Blessings Wrapped Up in Ugly Brown Paper

So yesterday I told you all the car accident. And the move. I left out a few details, but nothing that would change the story.

Today I want to share something that God did in the midst of all that chaos.

"I am upset, frustrated. Why did the car have to be out of commission now?? Couldn't this one thing have waited just a little while??? Not only was it damaged and now it wouldn't run. How are we supposed to get around this week?? The week of the move, no doubt?? Lord, I know you are doing something, but right now I can't see it."

That would be me. I was complaining. I felt I had good reasons to complain. We needed that car, a van, a scooter, something for mobility. Well, a scooter would be out, but you get my point.

Hubs was rear-ended, hard. The other guy was driving a big truck and his air bags deployed, meaning he was driving too fast. Hubs was at a complete stop at a light. Hubs has no injuries, no pain.

On Sunday the car died. On Monday afternoon, I was driving a 2009 Impala. Nice car, really nice. Most importantly though, I was mobile again. So I stopped complaining, momentarily. Monday evening the Pastor and a young man from church were going to meet me and take a pick-up truck load over to the new place because they wouldn't be available to help the next day. I took all the kids to the Pastor's house where several young ladies from the church were going to babysit. It was 102 degrees! It was awful outside and I was worried about the guys moving stuff in the heat, but the Pastor said they would be okay. I asked the Lord to cut us a break and lower the temp. As I was driving to their house, thunderheads began gathering and before long we had a down pour on our hands, with massive lightening. I resumed complaining. "Lord, could we not have held off the rain for just a little while." The storm only lasted about 10 minutes and the move was a go. We took a load over and I picked up my kiddos. I missed the blessing.

Our car was needed as I said above and I was frustrated that my mobility was gone. All I could think about was how we were going to get around. I didn't think about the fact that I could carry NOTHING in the trunk because it wouldn't close. I just needed transport. The car died on Sunday, before leaving to go out in country 30 miles away. On Monday I got a really sweet rental, with a huge trunk. I hauled tons-o-stuff in that trunk. I missed the blessing.

They totaled our car. The first thing I thought of was being able to find a vehicle in the same price range so that our payment wouldn't be too much higher. I did think of getting a van, but it didn't seem all that reasonable, seeing how expensive vans are. I have been praying for a van for 4 years. We needed one, but I still didn't see what God was doing. I was too caught up in everything else.

I did get the blessing that Hubs is fine. And I am truly thankful for that, truly. That was blessing number one.

Our car died on Sunday, before leaving for the country, less than a mile from our old apartment. Blessing number two--I could have been traveling at break neck speed on the interstate, miles from home.

I asked the Lord to cut us a break and lower the temp and (in my complaining state) instead he sent a storm. Well, see he answered my prayer. The storm took the temp from 102 to 77 in about 11 minutes. We still got to move a load of stuff and in lower temps. Blessing number three.

Noticing a pattern yet?? Yeah, you all are smart, I knew you'd be getting it by now.

I needed/wanted a car and mine was gone. Instead I drove around in a beautiful car with tons-o-space to move stuff. I wouldn't have been able to do that in the crunched up Intrepid. God provided mobility and mobility with space. Blessing number four.

Praying for a van for 4 years. A van that we could afford. We got a van, low mileage, loaded with electric seats, moon roof, spoiler, CD player, leather seats and the right price. Only $50 more per month, and that includes purchasing a warranty. Blessing number five. I finally have my van.

Sometimes we miss the blessings of God because they don't come the way we want or expect. They come hidden behind accidents where no one is hurt or in the form of a storm. They come wrapped in ugly, torn, old brown paper and we toss them aside and keep asking for the things that God has already tried to give us. We need to stop, look around and really see what God is doing. Then ask ourselves, did I just miss it? Because we probably did.

I am thankful that God slowed me down enough to really see what he was doing. See, really trusting God means I don't have to see the plan from beginning to end, I just have to be conscience of it--so I can give him the thanks he deserves.

I am truly blessed.

A True-to-Lovelock Style Adventure

Well we are moved. The piles of boxes surrounding me proves it.

Last week was truly a wild week, I still look back at it and think no way all that happened in eight days. So let me go back to the beginning. . . .

Hubs had scheduled a huge outreach event for church on June 20th and we were moving on June 22nd, I was about to lose my mind. We split our time, he worked at the church on the Chinese village (made out of cardboard for the Open Grill) and I packed and packed and packed. On Friday June 19, Hubs was heading out early that morning to finish up the village and start putting it together outside. He hadn't been gone 15 minutes when he called and said that he had been in a car accident. My heart lurched and he quickly added (knowing how I am and knowing that frantic was nearing) that he was fine and that he had been rear-ended and the bumper was "dented". Breathing in a sigh of relief and thinking the car was just slightly dented, I went back to the task of packing and he went onto the church. He worked all day and all night at the church. I called the insurance (other guy's) and took care of that. A friend picked me up Saturday morning and took me to the church so I could decorate and grab the car. I walked up and saw the car and inwardly cried out "Thank ya Jesus he wasn't hurt", because that car was more than just "dented". The trunk wouldn't even shut, it was completely crushed in, the lock broken. Hubs should have been hurt, but he wasn't. The rest of Open Grill was a blur and tiring, but we got through and now the complete focus could be PACKING!

On Father's Day we headed home from church to change clothes and then we were heading to a friends house for a cook out. Friends house is way out in the country about 40 minutes from where we live, but that was fine and we were looking forward to it. We got almost home and the car began to sputter, shake and quake and died. I started it again. It died again. We all got out and I called my parents. Linton, my dad and another guy rolled her into a parking spot and we left her. Monday morning she got towed to a shop. I needed a car people, it was moving week!! I had to have a vehicle. Well, they got us a rental car while they were figuring out the details of my car. The rental was nice and had a huge trunk which I knew would come in handy. Monday was spent running around with my dad or in the rental with breaks of packing in between. Monday evening our Pastor and a young guy from our church came and took a load of boxes to the new place. I filled the rental and they filled a pick-up truck and off we went. Linton had to work that evening.

Tuesday morning the UHAUL arrived and Hubs started filling it. Then some help arrived and they took over the two man heavy stuff and then the help left and it was back to Hubs. Finally got that thing loaded and we headed to the new place. Help came and we unloaded. For the most part we were moved. We still had some other things in the other place, but nothing we'd need a truck for, so we considered ourselves done for that day.

Thursday, I picked up my new to me minivan, because they TOTALED my "dented" car. More than $8,000 in damage and that didn't included the mechanical problem, which was why the car just died on Sunday. But Hubs wasn't totaled and that's the important part. I LOVE my mini van!!! We also spent Wednesday through Saturday finishing up at the old place and cleaning. Ugh! So glad that's over.

Now the work of unpacking, organizing, pricing yard sale items and decorating begins and I am actually excited for it. It was a wild week and I don't think I could properly put it's true craziness into words, but I tried. Bottom line, we are moved and we are blessed. I have several posts floating around in my head and I hope to get them typed and saved for your reading pleasure this week.