Dollar Shirts & Socks – and a FAITHFUL God!
I enjoy reading C.H. Spurgeon’s “Morning & Evening” as part of my daily time with the Lord. Yesterday’s morning portion has stayed with me and, as a result, I decided to post the following today. (I will share an excerpt from the devotional at the end.)
Within the last week or two, we found out that 10 of the GRANDbabies may be heading east very soon! Mommy is getting super close to having blessing number eleven so the decision has been made to have the other children here with extended family during that time. Considering the fact that they haven’t been here in about 18 months, we are getting pretty excited…to say the least!
Now, I’m a planner. I like to have things thought out and prepared ahead of time as much as possible. Of course, with ten GRANDS coming, the plans may very well go right out the door the second they step in (or should I say “run in” 😉 )...but at least I can have the personal satisfaction that I tried! 🙂
That being said, my mind has been going in several different directions the past few days. One of those directions just happens to be Christmas! I told a friend yesterday that my new goal is to have all the kids’ Christmas gifts bought and wrapped before they get here! (No, they won’t be spending Christmas here but November is close enough, right??)
ANYWAY….earlier this week, I was at Walmart with “Christmas gifts” in mind. As I walked through the boys’ section, I headed straight for the clearance rack. Before long, I was on the phone with my daughter and daughter-in-law…getting a rundown of all the boys’ sizes. Long story short, I came home that day with 3 shirts and a pack of socks for each of the nine GRANDboys! The BEST news is, the total for 27 boys’ shirts and 9 packs of socks was {{{drumroll}}}… THIRTY-SEVEN DOLLARS plus tax!! (for you math wizards, one of the packs of socks was $2 😉 )
Here’s a picture with the shirts and socks laid out in front on the ottoman. (Several of the other clothing items and toys pictured were also purchased on clearance in the past year or so.)
At this point, you may be wondering exactly HOW this ties in with a Spurgeon devotional!
For years now, I have tried to make it a practice to pray before we go up to town. I don’t always remember…sometimes we are rushing out the door and I have one of the girls pray while we are driving…but, when I do remember, I pray before we pull out of the driveway. Part of my prayer always includes asking the Lord to guide us, lead us to good deals if it’s His will, and help us to be wise stewards of what He has given us. Friends, can I tell you right now that God has been FAITHFUL time and time and time again in answering my prayers!!!! I am CONSTANTLY amazed at what HE allows me to find!
This past Wednesday, we spent the afternoon wrapping gifts…
I am getting real close to reaching my goal! After a trip to Harbor Freight for the older GRANDboys, we have a bit more wrapping to do this afternoon and we will be just about finished!
As I already mentioned, the Lord has been so very FAITHFUL to allow me to come across extraordinary deals – time and time again. Although I try to be quick to thank Him when He does, I am often hesitant to say much about it on here. However, I was convicted yesterday morning of my failure to share my answers to prayers with others. I pray that this post will encourage you to pray about EVERYTHING – even the small things! And, when God answers your prayers, don’t be hesitant to praise HIM publicly!
“Praise should always follow answered prayer; as the mist of earth’s gratitude rises when the sun of heaven’s love warms the ground.
Hath the Lord been gracious to thee, and inclined his ear to the voice of thy supplication? Then praise him as long as thou livest. Let the ripe fruit drop upon the fertile soil from which it drew its life.
Deny not a song to him who hath answered thy prayer and given thee the desire of thy heart. To be silent over God’s mercies is to incur the guilt of ingratitude; it is to act as basely as the nine lepers, who after they had been cured of their leprosy, returned not to give thanks unto the healing Lord.
To forget to praise God is to refuse to benefit ourselves; for praise, like prayer, is one great means of promoting the growth of the spiritual life. It helps to remove our burdens, to excite our hope, to increase our faith.
It is a healthful and invigorating exercise which quickens the pulse of the believer, and nerves him for fresh enterprises in his Master’s service. To bless God for mercies received is also the way to benefit our fellow-men; ‘the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.'”
~ C.H. Spurgeon
I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.” Psalm 9:1