Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Thanking God....

It never ceases to amaze me to see God "listening". Oh, I know God hears prayers, that God answers prayers. I've heard it all my life. But to actually be privileged to KNOW it, REALLY know it, and to realize that truly there is an invisible Father who sees us and knows our needs and supplies them...it's AWESOME to see, just awesome!

Today, hubby was going to take two garbage bags full of pecans he had picked up over the weekend to the pecan warehouse to sell. We needed some cash for diapers. We're thankful to be receiving food stamps during this season in our life for groceries but they don't buy non-food items. Tommy was anticipating that the pecans will bring $40-$50 and our first purchase was going to be diapers for TJ.

Well, Tommy hasn't even had the chance to leave yet this morning before a friend stopped by. She lives about 3 miles away, but she happened to come by to give us something. Diapers. Just diapers! But not just ANY diapers. You see, when God answers our prayers, it's always better than what we expected. First of all, it was a BOX of diapers. Have you ever seen those cardboard boxes in Walmart or superstores that hold two mega packages of diapers? 116 Size 5 diapers to be exact.

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THAT's what Nancy brought over. We have never bought diapers in such large packaging. But God obviously does! And not only that, but God delivered our favorite brand! I know that sounds silly. Many people will think it's just coincidence she chose Pampers because Pampers is a popular brand. It is my favorite brand, but I rarely buy Pampers. Luvs is a cheaper version of Pampers, and I oftentimes buy it unless I have a coupon that brings the price of Pampers lower than Luvs. I do believe the same company puts them both out, but there is a slight difference in the two diapers. So I've always bought the 'cheap' "Pampers". Pampers is like the cadillac between the two as far as softness and ease of putting on and taking off. Luvs is the everyday economy car. Still nice, but definitely not a cadillac. But adequate, and therefore what we would buy.

So while it may all seem like coincidence and just the kindness of someone who knows we're having personal financial difficulties thinking of something we might need and getting it and simply choosing to buy the well-known brand, it really is greater than that. I know, and hubby knows, that God spoke to Nancy and Nancy "heard" and followed through. God uses people to love people. He doesn't need any of us, 'cause He can do whatever He wills to do, without our hands. But I think He uses us ultimately for our own good. To show us that we need to be mindful of each other. That we need to look towards each other's welfare and well-being. That we just need to LOVE one another through action and everyday mindfulness, tending to each other's needs, whether we even know the person or not. Everyone reading this (and those not reading this!) has personal needs and God knows them all and God is tending to them all. Sometimes not as we think He will or how we want Him to, but He truly knows the bigger picture and knows what's best and He will ALWAYS do what is to our ultimate good. ALWAYS! I believe that!

Sometimes, to our minds, perhaps something that has happened to us does not SEEM to be any good to us and is downright hurtful, but on the other side of any hurts we may have, I truly believe that there is a better something waiting. That any hurts we have only serve us to make us stronger and more holy people. Holy is a strong word, but it's closest to what I mean. I mean that adversity and hurtfulness brings us to a state of being more like God, loving and selfless, and less like our selfish human selves. Adversity is like the friction that changes a dirty lump of coal into a polished diamond. If we can just persevere through the hardship and come out on the other side, we would understand that.

We are God's cherished children! He wants to LAVISH his love on us. Imagine your own relationship to your children and how you feel about them. Most parents truly LOVE their children and want to do whatever they can do to show that love. But isn't it true that the way we love our children sometimes seems hurtful from their point of view? Like if our child asks for something that they REALLY REALLY want and we refuse and say "no" because we know that it would hurt the child or really not be in the child's best interest to have it. And yet from the child's perspective, the parent might appear mean and "no fun" when in reality (a reality the child isn't capable of seeing), the child is being loved more through not receiving what they asked for than getting what they asked for. Likewise, I know God is that way with us. He desires to spoil us to our heart's content! But what we might choose to want is not always in our best interest. Sometimes we know that and sometimes we don't. He, being the most perfect Father, sees ahead where we can't see, and sometimes He's protecting us from ourselves! He was the first parent! He made Himself an example to all parents of how a parent should be. What a more perfect parent to look up to and model our own parent behavior after.

Though I go through adversity and hardships while walking this earth, I don't have to walk that path alone. He will walk with me! And He helps me over the hurdles. Hurdles such as needing diapers for the child He gave me. TJ is His child, too, after all! I mean we are all God's children. Everyone! I once heard someone say that God has no grandchildren. Isn't that so true? So as a child of God, TJ's needs are being taken care of with or without my input.

I digress, but I just had to share the awesomeness of God. He provided a specific need for us today and did it on a grand scale. Diapers. Who knew it could be such a fascinating subject. But God makes the simplest, most basic thing, fascinating when He has anything to do with it!

6 comments:

Jennifer said...

Karla, this is an awesome article and a wonderful inspiration. I really like your analogy of parents showing more love to their children when they say no instead of yes and will remember it next time God tells me no. You seem to have such a mature faith and definitely a good way with words.

Sorka said...

Yep.. I've been watching you from afar through the last couple of months and He sure is holding you in His hands.
It makes me want to let go a little more of things I hold too tight and am afraid to let go of and let Him work!
Denise
knitchat.com
Purlsofhope.com

Peggy said...

I was driving home for lunch today and the radio was playing Rebecca St. James' "Don't Worry". So true. So very hard (for me anyway) to practice though.

Beautiful entry! Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Bless you for this Karla, it's beautiful!

doreen said...

Thank you for this post Karla, I needed this!

Jennifer said...

Our God is an awesome God!!!!!