That evening Robin shared two pieces of information both unusual answers to the prayer concerning his job. When Mary picked up Robin she was delighted to hear that the person who had suggested Robin was losing one of the websites had come to him and apologized! He was not losing the one website. They were only going to change the logo for the site! That was good news! Secondly, somehow, someway Pastor Howie had entered on the scene and Robin had a heart to heart sharing about what was going on. Pastor Howie assured Robin they weren’t letting him go as he was too valuable a tool there. The news was a relief to both of them. Mary felt Robin now had someone there at the church to talk to. She would have to pray that this continued on a regular basis.
So the day ended on a wonderful note with this surprising and reassuring turn of events demonstrating to them both that God heard their prayer and had answered it!
This piece of information drew even more confidence from Mary that the financial seed they prayed over and had planted with God would bear a harvest as well. That might take a little longer because we all know that planting a seed and waiting for its plant to eventually bear fruit sometimes takes a long, long time. So Mary would wait and wait she did.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Changes Underfoot
At work the previous day tough news had come: Robin was going to lose some of his work responsibilities including the two websites. They said they were trying to lesson his load at the church. The latest report was that Robin could lose the second website because it wasn’t “youthful enough” according to one source. That morning on the drive into work Mary and Robin prayed for this situation. Perhaps God didn’t even want them to stay on. Maybe He had something else planned and staying there was preventing it from happening. Whatever was happening both felt threatened by the impact. So they had prayed.
This prayer superseded another prayer. It had come from a decision to give the rest of the money Mary’s ex had given her to the church. She had already tithed but a sermon at church the preceding Sunday convicted Mary that she needed to sew the rest of this gift as a seed. They had so many needs after all: a new kitchen, repair to the basement foundation, and a paved driveway which would help seal the ground near the outside of their home. This outside work would include changing the flow of the eave trough away from the corner of the house where the basement was always so wet and crumbling. All this would cost far more than the money they had left. But the Pastor’s words on Sunday encouraged the listener to plant a seed. Mary realized all the money was dissipating really fast as if they had holes in their pocket. It came to Mary that this money perhaps was going to bring more fruit – only if they planted it in God’s kingdom. Robin had agreed with her. Without delay, the very next day, Mary had written the check and Robin had given it to the person in charge of accounts.
Mary wondered to herself: “Was this all preparation for something else?” Would they be moving soon? They had already tried to sell the house twice without any success. Mary was tired of driving to Windsor for two round trips every day. She had asked Robin to get his license again but this request fell on deaf ears. Perhaps God was about to move or not. Perhaps it was all about learning to be content in all things. There seem to be a continual balancing act one played between moving forward and trusting God in staying put no matter what was happening. This was one of those situations where Mary had felt her hands were tied. She had no official job and didn’t feel she had any right to say anything much. Robin was working at the paying job. Her little counselling business was making a few dollars here and there but it would never provide for them. She loved her painting but the fruit of that endeavour was still taking its time. She had actually given up on it the year before. Few had sold here in her small town. However, the blessing and surprise came after she had given up painting, sold all her equipment, and sent her pictures up to her sister in Parry Sound. Her wiser, older, sister was a shrewd businesswoman and knew how to price the pictures. Within a few days most of them were sold! Mary was sure it had partially to do with the location. It was cottage country up there where people had a bit of money to decorate and fill their cottage with odd artefacts. Mary’s glass canvases would bring in all the sunny light of the north through their colourful lenses.
Mary had been encouraged and restocked her studio and opened it up again. It was even better than before and looked more professional albeit it was her sunroom she had transformed for the purpose. But she was satisfied. It was her place of escape and painting helped her deal with the problems at hand – perhaps by not dealing with them at all. It was alright though as she loved it. She was always looking for new inspiration to paint from. Her latest had come from an old, small, stained glass mirror. She had used the design on a two paned window adding black hearts and crystals to enhance the affect. Mary would have another showing this spring in her backyard of all her past winter’s efforts. It was still a bit cold to put them on display so Mary was going to paint a few more if she could. Hopefully, Mary would have success at her endeavour and not have to take any up to her sister’s place. But Mary didn’t mind if she had to because it would be fun to go up and see her sibling and spend time with her.
By the way, this dear sister, Theresa, who hadn’t been talking to her, blessed her with an email the day before. Mary was elated that somehow Theresa, or Tree, as Mary often referred to her, found it in her heart to forgive Mary for not being so faithful in emailing her. Mary would work the harder to overcome this fault.
