Newspaper, Radio and a Reader

Patience is really all it took to get through this long time without our extra vehicle, but we are finally back in business, though we are all half-expecting something else to go on the truck any time as it is older.  The worst thing, of course, was the extra driving I had to do, but in the big picture, was that really so awful?  No.  I enjoyed all the extra conversations I got with all the different passengers I had and all the extra Bible lessons I heard on the radio....it ended up being all good.

But it was a funny week.  Right before the truck was fixed and we were still without it, an ice storm hit.  The power went out.  When it came back on the power surge must have done something that scared our fridge literally to death and die it did. We looked at each other with our, "That's about right" look.  But, knowing it was just another test, I have to say, we all took it in stride as we know by now, there's no point freaking out.  Somehow we would get by.  So, we took everything out of the fridge and froze what we could (at least we had a freezer with space), put some things on the back porch and threw out anything that wouldn't last anyway.  We had a small bar fridge in the basement and we trudged up and down the dungeon stairs (you have to see the basement to believe it) for a few days.  Then, a bizarre thing happened.  I honestly don't know how to explain it.  My husband says there is a logical explanation as he knows all about refrigeration mechanics, but somehow, to our shock and awe, the fridge restarted.  It was fully dead and it somehow revived.  Fully working.  We couldn't believe it!  So, it gave us a great opportunity to clean it, clean behind it (disgusting) and restock.  Thank you, Lord!  So strange.  I can't see that story making it into the Bible somehow, but it is in my life story for sure!

So two revived machines on the farm.  That makes for front page family news!  Speaking of news, my husband is not exactly a celebrity that the world would know, but he has enjoyed some minor footage recently in both a national paper and the local radio station.  We smile because this is not his cup of tea at all, but sure enough, there he is in a full page article featuring the college and the research that is going on in Niagara.  Then yesterday morning he was interviewed on the radio as well as Niagara is becoming known as a new center of both research and innovation, creating lots of new jobs for people to stay and work at as opposed to leaving to bigger centers.  His new position is giving him so many exciting opportunities.  When we first considered moving ten years ago we never could have guessed this is where God would take us and all that would be in our future.

But that makes complete sense in a way.  Every move we make is predetermined by a loving God who knows what we need and how He will provide.  Acts 17:26 says, "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands."  I've always known this, that God has literal appointed places where we should live.  I've always found that so reassuring. Yesterday, I was reminded of this when I was reading with my 7 year old in his reader.  The story was about Isaac and about a famine in the land.  No food for anyone around him.  The reader paraphrases the story into easier words for children to read.  This is what is said,

"In the land where Isaac and Rebekah and the twins lived, there came a hard time.  The people did not have enough to eat.  Before Isaac was born, there had been a time like this, too.  At that time Abraham and Sarah had gone down to a strange land.  There they had food to eat.  But God did not want Isaac and his family to go to this strange land.  God said, "Stay in this land.  I will be with you."  Isaac did not need to be afraid to stay even if there was not much food.  God had promised to be with  him.  God told him where to moved so that he would have enough to eat.  Isaac moved to a new place, but it was still in the land of Canaan.  It was not in a strange land.  God kept His promise to Isaac.  Isaac planted a crop.  God made it grow and give them a lot of food.  They had plenty to eat."

That is essentially what happened to us.  We were living in a place prior to this where we felt there wasn't enough food, perhaps not literally, but we knew we weren't thriving.  For 7 years we looked and prayed for a place to go.  I love that number, 7, as in the seventh year in the Bible, freedom is often given.  In the seventh year of looking for us, we found the lot we ended up building on which moved us out this way.  Interestingly, it was still within the time frame of driving that made us feel we didn't have to move to a "strange land" either.  We were open to moving farther if God had wanted us to, but we're so grateful he allowed us to stay within the hour of visiting family on both sides.  "I will be with you," God promised Isaac and He has kept that promise to us.

My husband's work dramatically changed from having his own business which fed us for 12 years to a time of want where we sought the Lord again, asking Him what direction He was leading us, to this current work situation.  Once we moved here, we, too, have literally planted crops, from almost the time we arrived.  We've also had animals that are still feeding us.  I have beef in my freezer from one of our last cows from a while ago.  We have planted hay which has been a good source of income at just the right time more than once.  We have now planted vines, which tend to grow well in this area and happen to be a crop mentioned in the Bible all the time, so I love that. We will be coming up to our first crop this summer.  I pray that God will bless that crop, allow it to grow as He did with Isaac.

As I read the story with my son, he just read along without realizing the significance, but I read it and was thinking to myself all along, "Hey!  That's exactly how I feel!  We are so much like Isaac and Rebekah!"  Reading that story yesterday made me realize God never changes.  Just like He cared for Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, He also cares for me and my husband, and all the other couples of the world.  He knows about the famines in their lives and in each case allows them for one reason or another.  He knows whether they should move to a "strange land" or not and He customizes solutions for each family.  He doesn't do the same thing in each situation, but in each case, He provides.  In some cases, it's in the move to a strange land that He brings provision.  In others cases, it's in the provision of a crop.  But in all the cases, He says, "I will be with you".

Being in the paper was a strange confirmation.  Though the story wasn't about my husband exactly, he was just the face they used as he is the "face of research", they could have used anyone's face.  Why his?  Same with the radio interview.  Yes, he is in the position of research and it makes sense they interviewed him, but why this week?  I have to say, it feels like God needed to show me, in a real tangible way, "See?  I'm in charge.  I brought you and your husband here for a real purpose.  I have a true plan for your life."  I wasn't asking for a picture in the paper, a news story or an interview, but that's what God sent to reassure me, as I have to admit, sometimes I get fearful still and God needed to shut me down with literal footage to show me, "You're good.  Stop worrying so much."  Then, he showed me a picture in a paper and said, "This guy?  The one in the picture?  He's your husband?  Yeah, he's got this job that I gave him and I'm using him here and I just wanted you and all of Canada to see that."  Then, in case I was still worried, He used not just a picture, but his voice over the radio, just days later, and again, "This voice you're hearing?  He's your husband.  He's in the exact job that I want him in right now.  I'm using him."  I shouldn't need that kind of reassurance, but I have to say, it helped!  We joked, what next?  A reality TV show on research?  I guess not. 

No one else will see or hear what I saw when these segments on my husband came out, but I saw them.  Reading the story in my son's reader tied it all together.  I know God loves me.  I believe it, but sometimes God allows these unusual confirmations to reassure me, but it takes some reflection to see it and I'm grateful that my eyes were opened to how He continues to work in our lives, provide, and then reassure me when the doubts creep in.