Tithing and Tennessee

In June Dan went on an internship expedition with the school to Denver in hopes to find an internship. I don't know about other universities but at BYU-I you need an internship to graduate, depending on the major you might need two. The school set up this trip and set up interviews and meetings with companies potentially looking for interns in the near future. He had a wonderful time and thought he put a really good perception of himself out there. With his 3.97 GPA I wasn't worried about his ability to succeed. Some companies were looking to hire interns around September but there was one company Dan loved that told the accounting students they would get back to them soon. This is the one we were really hoping for! He loved the atmosphere and the company but we were so bummed and dumb founded when that call never came. We have no idea why, I couldn't even think of why they wouldn't love him but it was a blow to the ego and confidence especially when he felt inspired to go on this expedition.

This was about two weeks ago and we were both down about everything. This is the time I was alluding to in previous posts. He didn't get the internship he wanted, I didn't get the job I had been interviewing for, his classes were stressful and time consuming and we couldn't find housing without having to pay for all or part of august (we need to move in September). It was difficult but the best thing about our relationship is that we TALK. I've never been a fighter, yeller, screamer or stormer-offer and neither is he. People say 'oh it's healthy for the relationship to fight'. Last time I checked it's not healthy to yell hateful things to your significant other, stop listening, not letting them talk then just walking off. Just my opinion though.

Anyways we talked about how we were feeling and why we were feeling that way and what the other could do to help. This is where that letter came in that I wrote him and the epiphany to choose happiness.CHANGED EVERYTHING. It has effected us so much, it's definitely what we needed to hear. We spent the next week being happy, celebrating my birthday and the fourth and during that time something else amazing happened.

I kind of challenged God... is that bad? Haha okay well I asked him to help me see. On Sunday Dan and I both paid our tithing. (In the LDS Church members are asked to pay 10% of their increase to the church and it's called tithing. It goes towards funding missionaries, building church buildings, temples and education among other things). We've both never had a problem of paying tithing, giving back to God what He's given us, it's great. But as I said my prayers that night I thought of the scripture in Malachi 3:10 "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." [emphasis added]. Prove me now herewith... I thought... okay I want to see this happen! So it kind of was a challenge but I asked God that because we paid our tithing, help me to see the blessings that come from it. I have always paid tithing but I don't think I ever looked to pay attention to the potential blessings or I didn't recognize it as a blessing from the Lord. So that's what I did, I prayed to see and notice the outcome and know that it came from God.


Then two huge and interesting things happened. Dan had sent his resume to the corporate headquarters of HCA Healthcare. His dad works for them in Colorado. Dan had a phone interview with them, he didn't feel confident about it and we never heard from them again. We just figured they weren't interested and moved on. Monday. Out of the blue. Dan's phone rings at work from a number in Tennessee. HCA explained that they're potentially interested in him as an intern and wants to see how he does in his intermediate accounting class (which he is in right now) and to keep in touch. WHAT! We were so excited to say the least :) That catch? It's in the fall, as in this fall. But that's okay because I don't have a job and we don't have housing anyways! The other catch. It's in Tennessee. When we had first considered this as an option I didn't want to but now that I'm choosing to be happy, I'm really excited if this works out.


Get married and potentially move to Tennessee. As we've been talking about the possibility (it's still just a possibility) we joke how our apartment in Tennesse could look something like this

Except without all the furniture. It's funny as we joke about this, we're not really joking. If we move to Tennessee for 12 weeks it's really gonna be like that. We're not going to rent a u-haul to get an ugly couch we bought at DI all the way across the country. There's always a possibility of buying cheap stuff there this is true, but we'll see. It's still all up in the air. But I felt so incredibly.. I don't know loved to know that if we get the internship or not, that this was an opportunity from God that really lifted our spirits. I know Dan is going to everything he can to get this internship. Exciting times!

Second crazy thing that happened. I have a really bad habit of worrying about money. Especially as we get married when we are more responsible for all our bills and things. I put so much pressure on myself to find a job for the fall (funny how I didn't get that job...might not need it anyways) because I would only take one class. Plenty of time to work. Dan's working a month before we get married to give us a good foundation. I guess I hate that it's a necessity right now and it worry's me when I look at my bank account. I know I need to work hard, have faith, make a budget and keep it but I still always worry. So the next day, Tuesday, my birthday. Before we go out to dinner Dan asked for a piece of paper, scribbles something down and puts it on top of his gift for me. He seemed really happy but I just assumed it was cause it was my birthday? I opened it last and it messily said-

Aubrionna Bullock

Happy Birthday

You've been awarded $3,400

Love,

Obama

I looked at him and was so confused. Dan explained that although he thought he didn't get anything from his fasfa it came through today that he got a pell grant from the government of $3,400! On my birthday! I wanted to cry I was so happy, relieved and I truly felt that we had been blessed so much that I couldn't receive it. Getting and internship opportunity and a pell grant. SO BLESSED.