Blessings Abound!

Friday we learned TJ got the job of his dreams! But the blessings didn't end there.

Saturday morning we took our car and Ben's truck up to Vancouver. Our friend Donna previously worked with a lady named Deb. Deb is getting married in a few weeks and is working on combining her household with her soon-to-be husband's household. We drove up to bring home a lawn mower & table. We did not end up getting the table, but amazingly, here is what we came home with:

• a self-propelled mower
• two benches for our current table that match it almost perfectly
• two lamps
• plastic shelving we'll use in our basement
• a beautiful rug
• a dirt devil vacuum broom
  
• an antique stool (just like the one I grew up with!)
• wicker drawers
• a indoor/outdoor propane heater (with 4 cans of propane)
• a bag of charcoal for our grill
• three folding chairs
  
• and probably the hugest blessing of all...2 GARBAGE BAGS OF FOOD!!

Now, you may be saying to yourself at this point, "that is a random collection of things!" But almost all of these things were on our list of things to eventually purchase. We like to have people over and never have quite enough seating, so because we have the benches and folding chairs we've expanded our actual chairs by 7! We'll certainly use the heater since this is a rather chilly house, and had been pondering getting a rug in the future. We had been planning to save up for shelving for the basement, and the other items will fit well too.

I have to say though that the food was one of the largest blessings especially coming off these months of layoff. We have been in survival mode and only buying just enough groceries to get us by. I've been using up our "stocked up" supplies and well. Here are the before & after pictures:

BEFORE...


AFTER!

We will eat everything too, it's all so yummy!!!

In the afternoon we found a store that will later help us grow garden starters inside and can help us with some of our outdoor gardening too!

We left the garden place and went down to Wilsonville Chevrolet to browse around their lot and think we may have found a truck. It is a 1994 Chevy 1500 extended cab with a cab cover (I forget the real name) that can also be removed. It was previously owned by only two people and though it has 158,000 miles on it is in good condition. We had been pre-approved a few months ago for the amount through our bank, and are just waiting for the business week to begin to work out the details. They are holding it for us.

We are feeling overwhelmingly blessed at this point. I think the feeling is so hard to describe- it's been a challenging few months as TJ searched for work and we tried to make wise financial decisions. It's sort of like holding our breath for two months and now completely exhaling! I'm sure in time we will balance out. :)

Though this verse is taken a bit out of context, I think it does fit here:
9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11)

Thank-you all for your prayers and words of encouragement! I hope your faith is increased by walking with us through our journey!