One Day You’ll Understand…hopefully

Twice recently and I had the opportunity to remember that I am not the boss. About two weeks ago I suddenly realized that my dwindling resources and lack of income necessitated a “tightening of the belt”, so to speak. Now, my sister had already commented earlier one and the fact that tightens should always be given and never forgotten. However, I decided that since there was no other readily available source of money for me, if necessary, my tithe would become a loan...which was right about the time that I got the feeling that I should -not- pursue the path that I had set before myself. At this point in time I feel the need to point out that many times in life we are confronted by a crossroads of sort. Which is to say: a decision. God doesn’t speak so much anymore with a physical voice (at least…not to me), so there is a better chance of getting it wrong when He’s talking and when it’s just our own selfish desires, or a sentience much more sinister. Anyway, I say that to say this: I’ve noticed that when it’s something that I want, it -must- be God. When it’s something I -don't- want, it’s all “I’m not so sure this is you, God. Might need a bit more guidance. In the meantime, I’m gonna do -this- over here…” :P don’t lie if you do the same thing. So, yeah. But this one was so obvious that I was just like, “Look…it’s not that I don’t trust that you can make a way from nowhere, but I’m pretty sure that you prefer to work with something. Be that as it may, I’m gonna just hold on to this just in case”. So…here’s the plot. I have one bank that basically -only- stores my tithe. Sometimes I send money there when I need to get a large amount out and don’t want to pay ATM fees. So, I transfer money from this bank to the bank that I actually use to buy and do stuff all of the time. It’s basically a statement, right? Crossing the Rhine, so to speak. A declaration of intent. So I transfer some of the money (I tend to forget to take my tithe to church, so it kind of builds up). About two or three days later, when I actually get around to checking my account, I see that the Marine Corps has issued me a check. “See? I told you”. God 1, me 0.
So something bad happened in my family, and it was time to go home. That fact was further impressed upon me by my father who gave me gas money. And then I did 2k dollars worth of damage to my car. Via Beagle. I will never like a Beagle, now. Anyway…I don’t want to get into it, but it was (obviously) an accident. It involved a Beagle. The dog. My car didn’t fair well, in the end. I was about to just stay in NC, despite God telling me to bless and be blessed, but then I remembered that my father had given me gas money. Money that I had specifically -not- touched because I have a thing about only using people’s money for what they intended it for. That’s when I actually accept it. I think my father is the only one who can give me money without a fight. And even he, sometimes, just gives up. Anyway…btw, don’t get it confused, I am -very- thankful for my father’s help, and for people in my life who would be willing to help me out financially. I am also very stubborn, proud, independent, and I’d rather someone save their money and lend me their ear or opinion when I need it instead. -That's- why I don’t want to accept money. People give you money and they feel that they’re done with the situation. “Well I gave you (x amount) of dollars, what -else- do you want from me??” “but I didn’t ask you for money” “yeah, but you took it, didn’t you?” not that that has ever happened to me so much, but I don’t want it to, either. So…I go home and I’m reading my Bible and I get the urge to share with my mother what I was reading (I Kings 19:1-4. That requires a whole separate post ), and it ends up speaking to me. She was offering me money and I’m all “I’ll be good”, until I’m saying, within the next 5-10 minutes, “sometimes it’s not always the big miracle. It seems like we’re always looking for the big miracle, but sometimes it’s just the little things that add up to the big things, and we just have to accept the help of others around us and pool our resources to…ok. Yes, mom. You can give me money if you want to” :P that’s actually about verbatim what happened. You can ask her. I literally trailed off as I heard what I was saying and it was like *God smack* “Oh”. God 2, me 0.
What am I saying? Well…I started out thinking that I would write according to one subject, but I ended up writing about another. Basically, God is in the details. Don’t forget that. And don’t overlook the power and strength of those around you. Not in and of themselves, but in the fact that sometimes they are put in your life for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:13, 14), and sometimes His strength is perfect through many other arms. And you may even gain some friends/wisdom/life lessons along the way. Don’t over look what He doesn’t. He knows the number of hairs on your head, so start paying attention. It's like the story of the (presumably) Christian man during a flood:
---A warning was announced on the local radio and TV of the immanent flood warning people to leave the area. After that, the sheriff drove around to make sure that everyone had evacuated the area. He came to one man’s house, and found that the owner was still there, so he told him to get into his jeep and avoid the coming flood. The man replied, “Don’t worry, the Lord will save me!”
Well, the floods came and the man had to go up to the second floor of his house. A rescue boat came by. “Get onboard, the flood is going to get even worse!” the rescue worker cried out.
But the man said, “Don’t worry, the Lord will save me!”
The flood did get worse! The man had to go up on his roof to avoid the rising water! A helicopter flew over his house. “Grab the rescue line,” they hollered to the man. “Don’t worry,” the man hollered back, “the Lord will save me!”
The waters rose further, the man was washed away ... and he drowned!
Thankfully, the man wound up in heaven. But, when the man saw God, he strutted right up to God and said, “Why didn’t you save me? I waited for you!”
God replied, “I sent you a jeep, a boat, and a helicopter! What more did you want me to do?! All you had to do was get onboard!!”.---
Moral of the story: sometimes God sends others to help you along and you just have to accept their help. That’s still part of trusting in Him. In fact, it can be harder cause you -know- that He won’t let you down, but people still have free will…


-Revelations