News Update

Hi All,

Last week was quite an eventful week. After more than 15 years of working with Smitty, Chuck was laid off from work last Tuesday.

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

This was the second round of lay-offs at HKS, and Chuck was fearing that he would be let go eventually. There just isn't enough work right now, with developers and architects putting projects on hold indefinitely. So in some ways it wasnt completely unexpected, but it still sorta took us by surprise.

God is in control, and we are trusting that. Chuck did receive a modest severance package, so we are going to be ok, although Christmas just got a whole lot more simple.

Chuck is already sending his resume out to contacts he has in the surveying and engineering field, so we are hopeful that he might find a new position soon. We have also talked to family and friends and gotten some suggestions on who else might be hiring right now. And of course he's applied for unemployment. But mostly, we're praying.

The morning he called me with the news I had a song running through my head. We've sung it in church several times, and I've heard it on kLove too- "Blessed be Your Name" by Matt Redman. I've loved the song for a while- and all of a sudden it took on a whole new meaning. It talks about how when life is good, we bless God. And when life isn't so good- we can still choose to Bless His name. No matter what. So that's what we're doing. I'm gonna keep singing that song!

Your thoughts and prayers are very welcome right now, and if you know of any civil engineering firms (uh, here in denver, I don't think we're up to relocating right now!) that would be definitely welcome.