I cannot say how happy I am to be writing again. Laptops in our house just do not last very long. Getting them fixed doesn't happen too fast around here either. No computer? No blogging. I've resorted to a duct-tape version of a computer this morning so that I can at least get something on a screen.
The last few weeks have been full of so many stories, I didn't want more time to pass so that I would forget them and they wouldn't get recorded. Over the weekend I picked up and finished a book about a man from China who spent around 10 years of his life in a hard labour prison camp. His wife
also spent time in prison for nearly 20 years of her life, just for being Christians. They both felt the call to be in ministry and they wondered why God would put them in such difficult circumstances when it was so clear they wanted to serve God. Then God spoke to them and revealed to them that He had them exactly where He wanted them....in seminary....His Seminary. It wasn't a brick-and-mortar-type of seminary, but a set of circumstances that would teach them the lessons He wanted them to learn. He wanted them to learn absolute dependence on Him. He wanted them to learn to truly love. He wanted them learn faithfulness. The list went on and on. The types of courses offered in this seminary were much harder than a typical seminary would offer. Once they
realized that, then somehow the trial wasn't so hard. Somehow God met them, even in the prison labour camp, and made it bearable, which seems impossible to imagine.
We still find ourselves in a trying time. I found myself reading that man's story and relating in a strange way. I'm grateful I am not in a hard labour camp yet I do sometimes feel like it is a form of hard labour. Much like that man, I wonder how this, could possibly be God's plan for my life. I question Him and the way I see our circumstances and I think He's made a mistake. It was so good to be reminded that He has me in seminary, His Seminary. I know this. I've even written about it before. I needed the reminder.
When I do realize this, then somehow our situation becomes more bearable. I've definitely seen Him working this whole time when things have been tight. He's been doing amazing things all along the way just to show us He's there right along with us. Here's just a couple of the stories....
The Cat Story
A few months ago, our cat somehow broke his leg. We don't know what happened. He just showed up in our house limping. Within a few weeks, though he was still limping, he had made what seemed to be a full recovery. He got around fine, was eating, fighting with other cats...we knew he was going to be ok. But then one day, his leg was swollen. Something wasn't right, perhaps an infection? Right away, we thought to ourselves, "What are we going to do?" We couldn't afford the vet visit or the drugs he would need or even the cost to put him down! We decided we would just pray and give it a day and if things didn't improve on their own, we would take him in and just bite the bullet somehow.
The kids prayed.
The next day, we noticed the swelling was completely gone. In the middle of the night, it was as if the cat had done surgery on himself! It appeared that there was a spot on his leg where he had bitten himself, or so it seemed, to release the pressure of the swelling. In one day he had gone from not being able to put his leg on the ground to walk, to walking with all four legs on the ground! He must have heard us talking and known his life was on the line! We didn't want to put him down. He's one of our favourite cats! He was the one our neighbour stole and neutered for us and who then came back to live with us (much to her disappointment). So we loved this cat! We really think God gave us a little cat miracle. It cost us nothing and we got our cat back. He is now completely fine, fully recovered, with only a slight limp. We think it is kind of special that God bothered to heal our little cat. It was a child-version of a miracle. A miracle our kids fully understood. They saw how serious things were and they knew their favourite kitty was potentially going to die. I think that shows just how much God loves us, to care enough to answer the prayers of children about their cat.
The Grocery Miracle
A few weeks ago, my husband got a little money in from a small hay order and so he tithed on it. I was happy he felt compelled to do that. I was just a little curious how much he had tithed. When he told me, I immediately said, "Oh, that was what I was going to spend on groceries this week!" Oh well, I figured I could make what we had left in the fridge stretch somehow. I told the kids that morning, "Dad tithed this week exactly what I was going to spend on groceries. It looks like we're going to have to see how God provides!" My daughter immediately said, "I'm not worried. God has always taken care of us." She said it with such confidence, I had to agree.
I then shared with the kids the verse from Malachi that speaks of robbing God of your tithes and offerings. Then God says, "Put me to the test....if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." (Mal. 3:10)
That day, my mother-in-law, out of the blue, sent over my father-in-law with a pot of soup! She does that sometimes, but of all the days, to get it that day just seemed like it was soup from heaven (and it was delicious!)
Two days later, my daughter went off to teach with my sister at the homeschool co-op where
she now works every week. But she didn't come home right away. When she did come home, she said, "Boys! Come help with groceries!" "What is going on?!" I said with a curious, worried look. "Aunt S bought us groceries." Immediately I felt bad. I guess my pride got the better of me. My parents have helped us in the past and have often brought food for the fridge. I wondered
if somehow my sister found out we were in a pinch and felt sorry for us. I admit, it was hard to take. I quickly called her to thank her and to ask her what compelled her to do this generous deed. She said no one had said anything to her at all. She said a picture just came into her mind when she was
standing in front of her own freezer. In the picture she was grocery shopping with us in mind. It was the Holy Spirit prompting her she figured, so she just acted on it. I was very touched that she had been so sensitive to the Lord's prompting. I was then able to share how we were still waiting on more work and that, yes, it was a bit of a tighter time. As extended families, particularly the sisters, sister-in-laws, and Mom, we had committed to really praying for one another. She was going to keep praying for work for RM.
Only a few minutes later, after we had gotten off the phone, RM ran out to me as I was about to pull out of the driveway and told me he had gotten a contract! Talk about a quick answer!
Later, it occurred to me, she had purchased just about everything I had planned on shopping for that week without knowing what had been on my list. I asked my daughter what she figured she had spent. When she told me, I was amazed - it was almost exactly what my husband had tithed and that was the exact amount I had planned on spending. I couldn't get over how much it was like the verse from Malachi. God had opened the heavens and poured out His blessing on us that week in such tangible ways. Did I mention that the cat miracle was that same week?! So God not only blessed us with food that week from sources we didn't expect, but He also took care of the cat!
We continue to stand amazed at His provision for us. He is so creative! He uses unexpected people at unexpected times and as they obey the Spirit's promptings, we get blessed in the process too! Amazing.
So you can see why it has been hard for me not to write. God has been so good. I want to shout it from the mountain tops!
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