First Things First

By Steph Fink

A three hour daily commute.  Need I say much more?  My husband’s three hour daily commute was wearing him out.  At the time, our boys were one and four years old.  As a stay at home mother, I was wearing out too.  My husband felt like an absentee father.  

Out of the blue, my husband received a phone call from a corporate recruiter.  After several interviews, he was offered a job in San Diego, California.  After we prayed many prayers we decided to accept the off.  While we were sad to leave our families and life on the east coast, the three hour commute just wasn’t cutting it; we wanted more family time.  So we put our home on the market and prepared to say goodbye to Virginia.  Within that same month, we had a buyer for our home.  Things were working out…or at least that’s what we thought.  

Two weeks before our move to California, we received a phone call that the buyer had backed out of the contract.  My husband's head dropped like a wilted flower.  I grabbed my best friend's hands and looked at him square in the face and said, "Babe, don't look down, look up - God's doing something. I don't know what it is, but I trust Him. Trust Him babe."  

We kept our house on the market and after an unsuccessful house-hunting trip to California, we decided to put our household goods in storage and live in temporary housing until we found our new home.

We felt confident God wanted us to keep family time a top priority but weren’t sure why God allowed certain doors to open and quickly closed others.

Three days before our first car was to be shipped west, my husband received an offer that he couldn’t refuse.  No, the Godfather didn’t call him but his current boss did and counter-offered with a closer work location and matched the other salary offer too.  

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (New International Version)

Our top reason to move across country was to protect our family time.  But God in His awesome love gave my husband a two hour less commute and more money too. 

But that’s not where the story ends.

The following month my father had open-heart surgery.  We knew if we moved to California I’d not be able to be there with my dad.  My heart was very heavy about it.  While my father is important to me, my top priorities are God, my husband and young children.

Since we remained in Virginia, I was able to travel to New Jersey to be there with my father in both the pre-op and post-op rooms on the day of his surgery.  The day after, I went back home to Virginia.  When my father was ready to go home, my then baby and preschooler went back up with me and helped care for my widowed father for the following three weeks.  

I would never had been able to care for my father and help him transition back home if we were living in California.  

God never ceases to amaze me!  

God's signature was all over this non-relocation.  God blessed us and reminded us to keep our priorities in the proper order, which started with seeking God first.  

How do you manage your family priorities?  

Steph's writing has appeared in Proverbs 31 Ministry, P31 Woman magazine.  In her free time she can be found encouraging numerous MOPS group in the northern Virginia area on the "Colorful Art of Friendship - Allowing God to Paint the Masterpieces" and MOPS leaders on "Being a Bright Light".

Steph can be found blogging at www.encouragedinheart.org or on Facebook at Stephanie Fink or on her Facebook page Encouraged in Heart - Stephanie Fink.  She loves big hair, big cups of coffee and big bear hugs.