hilarious hand mixers and honeymoons
We sped down the highways to Georgia and spent three days just breathing. Laughing with those who get it. People to see every day. Who love me. Who give me Wisconsin accents. Who laugh with us and at us. Eating good camp food. Being a tourist. NOT calling potential partners. Learning how to be a financial steward. Being encouraged by people who have been there. Resting. Walking. Figuring out fears that have inhibited and facing them, confessing them, processing them. And then driving back.
Quick, uneventful, wonderful Georgia.
The week before we left for Georgia, I told Jon how I wish we had gotten a hand mixer for our wedding. We have a precious few Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards left and want to use them really wisely and I didn't think a hand mixer qualified for something we needed. Guys, I probably didn't even pray about this. Because people don't really pray about hand mixers.
And a few days later, my sweet soon-to-be sister-in-law offered us a free hand mixer she didn't want from her bridal shower. I laughed. What?? God is invading the ground of the mundane, staking His ground in places I don't even think go invite Him.
So then I got all crabby (which I like to hide with a more spiritual word like "discouraged") and remembered something a sweet, encouraging friend told me about her parents (who are in ministry) receiving cars, trips, groceries, etc. Jealous, I prayed (quite rudely) "God, can't you do something like that for us? A trip or a car? Something big so I know you really want us here?" Hand mixers were not enough for my snotty heart (because clearly the generosity of people in the past few months isn't enough). Jon and I have been dreaming about the honeymoon we will take eventually...and pictures of the East Coast plague my mind daily. And sure enough, a friend in Georgia told us of his father's cabin in Maine (MAINE!!!) who offers it for free to people. Just a short four hour drive from my dream town, Boston. And just like that, our honeymoon will be much sooner than it would have been because of the money we will be saving on lodging.
I have heard so many stories of God's wild, hilarious invasions into the lives of dear friends in the last week. My church here in Ames just found a building and the story is hilariously wonderful. My dear friend Alyssa sent me updates last night of God's outrageous providence. I cannot think of a better word than hilarity. Who is this God who inserts Himself circumstances and transforms them from monotonous to monumental? What a gift we have, to invite Him (or even forget to invite Him and He just shows up) into small things, like small kitchen appliance needs. And the big things we ask for rather rudely, He still moves. He awes us with His careful attention to small, unrequested needs, and He silences us by His quick and constant provision to the big things we worry He will never answer.
I always plan on venting when I get on here about how draining, awkward, terrible, and ridiculous support raising can be. But then I start to write and am overwhelmed. He is good. He is more mindful of us than we are. His love sweeps below us and twirls around us and flies ahead of us and pushes from behind us. And though the redemption through His cross would be enough, He continues to bore deeply into us, lavishing His provision upon His children who wait upon Him. And tonight I told God that if every discouragement, heartbreak, unachieved support goal, hopeless night leads me to a greater understanding of His love for me, then it's worth it. He is worth it. He is the goal. He is the prize.
And He is rather funny.
Quick, uneventful, wonderful Georgia.
The week before we left for Georgia, I told Jon how I wish we had gotten a hand mixer for our wedding. We have a precious few Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards left and want to use them really wisely and I didn't think a hand mixer qualified for something we needed. Guys, I probably didn't even pray about this. Because people don't really pray about hand mixers.
And a few days later, my sweet soon-to-be sister-in-law offered us a free hand mixer she didn't want from her bridal shower. I laughed. What?? God is invading the ground of the mundane, staking His ground in places I don't even think go invite Him.
So then I got all crabby (which I like to hide with a more spiritual word like "discouraged") and remembered something a sweet, encouraging friend told me about her parents (who are in ministry) receiving cars, trips, groceries, etc. Jealous, I prayed (quite rudely) "God, can't you do something like that for us? A trip or a car? Something big so I know you really want us here?" Hand mixers were not enough for my snotty heart (because clearly the generosity of people in the past few months isn't enough). Jon and I have been dreaming about the honeymoon we will take eventually...and pictures of the East Coast plague my mind daily. And sure enough, a friend in Georgia told us of his father's cabin in Maine (MAINE!!!) who offers it for free to people. Just a short four hour drive from my dream town, Boston. And just like that, our honeymoon will be much sooner than it would have been because of the money we will be saving on lodging.
I have heard so many stories of God's wild, hilarious invasions into the lives of dear friends in the last week. My church here in Ames just found a building and the story is hilariously wonderful. My dear friend Alyssa sent me updates last night of God's outrageous providence. I cannot think of a better word than hilarity. Who is this God who inserts Himself circumstances and transforms them from monotonous to monumental? What a gift we have, to invite Him (or even forget to invite Him and He just shows up) into small things, like small kitchen appliance needs. And the big things we ask for rather rudely, He still moves. He awes us with His careful attention to small, unrequested needs, and He silences us by His quick and constant provision to the big things we worry He will never answer.
I always plan on venting when I get on here about how draining, awkward, terrible, and ridiculous support raising can be. But then I start to write and am overwhelmed. He is good. He is more mindful of us than we are. His love sweeps below us and twirls around us and flies ahead of us and pushes from behind us. And though the redemption through His cross would be enough, He continues to bore deeply into us, lavishing His provision upon His children who wait upon Him. And tonight I told God that if every discouragement, heartbreak, unachieved support goal, hopeless night leads me to a greater understanding of His love for me, then it's worth it. He is worth it. He is the goal. He is the prize.
And He is rather funny.
 |
| Maine |
Comments
Post a Comment