Coincidence or Godincidence?

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, was celebrated this year on Sept 17th and 18th. It just so happens these are the two days Mary had her garage sale. What is extraordinary about this is that Mary was letting go of all her “things”, those idols in her life, feeling disgusted over it, and repenting before God for such a waste of money and energy. It was a time of repentance and forgiveness. What is remarkable about this was the perfect timing for it all. For Yom Kippur is all about repentance and forgiveness and idolatry.
Mary had known about this from university but had gone online to research a little bit more it. She read from one site:

Yom Kippur commemorates the day that G d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf. Forty days after hearing G d say at Mount Sinai: "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence; you shall not make for yourself a graven image," the Jews committed the cardinal sin of idolatry. Moses spent nearly three months on top of the mountain pleading with G d for forgiveness, and on the tenth of Tishrei it was finally granted: "I have pardoned, as you have requested."(www.chabad.org)

Mary shook her head in the remarkable coincidence of the timing of this. Here she was disposing of all these other gods, her golden calves. And she was still at it. Since the sale Mary had parcelled up possibly a hundred tiny porcelain dolls to send to her great niece. Her efforts would continue until she no longer felt the presence of the heaviness of all these icons in her home.
Mary was determined to do this especially since she realized the prophets words of encouragement that she had recently heard began with a period of Atonement. This period of blessing was now connected (for Mary anyways) at a deeper level to the meanings surrounding the actual event in history. Mary was dealing with idolatry just as the Israelites were in the Bible.
As Mary continued to read the article posted on this site she recognized that at this time the Jewish people were to gave “extra charity”! That idea struck Mary as very important right now as she still hadn’t done anything with the money from the yard sale. Perhaps she needed to give it as she had planned to the girl down the street.
Robin was not interested in giving too much of the money away as there was a lot of debt. This disappointed Mary but she knew she must respect her husband and trust God even in his differing opinion. No gift would be blessed if there was conflict and division of its distribution. So Mary decided to wait longer and see what God would do. For the moment she delighted that God seemed to be guiding her life right now and all of this was part of His plan. Was it coincidence or Godincidence? Mary smiled to herself at the question. There was only one answer.

The Garage Sale

Later, much later, after a horrendous ride to pick up Robin they returned home. Mary had to stopped twice and pulled over on the way there so it was with great relief Mary arrived at the house. The wonderful surprise was that the horrible torrential rains closer to Windsor never hit Amherstburg. Oh, they got a little rain but all in all the damage to Mary’s things was miniscule. Everything was wet alright but there hadn’t been the great gust of winds in Amherstburg that Mary experienced while driving to Windsor. What a relief that was. So despite a lot of things being wet there was a good chance much of her stuff got a good cleaning and nothing more.
The next morning Mary and Carolynn emptied out glass vases, dishes, and other things that had been rain collectors the day before. Some things, like pictures, just got thrown out. By the end of the day, Mary was tired of agreeing with all those people that suggested the obvious: all her stuff got wet. But garage sales were like that; filled with trivial remarks, lots of greed, and usually some happy people walking away with a bargain or two.
In Mary’s case the clients walked away with many, many deals as she just wanted to get rid of all the clutter and so she had priced it accordingly. Much of the stuff was ridiculously reduced to 25cents. At the end of the day despite the huge amount of things sold Mary took in about $115. Another five dollars the next day brought her total to $120.
Because the second day of a sale is always slower Mary was not disappointed in her take that day. She was ready to pack it in by 11am. Between Robin, Mary and Carolynn, who had showed up, they packed up boxes that Mary had gone over to No Frills to pick up. Afterwards, Mary drove down two car loads of stuff to the St. Vincent de Paul store located conveniently two blocks from their house.
On her return Mary was relieved to see her yard emptied of all the “things”. Her life felt freer. In the front yard, at the end of the driveway, they had collected all the large items that didn’t sell. The three of them had laughed together when they saw how quickly scavengers came to pick through the leftovers. By the next morning when Mary looked out in the dark there was very little she would have to take to the dump. If she was lucky she could get Robin to use his saw and cut all the wood up for fire. Or at least the more manageable smaller size of these items might be taken away by the garbage men. She would see.
Despite all the hard work it took to pull the sale off and despite the minimal return Mary felt, in the bigger picture, that the sale had been a success because she had gotten rid of the things that had cluttered her life and her heart. There was more stuff in side but in due time she would pack it up and get rid of it on Kijiji or like the miniature dolls she had collected she would send them off to her 7 year old grand niece who would just love them!
Although Mary deposited the money in her account which she thought she might transfer to visa Mary wondered if there was a better place it might be used more in God’s kingdom. One person and her husband had come to mind. They both had showed up separately at her sale and were downcast because their car had bit the dust. Mary wanted to give it to them but competing voices had suggested otherwise. The sensible thing was to use it towards their bills!
Yet Mary knew it was not settled inside her spirit and wouldn’t be until God reassured her either way. You see, during the second morning of the sale Mary had rushed into the house to use the washroom. While inside Mary overheard an evangelist on the television say something that had an impact on her heart. He was talking about money and sewing it as a seed. He said, “If you hold on to your money, what you hold on to will be the most it will ever be, but if you plant it into the kingdom it will be the least it will ever be!” Mary got all excited about this at the time and shared it with Robin and Carolynn. Therefore, even though she had deposited the money in the bank Mary was going to wait to hear more from God. And this she did.

