Yesterday got off to a good start. And then things started to go downhill.
But today, through prayer and an open heart, we see that things are not quite as bad as we first anticipated.
We made it to a 7:30AM (yes, folks, A. M., in the morning) Mass yesterday. We have resolved to make it to Mass every Sunday, even when My Sweetie (that would be the breadwinner) has to work. He gets off at 6AM, takes about an hour to get home.....so this seemed a reasonable answer to get him as much sleep as possible.
We were ON TIME. Really. I am not kidding. I got up at 5:30 to make sure. Mass was, er, different. Not the regular parish we attend. And we now know why we attend the parish we do.
Anyway, when we got back to the truck - nothing. No turn over, a few "eh, eh, uh" noises from the engine, and then nothing again. We called for help. Our dearest friends (and neighbors) came and attempted to jump us (not over us, silly), but nope. We rode home in their van and left our truck at church.
When we got home, the furnace was not working. Yup. I had to go downstairs and give it a stern talking to in order to get it to resume heating our home. Throughout the day it would randomly stop working and I would have to turn it on & off and give it dirty looks in order to get it to work. It also did that all night long. It looks like we are in the market for a new furnace as well.
Just as it seems that it can't get any worse, I decided to start praying. My friend told me about an awesome sermon that was given at her church this Sunday about miracles. I don't remember exactly how she put it. But it was something along the lines of 1) you must go with God 2) you have to admit there is a need 3) you have to give God all you have and 4) you have to expect a miracle (and be patient....that's the hard part).
Well, prayers and patience has paid off. Thinking we would incur a bill around the $2-3K range, we actually got one closer to $1K mark. Blessing #1. Our W-2's arrived in the mail today, which takes me a step closer to filing our tax return. Blessing #2. The furnace continues to run, albeit with much needed strong words and stern faces, but running it is.
The good news is, my husband went to Mass this weekend. With us. As a family. That feels good. I pray that any suffering we endure will be used to complete God's plan for our family and I take comfort in Him - knowing there is nothing we can't handle without Him.
Yesterday I was thinking, "When it rains, it pours." Today I can see that it's just a dribble.
~H
2 comments:
Just a testimony of tithing.... I know we have had this conversation, but I wanted to share ...
My dear husband is laid-off (as are many) for the last 7 months. I am in school full time and we have a mortgage and 4 children.
Money is tight but we make sure to always pay a full tithe... a full 10% and a little more here and there when we can. I'm not trying to be boastful and self-righteous, just trying to emphasize that we make it a priority to put God first.
Yesterday, God's blessings came in the form of a check made out to our phone company for some side work that my husband had done for a friend. Today, not once.... but TWICE someone stopped by my home and dropped off money that neither my husband nor I had asked for nor were expecting. Some for some work done for the church, and some.... I don't know what it was for. It came with a typed note that simply said, "God at work."
Together this rain from heaven is enough to pay my mortgage that was due today and was yet unpaid. Plus.
God is so good. Miracles do happen, my friend, everyday.
~C
PS... Did I mention that our phone had been disconnected last week, and the check was for all the pst due, plus this month's bill, with $5 left over. Coincidence? I think not.
~C
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