Living Simply

 
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God gave us a Suburban.  We live on a very tight and limited budget.  My husband had an old Toyota pickup that was on its last leg and we have a family car that runs well but is 12 years old.  We decided that rather than putting money onto the pickup to get it running better that we would just live with one vehicle until we could find another that we could afford AND that fit all our criteria -- 4 wheel drive, can fit two carseats, and can carry lots of stuff and/or other passengers.  To us, it looked like a Suburban was our best option but with $2,000 to spend we weren't finding any options that would be reliable.  So, we waited. 

The Adult Foster Care Company that I had worked for (1 day a week) for the last year is also owned by a family from our church.  I had resigned because our second child is due in a couple of weeks and I am now going to be a completely stay-at-home mom (yipee!).  When I started a year ago, they really only needed me one day a week but now they really need someone 2+ days a week, so with a new baby on the way and me not wanting any more hours, it was a convenient time for both of us for me to resign and for them to find someone else.

I had made a comment about how we were looking for a second vehicle (a Suburban) and as yet had not found anything.  One of the owners said that the company had one that they were wanting to get rid of and were looking for $2,000 for it.  We were very excited about this possibility.  I had my husband talk with the owners and we found out that it had some mechanical issues that weren't a big deal but hadn't been dealt with -- they just didn't drive the vehicle.  So when my husband went to look at it and it didn't start (needed a new battery and alternator), the owners were just so frustrated dealing with it that they GAVE it to us!  They even towed it to our house! 

So, after putting $300 (new battery, alternator, spark plugs, oil change) and a weekend of work into it -- we have a running Suburban!  There is still a timing issue that my husband is trying to figure out but it runs and provides us with a second vehicle! And not just any second vehicle--a 1997 Suburban with 100,000 miles on it -- this should last us many years!

Praise God for His provision!
 
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I'm thankful for a daughter that has a heart for prayer.  She is only 2 years old but often asks to stop throughout the day to pray.  Sometimes she has a specific person in mind and sometimes she just wants to pray.

Saturday she asked to pray for Amelia (one of our friends and her babysitters who we also go to church with).  Amelia was taking her ACT test during this time -- a great time to be reminded to pray for her!

I pray that she continues to have a heart for prayers and I'm thankful that she reminds me often to stop and pray for others.