Waiting for the economic recovery

It seems odd that my family floated through the recession pretty well, but now that the economy is in recovery mode, things are looking tenuous. The big story in Central Texas (and the rest of the country as well) is big budget cuts in education. Word is that at least two Texas community colleges will close and everyone else from elementary through graduate school will be making layoffs. According to the San Marcos Record, our local paper, these layoffs will include: "three elementary school Gifted and Talented teachers, three parent liaison positions, three elementary school art teachers and three administrative clerical positions." I know many people see these positions as nonessential staff, but I know how important my G&T program was for me, how as a social worker I would have killed to have some parent liaisons in the schools I worked with, and how art can expand the world of students. Imagine your elementary school experience without an art teacher? I can't. (Mine smoked like a chimney...in the teacher's lounge : ) Now that was the 80s!)

I read earlier this week that the recession has cemented our class distinctions even more than ever. The wealthy continue to get wealthier while the poor continue to get poorer. I love - love - that millionaires get to keep their blessed tax breaks while teachers trying to live on barely a middle class income are losing their jobs. I also love that in a time when so many people are losing their health insurance through no fault of their own, certain members of Congress are trying to defund measures that would help them purchase affordable health insurance. The word heartless comes to mind. I have literally felt ill when reading about this lately.

Jonathan's job prospects for the summer and fall are not wonderful. I, being the worrier, am kind of freaking out. Jonathan, being the faithful, reminds me that God will take care of us and help us meet our needs. It may not be in the way we imagined, but we will have what we need. God has already given me a part time job that starts next week. Seeing how this job came together, it is impossible not to see divine providence in it : )

I am praying for my husband's job as well as those of the millions of Americans either already out of work or about to be out of work. I am praying for the school children who will be without valuable resources next year. I am praying for those with power in our country to lay aside politics, the 2012 election, the 24 hour news cycle, their book deals, or whatever else is getting in the way of working together to help us really move forward.