Well, this is a long story but it is worth it so please read it all. This has been a really tough year but I just have to shout from the mountain tops what the Lord has done. It all started in March:
John lost his job. This was totally unexpected and out of the blue. It was clear that he was not going to get a position in his field right away. The economy and housing market has really affected the construction industry. So, I got a job working nights at Our Father's House, a home for the elderly, and he began working little jobs here and there. He was out of work for 6 months. Needless to say, we really fell behind on bills and our mortgage. The mortgage company worked with us but we had to come up with lots of cash all at once and getting behind ruined our credit. One of the things that we had to to let go in order to survive and keep the electricity on was our car insurance. At first we just lowered it from full coverage to only liability but then we had to let even that go. PRAISE THE LORD - My husband was offered a full time position at Piedmont Electric in Culpeper - one of the companies that he had done a couple of side jobs with while he was out of work. This was such an answer to prayer! We began to set aside some money to get our insurance back up in running but I wanted to pay 6 months ahead of time since our mortgage payment is going up. Well, of course in that one month that we were without car insurance John was in an accident!
The accident was his fault. He stopped at the stop sign by Yowell Meadow Park getting ready to turn onto 522 to go home. He saw 2 cars coming both with their turn signals on, so he pulled out. He never saw the lady who hit him coming - we assume she was behind those 2 cars and decided to get in the other lane to pass them so she didn't have to wait for them to turn. She t-boned him on the driver door. I am sure we will be responsible for all fines, repair of all vehicles involved in the accident and all medical bills incurred (the lady went to the hospital but the officers said she was ok just shook up but we still haven't heard that "officially").
Our car (which we had just paid off the month before John lost his job) was totalled. The cost to repair it would exceed getting a new one. So now we were also down to one vehicle. With everything that has happened this year we did not have any cash to just buy another used car and we could not get a loan because our credit is so bad. We had no idea what to do. Worry started to set in. I went to work one night and one of the elderly was feeling sick. I told her that I was worried about her and she told me "If you worry you don't trust and if you trust you don't worry". What wise words! Even though she was talking about something else I tried to remember that personally as well.
I asked for prayer at our PACE homeschool meeting, and Sunday at church we were sharing our need and said "God is just going to have to drop a car in our lap" then we laughed and said "well, not our lap exactly - just our driveway". Psalm 50:10 kep coming to my mind: for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. John's boss was in the meantime letting John use one of the work vans to get to and from work. I was at work on Friday and when John got home with the boys there was a green mini van sitting in our driveway with no tags on it, the title in it, and a note on it saying: Dear Fleming's, We felt led of the Lord to give you'all this van. We hope it will serve you'all well. We're sorry about the radio not working. We had a detailed cleaning done to it the other day, after that it didn't work. So we don't know what happened. God Bless You'all Love Ya! John called me at work to tell me and we just cried and cried! I cried almost all that night at work - I told all the elderly what had happened and they couldn't believe it either! We have NO IDEA who this van was from - they were from a different town. I said "honey, we don't know anyone from there" and John said "we don't have to - God does!". I still can't believe it! We both cried and cried. I am still crying! We keep pinching ourselves - it is a beautiful van! And God has such a sense of humor - if you read my Boys don't like to comb their hair story I said in it that I could never get a mini van like this one because everywhere we go my boys hair would be a mess! Well, the Lord taught me that lesson! Never say never!
Every time I get in the van I honestly feel like I am driving God's van! I want to get a personalized license plate for it that says "Gods van" so hopefully people will ask me why and I can tell them this story. And the best part of the story is that one of our younger boys said "Dad, God really DID drop a car in our driveway!" That was so neat for them to experience! I hope this story will encourage others who are struggling financially! Just know that the Lord really does own the cattle on a thousand hills!
Oh, sweetie!
Even though you told me this story on the phone, I STILL cried when I read it here in your blog. God is SO good, and we are so nearsighted when it comes to our problems. I am rejoicing with you! :)
Blessings,
Lori :)
http://www.livejournal.com/theallboyslife/
Ask and you shall recieve! We are so excited for you to be a part of God's miracle. Praise God!!! He is too good! You're a blessing to all of us and now you too are blessed (even more!)
I am not going through a difficult financial time right now, however, to be reminded that God is that detailed with us is awesome! I am seeking on other matters of the heart and needing answers. I will hold your story near my heart as I pray and wait. Praise God for storehouse!
We are a homeschooling family raising 4 boys in Virginia. This blog is mostly about anything relevant to raising boys or homeschooling in general - but every once in a while I can't help but add some nonsense from our daily life.
Posted by
Amy 
Posted by
Sep. 25, 2007 - I Cried, Too!
Even though you told me this story on the phone, I STILL cried when I read it here in your blog. God is SO good, and we are so nearsighted when it comes to our problems. I am rejoicing with you! :)
Blessings,
Lori :)
http://www.livejournal.com/theallboyslife/