Useless Things

Mary awoke with the first thunder clap and sat up in bed when the bright lightening flashed through the closed blinds. Then it came. The rains poured down heavy at first then fell quietly like the sounds of a shower.
Mary laid there a little miffed at first trying to decide if she should get up and do something or sleep. Weariness won out. She had worked all that day with Carolynn’s help pricing stuff. Everything that was in that garage was out in the yard. The last thing Mary had done last night before sitting down to relax was drag up all the boxes of “things” from the basement.
She thought about them now as she lay there. Mary was glad she hadn’t opened up all of them and left them sitting there. Albeit, the cardboard boxes wouldn’t have protected the items much from the rain, they did more than if she had of unwrapped them and left them open to the elements.
It didn’t matter much anyways as Mary was sick of all these things. She had realized while watching a show the other night on hoarding that though she was neat and tidy about it she had hoarded a lot of stuff. It bewildered Mary how much stuff she had collected because over time she had boxed it up and put it away. It was: out of sight out of mind.
And she was almost out of her mind! She couldn’t believe all the useless treasures she had collected. Ugh! They weren’t so treasured now! However, the one bright light in amongst all these objects was the old pictures she took out of the many frames she was disposing of. Two were very dear to her; one was of her mother in her wedding dress taken in the 1940’s and the other was from her childhood. Mary would have been 7 years old in this 1960 picture. She stood behind her mother and brother making faces. In the picture were also her two sisters on either side of their big old blue Studebaker. They were standing in the driveway of their tiny brick house in Fort Erie.
Mary yearned to share the wonderful warm memories attached to these photos. Both of her sister’s birthdays were coming up so Mary thought she might send them each a copy. Robin happened to be leaning over her and looking at the photograph. He was delighted when he saw the picture that needed a little restoration. Robin loved fixing up old pictures like this one which was stained, spotted or had crease marks. He would take it and fix it so it was just beautiful. Robin had done a few repair jobs for Mary and she was always in awe of his work.
After their discussion of the photo Mary drove Robin to work and came home and looked more carefully at the damage to her possessions. It was making her sick to see what she had once cherished now sitting her ready for the garbage. A glance at the water damage done to clocks, framed prints, and many other items filled Mary with disgust. Mary also realized how depressed having this stuff sit out here really made her. All her past need for comfort had been spent purchasing these many items. She had surrounded herself with pretty things that distracted but only for a short while. Then she would tire of them and pack them away to make room for more goodies. Mary never had lots of money but the little extra she had went on these cutesy little trinkets.
Now she just wanted to get rid of them as it was time. God had started this healing process by giving Mary the grace to close up shop and get rid of all those books and journals that somehow held her captive. She felt a new freedom already with them gone. However, these others “things” needed to go. She was anxious for this. She couldn’t wait for the sale to be over with so she could pack up all that lie before her and dispose of it. Her friend Carolyn wanted Mary to give some to this person or sell it at a flea market but Mary just wanted to be free of it.
Tomorrow could not come soon enough and Mary was glad of that. What upset her was the latest weather report that came. It indicated that
“Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds possible later this afternoon into this evening. This is an alert to the potential development of severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds. Monitor weather conditions..Listen for updated statements. If threatening weather approaches take immediate safety precautions.”
“Oh God” thought Mary, “what next”? And in her head she had a visual of the destruction in her backyard. She could envision everything thrown amuck and having one big mess to clean up. “But perhaps,” she thought to herself,” there is a lesson in this that I am to learn.” Mary wasn’t sure what the lesson was, maybe all she was to learn was an awareness that was growing inside her that she never would spend so much money or time investing in useless things again.
The day progressed and despite keeping herself busy cleaning house and preparing for dinner Mary’s mind kept going back to the stuff outside. Because of this distraction she kept reminding herself of a scripture she had heard the other day. Mary realized that God had brought it to her mind conveniently to hold it up in warfare in this time of stress. She kept repeating over and over the words of truth that the righteous “do not fear when tribulations come, because they are steadfast trusting in the Lord”. Mary had read that earlier this week from some Psalm. Little did she know when she memorized it that she would be repeating it to herself so soon or that there was going to be a moment of stress so imminent!
Outside her window Mary could hear the thunder in the distance – like the noise from a bowling alley. She had to go and pick up Robin and she thought she better leave earlier. Outside the clouds were dark. Outside were the things.

