Christmas 2017, part 2

Well, I thought our Christmas was made but more happened, so here's Part 2. 
Check out this post for Part 1.

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This last summer, Ethan and I sat in our 500 sq ft apartment together to pray over our finances.

We had just moved from South Dakota to Alaska and had used all our resources (and then some) to return. Just two hours outside our final destination, we were in an accident and had to leave our utility trailer with all our belongings in a town three hours away because it was undrivable.

Anyway, back to our prayer session.

As we sat down to pray that day, Ethan took his place on the floor with his back to the wall. I sat down on the couch in the living room, and we began to ask the Lord to help us figure out insurance issues for our trailer and wisdom as we began our new work.

I heard a shuffle from the side of the room, and when I looked over, Ethan was holding an empty garbage can in his lap. Thinking it was odd, I whispered, Why are you holding a trash can?

Without missing a beat, Ethan replied: My hands are too small.

Knowing this was a moment I didn't want to forget, I set my phone on silent and snapped a picture.

To receive what God wants to give, my hands are too small.

/ / / / /

I was reminded of this story a couple days ago, as Ethan and I stepped back to think about our Christmas this year. Not only have unexpected finances come in, but friends have blessed us with food, gifts, and surprises in such an overwhelming way that we've felt almost awkward receiving them.

Why such abundance? Our needs are covered, we don't have to have these other things.

And yet...

Our wood pile was low one day when a friend stopped by and offered to bring us more. Why yes, thank you! Not once, but twice that happened.

Maya wanted an outfit for her doll for Christmas. Without knowing it, a friend ended up giving us a bag of doll clothes, since her daughter had pared down to make room for other gifts.

Wow: thank you!

The Tuesday before Christmas, one of our YWAM friends stopped by with presents for our girls.

How kind of you!

On Friday, a friend stopped by to visit and ended up gifting us with presents and more food.

Wha? Okay, thank you!

Inwardly I'm thinking, All right this is good. This is enough. This is more than we need... maybe I need to find someone to share with?!

On Sunday, I led worship at our church and we hung out afterward to visit with friends and enjoy some snacks. When I checked my phone, there was a message.

Hi Mekeisha, this is Bill and Susan. I don't know if you remember me and my wife, but we met you guys a while back.

Hmm, that name doesn't sound familiar.

Anyway, we have a couple packages for you and your family that we'd like to drop by your house, but it looks like you're not home right now. If you could, give us a call and let me know a good time we could drop it off. Thanks!

I gave the fellow a call back, and let him know when we would be home. Later when they stopped by I didn't recognize him or his wife, but their kindness was beautiful. As they brought their gift to the door, they explained: Every Christmas my wife and I like to pick four or five families that we can bless with a Christmas breakfast; it's something we used to do back home in Ohio. This year, we thought of your family!

And with that, they passed me their gift and were gone.

Inside the bags, I found all the trimmings for Christmas breakfast, along with a lovely gift book and Christmas card.

Half an hour later that day, another friend stopped by to drop off Christmas stockings for Ethan and I, along with a gift for the girls. Earlier in the week, she had texted: I noticed you only have four stockings up. Do you and Ethan have stockings? 

Well we do, I explained, but I misplaced one, so I didn't hang either of them up.

Oh, but do you have stocking stuffers for each other?

I laughed out loud- No. (I mean, as long as our girls have gifts, nothing else really matters, right?)

She then proceeded to tell me she wanted to bless us with our own stockings - filled, mind you.

She even included a gift for the girls, which made my heart as happy as any child's.

Precious Moments dolls!! I didn't even know there was such a thing!!

These gifts are just a few of the many we received this last month: 

Someone gifted us with a tote full of fabric so the girls can continue to make their own doll clothes.

Another day we headed to the theater for a free matinee, and a friend bought drinks and snacks for all my girls.

One of our friends bought all the makings for sushi and came over to teach us how to make our own sushi rolls. With smoked salmon. And crab. And pickled radish from New Jersey.

Lularoe leggings arrived in the mail one day for my girls and I, gifted from a faraway friend.

Post-Christmas surprises from family showed up in the mail.

Unexpected financial blessings from people kept popping up - in the mail, online, in person.

All of these gifts- small and large - have added up to remind me once more- God cares for us.

That's powerful because I have been overwhelmed a lot this last year.

Overwhelmed with moving.

Overwhelmed with financial stress.

Overwhelmed with physical issues, in finding out my thyroid is underactive.

Overwhelmed with ministry demands, homeschool issues, and the list just goes on.

I mean the word overwhelm means to bury or drown beneath a huge mass. And honestly, I've felt like I was drowning a lot this last year.

But another definition of overwhelm is this: to give too much of a thing to (someone); inundate.

I feel like God loves to remind me every Christmas: 

I am with you. I am for you. I will provide for every need and more.

God seems intent on ending this year with an overwhelming awareness of His goodness, so I am determined to take note of it. Looks like Ethan was right. 

Our hands were too small.