Since I should be having surgery Tuesday around 12:30, I had planned and scheduled another post which would not require response to comments. I say “should be having” because I have this stupid cough that is going around (I picked it up this past Sunday) and I’m not sure how the doctor will react. Will he tell me he can’t do the surgery because of risks? So…will it be postponed and rescheduled? I certainly hope not.
Anyway, I had another post scheduled but something happened Sunday that is a lesson for all-not just Jo and me.
I have tended to run ahead of God in the past. Want to purchase something? Pull out the plastic- but since I no longer have one of those “demonic cards,” 😀 it doesn’t happen quite so often.
Jo has been walking now for close to two months and has lost a number of pounds (my safety requires I not share that with you except to say I am so proud of her). 🙂 Anyway, it is getting colder here in central Indiana and that means a slow down in exercise. Where I used to ride almost all year around (where it was flat and I was younger), I now rely on my Bowflex for exercise. She wanted a treadmill so she could continue walking inside. She had the money (with a little help from me) and had her eye on one particular one. We went to the store yesterday all prepared to take it home…and they had none. Only the floor model and it looked sort of bad. She was bummed. We looked at several other stores while we were in town and nada. Too pricey. Not in stock. “We don’t carry them anymore.” She came home a little dejected and none of my “well, who knows what will happen? Maybe we will have to wait a month or so and find one. Maybe we will find one from someone we know” could help ease her pain. Later that evening, while I was doing the Bowflex, we both got a text: “Jason and I would like to give you the treadmill we have. We live 10 minutes from the gym and if we want to run we can go there.” Needless to say I was thrilled!!
I was also reminded of God’s mysterious ways. I know some will pooh-pooh this by saying it is coincidence or pure poppycock. I can’t and won’t. I see it as something good coming from waiting. A renewal of a lesson learned long ago, but one that never grows old. Thanks God. Thanks Jason & Janna.
Have you ever seen something good come from waiting? Feel free to share your testimony.
Your first sentence is missing a key word, which I presume is “surgery”. I hope things go as planned, but I am pretty sure that you will handle with aplomb whatever comes along.
I don’t have any stories about waiting that pop to my mind, but if you give me a bit …
Thanks Daniel. Tami texted me to ask if I had Tuesday. 🙂 Told me what was up and i changed it on my phone but evidently it didn’t show up here. Sometimes… Anyway, I believe all will turn out well. If you think of any story, come back. I would love to hear it.
I’m not going to pooh-pooh this by saying it is coincidence or pure poppycock. I know it’s true because Joel Osteen said God wants us to have stuff we want.
If that is true, then I gave the wrong impression. I don’t believe what Joel teaches. I didn’t convey my thoughts very well since I was trying to chat about the importance of waiting for things instead of always going out and buying. Hmmmm.
I guess I got the wrong impression. I thought you were saying God had something to do with it. Maybe it was “God’s mysterious ways” that threw me off.
I certainly agree that impulsive buying can be a problem. I like to wait until I get the price I want. Sometimes I never find that price and just don’t buy. Sometimes I get real deals on Craigslist or at garage sales. I almost never pay retail for anything.
I do believe waiting had a good result this time. We (Jo & I) have had a tendency to not wait for a better deal or even a “gift” from someone (like this is). I do believe sometimes God intervenes but I don’t go to the “extreme” Joel does. I don’t think God is a genie who gives us whatever and whenever we want.
I love this story Bill. It happens just often enough in my life and the lives of others to remind me of Who is faithful.
Thanks Larry. I suspect your life as a Christ follower has these same kind.
While I love it when this happens to me, I am overjoyed when it happens in the lives of my kids. When they learn the value of delayed gratification and of God working things out for them, when it truly “clicks” for them, I find way more joy than when it happens in my own life. God is SO cool that way!
I love it Kari! To see the eyes of your children light up at God’s goodness and timing is priceless.
I belong to a group who believes coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous. I like that! Now waiting? It’s hard for me but I have always found it worth it because I trust God’s plan and timing to be better than my own.
I like that also Karen. Waiting is hard but trusting God’s plan, while also hard, is also the best way. Thanks for commenting.
Awe, great story Bill. God is always on the side of his children…Always.
I believe that Arny.
Good for you and Jo! “Be still and wait on the Lord.” When we honor God’s word He honors us… There is no such thing as small. His hand is supreme and sovereign and knows the when a sparrow falls, why would we expect less for us? Thanks for sharing, Bill.
I know He was orchestrating this for us-for her. While I don’t expect Him to do things like this for us, it is always nice to see it happen.
I hope your surgery went well!
Thanks Loren. It did and will be posting about it.
I LOVE the way God works! I don’t believe in coincidences, that was a Godincidence!!!(that’s what I call them)That is awesome! Praying for your surgery and recovery. 🙂
I see it as that as well jan. Thanks for your prayers. Update on surgery to be posted.
Glad things worked out, Bill. I hope your surgery went/goes well too!
Thanks Eileen. It was a nice surprise. it did.
God has renew your strength by yours and Jo’s “waiting. The challenge is not to faint in the waiting. Some waiting is long to us but never in God’s whelm of time. All of us who read your post rejoice with you brother. Praying your surgery will go well. Praying for your nurse (Jo) who will wait on you while you recover.
Waiting build our faith when it rest in His timing, His wisdom, not ours.
Missionaries time their furloughs around the schooling of their children. Because of this our daughter and family came home in June for a year furlough. The Yembi Yembi bible dedication was set to be the first week of Oct. So Tony put this need out for finances for he and Tara tickets to return for the event. We were to watch the children for the two week they would be gone. Two tickets, round trip cost almost seven thousand dollars and only a few hundred was given toward it. They chose to NOT charge the rest believing this was not being good stewards. That waiting period was extremely hard, would God provide or would He say, not now. Either way He was providing grace for the answer.
He said not now or else it would have come in just as your treadmill did. Timing is everything in God’s kingdom. Our portion is not to faint in well doing. To keep serving Him, to keep telling others of His perfect grace. In the KJV it puts that scripture this way, “those that wait upon the Lord.” Those two little words, “wait upon” are active words…they mean to serve. I don’t think for one minutes you and Jo would have cease to “wait upon”, to serve the Lord during your wait. He is worthy of any wait that is requires of us.
Great post…praying
I like to watch God work in ways we don’t expect. Sorry to hear about Tony & Tara not being able to make it back but I’m sure there were reasons. I appreciate their desire to wait and see. Being strapped with credit card bills is not good. 🙂 Thanks for the prayers.
Sometimes…well actually all the time,waiting is the hardest part. I can’t think of anything that I’ve actually put off and actually waited on. But there was a time in my life where I had no choice but to wait for something to happen. And when it did, it went beyond my wildest dreams.
Desiring to wait and having to wait are two different things but still bring anxiety. 🙂 And yeah, sometimes it goes beyond our wildest dreams.