Hope is Nurtured

It took Mary a few days of waiting with nothing happening to get her to that place of despondency. You know that anxious stressful place, don’t you? In the midst of this Mary gave her friend Dana a call and over coffee and tea they shared what was going on in their lives and Mary’s situation. The house wasn’t selling and Mary was concerned that she may never get her cottage.
As well, she told Dana, she had gotten rid of her “Ishmael” as she called it which included all her books, her business signs, her book case, and her office chairs which were going that very day. Yet nothing was happening though God promised he would restore the counsellors to her just weeks ago.
Dana encouraged Mary to continue on trusting God and packing her stuff as if she was moving. God moves as we move, that is what Mary came away with from that meeting. Further, Mary had been encouraged to have her garage sale the following week. As a result, Mary went home full of resolve to tackle whatever presented itself to her to do.
The first thing that challenged her was selling her big pine cabinet that her friend Sharon’s husband made for Mary back in Toronto years ago. It was large and would take up too much room in their new home. Mary took some pictures of it and put it on Kijiji. It would sell; it was a matter of time and the price. First, though, it would have to be emptied. After purchasing two Rubbermaid containers Mary spent a whole day packing up the buffet and hutch’s contents.
Later that day, during a well deserved rest Mary sat down to check out the website of a prophet that Dana had mentioned that she had gone to see in Chicago. Mary was quite excited when she found the man’s prophecy right there in front of her when she typed in his name. His words jumped from the page:

You are about to step into a season of SEVEN MONTHS OF BLESSING:

Seven months of blessing—from Atonement to Passover!
Seven months of God pouring out His Spirit upon you!
Seven months of God resolving all of your legal problems!
Seven months of God pouring His blessing over your life so that you can live debt-free!
Seven months of financial anointing!

Further the prophet indicated that “This is the season of the DOUBLE-PORTION. This is the season for RESTORATION. It’s the comeback season. It’s RESTORATION TIME!!! Friend, this is your comeback season. It is all coming back into your life in the form of a DOUBLE-PORTION.”
Mary smiled to herself and recognized that the prophet's words were a confirmation of all God had been promising her in her life. Sometimes it was hard to believe that she was actually hearing from God but here, in bold print, were some very reassuring promises that she had already received in her spirit. Mary really liked the prophet's indication of her becoming “debt free”. She and Robin struggled with their finances. No matter how hard Mary tried, she and Robin always seemed to be just making it or using her visa. They could never get out of debt.
On top of this despite her months of walking 5km a day, Mary’s still didn’t look thinner. In her struggle to shape up Mary consumed plenty of salads. But it seemed to no avail. Her weight stayed the same. Boy, would she love to see some change in both these areas.
It was much later during the Sunday service that Mary was encouraged that God was aware of their needs. It was the pastor’s insight when he was preaching that caught Mary’s attention. He asked if any had reached a plateau in their lives and felt they couldn’t go any further. He spoke of a break through. Mary needed that. She felt her life was heading for something, she wasn’t sure what. But she felt stuck.
She knew she had peaked in so many areas and could go no further. She had no desire for this dieting and the only reason she walked every day was more for health reasons than anything. She had little less passion for budgeting and only did it to keep afloat. She had stopped taking courses at her church because she had already taken so many and had no more desire to try to prove herself to anyone.
She had walked away from the service that day just a little better than she went in feeling that the changes the church planned did little to excite her. She didn’t know where she was going or what she was doing but had to trust God that He was going to bless her and restore her as He had said. The prophet’s words confirmed the hope that God had planted as a seed in her heart these last weeks. The prophecy was water to the tiny kernel. The pastor’s words had been sunlight trying to draw the seed forth up through the earth.
“Oh something was going to happen, something, “ cried Mary! Whispering to Her Good Father in heaven Mary cried: “Break through, Lord, breakthrough, please breakthrough.”

