You often hear how the Lord cares for the little things in life, yet it’s rare we give Him the credit for those little blessings that come along in life.

It’s no secret that since returning to the States finances have not been something we’ve had in abundance.  Don’t get me wrong, we’ve never gone hungry, or suffered from not seeing the doctor, been late on all our bills or called by a collection agency or anything like that… but, there have been months when every dime we’ve had pretty much just went to standard living… food, electric, water, gas and the like.  This  means that often gifts and things like clothes get put off or missed completely for a while.  It gets a little old when you have friends having babies or getting married or are having surgery and need a meal, and there you are, unable to purchase them even the smallest of gifts, or fix them a batch of soup or make up a simple casserole.

Sometimes I wonder if the Lord ever missed a bridal or baby shower, or brought a casserole to a friend.  But then I remember, He’s on the “man” side of human nature in His earthy role… so, these weren’t his concerns in the day.  That was left for the Marry’s and the Martha’s J

Last Christmas was another one of those times for us.  Thankfully I had shopped earlier in the year for the girls gifts and had them nicely tucked away for Christmas.  But Sam and I had decided that it was not going to be a year that we could find gifts for each other.  I was fine with that, Christmas for me isn’t about the gifts and it doesn’t change my understanding that Sam loves me if I don’t get a gift from him on Christmas. But I had a baby shower coming up.  It was a special friend, it was her first baby… I wanted to go, and I wanted a gift.  My heart was broken that I couldn’t get her anything.  Finally I spoke with Sam and he said that since we weren’t gifting each other, if I didn’t get stockings either I could pick up a gift for the baby shower.  I was so excited to have my $30 limit!   I got on line and looked at her registry.  Tried  to find something I’d like to purchase her.   I found a gift in my price range and headed out the door to the shower intending on stopping at the store on the way!

I got to the store and searched high and low.  I pulled the paper registry to find the isle location for the item I had chosen… it wasn’t there.  After getting the assistance of three workers, I gave up the hunt.  Having no idea what to pick up for my friend I searched the isles… then I found it!!!! The item that I had wanted for my friend was right there, tucked behind a bunch of other items!!!  I was sooooo excited.  Knowing I was on a tight budget, and not wanting to humiliate myself by getting up there and finding out the item was more than I expected I did what I always do… I found the little scanning machine so it would tell me exactly how much the store was going to charge me.  Beep… item not found.   Beep… Item not found… grrr… Running out of time I decided to risk it.  I headed up to the check out, item in hand, just praying it wasn’t over the $30 limit I swore to Sam I’d stick under!

Finally it was my turn in line.  I readied myself to grab a gift card in the event that the item was over the price I had expected it to be.  Beep… manager assistance needed.  Great… As the manager approached I realized it was one of the ladies that was helping me in the isle.  I told her excitedly that I actually found one (contrary to the computer that said there was none!)  “Wow, this really is your lucky day” she says as she reaches over and types in her managers code.  The young man that was attempting to check me out says, “That’ll be six dollars and seventy three cents please.”  WHAT!?!?!  “Yep says the manager, you found one that was on final clearance.” Hallelujah!  Not wanting to arrive there and find out she decided she didn’t need said item that I purchased I grabbed a gift card for $20 (so she could take it back and get something at the price that I had intended to gift her if she had changed her  mind.)   I left so thrilled, but ultra paranoid that the gift was one that was already purchased or no longer wanted (not that my friend would have cared at all… why do we stress like that!?!?!)  When she opened her gift, she was ultra excited!  It was the one thing she was hoping she would get still!  I was thrilled… not only had I chosen something my friend liked and would use every day, but I now had a gift card to purchase a Christmas gift for Sam with!!

I knew I wasn’t supposed to get Sam a gift, but I also knew that he had a need.  A need for a pair of jeans that didn’t allow for others to know the color of his under garments!! When I returned to the store a week later, I found not only jeans for the gift card price, but also a nice new top that would allow him to wear some of his summer wear in the winter time as well!! PRACTICAL!!!!  The Lord sure was looking out for me that Christmas.  As His timing would have it, a check came in just in time, and I found a pretty little package for me wrapped up under the tree.

It’s silly really.  We would have lived without gifts for Christmas, and there was nothing so urgent about being able to purchase my friend a gift. But these were things that were dear to my heart… and the Lord worked it all out.  We are truly blessed!  Thanks !