By God's Grace

It has been a long day, a very long day. It is now nearly 10pm and I haven't been at the computer since about 6am. Before I go check emails, facebook, etc. I want to tell you about how God worked in our lives today.

Our goal today was to go to church with friends (Cindy and Kasey Knight)about 90 minutes away. We got up with what I figured was about an hour to spare. I figured that hour would be eaten up somewhere before we got to our friends home. We were out the door, still with that hour to spare. About 30-40 minutes down the road things started to happen. Actually what started to happen was that I reached for my wallet as we were nearing the gas station and I realized it was not there. In fact it was back in the trailer. We had no money nor credit cards. We didn't have time to go back and get it and still make it on time. And worst of all, we didn't have enough fuel to make it to our friends house and back to the trailer.

It was then that I remembered the gift card pouch. A few really nice people have given us some gift cards and we had those in the truck. Looking through them I found a $25.00 card to Shell which just happened (Godincidence) to be the station that we pulled into. The $25.00 bought 6 gallons which was just enough to make it so we could finish our trip for the day. God does provide and He used some of you to do it.

We made it to Cindy and Kasey's with that same hour to spare. From there they took us on a boat ride across Lake Chelan and then a several block hike to their church. Free coffee and Kasey bought the girls each a cookie made for a nice add on to breakfast. As we were getting to Cindy and Kasey's I was concerned about paying for lunch. My concerns were short lived when I found out that their church was honoring their pastor for 30 years of service and providing a full BBQ lunch. Not potluck, but everything provided. Free lunch! God does provide and he used a church body celebrating their well loved pastor to do it.

When planning this trip, just going to church with Cindy and Kasey was going to be a huge blessing. We thought maybe a little fellowship afterward and we'd be off. But they had another set of blessings in store for us. We spent the entire afternoon getting boat rides around beautiful Lake Chelan. The girls got to go tubing behind the boat as well as ride in their small pedal paddle boat. Daddy even got to take some time on a seadoo water bike. The girls also got to swimming in the lake with their life jackets on. Daddy even took one quick intentional swim and then another not so intentional when I tried to step onto a HUGE floating tube with Rebekah in my arms and missed. Rebekah and I both went into the water (her with her life jacket on.) She kind of freaked and first but all the way home that was all she would talk about; "Daddy and me go boom in the water." We were blessed beyond all measure to have the opportunity for such a day. THANK YOU CINDY AND KASEY!

As the afternoon got close to evening, and us still having a 90 minute drive home, we decided to head out. We had snacks in the truck to hold us over until we got back to the trailer for dinner. About 1/2 way home Sarah was asleep but Rebekah was complaining about being hungry. Guess what? There was a Subway right there AND we had a Subway gift card! Two lanes over and we were down the road to Subway. As we went in Sarah said she needed to use the potty and I walked back with her to make sure it was safe. As we walked into the bathroom Sarah said "I don't feel good" and threw up - in the toilet. Had we not decided to pull off and had the gift cards to do it, that would have been all over our new truck. I praise God for providing here again. I have such a problem with throw up that Frances used some of her last words to Sarah to tell her that daddy has a problem with throw up so if either of you get sick you might have to help daddy through it.

Rebekah and I shared a sandwich, Sarah decided not to eat and we headed out and made it home with more than enough fuel to be able to load up the trailer tomorrow morning and get back to our now favorite Shell station in this area. This time with a wallet. We got the girls to bed and I spent an hour or two packing things up in the truck, outside the trailer, and just getting ready to go in the morning. All of the timings have just worked out perfect and I can only thank God for such a full blessed day and still having time for everything else.

As I close, I do want to add that church was very hard for me. It was the first time I have been to church without mommy. Every song sung and every word preached was poignant and stung and I spent most of the service crying. I really didn't expect that at all but it needed done. During the BBQ afterward was the first time that I have told any strangers at all on this trip about loosing mommy. It just felt like a safe place. Thank you God.