Employment / Unemployment / Self Employment

Tim has been working for a local car dealership painting cars, doing minor body work, touch-ups, bumper scuffs, dented bumpers etc...The Dealership sold out to another dealership, and for over a month we have been wondering if our job was secure.  Tim will come home and say...Well they let go of so and so today, but thankfully it has not been " well they let go of me today."  After a  month of working for the new dealership, Tim was called in.  They said they want to keep him on, but want him to work more hours, lower his prices, and that they want to lower is commission.  So instead of receiving 70% commission on everything he paints and repairs, they were willing to give him 30%  I explained it to our kids like this...If you work at a job, and you are already working hard, and they come to you and say we want you to work harder...and we realize you are making $8.00 a hour, but we want you to continue working harder and we would like to offer you $3.50 a hour instead of $8.....not really fair is it!

So Tim was left with the major decision of do I stay here and gross $1300 per month especially since my house payment is more than that a month, and I have a son getting ready to serve a mission? or do I claim unemployment? and risk not having a job for months, or do I take my skill and open my own business, servicing local car dealerships and try to support my family the best I can.  After alot of pondering,  fasting, and praying we came to the decision that self employment was the better route for us at this time.  Tim has been self employed 2 other times, doing the same thing, and it has always been such a trial in our lives.  Trying to make ends meet is always the hardest when your accounts do not pay on time!  I have been in a really bad mood since the news of him being laid off.  It is really hard for me to not know what will happen, will we be able to survive?  Will we have enough?  Will we be able to support Weston on his mission?  All I can do is pray and have faith that all my concerns will be replaced with peace and comfort.

So far Tim has been blessed to have constant work.  However the start up cost of getting all the materials needed is going to take everything we earn for the next few months.  The winter months are always the hardest in the car industry...not alot of people buy cars, or want them repaired int he winter months.  So please keep us in your prayers.  I know that some how we will be blessed, because I have heard that when you send a missionary out to serve the Lord, that you are blessed for his/her service.  So I hold to the faith of knowing that things will work out!