August 13, 2023 - Unexpected

As I have had over a few of the blogs, I have some reservation about publishing this one because I would never want someone to take it the wrong way.  I think you will understand why.  These have never had any intent to ask for anything except prayer.
 
     I have been stunned several times in the last couple of weeks or so by the generosity of others.  A fish quilt.  Several gift cards. Bart the pool vac.  Other expressions of love.
     Nothing anyone has done for us has come expectedly.  Something happened Friday that would rate near the top of the list of unexpected blessings.
     Teresa had gotten the mail and I started sifting through it, discarding the junk mail.  There was a blue envelope with a return address of someone I did not know.  I assumed that it must be someone who Teresa knew.
     I open the card and there is a check enclosed in it.   I began to read the card.  In essence it said, “I know that you don’t know me or my husband, but we feel like we know you both because we have been reading Chuck’s blogs.  This gift is given with love and prayers for your journey to Mayo.   In His love….”
     When I think that I have learned about all there is to know about being a gracious receiver the Lord comes along and says, “Not quite.”
     In the last two days I have thought a lot about this expression of love from someone I have never met.  Why did the Holy Spirit prompt these folks to send us a gift?  I have pondered that over and over. 
     This is the conclusion that I have come to believe.  The amount of the gift wasn’t the issue.  What I heard the Lord saying to me was this, “You can trust me in this.  I will meet your needs in far more ways than financially.”
     God has done that for most of my life.  He has met every need that I have had and by His grace He has blessed me in far more ways than I deserve.
     If you have been able to read the lines and sometimes between the lines in many of these blogs, you know that I have more than a little trepidation over what is coming.  I have a theme or two for a blog that I have been saving until this next chapter about some of my feelings.
      God said to me, “If I can move someone who has never met you to do something for you, then surely I can handle what lies ahead and do for you what you need.”
     These loving folks thought they were helping us financially, which their gift does.  But Jesus did far more with their gift.
     Jesus is good at that, isn’t He?  He can take a lad’s lunch and do far more with it than 5000 people could ever believe.   He can take average fishermen and change the course of history.  He can take a shepherd boy and use him to slay giants.
     I wonder what the Lord might use in my life in a way that I never could have dreamed that He could, if only I was willing. 
     Maybe a blog about dealing with cancer by His grace and power?  And lots of warriors helping in the battle.  
     Thanks for reading.