Yesterday was the day that we'd been waiting for for a looooong time. Not one payment, but three, were received! Praise the Lord, is all we could say all afternoon. My mom showed up with more groceries, yet again, bless her, and I was able to share the good news. She asked where RM was and what he was working on, and I was able to say, with assurance, "Paying suppliers!" It's always a good thing when you can pay the people you owe for the projects you've worked on. I've said it before, but this is just the downside of being an entrepreneur, yet I will still encourage my children in this venture - it is still so rewarding.
On top of all that RM got asked for a quote by the government - I can't even write which department in case I'm being spied on! Let's just say, if you can get an "in" with this department, it's good! It means more potential work which is always a positive thing in our life!
It goes back to what I was writing about before, if we had work coming out of our ears, I just don't think I would be nearly as grateful. Joyce Swann talked about this, too, in her book. She wrote, "I do not regret any of the difficulties that I personally endured because through each of them I was able to experience God in a way that I might never have under better cirucumstances." Then, she goes on to write about a few of the names of God, such as "El Shaddai" - the all sufficient one. She said, "When everything was gone, I had to recognize that He and He alone is sufficient to meet all our needs...whether those needs are physical, spiritual, or emotional, He is always the all-sufficient one." We've been brought there multiple times as we've had to wait on money coming so many times. I've had to come to that place of absolute surrender and, it's like she said, it's not just our physical needs. I've had to wait on Him to keep me calm emotionally as well and to help me battle my spiritual enemy, too. He really is all-sufficient.
Jehovah-Jireh - the Lord who provides. He came through, not just with the cheque, but with my parents' help. I struggle so much with receiving from them sometimes as it is humbling, but my mom won't listen to it and tells me when I say things like, "You don't have to do this, " that she knows it isn't her money either or her food. She knows that in being generous, it will always come back to her in some way - it is the Lord's money, the Lord's food. I stopped fussing at that point as I knew she was right - I wasn't receiving from my parents so much as directly from the Lord. It was suddenly easier to accept. He was providing for us through them - amazing!
Jehovah-Shammah - the Lord who is there. Immanuel - the God who is with us. Both names sum up how I saw God in all the little things during this dry financial time. He is easy to see if I open my eyes.
Even Jehovah-Rophe, the Lord who heals - I was up literally all night two nights ago with my daughter who was over the toilet throwing up every hour on the hour. I don't know how I got through yesterday, but guess what? She's fine now! Yes, it's just a virus, but who heals that virus? Who makes it just a 12 hour thing? Only God can heal (and get me through the next day with an hour of sleep).
What a great reminder to see how God has been our provider, all sufficient, with us, here, healing, in our circumstances.
Even, with the return of Monty, aka Monster, the dog who lives down the street, who only a little while ago made a visit and terrorized our animals for nearly an hour. Yes, that Monty, came back a couple days ago and once, again, with a taste for beef in his mouth.
This time, my husband was on his own. The older boys were gone with me to Bible Quizzing. The little ones were inside being watched by the older remaining kids. Suddenly, our dog started to bark his "I'm a threat to you" bark. Immediately my husband wondered what was up and then he heard another dog's bark and he knew there was trouble on the property.
Sure enough, Monty had escaped from his place and knew where he wanted to go - our farm! He just loves animals! Eating them, that is, terrorizing them, nipping their legs, making them go biserk! This time my husband grabbed a broom and went out swinging! It was the day of the huge snowfall and the cows were slipping and falling all over the place, the poor things. The littler ones even ran into RM in their attempt to get away from the dumb dog. At one point, RM took a big swing at the dog and he fell down in the process which makes me even redder as he could have gotten really hurt - RM, that is, not the dog!
He went closer and took another swing and missed. By this point, a guy showed up at our house and called lamely, "Monty! Monty!" RM yelled at him to jump over the fence and get in and grab the dog! I'm sure he had no interest as our cows are pretty intimidating with their huge horns. RM didn't care, get the dog. RM was about to take another swing at the dog with the broom when suddenly the dog fell down in submission at his feet - it was the weirdest thing. Perhaps he saw he was about to be whacked by the broom, who knows, but he wouldn't move. RM saw his chance and grabbed the dog's collar and gave him to the shaking man in the corner, who doesn't even own the dog, he just works for the winery. As soon as the dog was in his hands, he went nuts again as the spell was broken - apparently the dog knew to respect my husband and had no respect for this guy. Somehow he got him in the truck and lamely tried to explain what happened. My husband wouldn't hear it and told him to get the owner to call him. He didn't. RM had to pursue it on his own.
Now, the true test of neighbourly relations. We had the vet come in a few weeks ago. It's written right on the paper - the bull is hurt and will likely become arthritic. He's pretty much missed the whole breeding season as he, uh, couldn't, uh, perform, shall we say. A replacement bull runs in the range of $2000-$3000. Not to mention the damage done to our fences, not to mention the danger he has put our family in.....we could go on and on. But, we're not dealing with another believer. He's taking no responsibility and, this is funny, he blames the dog! Yes, we'll sue the dog. Please.
So, now we're praying how best to handle things. We have since found out, we are within our rights to shoot the dog if he comes on our property again. My sons half-hope they get a chance to pull out their rifles!
So the saga continues. Never a dull moment around here....
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