Thoughts from my life to yours
I had a very interesting childhood.
I lived with my Mom during the school year and spent holidays and summers with my Dad. These were two completely different worlds. Dad lived in the country and Mom lived in town. Sometimes it was a major city, but usually it was a smaller town.
I learned a lot growing up with a single Mom. Mom was married for part of my growing up, but for the most part it was just Mom and us three girls. What a trip! There was certainly an overdose of estrogen in the house, but I assure you it was rarely boring and it never lacked drama! Oddly, being the only female in my house now, with the exception of my son’s pet gerbil, I kind of miss it.
Single parents like my Mom amaze me. I am astounded sometimes at the determination and resourcefulness I remember seeing in her. She is one of ‘those’ people. You know the kind, the ones that can do anything or find a way to get it done. I know that Mom can’t physically do all that she once could, but I believe with all my heart that if she felt like it would help someone she loves she could make anything happen.
Among so many other things, I learned resourcefulness from her. When we were growing up money was very often scarce, but somehow we always had what we needed. Here is just one example:
When I was in 6th grade, our school went all out for graduation from Elementary school to Middle school. For this special occasion we had a dance after the ceremony, we called it a prom. We were expected to dress up and have hair and makeup done, the whole nine yards. Of course, I badgered my Mom relentlessly for the perfect prom dress. It had to be just so to make sure I fit in with everyone else. It was shameful.
Mom’s reply for months was, “We’ll see.” As time drew closer and closer, the more I asked. Finally two days before graduation Mom broke the news to me that we simply could not afford a new dress and if I wanted to go I would have to wear one of my sister’s old ones.
Needless to say, I was devastated. Not nearly as much as my Mom. I was too self absorbed at the time to realize it was killing her that she could not buy me the perfect dress. I know I cried and knowing me I probably threw a fit but eventually got over it and reluctantly picked out one of our ‘old’ ones.
The next two days were hard and I had decided that I would go to graduation and just skip the prom. That is until I got home from school the day of graduation. When I got home, my two older sisters drew me a bath and did my chores for me (if you have older siblings, you know how amazing this is!). When I finished soaking, they insisted on doing my hair and makeup for me. I tried to remind them that I was not going to the dance and Mom said the only way I could wear any makeup was if I was going. They ignored me and continued their task of making me feel and look beautiful.
When the time came to put on my dress I was almost in tears because I knew I would have to wear the one my sister had worn the year before. Trying to be grateful for their kindness, I slowly walked into my bedroom where laying on my bed was a brand new (to me) prom dress. I just stood there too stunned and confused to say anything. I looked over and saw my Mom and sisters staring at me from the door. Mom had big tears filling her eyes and my sisters were grinning from ear to ear. I went to that prom and felt like the most beautiful and blessed 6th grade girl on the planet.
To this day I don’t know how my Mom pulled that off and she still refuses to tell me, but it is one of my fondest memories.
As I have accepted Christ and learned what it means to trust and rely on Him to be Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, I can look back and see how He had His hand on us all along. I always believed my Mom could do anything, I still do in fact, but now I know that her strength, determination, resources and love come from Him.
Now in those times that I start to freak out over finances or how I’m going to take care of something, I try to remember all the times He has proven His faithfulness in my life. The passage in Luke 12 comes to mind:
22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!
God chose to provide for us in so many different and creative ways when I was growing up and I am so thankful for a Mom who was determined to find those ways. I pray that I am showing my boys how to be resourceful, just as my Mom showed me, knowing that all good things come from the Lord and that no matter what, He will always keep His word.
There have been so many times God has showed up and showed off in the ways He has provided for me. I would love for you to brag on Him and write one of your stories of His provision.
Hi, my name is Kathy. I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a wife, a mother and now (because my husband really wants me to) am collecting my thoughts into this blog. I hope you might be encouraged, or even challenged by the discussion here, and I look forward to reading your comments. I am a stay at home mom, my husband is the lead pastor of the multi site CrossPoint Church, and my two boys are named Noah and Nathan. Many blessings!
Pat Hoffman
August 23rd, 2011 at 2:35 am
Aw gee, Kat you made me cry! Seriously it so true how we fuss and worry but that God is our provider.
Great blog, thanks
Justin Gillette
August 25th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Great story and reminder!
Nikki Barton
August 27th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
I do so love to read your blogs! The story I would like to share of God’s provision in my life is actually an event that He took care of for me, that I wasn’t actually “worried” about. When I say I wasn’t worried, it was because I was in such shock and in a fog that I don’t remember having time to “worry.” It almost seems more like a dream, now almost 16 years later… Not that I should’ve been surprised when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter when I was 18 and unmarried, as I did know what caused it:-) But I was certainly scared out of my mind and completely clueless on what to do. Her dad and I barely knew each other and had only been dating a couple of months. My parents were horrified, and “worry” doesn’t come close to describing how everyone close to me was feeling (including myself, of course.) Her dad proposed, and I said yes… again, I was in such shock and disbelief, I can’t know what made me think it could ever work, but decided it was the right thing to do. I do remember crying the whole day of the wedding, but never remember worrying that I couldn’t go through with it. In fact, I could now describe it perfectly illustrated by the “Footprints” poem. God definitely carried me through that day. There was no way I could put one foot in front of the other on my own. We had a rather large wedding (only spent around $700) for not sending out invitations. We both had a lot of good friends, I guess. I do know that there wasn’t one person in the crowd who thought it was a good idea. We didn’t go on a honeymoon, but headed back to our new apartment together for our first night as a married couple. Unfortunately my tears hadn’t subsided and my new husband was beside himself with worry on what he could do. He was unaware that only God could ease the fear and panic that I was feeling. We were probably in bed by 10:30 that night, and unbeknownst to him, I was again crying in my pillow. I prayed a deeper prayer than I ever had before (and don’t remember praying since) telling God that he had every part of my life from that moment on (I’d been saved as a child and grew up in a Christian home.) I told Him that I knew there was nothing that I could do to make this work out, and asked that He please take it all from me. I put it completely in HIS very capable hands. – That was almost 16 years ago (our anniversary is Oct14.) Of course, a lot has happened that would take up way too much room to write about, but to summarize… Not only did God give me a healthy baby, but He gave me a man who would eventually accept Christ and become a Godly leader of our stable household. We now have two teenagers (gonna need to keep praying hard!), we’re financially stable, and have as healthy of a marriage as I can imagine having. We know that every single thing we have we owe to God, and we know that our life together is nothing short of a miracle. I’d like to say that this miracle helps me to never worry about anything.. it definitely should. But I can say that I know that there is NOTHING that He won’t take care of, and I’m thankful beyond words for His provision in my life.