It's only hair, shoes... oh and your job

There was a lot going on tonight at ye old Ethridge house! Clayton had his hair cut tonight. Yes it was a major deal... check it out.


Clay before...




















Clay after...















Then he got home and had to do a little preparation for the PSAT test he is taking tomorrow before the marching band takes off for their very first competition in probably 20 years. (That is how long it has been since Eaton had a marching band.) So, as you can see... there is a lot going on there with him.

Dylan is finishing up his football season and getting ready to kick off basketball... Yes, that means I have to buy him another pair of shoes. Should a 14 year old really be wearing 10 1/2 to size 11 shoes? Shortly after basketball starts, he will be celebrating his 14th birthday so we are working on the plans for that weekend too.

The biggest thing we were dealing with tonight was the impending news from Bobby's company regarding layoffs happening December 18. The company began delivering the news to the staff this morning and it will take until Friday to speak with everyone. Rumors have been flying so that just added to the stress of the wait. Bobby was working a night shift today so he got into work around 7pm. I didn't hear until 10pm that he is NOT a part of the layoff. While I exhaled a breath of relief, he went on to say he lost one of his team members who was asked to leave immediately and because he had been written up just under (by three days) a year ago, he would not be receiving any severance package. So after 10 years of service... tonight was his last night. So my relief was great regarding our personal situation, yet I can't seem to shake this person's situation from my mind. Three days away from his write-up falling of his record and he could have possibly had a different result for the evening.

I looked up the word forgive on www.youversion.com. It pulled 86 verses. The one that stood out for me tonight was...

2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

You know what I don't see in there... Statements like this: After one year without any further transgressions, your sin will drop from your record and you can start anew.

There isn't any clause like that with our Lord. If you ask to be forgiven, and you are truly repentant, then you are forgiven. It is over. Gone. You have a "clean slate." If you died the next minute after seeking forgiveness, God isn't going to look you in the eye and say that you were on probation from your sin and you died before that probationary period was up and you cannot enter the Kingdom. No! He is going to say to you, "Welcome home my child."