March 2022, Jim and Pam visit, Elias Tennis journey

 I have had a busy tax season so far. I have felt so bless and I knew in my heart the Lord wanted me to be successful.  I have contracted a job with Life Plan Group, a financial advisor company who provides free tax return service for their clients. So they paid me for preparing returns for their clients both personal and Trust accounts. It was over all about 60 tax returns. I also got a lot of new clients. I felt un prepared at some point. One Friday night, I checked my email and had about 17 email links to a drop box file from Life Plan Group. I suddenly felt overwhelmed. By Saturday morning, I sat at the bottom of the step down to my office and poured my heart out to the Lord. I said, "Lord, I know that thou has blest me so much and now I know that thou has opened the windows of Heaven for me and I currently don't have enough room to receive them. I pray that thou would help me find time, because I am already up 5 am and done working past midnight everyday except Sunday." I pleaded with the Lord to help me find time or at least how to manage it. I work for Intuit 8am to 12 pm Monday to Friday. In the past years I have been able to take on extra hours, this season I am only managing to take on the 20 hours minimum I was required and even took some time off actually. The following week, I have had 3 appointments that called and wanted to move it to a later date which I was glad to do, I knew this was the Lord's help. Another re booked an appointment and when she came, she was apologetic that she had forgotten her first appointment. I told her that the Lord has made her forget at that time because I needed the time that week and it worked out for both of us. 

Jim and Pam arrived March 19th. So thankful for them for being here, they were such a great help. They drove Elias to Zebulon for early morning seminary which started at 6 am, so they had to leave home early to make the 20 min drive. They also took over picking up and driving Elias to his tennis practices and games. They also helped with yard work and making dinner. So glad to have them. We always enjoy having them visit us, but this year has been especially helpful to me as I was caught off guard with the sudden growth of my business, plus having the covid with lingering brain fog effect has kind of put me a bit behind in January. I saw the Lord's hand all the time in my work. 

There was one time, it was 11 am, during my Intuit shift, I felt so exhausted and sleepy. My normal routine was Intuit in the morning and in the afternoon was when I book all my own tax clients in person or zoom meeting, mostly in person clients. Then in the evening was when I stay up and prepare all the tax returns and do management duties. This one day, I felt sleepy and I looked at my schedule for the afternoon and it was full. I knew I would need a break in order to last til pat midnight that day. I looked at my 1 pm client and prayed, "Lord, if only my 1 pm client would cancel, I can take an hour nap so that I am able to keep going til late in the evening. " As soon as I said my prayers, my phone notification made that "ding" sound and I looked to see what it was, and it was my 1 pm client cancelling and wanting to rebook at another time. I teared up thinking, the Lord really loves me and mindful of me and wants me to be successful. I am so grateful that I can feel his Love even at this busy season for me. 

There were times also when I received files from Intuit, cases that I have to work on. I notice a pattern of single mom, raising kids, with multiple W2 barely amounting to $10k a year. Even though I don't know these Intuit clients in person, but only names on paper, my heart was touched and was tender enough that often times I start to tear up. I recognize these women as daughters of Heavenly Father, and that they have different struggles in life, but that though I only knew them by name, I knew the Lord is mindful of their needs and that though it may seem not fair, I know our trials are on equal purpose because we have a fair God and He loves all His Children.

We managed to go away to Outer banks at end of March for Jim's birthday. I worked extra hard that week to make sure I am able to go with the family on vacation even though I had planned to work while on vacation. My laptop was packed in my business bag and Scott has prepared to bring the extra screen for ease of work. That night before I left my office, I prayed on my knees asking the Lord to help me relax and have some quality family time despite the work load I have at the peak of tax season. Well, after driving for just over 3 hours, we got to the condo and surprisingly, all that was brought was the spare screen and not my laptop. I asked Scott later on if he was terrified to let me know he had forgotten my laptop, he said he was. But all I said was , "oh well", there was nothing anyone could do. I couldn't make him drive home and back totaling 9 hours in one day. I was surprisingly calm and thought, I suppose the work can wait. What I was realizing was, "be careful what you ask for"! I asked Heavenly Father to help me have some quality time, it would have meant for my laptop to be forgotten to enjoy my family time. So thankful for that peace I had received and the phrase that kept coming to my mind was, "let the Lord prevail."