The Faithfulness of God

The faithfulness and providence of God goes as far back in my life as I can remember. One example of this was the time I drove off from work with my purse on top of my car. I was working in San Diego and I lived about thirty minutes north of the city, in Escondido, Ca.
I got off work one afternoon, tired after a long day of selling pony beads and the newest thing in floral design; rubber flowers. (latex, if you want to be elegant about it).
I went out to my 1991 Ford Aerostar minivan and opened the door. I must have set my purse on the top and then just forgot about it. And then I drove away. Down the very busy highway 163 towards home and rest. (just for the record, remember that runaway tank in San Diego? the one you see on every single crazy car chase reality show on tv? that was the same highway. It is a major San Diego artery for traffic.)
Anyway, I got home, parked the van, and got out to go in the house. As I went in I realized I was a little light on the gear. Something was missing. I panicked as I thought back over the series of events in my head. After setting it on the car I didn't remember seeing my purse. I began to sweat as I did a mental inventory of all the things my purse contained. Basically my life. Credit cards, driver's license, money, and kid's pics. And my checkbook. You better believe I began praying like never before. "Lord, You are the finder of all things lost. I ask You now to bring my purse back to me, though I know it's against the odds, I believe You can do it. Amen. Then I waited. A half an hour went by. The phone rang. "Is this, uh, Julie? " "Yes, this is she", I replied, trying not to sound too anxious. I think my eyes were rolling back in my head with suspense, though. "Well, uh, I saw you drive off, and I saw your purse fall off of your car onto the side of the highway. I got out and I picked up all your stuff for you. It was scattered all over the road, but I think I got it all." "Wait a minute" I said. You mean you GOT OUT of your car on the side of highway 163 and picked up all my scattered stuff? I asked. "Yes, ma'am" was the answer.
I was dumbstruck. But there was more to come. "Do you work at Michael's?" He asked. "Why, yes, yes I do" I replied. "I work just across the sidewalk from you, in the train store directly opposite Michael's, in the same mall. I'll have it for you tomorrow, just step on over (about twenty feet from my store front) and pick it up." If I was speechless before I was absolutely astounded now. I was profuse in my thanks to the stranger who had gone out of his way, WAY out of his way, to help somebody else.
I stepped into the little railroad hobby shop the next day and met the stranger who had been so kind. Again I thanked him. Later as I went through the contents of my purse I realized that he had retrieved every single thing that had been in my purse, right down to the coupons for the grocery store. Every dollar was there. All my credit cards, my driver's license. My kids pictures. Completely intact. Even the checkbook he had used to get my phone number. Tears overwhelmed me then and threaten to spill over now as I remember the kindness of a stranger and the faithfulness of a God who would love me so much that he would answer my heartfelt prayer in such a miraculous way. Things like that are just not supposed to happen. But they did, and they still do, because we serve a miraculous, loving God, who is faithful to us to the end. And beyond.

Providence

Thank you, Lord for your great care for me. You knew what I needed before I knew I needed anything. Your kindness never fails to amaze me. I will worship You all the days of my life. When I awake your praise will already be on my lips and I will continually praise you throughout the day. You will be my last waking thought before I sleep and I will rest securely knowing I am in your care through the night. I love you, Lord.

About a month or so ago I needed my daughter's car keys from her room. It was early morning and I was in a hurry, so I just glanced around the room and grabbed the first set I saw. Right away I realized that they weren't what I was looking for, so I set them down and then saw the ones I needed on her desk, took them and went on my way with never another thought about it until this morning.

I didn't want to get up when the alarm went off but the new washer was going to be delivered today and I had to get everyone moving so I could be back here and ready for the delivery by 8 AM. I wasn't actually sure they would be here at that time, they hadn't been specific about it, but Murphy's Law says whatever time you aren't there is the time they will arrive. So I left the house @ 730 with the intention of coming right back after I dropped my aunt off at her friend's house.
We stopped at the ATM by my house for some cash but for "some reason" it was out of order. I knew the drive thru bank across the street was open at 730, so I pulled in there, but for "some reason" the hours have changed. Now they don't open until eight.
I decided that we would go to the gas station on the highway across the street from the high school. They have an ATM and I could get gas there too. I pulled in and my aunt went in to pay for the gas. I got out and fiddled with the passenger side window for a minute. The passenger side window has an electrical problem and once rolled down will not roll back up. My kids all know to never touch that switch because the door has to be taken apart to fix it but Ally accidentally hit the button yesterday rolled it halfway down. The chilly morning air was making it uncomfortable in the cab; so I popped the cover off the door and then the plastic switch cover off the wire. I needed a little leverage and inserted my truck key as a wedge, because it was in my hand and handy. Before I could finish, my aunt was back and we had to go, so I decided to work on it later. I popped it all back on really fast, pumped the gas and got back in the driver's seat. I pulled out the keys and as my glance fell on them my mouth dropped open. My truck key was broken in half.
Right at that moment my mind flashed back into my daughter's bedroom. In my mind I was looking for a set of keys and as I glanced at the set on her dresser I saw the extra set of truck keys, the one we had never used, on her key chain. (I wondered why she had them, our truck is a stick shift, and she has never driven it).
Back in the present, I looked out the back window and realized that we were right across the street from the high school. She would be in class right now, but I could have her come to the office and loan me her car for a few minutes. I looked at my aunt; said "I will be right back" then got out and walked across the street. They called her to the office, I borrowed her keys, and drove straight home. I walked in her room and there they were, exactly where they had been when I had actually seen them weeks or months ago, and exactly where my mind had placed them. I picked them up, drove back to the gas station, moved the truck into a parking space and out of the gas area, got back in the car, drove it back across the street and then walked back to the gas station.
As I walked across the street from the school to the gas station for the last time, I had goosebumps that weren't entirely from the chilly morning. If I hadn't had to go into her room to find her set of keys all those weeks ago, I would have never known where to find the ones I needed today. As long as I could remember we had almost never used those keys. I would have been clueless as to where to find them. If the ATM hadn't been down, and the drive thru hadn't been closed I would have been too far away to walk. God knew. He knew long before I did that I would do something stupid this morning (keys as a tool, I should know better) and fixed it before I ever-even-asked.
As I inserted the key into the ignition I looked at my aunt and said "Well, this has been a lesson in the providence of God!" She replied "yes it has!". With that we were on our way.
God is so good. I can't say it enough.