You Never Know Who You Might Meet!

This morning I went into our local food store to do some shopping.  I decided to sit down in the cafe and look over my list before I went shopping...and no, I did not get a coffee or something to eat - just needed to regroup!  There was one "gas deal" that I was thinking about doing - where you had to buy 4 items and then you would receive 20 cents off per gallon of gas that you would purchase.  I only had 2 coupons toward 2 items, and I wished that I had 2 more coupons, so that I would get a really good deal.  So, I decided to go to that aisle and look to see if someone happened to leave any coupons behind...once in a while that happens.  I decided that I would do that deal only if I could find 2 more coupons.

When I got there, I encountered something that I have heard about, but have not actually met...a type of extreme couponer!  She was grabbing some of the items and somehow we struck up a conversation.  She asked me if I had coupons for the items that we were both interested in (and there were plenty of them - we were not "fighting" over them!).  I told her that I only had 2 coupons.  She told me that she had a lot of coupons, so she could give me 2 more!  I could not believe my ears!  She was an answer to a little prayer!  So, I decided to tell her, "You are an answer to my prayers!"  I felt kind of awkward saying that- but it was true!  Her reply back to me was, "No one has ever said that to me before!"  I responded back, "Well, you are!"  She then asked me if I wanted some more coupons to do the deal again, so I said sure, and she gave me four more coupons - I think that she must have had about 50 or more of those coupons...no joke!  She told me that she does not pay for her gas any more.  She gets enough of the deals to pay for her gas, and then she keeps some of the products that she purchases and donates some of it to a local food bank.  Between her husband and her, she was definitely getting free gas this weekend!  Interesting concept, but not really for me...I was happy with the 2 deals that I was able to get...and 40 cents off on the gallon!  :)

I was really excited - my little "prayer" was answered to "find" more coupons, and then I was able to tell that lady something that she never heard before - that SHE was an answer to a prayer...and I think that it was more important for her to hear that, than for me to get a couple of coupons.

What interesting thing had happened to you recently?

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A Listening Ear

Today, we went to the library like we do every Wednesday (except when I was sick - I am feeling better now, thanks for asking and thanks to the antibiotics!). Everything was the same as usual - return the books and DVDs, find more books and DVDs to take out, check the books out...and then Brady gets a stamp on each hand (you know - a rubber stamp that gets inked up and then pressed onto your skin). He LOVES getting the stamps on his hands - he thinks that it is the greatest thing, and he does not like to wash his hands for the next day or so...however, he needs to, so we scrub lightly on the top of his hands.

Today, after he got the stamps on his hands, he said, "Look, Mommy, funny faces!" and he was laughing. I immediately got a check in my spirit, and THOUGHT to myself, "Oh, no...it IS October...what type of Halloween stamp is it!" Well, Brady told me right away, "A pumpkin (a jack-o-lantern) and a Smiley face (just the face part of the jack-o-lantern). I just said, "oh, yes, a smiley face." We said goodbye to the librarian and left.

I thought to myself (prayed to God), what do I do? We do not celebrate Halloween, and I do not want Brady to think that these Halloween things are okay, but what should I do or say to him that is age appropriate. We have not talked with him about Halloween yet, and I was not really sure what to share with him yet about the truth of Halloween and why we do not celebrate it. Simple answer - it does not glorify or honor God.

Since I was not sure what I wanted to share with him yet, I decided that I would continue to seek God with what I should share with Brady. I didn't want to put any scary thoughts in his head but I also want him to know the truth. I knew that the stamps would wash off in a day or two, so I decided that I would not go "nuts" and insist to scrub them off...but, I was not happy about the stamps.

When we got home, it was nap time. I got Smiles down for a nap first, and then Brady and I went into his room, read 4 of the new books that we brought home from the library, and I tucked him into bed. At that moment, Brady looked at his hands and then looked at me and the following exchange took place:

B: Mommy, these are scary. I don't want them on my hands anymore

Me: Do you want Mommy to wash them off of your hands?

B: Yesh (his way of saying "yes")

Me: Are you sure that you want Mommy to wash them off (I just had to be sure)

B: Yesh, Mommy. I don't want to be scared, they scare me.

So, I grabbed a wipe and scrubbed a little at his hands (I really did not want him to get out of bed), but that was not doing the whole job. So, I got a washcloth and used soap and water to get the stamps off of his hands.

Since he expressed to me that he did not want to be scared, I prayed with him - that scary feelings would leave in Jesus' name, and that the peace of God would rest upon him. He was at peace and he had a great nap! I also encouraged him/thanked him for being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and listening to Him...because it was the Holy Spirit that nudged him to say what he did to me. I have to say that I was blown away by all that took place - God is so good.

I was so thankful to the Lord for hearing my prayers and answering them, and I am so thankful that my son has an ear to hear and listen to God's voice - and then to act on it. God is good. He knows our hearts, hears our prayers and knows how precious and special our kids are to us...because they are special to Him too!

Go God!

When I picked up the mail from the mailbox a few moments ago, I saw a letter with the return address of a former student. He is now a junior in college (time sure does fly by!), and his family lives on the same road as us.

This student was not one of my "enjoyable" ones - he was not the "worst" either. He definitely was one of those that liked to test the waters - and would say a "smart" comment here and there. I had him in 9th grade homeroom, 11th grade honors chemistry and then a chemistry elective in his senior year. He definitely was one that I did not expect to really hear from again - a hi here and there in passing, but that was probably it.

Well, this letter brought tears of joy to my eyes. He is going to a state university and he wrote in the letter that he has found Christ while attending there! Thank you Lord!!! He is involved in a Christian group called The Navigators and is going to get involved with them during this summer - this is a group that has encouraged him in his walk with the Lord and he wants to help others also. He remembered that I was a Christian and thought that I would be interested in knowing what he was up to and how he was going to serve the kingdom of God.

I am so excited that he has become a Christian and he is doing his part to "know Christ and make Him known" - that is the slogan that the Navigators use. I am looking forward to talking with him when he returns from college - to see what God has been doing in his life.

God is so good!