A few months ago we had to say goodbye to an old friend. A friend who had been faithful, who had seen us through many years, through the the births of 3 of our babies. We have taken many trips with and made lots of memories...good and bad. :) Sometimes we called her, "the grocery getter" or "Station wagon" but mostly and most affectionately referred to as the Buick!
Our Buick bit the dust at the beginning of January. This came on the heals of just loosing our second car, Bill's work car. We were down to one working car at the time. It started when we noticed a loud noise in the rear of the car just a few days before Bill was scheduled to leave town for 5 days for work. We didn't have a chance to take the car in before he left, so Bill asked me to have it looked at while he was away. He flew out on a Monday.
I made arrangements and had a friend follow me to the mechanics to drop it off. I took it in Tuesday night figuring that I would have it back on Thursday to be able to pick Bill up at the airport. Well, Because we got a big snow storm that week, our mechanic got behind and was not able going to be able to look at it until Friday. That was a problem. I called Bill and we talked about what I should do. He suggested that I just go pick the car up so that I could just have a car, and we would take it back in the following week. Something in my gut just said this was a bad idea. I told Bill I just didn't feel right about it. I didn't think we should drive the car. Bill said he trusted my judgment.
I decided to leave the car with the mechanic and borrow my sister in laws car to pick up Bill (which happened to be on
my birthday). It turns out that that "gut" feeling I had was more likely the Holy Spirit. Our mechanic called Friday afternoon with some bad news. He said he was so sorry to have to tell us this, but he would not be able to fix the car. The bottom of the car was so rusted out, and the part that holds the wheels onto the car was rusted also. Basically the wheels were about to fall off the car. He said it wasn't even safe to drive home. We needed to have it towed off his lot. That of course is NOT the kind of news you want to hear (especially when we had just put $800 into the car to fix another problem about 2 weeks before that) when it is your only working vehicle.
There was nothing more we could do then to call a towing company, and pray that God would provide something soon. We had zero leads on a vehicle, and hated to just sink money into a car when we HAD to do it, without really have the proper time to research.
That Friday night after we had gotten the news about our Buick, Bill ran to the store (with a borrowed car) to pick up diapers. On his way out the door he ran into a friend of ours (who also happens to be the youth pastor at our church). Somehow during the course of conversation our car situation came up. Well, it just so happened that this friend had just purchased a van and was selling his older one...he had already offered it to his brother, but said that if his brother didn't want it we could have first dibs. Bill of course said yes we would be interested. He came home and told me. I wondered if this could be it...
Our friend Seth called the next morning to say that his brother had decided to buy his van, but... his brother was selling his own van (Yeah I know, it sounds confusing). It was a little older then the one Seth was selling...but get this...he was selling it for an unbelievably good price...like it was PERFECT for our budget. Bill went with Seth to look at the van Sunday afternoon. It didn't take him long to decide that this was the vehicle for our family. It was a great car, ran perfect, and it could fit us all in comfortably. We were also really happy to be able to buy from another believer. It was like the great van swap. :)
I couldn't believe the timing of all of this. The fact that Bill and Seth just "happened" to be at the store (and Bill never goes to the store) at the same time, that we received bad news about our car, and Seth had one for sale all on the same day...amazing! God's timing couldn't have been any more perfect.
While were were sad to see an old friend go, we were equally as happy to welcome a new addition to our family! :) Praise God for His provision!
Enjoying the first ride in the new "addition" to our family! :)
It's been cold and gray out most of this week, which perfectly reflects how I feel at the moment. It has been a very hard mommy week. I am in a funk. I am pretty weary. I am very discouraged. I am at my wits end. I keep falling at my Father's feet and asking for wisdom. I need it badly. I just don't know what to do anymore. I wonder sometimes why the Lord has entrusted me with my children. I feel so inadequate. But maybe that's just the point. He wants me to rest in that. I cannot do this on my own. I take comfort in the fact that He has promised to gently lead those that have young. So I place my hand is His during this rough road.
Running
Sleepy children
Thankful
I went away for the weekend to our church's ladies retreat. It was such a blessing! I am very thankful for a husband who was willing to stay home with the kids (except for Claire who came with) so that I could go. It was a time of refreshment in God's Word. The truths I was reminded of wet my thirsty soul, and left me desiring to dig deeper. The encouragement I received from the fellowship of the other woman was just what this heart needed.
Enjoying the first ride in the new "addition" to our family! :)
