Someone out there does not like what we are about and I think I know who! Satan. How do I know? We've been experiencing so many great blessings that he must have thought, "It is time to step in and create some stress in their lives."
This is often how life goes, isn't it? Valleys and mountain top experiences, to keep us humble and always on our knees.
It began in the kitchen, the dishwasher just doesn't seem to be doing its job, so back to handwashing. Who cares, right? I do! Handwashing for 10 people who seem to use a LOT of dishes means I'm, seriously, always at the kitchen sink, leaving me little time for much else. Ok. I can handle that. Then, I've noticed the microwave is making really funny sounds whenever it is used. Hmmmmm.....well, I'm probably not supposed to use one anyway, but it sure does come in handy!
Then, the tests got a little more intense. My oldest and RM were out running errands and what should have been just a quick jaunt out was taking a lot longer. I wondered if something had happened. Sure enough, I got the call. "We've been in an accident, I need the number for the police. " From how he was talking I could tell it was more of an annoyance than something serious, but still. Later, I found out, however, that it could have been very serious and that it was only God's protection over them that their lives were spared. Praise God! Now, it is the inconvenience of having to get the vehicle fixed, deal with insurance, all that pain in the neck stuff that RM just does not have time for.
No joke, the next day, I backed into a vehicle in a parking lot. I couldn't believe it. But that goes to show you how big our vehicle is - this other car, did I mention it was a BMW, was completely hidden from my mirrors, that's how small (and expensive) it was. I nearly died. How could this happen?! I immediately felt completely sorry for myself as now we'd have to pay for the repairs on her vehicle, the very expensive BMW (why that car????) and there is no money for that - none.
The irony was I was out picking up things at the thrift store for my son who was going away on the trip - I had just saved so much money again and we'd found just what he needed and I was feeling so happy that God was blessing us again. This is how I know it has to be the enemy. Getting me at my weakest spots - you must know them by now, fear and discouragement.
But, my son, who saw his mother not doing so well, said he would pray. We also prayed for early payment on a contract. We drove home and I gave RM the news. He took it well, but I knew it was just another thing I had added to his already full plate. We had to run out together for another quick errand and on the way he told me he was receiving early payment after all! Whew! That will relieve the pressure.....remember, unemployed since June.....not an easy place to be.
I'm sure there are more tests in the wings, just waiting to be shot out by the one who hates what we are about, who knows we desperately long for freedom, who sees we're being blessed on all sides and hates this, too! It is all he has! He can only try with all his might to get us in a bad emotional state. Sometimes he succeeds, but then we come around and try to be thankful. In fact, there are so many things to be thankful for, especially in these accidents - that no one got hurt first and foremost and that there is money coming in to cover the costs. Yes, it delays the paying off of debt, but God knows all of this.
On a more positive note, both accidents were great driving lessons for my daughter, without once being behind the wheel - she saw how easy they are to happen and how to handle them in the future, so I can thank God for that, too.
During this whole week of tests, I was reading a book on the Rwanda genocide, by a woman who survived, Left to Tell ( I highly recommend it) - that sure put my week in perspective real fast, too. No one was hunting me down this week like she'd been hunted down. I did learn something from her book though and I shared this with RM, too, who feels like he is being hunted sometimes. She talked about how, if she ever took her thoughts off of God and his goodness, immediately Satan was right there, filling her head with lies, telling her she'd never survive, God hated her and he didn't care what would happen to her. So she found herself, literally praying all her waking hours, never letting up, though Satan did still try to plague her with doubts continually. God was all she had. Her other way of coping, was picturing herself free, believing it would happen, imagining her life on the other side of the genocide, never allowing herself to fall into that pit of despair, which she had great reason to fall into. I think the lessons for us are exactly the same. So we continue to take God at his word, believing, claiming, speaking, praying his promises to us, knowing it is his plan for his children to be free as well, even financially, and then I picture one day what that will look like and it gets me excited. I don't know when that day will be. Neither did she - in fact it looked like it would never end for her, but it did come to an end and now she is living a wonderful life married with two children. Her story is an inspiration to many. Perhaps one day our story will be an inspiration to many. As usual, for now, we press on!
No comments:
Post a Comment