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Our family loves family movie nights. One of our recent favorites is," Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs." There are so many great scenes in the movie, but the one thing I love is being able to watch our kids faces as the ice cream falls from the sky, or cheeseburgers, or meatballs. They love it! It was so special to be able to watch the movie and then say, "Guess what? Did you all know God was the One that actually did make food fall from the sky?" Brycen was familiar with the story of God sending manna from heaven to provide for the children of Israel, but Regan was new to it. Come to think of it, I had never REALLY given the idea of food really falling from the sky much thought until that movie. Then, it occurred to me... God really is the God who provides in the most unlikely of places. I feel confident that none of the Israelites roaming around hungry prayed for God to rain food from the sky. Yet, He chose to provide in a way that would only give Him glory. Man! I love that!
Moving on. This past weekend Mark and I worked tirelessly trying to get our adoption support letters written, addressed, stamped, and prayed over. The whole process we kept reminding one another that God is the one who will provide for this, though we felt like He was calling us to write the letter. We even talked about what a blessing it is to have so many we felt like we COULD send a letter to. Provision. It was all we were thinking of all weekend. Trusting God's provision. Period. As I spent time in prayer today God repeatedly took me to places in Scripture where He provided in unlikely, unexpected ways. I started with the manna and how unbelievable that must have been. Then, I turned and reread the story of Abraham and Isaac. Sigh. God spoke to me in a whole new way about Abraham's perspective. Walking all the way to the sacrificial table, laying his son on the altar, and all the while trusting God was going to provide. Writing and mailing those support letters felt like "our walk" figuratively speaking. We are heading straight for the heart of this little girl, trusting God will make a way with all our might. Then, Abraham spotted a ram caught in the thicket (Genesis 22:13). A sacrifice provided. Amazing. In the unlikeliest of places. Humbling.
I read more about provision in the unlikeliest of places... but rested on the ONE unlikeliest of provisions. That in our depravity and sin God would look at us, make the "walk" to earth, take on humanity, and then be there, caught in the thicket on our behalf. A sacrifice provided. Amazing. In the unlikeliest of places. Humbling.
Fast forward. Last week I picked Regan up in the gym after school and she was so excited as she approached. She was holding a one dollar bill. She said, "Look at what I got today for the adoption jar." I was thrilled at her enthusiasm as I inquired about where she got the money. She told me that a little boy in her class gave it to her. I wasn't at all upset about the situation, but wanted to make sure the little boy wouldn't get in trouble. My concern was that he had the money for something specific and my blonde haired beauty had come away with it. Mrs. Burnette and I spoke with the kids and indeed, he had given her the money, but wasn't sure if his mom would be okay with him giving it away. Regan got really upset and began to cry. I kept reassuring her that she wasn't in trouble. The little boy decided to keep his money, better safe than sorry. Regan was really disappointed. Finally, she said, "I just wanted the money for the jar."
When I got in the pick-up line at school today I saw Regan struggling to walk out, because she had something heavy. I couldn't figure out what it was until she got closer. My eyes filled with tears as I saw it.... a large tupperware bowl full of loose change with a $20 stretched across the top. She was grinning from ear to ear. "Look Mom! This is all adoption money!" We have received a few financial gifts already on this journey and all are appreciated, needed, and overwhelming to me. But, to see Regan walk out with that bowl was simply, PROVISION. Her broken heart over that one "lost" dollar last week was no where to be seen today. Provision. In the unlikeliest of places. I don't want to give the identity away to the one who gave, but the value of the bowl was far more than the $102 contained inside.
So, to steal a line from our beloved, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," today's forecast was, "Sunny! Side-up!"
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