Blessings we don't see...
I feel inclined to share something with you all... and I hope you don't mind too much. (ha ha)
I have been thinking a lot about hidden blessings, or blessings we don't see. They are real and HUGE, but we have no clue they are happening. God just works miracles in our lives minute to minute that we know nothing about.
As you all know we have s.t.r.u.g.g.l.e.d. financially. A. Lot. The recession/depression really knocked us under the water and kept us there for a long time. As you know we basically lost everything. Or so it seemed.
Many months of prayers and fasting and a job that did not make ends meet (no matter how hard we wished it would) later...whala! Jes has really good job. And suddenly I am aware of the MANY hidden blessings that God has been giving us in our life that I knew nothing about. And suddenly I realize that being in His shelter, was a lot more calm and "safe" than being out in the world with money to spend.
Heavenly Father has been keeping our home stuff together for us. I mean TOGETHER. Since we are now more able to meet our own needs, we no longer need His constant stay-of-the-hand and can manage the crisises of daily living...
The washer broke.
Then the dryer broke. Parts later and they are repaired.
The lawn mower that really was living on a wing and prayer, but kept miraculously starting for us each time, choked. Jes spent an entire day and parts $ later, and now it works again.
Our laptop succumbed to the dreaded black screen. (Hence my lack of posting since Spring semester let out) A friend is trying to save all my pictures for the last 2 years and Jes' old itunes music etc... but all in all to have it repaired we are looking at a couple hundred dollars.
The fridge in the garage konked out. The freezer became a frozen waste land, while the fridge created the best hot and stinky science experiments money can buy with 4 gallons of milk, 5 dozen eggs, a couple hundred dollars of insulin and 5-6 blocks of cheese, just to name a few. :P
The car that Jes drives to work (his cute $200 car) stopped working. Cha Ching... $100+ later and a new battery and it is good to go again.
One of the big burners on my *favorite* stove quit working. :(
Took the pup to get her shots and her teeth cleaned. They were so bad she had to be put under to do it... and she didn't do well and there were complications... and well... let's just say the amount I planned on DOUBLED. Good thing she is so dern cute!
My cell phone quit working and we had to use my phone insurance (with an expensive deductible!) to order a new one, one that is bigger and ugly and I hate it, but I refuse to sign up for another 2 year contract to get a smaller phone. (grr)
A power outtage today toasted our modem and we had to have Spanish Fork City come out to replace it.
Our home telephones stopped holding a charge. It was cheaper to get new ones than to buy the specialty batteries they took. (ugh)
Cam had a week and half of a really bad asthma attack and we squeaked by without a hospitilization (mostly because I got sick with tummy stuff at the same time and couldn't take him in; Jestin was working 12 hour swing shifts and couldn't help either) We took him to the Dr. after the worst of the week and got him steroids and antibiotics $$ (no insurance until Aug) *sigh* At least Heavenly Father prevented me from getting him there when it was bad so he wasn't admitted right? : / (*guilt*)
The filter in the fridge suddenly went bad and we were drinking orange colored water!
Emmalee broke her glasses.
Our water heater is no longer making hot water. It must be replaced. (let's hear a whoop whoop for a cold shower in the morning and boiling water to do dishes! haha)
Caleb fell and got a concussion, which not only required an ER visit and a CT scan (with no insurance) but it has effected him a ton and he is only now 4-5 weeks later starting to act more like my Caleb again.
Jestin's garments are suddenly completely thread bare and worn out, and EVERYONE has an epidemic of holey socks! I am throwing away 2-3 pair each load!
The ceiling fan in our bedroom is making a horrible racket!
The door handle on the kids bathroom is falling apart and needs replaced. One of these days one of the kids will be permenantly locked in the bathroom if we don't!
A sprinkler pipe burst in the backyard and Jes had to redo the whole junction box and 3-4 sprinklers!
The chicken coop all of a sudden is flaking paint everywhere and the doors are not shutting well!
The list keeps getting longer and longer... and this has all been within the last 6-7 weeks since Jes started this new job!!
I know that Heavenly Father has been sheltering us from as many "little hard things" as He could while we had so little to work with. And I know He is leaving more of it up to us now that we can. Though I kinda feel like a heel for even bringing it up, being in a better place financially isn't all its cracked up to be! bwahahaha
I am humbled as I realize all God does for my little family on a daily basis. I wonder how much more He is shielding me from that I do not know about. I wonder how many times He has saved me, or Jes, or the kids from accident and harm. I wonder why a little bit too. Our trials have been HARD, but He has not forgotten us and He has given us so many blessings we never saw, nor could even recognize! and for that I am truly thankful! :)
