Yesterday was rough. At 9 in the morning Emma and I went out to shovel (Cal was sick in bed with the stomach flu) and I just had to measure it. Nick was at work half an hour south of us and reported when I called that they had only a light dusting and some flurries. But at home we had 7 inches! When he left home at 6 he said it was just a few flurries and nothing on the ground which means that in 3 hours we had 7 inches of snow fall. Unbelievable! Well, I wish I could say unbelievable but truthfully this is the way it is in Northern Indiana. The weather comes to us from over Lake Michigan and all of this was lake effect snow.
Welcome to Indiana :)
I didn't mind shoveling aside from the fact that once we were done brushing off cars and mailboxes and shoveling walkways and driveways, you couldn't even tell we had done anything because it had snowed so much more. Great.
Then I had to drop Emma off unexpectedly for her to attend the symphony with friends. I saw multiple school buses in accidents trying to drop kiddos off at the same events. The roads were ice covered and terrible.
I realized I forgot to pay a bill the day before that was due.
I remembered I needed to order Christmas cards from a place with REALLY expensive christmas cards who was offering free cards...only to see that the code had expired and I was late.
I screamed at Calvin and then we sobbed together.
My final crushing blow was melting something in the dryer. I thought I had stuck it in with no heat but I guess I didn't and my item is ruined. I called the manufacturer 4 times speaking with different departments but alas, they don't sell the replacement pieces seperately. Or even have them at all. A search on ebay and online produced nothing either. So I sulked.
Then I cried.
Then I texted Nick "I've failed you as a wife and mother. I'm leaving you all now, Good bye."
I'm thankful I've got the husband I have because Nick texted back "go do your devotions...now. God always meets you in the bible right where you need."
And of course he is right.
Duh.
And my day did get better because even though this could be bad...
It brought this in the late afternoon, along with lots of hot cocoa breaks and laughing:
There are times that it feels like God is practically shouting...
"I love you, Silly Goose! See? I told you I would provide! Your patience pays off! Just trust me already!"
And Monday we saw one of those times. See these beauties? These were the EXACT tiles I wanted for the fireplace front two years ago when we painted the living room. But they are $16 a square foot. We were shopping at Lowe's and I saw them sticking out behind some other piles of tiles. (say piles of tiles three times fast...go! Bleh) They were on clearance for $3 a square foot! There were ten squares of them! So we loaded up the cart and hauled them to the front. The edges were kind of ragged and Nick asked if they could knock off any more on the price. The sales clerk took them down to $1 a square foot! Unbelievable! We looked when we got home and we might have to order one more sheet of them but other than that we have enough to do the entire fireplace! How amazing is that? Granted we waited two years but the patience paid off. And if we end up needing 11 sheets, what originally would have been a $176.00 project will now cost us $26.00! I just can't believe how amazing God's favor is!
My last piece of awesome-sauce news is that we have a legal team that is going up against our insurance company about Calvin...for what will be free for us! I am so speechless. It is just something we never could have imagined except in our wildest dreams. It's a huge long story and I'm not sure how much of this I'm allowed to speak of but for now just know that God is providing. And yesterday, through small glass tiles He reminded me again, that he is in charge of the little and the big. It may not be my time or choice but He will always be there and is always working for the good of those who love Him.
So here's to today. I'm so thankful that God's mercies are new in the morning. I get a second chance! May it be better than yesterday. May we be able to block out the thoughts that we can't do this. And May we be able to focus on the good rather than the bad.
Now go do your devotions...now! :)
