God's Peace

God promised he would be the Father to the Fatherless. I really caught on to that promise when my husband died and left my children fatherless. Yesterday, God really showed me his faithfulness. My son had worked all summer at the local grocery store and most of his hard-earned money had went straight into the gas tank of his dad's old pickup. I had agreed to help him buy a used car that would save him money on gas and allow him to put more of his money towards his insurance and hopefully have some spending money leftover as he paid me back for the car. He researched several cars and had taken my advice to not buy a couple of them. Then he found "The Perfect car."
I was not so sure. It was a little too sports car for me, not necessarily the gas saver I was hoping for, and I was not so sure it would handle safely in the snow. My biggest concern was that it was a sporty car and that he would drive it too fast. I started doing my research online and kept running into younger men who had bought these cars with their dads. I thought, yeah, this is the kind of car that would be cool for him to buy with his dad. I just didn't feel comfortable saying yes to this car... I mean what if something happens to him! What if he drives it too fast and gets hurt? I just didn't have a peace about it. I decided to tell him to find something else.
I went home last night and told him I decided it wasn't the right car. He tried to convince me it was. He said he did research and the mid-engine rear wheel drive he'd found handled well in the snow and it got 36 MPG in the city. I wasn't convinved my research showed that it only got 24MPG in the city and didn't handle as well in the snow. He said that I must have been looking at the GT's which were V6's. We had conflicting information and reviews. We kicked it around and I finally said, "Fine, you offer them $1000 cash and tell them we'll pick it up tonight." He tried to tell me how it was worth the $1895 they were asking and that I hadn't considered the stereo system and that other cars like it were on autotrader for a lot more.
I explained that I never agreed to buy him a stereo system and that just because they were asking for more in these ads didn't mean they were going to get it. Reluctantly he agreed to call and make an offer of $1100. They said they could go to $1750 or $1200 without the stereo.
A used stereo system for $550. Oh my son said, it is worth more than that you've never research stereos. I reemphasised 'not buying you a stereo.' I reconfirmed my position that the car was only worth $1009 according to TMV. He correctly stated that was an average and this car is worth so much more than that plus its got a great stereo. I finally agreed that I would allow him to buy it for the amount I had originally offered to help him out with which was $1500. And I prayed that I was not making a mistake.
"Lord, you promised to be the father to the fatherless. I don't know how to make this decision. Am I being too protective? Or am I making a big mistake. I am asking you to show me the right way. Do not let them accept this offer of $1500 if it is not a good idea, if it is not something you as his father would endorse. If you agree he should have this car then please protect him and help him to avoid the temptations to drive wrecklessly. Lord, I am looking for your answer by the outcome of this deal."
My son called and said, "If we bring $1500 cash tonight will you take the offer." No but they would accept, "$1600 if we came down tonight only." I said no.
Oh boy did we have a big fight after that. My son couldn't believe I would blow the whole deal for just $100. I said, "They will call back and if they don't it wasn't meant to be. We agreed $1500 and I really don't have the other hundred."
"Someone else is going to buy this car."
"I am telling you this is the game. You made a fair offer. It's $500 more than the TMV, that is plenty of money for that stereo. It's a fair offer. The $100 will go into the pocket of the one who stands their ground the longest. If it is sold out from under you, there is a reason and you don't want it anyway."
He was so angry with me. I told him to call him back and ask the salesman to take his name and number and call him back if they changed their mind. Soon I was on the phone with the salesman trying to convince me to buy the car for $1600. I said, "Listen, I did some research on line the TMV for that car is $1009. That means we've offered you $500 already for the stereo which is also used."
"But this car is a classic."
"You mean it has $134,000 miles on it."
"The stereo is worth $900."
"Listen, we have researched this car and feel that the $1500 is a fair price."
"We have more in the car than that. We paid $1400 for it."
"We are offering $1500 cash tonight. If you can't take that for it, I understand. Call us if you change your mind. Good night."
We hung up. My son couldn't believe I did that. I didn't mention to him that I was pretty set on the fact that if God said yes, they would come down to $1500 and that I wasn't going a penny over that and buy this car without God's blessing.
He went on and on about the extra $100. He couldn't believe I was going to let someone else get this great deal for $100. He told me how many ways he could come up with the extra money and I told him that is how you were going to come up with the $1500. I said, If you have $1600 march right on down there and get the car.
I took the opportunity to teach him a few things about buying cars. Number one, you can't be so set on getting one that you convince yourself this is the only car in the world for you. Number two, it's a game. Whose pocket should the $100 go into? Decide what you want to give for the car and be willing to walk away and find a better deal if they can't sell it to you for that. I feel $1500 is more than fair and I am not going to let them play me for another $100. And if they can't sell it for that-- that's fine too. There is another deal out there.
I don't think I had convinved my son until the phone rang about thirty minutes later and they said if we had $1500 in cash, tonight, we had a deal. I prayed on the way to the bank -- this is really from you right Lord? The sign at the drive up window said checks for over $1500 had to be done in person in the Lobby. Luckily we only needed $1500 because the lobby was closed.
He got his car--- I got God's peace~

I'm the Leader!

I am a great leader. The only thing holding me back is that no one wants to follow.

Puppy Love

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13-14

Yesterday I went in to wake my 9 year old by teasing, "Okay-- rise and call me blessed." You know from Proverbs 31 her children rise and call her blessed. Like that is ever gonna happen in my house. Guess what, he grinned and said, "You are blessed mom." That made my day! These moments of unexpected bliss are why I went through the hassle of birthing him, loving him, worrying about him, disciplining him, teaching him, and footing the bill for him.

God is love and he created us to share that love. Maybe it is the same way in which we decide to get a puppy, because we want some living being to express love to. What better subject than a puppy who expects nothing from you. I guess that is why we have babies, too. Because we love to express our love and we imagine these tiny infants cuddling in our arms smiling up at us. Of course, it doesn't take long for reality to hit. Just like with the puppy who starts chewing up everything you own, kids soon learn to talk and "I love you" isn't always at the top of their vocabulary list. By two they don't seem to idolize you as much as they once did. Once they start school, you no longer know everything. When they become teenagers, you no longer know anything. Expressing our love for them becomes extremely challenging.

Children aren't going to praise us just because we went through birthing pains to have them and all sorts of pains to raise them. However, It doesn't change the fact that we love them. We did not choose to have them so they could worship us. We wanted to love them. We loved them first ... we love them always... through it all. And if things work out right, they can carry that love with them throughout their lives when they feel like no one else in the world cares. Unselfish love endures forever in the hearts of those who recieve it.

Loving first, without expectation of love in return is what unconditional love is all about. It is why your puppy is so happy because he expects nothing. He bounces up to you for a pat or a scratch behind the ears and if he doesn't get one he doesn't mope off. Instead he bounces off somewhere else and tries again later. But if he does get a pat or a scatch he is filled with tail-wagging excitement. Everything he receives is a blessing over and above what he expected. In this same way we should reach out and love others with the heart of a puppy's love; no expectations. Giving love should be the goal that brings us joy and the return of that unexpected love, a blessing over and above our expectations.

"Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35