Today it was going to be hard to do that though as an old friend from Vancouver, who was visiting mutual friends in Toronto, was coming out of her way down to visit Mary. Mary was excited about that and would enjoy catching up and perhaps hearing from God through her. God always worked in mysterious ways and perhaps this person was a godsend to speak into Mary’s life. Who knew? Whatever happened it would be fun to see her old friend, Mitzi again. Mary was off to prepare and clean a little more because with five cats there was always a coat of hair on every piece of furniture and every bedspread. So Mary’s morning would be busy. That was a good thing because she might get too caught up in what god was doing right now between what was transpiring at Robin’s work and the expectancy that God was going to work a miracle through the seed offering she and Robin had made.
Excitement was in the air, things were changing despite what she felt. And God did tell her He was making a covenant to always do good for her. So Mary would keep the faith and trust God. “Thank you, Lord, thank you,” Mary prayed in her heart as she got busy with her day. Good things were going to happen, yes, they were! Yes, they were! And so they did.
This prayer superseded another prayer. It had come from a decision to give the rest of the money Mary’s ex had given her to the church. She had already tithed but a sermon at church the preceding Sunday convicted Mary that she needed to sew the rest of this gift as a seed. They had so many needs after all: a new kitchen, repair to the basement foundation, and a paved driveway which would help seal the ground near the outside of their home. This outside work would include changing the flow of the eave trough away from the corner of the house where the basement was always so wet and crumbling. All this would cost far more than the money they had left. But the Pastor’s words on Sunday encouraged the listener to plant a seed. Mary realized all the money was dissipating really fast as if they had holes in their pocket. It came to Mary that this money perhaps was going to bring more fruit – only if they planted it in God’s kingdom. Robin had agreed with her. Without delay, the very next day, Mary had written the check and Robin had given it to the person in charge of accounts.
Mary wondered to herself: “Was this all preparation for something else?” Would they be moving soon? They had already tried to sell the house twice without any success. Mary was tired of driving to Windsor for two round trips every day. She had asked Robin to get his license again but this request fell on deaf ears. Perhaps God was about to move or not. Perhaps it was all about learning to be content in all things. There seem to be a continual balancing act one played between moving forward and trusting God in staying put no matter what was happening. This was one of those situations where Mary had felt her hands were tied. She had no official job and didn’t feel she had any right to say anything much. Robin was working at the paying job. Her little counselling business was making a few dollars here and there but it would never provide for them. She loved her painting but the fruit of that endeavour was still taking its time. She had actually given up on it the year before. Few had sold here in her small town. However, the blessing and surprise came after she had given up painting, sold all her equipment, and sent her pictures up to her sister in Parry Sound. Her wiser, older, sister was a shrewd businesswoman and knew how to price the pictures. Within a few days most of them were sold! Mary was sure it had partially to do with the location. It was cottage country up there where people had a bit of money to decorate and fill their cottage with odd artefacts. Mary’s glass canvases would bring in all the sunny light of the north through their colourful lenses.
Mary had been encouraged and restocked her studio and opened it up again. It was even better than before and looked more professional albeit it was her sunroom she had transformed for the purpose. But she was satisfied. It was her place of escape and painting helped her deal with the problems at hand – perhaps by not dealing with them at all. It was alright though as she loved it. She was always looking for new inspiration to paint from. Her latest had come from an old, small, stained glass mirror. She had used the design on a two paned window adding black hearts and crystals to enhance the affect. Mary would have another showing this spring in her backyard of all her past winter’s efforts. It was still a bit cold to put them on display so Mary was going to paint a few more if she could. Hopefully, Mary would have success at her endeavour and not have to take any up to her sister’s place. But Mary didn’t mind if she had to because it would be fun to go up and see her sibling and spend time with her.
By the way, this dear sister, Theresa, who hadn’t been talking to her, blessed her with an email the day before. Mary was elated that somehow Theresa, or Tree, as Mary often referred to her, found it in her heart to forgive Mary for not being so faithful in emailing her. Mary would work the harder to overcome this fault.
Today it was going to be hard to do that though as an old friend from Vancouver, who was visiting mutual friends in Toronto, was coming out of her way down to visit Mary. Mary was excited about that and would enjoy catching up and perhaps hearing from God through her. God always worked in mysterious ways and perhaps this person was a godsend to speak into Mary’s life. Who knew? Whatever happened it would be fun to see her old friend, Mitzi again. Mary was off to prepare and clean a little more because with five cats there was always a coat of hair on every piece of furniture and every bedspread. So Mary’s morning would be busy. That was a good thing because she might get too caught up in what god was doing right now between what was transpiring at Robin’s work and the expectancy that God was going to work a miracle through the seed offering she and Robin had made.
Excitement was in the air, things were changing despite what she felt. And God did tell her He was making a covenant to always do good for her. So Mary would keep the faith and trust God. “Thank you, Lord, thank you,” Mary prayed in her heart as she got busy with her day. Good things were going to happen, yes, they were! Yes, they were! And so they did.
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