Old Fears and A New Hope

She came with bent and broken heart to the altar of God that morning grieving as she was about to give up the large two piece wooden cabinet she had used for books in her office all these years. It was to be sold. It was not the piece of furniture which wrenched her heart but it was what it represented. It gave finality to the closing up of her practise. Along with the shelf went some more binders and books for a course she had taught in prison and had taught in town here when she first came. Now they were going too: last threads to her identity as a counsellor.
It had been hard too. When Robin saw her woundedness he told Mary she didn’t have to get rid of the bookcases. However, Mary didn’t want to hold on to “things”. It would bring in money needed to help get down the visa bill which somehow had mounted up once again. Though they were back to budgeting little necessities had encouraged the use of the dreaded charge card.
On top of this heaviness of heart Mary had seen someone the previous day while out shopping. She had not seen this girl for a while. Mary had avoided her trying to remain on friendly terms without getting too close. She liked the girl a lot but found the relationship very co-dependent. Mary was looking for healthier friendships. When she saw the woman she had been kind and friendly laughing about the recent torrent of rain that had come down but left feeling the woman was holding hard feelings towards her. It could be, thought Mary, because I am not phoning her all the time and pursuing that relationship. She didn’t know what to do. Should she phone her and ask her forgiveness or accept this as the way it had to be as she drew away from close intimacy with her and anyone else that she found she had dysfunctional ties with?
Mary felt a tearing inside as a result of the day. She was lonely and needed a word from God. She felt bereft from the comfort of man. But then, no man could satisfy the desires of her heart; she knew that. Only God could.
So the next morning Mary sat down in prayer to seek the face of God. Her need was great for as she focused on the moment she recognized her grief was composed of more than what she was losing in a simple bookcase. It was all the uncertainties and fears and doubts that had crept in about her life right now. Were they doing the right thing? Were they ever going to sell this house? Maybe it was all going to fall apart and Mary would be stuck here with not even a practise to fall on. The thoughts and fears kept coming and coming.
It was in the midst of this that she reached out to God and read from Romans 8: what could separate her from the love of God? The question begged an answer that she knew by rote: “ Not trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
There was nothing that would separate her from the love of God in Christ Jesus. So the day had passed and then the next. The people for the cabinets had come, put down a deposit, and said they would be back to pick them up on Monday. That meant a couple more days looking at them sitting in her presence. Now that she had made the decision to get rid of them Mary just wanted them out of her sight!
Sunday morning shone brighter and cooler than the past day and was fresher and without the heavy pollution that had laden the air these last humid months. Mary was delighted because she and Robin had decided to go to the Harrow Fair that morning. They were leaving early as there was an open air church service prior to the day’s events. Mary had thought she would like to go and when Robin brought up the idea she agreed readily. The trip to Harrow was lovely and they got good parking because they were there so early.
There were the usual food vendors and carnival rides all as yet to be opened. Mary and Robin passed them by and found the central outdoor seating area where the ecumenical service was to be held. There were friendly older women from the United Church who sat next to them. They chattered away about the current events of the day and Mary and Robin listened and remarked when necessary.
The ecumenical service included a Baptist and Mennonite presence as well as the United Church congregation who did the opening song. The tune brought tears to Mary’s eyes and was a confirmation of what Mary had been saying to Robin on the way in. It was a familiar passage that of late Mary often quoted: that they who wait and hope in the Lord would renew their strength and mount up with wings like an eagle.
Afterwards the United Church women sitting next to Mary stroked their choir for their performance and Mary complimented them as well. The ladies were a little surprised, however, when Mary shared that the scripture passage from the song was what she had shared with her husband earlier. They looked at her strangely and a little embarrassed at this intimacy. Mary didn’t care what they thought. All she knew was she was at the right place at the right time to hear this.
God spoke into her heart during this song and the other parts of the service; Mary was to hope and wait on the Lord, she was not to be afraid, and she was to trust and not give up hope. It didn’t really matter what happened the rest of the day because the quiet, humble service had been the tool God used to speak to Mary and raise her spirits. And nothing did top that marvellous experience that day. God had come and stilled their hearts. The best part of the day was when Mary caught Robin out of the corner of her eye singing one of the old time hymns being sung. She smiled to herself and to God. When the service ended and they got up to leave one of the church people wished them some kind farewell remarks that, oddly enough, included a big “welcome”. Mary looked at Robin and told him excitedly that she felt that was another confirmation. They were being welcomed to their new home neighbourhood!
Later in the day over homemade fries and poutine Mary was honoured with the presence of another black butterfly with blue spots on his back. She couldn’t have been anymore delighted for this confirmation of new beginnings. By the time they left the fairgrounds that day all the darkness of Mary’s fears and doubts were gone. A new day was coming and her eagle’s wings gave her strength to go on, to run and not grow weary, and walk and not faint!

