Psalms 66:1-2 . . .

The most amazing things have happened in the last few weeks. I've just wanted to shout from the rooftops about how wonderful our God is -- I keep asking Jason, "Have you blogged about this yet?" and he keeps saying no. It's driving me crazy 'cause I just want everyone to praise God with me! I think this may be his attempt to get me to start adding my thoughts to this blog -- so I guess his procrastination has worked in his favor 'cause here I am posting my first-ever blog.
Anyway, for starters . . . someone (and you know who you are -- thank you!!!) bought us a new mini-van!!!! Did you read that correctly? Yes, someone (anonymously) bought us a mini-van! For those of you that don't know, we lost our Odyssey because we were not able to make the payments -- BIG, HUGE, humbling experience! Anyway, we were making due with Jason's car and hanging around the apartment a lot. Jason mentioned this to one of his professors and he gave him a suburban that we all lovingly call "Joseph" 'cause it is the suburban of many colors. I was so grateful to have it and was determined that we were going to do something memorable in it (although driving with the windows down - no AC - and having stuff blow all over you and the children is pretty memorable. . .) It's just the way things were and I wasn't going to grumble. I was happy. THEN, what seemed to be a random, rainy, Monday afternoon I got The call. I was only half-way listening to a girl that said her name was Shanna. I was waiting for her to get through what I assumed was her sales pitch when I started picking up on parts of what she was saying. It went something like, "You don't know me but we have a mutual friend and this friend has just bought you a mini-van." Excuse me?!!! After she repeated herself (laughing -- can you imagine how much fun this must have been for her!) and gave me the name and phone number of a guy at a dealership. I figured out that we really had a van -- wow! Are you getting this?? I'm still jumping out of my skin -- God bought us a van!!!! It may not seem like much to you but I'm just amazed that the God of the Universe saw fit to give us a van! I mean, really -- He tells the stars what to do and here He is thinking about getting my children to the grocery store and church and the park . . . I had wheels -- Joseph's wheels were old but they moved and I was grateful. Case closed -- or so I thought. No, the God we worship didn't just give us basic wheels -- He gave us a van with AC and cruise control, a gas-gauge that worked . . . . Our God is extravagant. I was already feeling pretty loved but now I'm just in "Wow!" mode. Are you saying "Wow" with me? I mean, really -- Praise our God -- He is Amazing.
Here's a kicker -- my kids were like, "hum -- cool, a van." Don't get me wrong they really liked it but they weren't turning cartwheels the way I was (or at least I was in my heart -- I never did learn how to those things.) Finally, a day or so later, Abigail said something about this van going away, too. That's when it hit me. She was too afraid to get excited about our nice van 'cause she was afraid it would be gone, too. I had tried to explain the first day that this was ours and that someone else had bought it for us but apparently it didn't sink in. Poor baby! I told her, again, "No -- all the payments have been made on this van for us. We did nothing to earn it but it's ours and can never be taken away." Finally, she got it and her smile was beautiful. You could see the relief and, at last, the excitement. Then we had a wonderful talk about how Christ purchased us on the cross and how we don't deserve salvation or being allowed in the presence of God but that Christ made all the payments for our sin and it can never be taken away. Wow, such peace. Someday, when Christ calls her name, maybe she'll remember. Right now, it's so beautiful to see how He's laying out the path for her to follow.
So, are you wondering what happened to "Joseph?" Well, I was talking to a group of neighbors trying to find someone that could use some dishes that had been given to me (thinking I could find someone that could use them.) I mentioned them to one women and she said no. Then, without even thinking, I said, "Well, do you need a car?" This is such a God-thing! She started crying and told me that when they had their next baby in August that they would no longer have a vehicle large enough for their family and they just didn't know what to do about it. Her husband later told me he had only told God of their need and was just amazed at His answer to their prayer. We decided that someday we would be in the position of having to tell others that God can be trusted and to encourage others to know that He is alive and active. If we had not experienced this for ourselves then it would just be theology. But, we have -- and we KNOW.
Well, I guess since Jason has finally got me writing on this blog that I will have to continue (later.) This is only the tip of the ice-burg (although, a large tip) at what God has been doing since we've been here. I'm still just as convinced as when we got here that this is where God wants us. He's such a great encourager -- and creative, too. Who would have guessed a van?
Love to you all!
mickie