My Big, no, Enormous Sippy cups

All of my friends are great for me in one way or another. This particular friend is a real blessing in turning my attention to the ways God has over and abundantly blessed my family. She is good for me when I get into the "woe is me" mind frame. Gently, ok, sometimes a needed in my face wake up call, that I have much to rejoice about. Even when I don't feel like rejoicing over what He has given me. Even when I wish He would choose to bless me in other ways.

She was recently retelling a "famous" story of hers and how God provided exactly what she needed. Her family was going through a tight time and she and her husband had decided that for the month they would not buy anything, but instead write everything on a list that they felt they absolutely needed. The first thing on her list was sippy cups. The very next day a neighbor who had never shared anything with them before brought over a bulging bag of SIPPY CUPS. She had emptied her cupboard and decided that my friend might be in need of them. To this day my friend has not bought a SINGLE sippy cup. She says they keep just showing up at her door.

That night being reminded of this story and others I have heard of this same type, I made the comment "but God does not work in that way in my life". I don't write something down on a list and it happens. It never has.

She in her very wise words, on the way to the parking lot that night, reminded me that I am driving one Big sippy cup and living in an even Bigger one!

I might not have one of those moments where I don't know where my next meal will come from and suddenly there is a knock on the door and there is a bag of groceries. But, my God has provided the same loving, over abundant Gracious giving to me as those with those type stories.

So I wanted to share with you MY sippy cup moments! For God has been more than good to this family of mine and we are blessed beyond measure.

The first sippy cup my friend reminded me of is my van. Coming back to the states and needing to start over in so many ways meant setting up house for the umpteenth time and a car is one of those needed things. We had VERY specific ideals of what we wanted. We wanted around a 2005, around 50-60 thousand miles and around a Very certain (what most would consider a low ball) price. After looking and looking we had just come to the conclusion that maybe our ideals were um, a little too "ideal". To get a van with low mileage, and not that old for the price we wanted we realized was just a little bit ridiculous on our part- it was not out there. Just as we were revisiting our ideals and thinking we may need to alter them a car came up that seemed too good to be real. Well, the car we wound up getting- was right around 60 thousand miles at the very specific price, and get this- 3 years NEWER than our ideal car specifications- we got a 2008!

Kevin had just called the dealership to make sure it was actually there and the details were correct (they often were "mistakes" if you get what I mean), and when he arrived to look at it and say we wanted it- it had just come out of their inspection. They had not even listed it on their website yet. This is OBVIOUSLY a sippy cup moment in my world- God did not just give us our absurd specifications, but gave us an even newer car than we were looking for! The problem- I am not prone to looking for sippy cup moments- that is why I missed this REALLY, REALLY big one. It's a good thing I have friends in my life that can point me back to the giver of all and that this blessing was no way derived by our own car shopping craftiness, but only because of the generosity of a loving God!

My second sippy cup is our home. I kid you not- I started looking 2 days after we arrived back from Japan. I knew that getting settled was a big deal and for Titus' sake would be VERY important. I spent many hours hovering over the computer looking at houses and driving around with our realtor seeing what was out there. For being the bottom of the market- I was not impressed. It still seemed that anything we could afford was either a) nasty and needed major work to it (which we did not have the rehab money for, or b) I just hated or was too small, or we would have to move from within several years. I am a house snob what can I say?

We actually almost put a bid down on a house that I really, really did not like, but it was within our price range, was nice, in a good neighborhood etc- a really great house, but I just could not bring myself to live there. I felt that the girls would be too big too soon for the small bedroom they would have to share and a host of many other things.

While we were away in Michigan for 2 weeks I found our house online and loved, loved, loved it! But the skeptic in me thought- watch it be much smaller than it appears, watch it have some weird layout etc. I LOVED this house the moment I walked into it, but it was too small- really only had 2 bedrooms and a glorified closet (with no closet itself within). Going back and forth with Kevin trying to decide do we do the house we will have to move from in 3-5 years, do we keep looking, only prolonging Titus getting settled and into school, what to do? Kevin came to look at the loved house that I could not stop talking about and realized we could finish the walk up attic and have a very nice 3rd bedroom there. Along with finishing part of the basement to make a playroom for the kids wound up costing LESS than the house we almost put a bid on, and it is a house I could see myself living in for the rest of our lives if God calls us to stay put.

An added bonus- we live in an amazing neighborhood. That was the only thing I did not like about the house. We are on a busy cut thru street and it seemed that there would be little chance for community and probably not many kids here. It is just the opposite- we have kids all around us- all right around our kids ages and the community is fabulous and plans many activities all year long.

Looking back we can see God's hand pouring blessing upon blessing on us- all of which we so do not deserve, but reminds us that He delights in us!