Alpha by Kate Hadfield, Cardboard Hearts (Called Color Me Stitched) by Amanda Rockwell (at amandarockwell.com), Words to scrap by by Doris Castle, Green journaling paper by Nina, Orange journaling paper (recolored) by Jen Wilson.
Found this old family photo and decided to scrap it. I know the lady on the right but neither my mother nor I know the one on the left. I used the Cottage Charm kit by Kim Hill for everything on the page except the flowers. The flowers are by Eve Recinella. I also used a sketch from the Through My Eyes Sketchbook by Amy Teets. You can find these products by Kim Hill and by Amy Teets at ACOT. I did this for Katie the Scrapbook Lady's journaling challenge at The Digi Shoppe.
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