Heaps of Blessings
Seth and I are both completely certain that divine intervention brought us to New Zealand. All along the way doors were shutting and others were opening to lead us here to this lovely country.
So many tears were shed in the early phases as there were many times in which we were certain that he hadn't made it to the next round of interviews. We looked into other things that we could do, just to have a change of pace, but each time the answer was no. One door actually shut itself to me as Seth was going through the long and arduous interview process only to promptly reopen a few weeks before the move as if to say, "It will be okay, you're good at what you do, and better opportunities await elsewhere." It wasn't till the very end, after Weta had contacted us with their offer, that we were able to look back and see just how perfectly it all fit together, even when we were trying to intervene out of fear.
A perfect example is the date of our move. From the beginning I worried about if he did get the job, when would we be expected to move? Would it be after the holidays? How long would I have to pack up the house? In my mind, the perfect month to move would probably be January so we could get everything straightened away and have the holidays to say goodbye to our family and friends. I also really wanted to go to one last PF/PCA Christmas party. One date kept popping into my head as the absolutely perfect date; January 15th. As you may or may not know, Weta booked us a flight for exactly that date.
Even in the short time that we have been here we have had blessings heaped upon us. When we first arrived it was suggested that we adjust our housing budget upwards of at least $150/week or risk moving into a damp, moldy flat. And yet here we sit in a lovely home, bigger and better than our wildest dreams for almost exactly what we had hoped to pay. It was also the first, and only, flat we were shown. We are in close proximity to the grocery store, Seth's work, and the local movie theatre whereas when I was doing research online prior to the move it seemed as though the nearest shops were at least 30 minutes walking distance away from Weta. We are also just four minutes away from the loveliest church either one of us has ever encountered. Though St. Aidan's is small, the people are friendly and the messages are poignant. They also seem to have many outreach programs that serve the larger community.
Things here simply seem better. Life in Pittsburgh was never bad, per se, but I don't think it was truly the right place for us at this time. I was often stressed and never had time to work on my own projects, Seth enjoyed his job, but found himself maintaining the current system rather than growing and being challenged. Here he comes home from work daily smiling, excited that a particular bit of code that had been giving him issues finally straightened out.
I know my readers are of many different faiths and I try to avoid discussing both religious and political matters on this blog, but I am sharing this story with you because it was a very important time for Seth and I, yet we have both noticed the memory of it slipping away.
I would like to leave you with this tiny piece. Prior to 2012, though I was working, I was living on very little. For a time I had to rely on both foodstamps and a local food bank to even have enough to eat. When I was given a full-time job as Lead Instructor at PCA I felt like a rich woman. Finally I didn't have to worry about money anymore. Though I was always excited about moving to New Zealand there was this underlying fear of uncertainty. We knew exactly how much we had been making here in the States and the cost of living, but in New Zealand there would be just one income in a market we were uncertain of, I didn't want to struggle again. At my going away party a coworker and friend presented me with her very own Bible which she felt called to give to me. Right before we left I cracked it open to a random page and read:
So many tears were shed in the early phases as there were many times in which we were certain that he hadn't made it to the next round of interviews. We looked into other things that we could do, just to have a change of pace, but each time the answer was no. One door actually shut itself to me as Seth was going through the long and arduous interview process only to promptly reopen a few weeks before the move as if to say, "It will be okay, you're good at what you do, and better opportunities await elsewhere." It wasn't till the very end, after Weta had contacted us with their offer, that we were able to look back and see just how perfectly it all fit together, even when we were trying to intervene out of fear.
A perfect example is the date of our move. From the beginning I worried about if he did get the job, when would we be expected to move? Would it be after the holidays? How long would I have to pack up the house? In my mind, the perfect month to move would probably be January so we could get everything straightened away and have the holidays to say goodbye to our family and friends. I also really wanted to go to one last PF/PCA Christmas party. One date kept popping into my head as the absolutely perfect date; January 15th. As you may or may not know, Weta booked us a flight for exactly that date.
Even in the short time that we have been here we have had blessings heaped upon us. When we first arrived it was suggested that we adjust our housing budget upwards of at least $150/week or risk moving into a damp, moldy flat. And yet here we sit in a lovely home, bigger and better than our wildest dreams for almost exactly what we had hoped to pay. It was also the first, and only, flat we were shown. We are in close proximity to the grocery store, Seth's work, and the local movie theatre whereas when I was doing research online prior to the move it seemed as though the nearest shops were at least 30 minutes walking distance away from Weta. We are also just four minutes away from the loveliest church either one of us has ever encountered. Though St. Aidan's is small, the people are friendly and the messages are poignant. They also seem to have many outreach programs that serve the larger community.
Things here simply seem better. Life in Pittsburgh was never bad, per se, but I don't think it was truly the right place for us at this time. I was often stressed and never had time to work on my own projects, Seth enjoyed his job, but found himself maintaining the current system rather than growing and being challenged. Here he comes home from work daily smiling, excited that a particular bit of code that had been giving him issues finally straightened out.
I know my readers are of many different faiths and I try to avoid discussing both religious and political matters on this blog, but I am sharing this story with you because it was a very important time for Seth and I, yet we have both noticed the memory of it slipping away.
I would like to leave you with this tiny piece. Prior to 2012, though I was working, I was living on very little. For a time I had to rely on both foodstamps and a local food bank to even have enough to eat. When I was given a full-time job as Lead Instructor at PCA I felt like a rich woman. Finally I didn't have to worry about money anymore. Though I was always excited about moving to New Zealand there was this underlying fear of uncertainty. We knew exactly how much we had been making here in the States and the cost of living, but in New Zealand there would be just one income in a market we were uncertain of, I didn't want to struggle again. At my going away party a coworker and friend presented me with her very own Bible which she felt called to give to me. Right before we left I cracked it open to a random page and read:
"How grateful I am, and how I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but for a while you didn't have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happy whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."
