The search continued for months... but this week I decided to try to find them via the internet...as surfing goes one thing led to another and I did find them at a little antique store in Hico Texas. Mike, the owner made me a great deal on them...and though they are the same Windsor style they were even better than the ones I originally had found...they were heavily distressed and made in England and were in stock. Yes I even pray about chairs...and I waited and God answered my prayers in even a greater way than I imagined.
But this story is not about the chairs...it is about the people who sold me the chairs....That was my true blessing. Mike was going to put them on the delivery truck that comes each week through Houston...but a few hours later called and said he and his wife, Brenda were heading to Florida on a buying trip and they would deliver them personally. He said they were kind of familiar with Houston becasue they had been there quite a few time for treatments at MD Anderson for treatments. (I noted that and had some questions) We would meet the next morning on the east side of town. The phone rang the morning of pick up and he said they ended up coming in on 290 and were only four miles from my house....so we met in the Ikea parking lot. I love meeting places....
It is always fun to put a face with the voice....we had talked several times over the past few days...(you can only tell so much from a picture...and my husband had to be on my same page with his questions answered)....and the minute they got our of the car...I knew we would be friends. Something about country folk...easy going...no pretense...warm hearts...big smiles. We exchanged introductions, talked about the chairs and how excited I was to have finally found them and how much they appreciated the business, and the Godly driven ways that people have come to know about them...but then the conversation turned to real life stuff. "You mentioned that you had come to Houston for treatments at MD Anderson....do you mind me asking what kind of cancer you had? And are you Ok now?" Ovarian... and yes the I am great and God's blessings that have come out of that exerience are extraordinary.
One of them is this shop....we lived just about four hours from Hico and I loved a little shop in Fredricksburg named the Homestead....It was my favorite..and she went on to tell me the story of how after the cancer she asked her husband if they could move to HIco and buy the Homestead's second location.The story of how that even came about is only one that only God could have conjured...but too long to repeat here. They did end up buying it and moved to Hico and their shop is grounded in the old Opera House. There are lots of little stories between the lines and there we stood in the parking lot and talked for about 45 minutes...about God and his many blessings that come wrapped in packages that we are often so hesitant to open.
I was so excited to hear them talk about their Florida antique buying trip that I said I would love to hop in that truck with you and head on to Florida...Mike said...:"Come On'.. we have plenty of room...I was tempted, you don't know how much... becasue I knew the invitation was sincere....and it did sound like fun..so much fun...a three day outside antique hunting outing....and the stories ...I would have relished in every one.
But the point of this story is: God is connecting his children through events and situations that we are not even aware of. And it is such a blessing to recognize the workings of God through stories of others. It is encouraging...it is hopeful, it is heart warming...it is about real life stuff...God had gotten them through a tough time and though faith and a willingness to change gears they allowed God to arrange for them to have a livelihood that both of them enjoy to very core. Life is good...and Life is appreciated so much when we have been through tough times. Mike made the comment that when he dies He wants to die happy...and happy are they he said....becasue we have let God lead us and continue to seek His will for our lives....and trust Him.
Trust is a huge deal...that is generated by faith....faith in someone who is bogger, someone is has authority over all living things...and who maintains an infinite and encompassing love for each of us.
They will be the first to say that there are potholes especially with the economy being the way it is.....and that nothing easy is worthwhile...but they will also tell you that they look back and are constantly reminded of the footprints that God made while he carried them ...and they will continue to live life to its fullest and trust him no matter how tough or how joyous it may be. She was a CPA with her own practice...he was a home builder....and each of them will tell you that God has blessed them in ways they would never imagine ...and Brenda said "I went to church and I believed in God but until we had to negotiate through this cancer deal...with very little insurance...I didn't realize the riches of mind body and soul of having a "relationship" with God. For that is where our treasures lie. And we are grateful for God's efforts to get us there.
Ephesians 3:17-19 (New International Version)
17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
It started out with the search for a couple of chairs....but ended up blessing me with a testimony of God's greatness and a couple of precious new friends.Dear Lord, Help us to be reminded to talk about you...to be open in telling stories of your greatness and your provisions...so that others who hear them may be filled with hope and seek to know you better. Amen
Praise God wherever you are or whatever situation he has allowed you to be in...for His glory will shine through.
www.cathyjodeit.com
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