Trusting

Mary had struggled for a couple of days deciding whether or not to take her sign down from outside her office. She had run over the idea first with one person and then with another. There seemed to be no direction coming from man. It was not to be.
Mary realized this early one morning in prayer that she was not to seek the advice of man but the counsel of God from whom came a promise of honour and praise. Man’s opinion led to flattery but God’s wisdom was what she was to be guided by. As well, she was not to lean on her own understanding but acknowledge God in all her ways and he would direct her path.
The true revelation of all of this came as Mary drove Robin to work that morning. On the way in, as usual, they discussed their thoughts and concerns in prayer. Mary shared with Robin entirely what God had revealed earier. As she opened up To Robin God seemed to add further insight.
Mary was quoting Psalm 23’s: “the Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want” she paraphrased to Robin. She added: “There is nothing I shall want, or lack, or need”. Robin was quietly listening so she continued: “God will provide. Jehovah Jirah will provide.” Then Mary’s mind leapt to the time of Abraham where the idea of God as Provider originated. Mary continued sharing with Robin as the thoughts flew out of her heart into words as the Spirit moved her.
Mary discussed with Robin the faith of Abraham. “Do you know, she said to Robin, Abraham had to sacrifice his only begotten son, the seed of the promise that God had given to Abraham by which he would have many descendants? Can you imagine, she continued, Sarah, the wife of Abraham, an old woman when she had this child, trying to persuade Abraham not to take her son of old age and kill him”?
Mary shared how she could visualize the struggle but could see Abraham in faith speaking to his wife and then to his son who went with him who queried: here is wood and fire, father, but where is the lamb, for the sacrifice? Mary could picture the desperation in the face of Abraham’s son who must be surrendered to the altar so that Abraham might receive back the promise. Mary shared with Robin; she too, must surrender her business on the altar to receive all that God had in store for her. Like Abraham Mary would have to trust God and not worry about what anyone said or for that fact, not even lean on her own understanding. She was only to trust God, follow his counsel and not worry about any human approval or opinion.
Mary had been delighted that God had spoken to her through the retelling of the story of Abraham’s faith and sacrifice. Mary then asked Robin if he could take down the sign out front of her business. She also wondered what he might think would be a good replacement. Robin, as usual, was very supportive, and indicated:” Why don’t you go up to Sinasac, and see if they have a flag we could hang there instead?” Mary thought that was a good idea because that gift store had great stuff and it might even be on sale right now as it was the end of the summer season.
Mary’s heart rejoiced that she had walked in the spirit and heard God. It was going to be alright. Her Shepherd was leading her in paths of righteousness. How still were the waters! How peaceful the valley of trust!
The rest of the day was peaceful indeed with Mary taking down her old business sign herself and managing to put up one of her stained glass paintings of roses in its stead. Mary also took off an “office” sign she had adhered to the side door. It took off some of the brown paint but that was okay as Mary and Robin had planned to paint that door red anyways. It was a project she would leave until early the next morning because the hot sun and humidity made it too unbearable to do anything by the time Mary got around to it.
Finally, Mary called a long standing client and cancelled any further appointments. It seemed right to Mary as this woman was at an end to the need for Mary’s help. Somehow Mary felt just a little bit lighter of the burden of this business. She had held on to it for so long hoping it would eventually bear greater fruit. But so far, after all these years it had not. So she was glad to let go and that she did! Now all she could do was wait and trust in the Lord for His next move. The thought of this built enthusiasm into Mary’s stride as she gathered up her keys and got in her car to go and pick up Robin from work.
She smiled to herself as she started the ignition and drove away.
It was September 1st and all the kids would be back to school next week. This spoke to Mary’s heart: it was a time of new beginnings and today was the first day of the rest of her life to trust. Smiling as she drove along Mary hummed a yet unwritten tune and remarked to herself, “It’s a very fine day, it certainly is, and a perfect day for trusting.”
And on she drove into her destiny!