Posted in Life in the Crazy House

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The other day I went out to Aldi's with my four youngest kids, Princess, Dodeman, Bear, and Baber.  I decided that I'd take a bunch of the bags I had collected over time and leave them on the packing counter for others to use.  I had lost my debit card (again) so all I had was $50 and Aldi only takes debit or cash, so I had to limit myself as to what I could buy.

I went through the store only getting what I needed to make dinner, cheesey potatoes for our family picnic, the stuff for yummy berry smoothies, and a few other essential.  I told the kids "no" about a million times, and kept saying, "I only have some cash; I can't just buy whatever I want!"

So I get to the register and let the guy know not to let it go over $50.  I had lined up my items from most to least important.  The total went up and up, until it stopped at $48.10.  I was amazed at how close I'd come to $50 without really trying.  Then I realized the kids had put the margarine on the bottom rack of the cart.  I had $1.90 and it was $1.79 so I had 11¢ to my credit.  I was feeling pretty good.

Then a lady and I struck up a conversation somehow about the bags I'd brought in.  I told her how I had actually been storing them in a kitchen cabinet which then necessitated keeping several pans in my oven.  She laughed with me and told me I was not the only one.  She tended to have bag collections too.

The lady had something about her.  Sure, there are lots of nice people, but some are just joyful.  Even a casual conversation about bags seemed to take on something special.  There was just something about this lady.  Then she mentioned the four children, and they proceeded to tell her that they only comprised half of the kids. She smiled wide and said something about how great it was we had children in the family and then asked where the other four were.  This is where I, in my weakness, start to feel a little bit uncomfortable.  I mean, the kids were at church preparing for a day of witnessing for life at a large public event.  I mean, I didn't know what this lady's thoughts were on abortion, and I just didn't want to get into anything if she happened not to agree with me.

But kids aren't like that.  Dode man let her know they were going to be carrying signs that said ABORTION IS MEAN.  She smiled and raised her eyebrows.  Then she told me her story.  You see, she is 75, but when her mom was pregnant for her, her father wanted her mom to get an abortion.  As she told the story, there were no tears or hints of anger or resentment.  She just smiled that joyful smile and told us how glad and blessed she was to be here!  Then she proceeded to tell my kids how her grandmother had taught her to pray.  She said it was just simple prayers, like "Help me, God!" or "Thank you Jesus!"  But she let them know that prayer was very important and that they should always pray.

I walked out of the store feeling good.  I had just enough money to pay for the food, and I'd met a wonderful lady who obviously knew something about the joy of the Lord.  I was feeling the joy, too!

Then I got my groceries in the car, put the key in the ignition and...nothing.

I called Sane Man, who got there 40 minutes later and got us home. 

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Now, while all this was going on, one of my sons, Mr. Personality, was actually at a Christian camp.  The week before he told us he really wanted to go.  Sane Man told him there was no way we could afford the $225 fee, but that we could put his birthday money towards it and his grandparents' birthday money towards it, but the rest he'd have to pay himself.  I suggested he go around the neighborhood and look for some work.  Sane Man told him the best thing to do first, though, would be to go up to his room and pray about it.  He could ask God to help him earn the money if He wanted him to go.

So, the next day he went out into the neighborhood and came back with about $50.  Most of the money people just gave him.  He just has a certain charm about him, and after taking to him a few minutes, most people were glad to hand him over some cash.  He went out again the next few days, did some more work, and collected some more donations.  Some folks even game him pop botles.  About $35 worth total! 

It seemed like the whole neighborhood just came together to send this kid to camp!  He had asked one of the neighbors for work and was turned away, but the next day the same guy pulled up next to him and handed him a twenty out the window!  Another guy had told him to come by on Friday, but that he could only give him five dollars as he was laid off.  Friday came and he told Mr. Personality that he must be "bad" luck, as he got his job back.  He then handed him ten bucks!  Later Sane Man was sitting in the living room when some stranger came to the door looking for Mr. Personality, but he was out in the neighborhood looking for more work.  The guy left and went looking for Mr. Personality, found him, and handed him some more cash.  Mr. Personality didn't recognise him, so he asked how he knew he was collecting money for camp.  The man answered that his brother had told him!  Yes, that's right, it was like everybody and their brother was giving him money!  (He wants to go into politics, so we told him he now has experience being a "community organizer!"  LOL)

It was the day before camp and he had all but eight of the full $225 that he needed.  I was telling my mom and sister in an e-mail, and my sister told me to put her down for ten!  So now he actually was $2 over!  As he was leaving I loaned him a twenty so he would have some spare cash on him.  While he was gone the next-door neighbor came over and gave us $20 that he was giving him for cutting his grass.  So he earned and collected everything he needed and had $22 to take with him.  He would not even have to relinquish his birthday gifts!

He came back today and said he had a great time at camp, but his wallet had been stolen.

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Does it just seem that life is like that sometimes?  Just when you're really starting to believe that God really loves you, something happens to make you start to doubt it all over again?  I know it can be like that for me.  But my mom has a saying, "God is in Control."  He knows everything about everything and He has a way of making things work out for good.  Somehow we have to grasp the truth that God loves us when things are good, and when things are bad.  He loves us when we get a new job, have a new baby, and fall in love.  He still loves us when we get laid off, our child dies, or our spouse cheats.  No matter how we feel, He is in control and He loves us more than we'll ever know.

Who knows?  Maybe my husband's life was spared because he avoided an accident by coming home early to rescue us.  Or maybe it was me who was spared?  Or even someone else?  Who knows?  And the wallet?  We found it in Mr. Personality's dirty laundry.  Well, I know Who knows.  God knows.  He is in control.  We might see life as a series of blessing and curses, but when God is in control, it's all good.