It's a really interesting stage of life
we are in with our two engaged sons. I'm enjoying listening to their
plans and watching the process as they start creating the details of
their (not so distant) future lives as husband and wife. Besides all
of the actual wedding plans, of which there are many(!), there's all
the practical decisions to make, like where they will actually live.
Our son, Andrew, has been looking for
an apartment that will be the first home for him and his fiance, Liz,
once they are married in August. The most important features that
they were searching for in an apartment was a safe location and a
price that could fit into their budget. Liz was hoping for a two
bedroom for a little extra room, but that was in a category of “wish
list” rather than “must haves”.
They have been searching for several
weeks and haven't found much that fit into their location/price
criteria. They did get offered a small one bedroom, third floor
apartment. Andrew wanted to take it because they hadn't found
anything else, but Liz didn't really like it. The wedding isn't until
August so they have some time, and together they made the decision to
pass on the apartment and keep looking.
#happywifehappylife
A couple more weeks passed and still
nothing. Andrew tried contacting some listings he found on
Craigslist, but his emails went unanswered. Jay and I were praying
for Andrew and Liz to find the right place for them. Jay was praying
in particular to St. Joseph. St. Joseph certainly understands trying
to find shelter and the desire to care for your family! In my own
prayers for the situation, the scripture line “I prepare a place
for you.” John 14:2, kept popping in my head. Certainly we had some
extra opportunities to practice trust!
Yesterday, I was at work and one of my
parent's tenants came in to pay their rent. This particular tenant
lived on the second floor of the tenement house my mom grew up in. He
handed me a letter for my mom and explained that he and his wife
bought a house and would be moving out by the last day of May.
I was overjoyed...and incredibly
thankful! God couldn't have worked out the timing any better! Like my
mom said when I told her the news, “It must have been meant to
be!”. This apartment is in a safe neighborhood, in the price range
they could afford, and it even has two bedrooms. Check, check, and
check! Isn't is a great thing when God not only takes care of our
needs but also our wants?!?
I have said many prayers of
thanksgiving since this apartment became available for Andrew and Liz
yesterday. I started thinking that the blessing of this apartment
will be a memorial stone for both of them. Do you remember the story
of the memorial stones from the Book of Joshua? God parted the Jordan
so that the Israelites could pass through and He wanted them to always
remember the miracle.
“When all the nation had
finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua,
“Take twelve men from
the people, from each tribe a man, and command them,
Take twelve stones from
here out of the midst of the Jordan,
from the very place where
the priests' feet stood,
and carry them over with
you, and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight..
....when your children ask
in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?
Then you shall tell them
that the waters of the Jordan
were cut off before the
ark of the covenant of the Lord;
when it passed over the
Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.
So these stones shall be
to the people of Israel a memorial for ever.”Joshua 4:1-3;6-7
There have been so many
times in my life when God has “parted the Jordan” for me. In the
last 26 years of marriage, Jay and I have collected our own memorial
stones in our hearts. They are reminders of the times that God has
interceded for us; moments when our faith and trust in God was
nurtured and grew.
For Andrew and Liz, the
blessing of the timing in this apartment's availability will be a
memorial stone for them. When they recall
the story throughout their marriage, it will be a reminder that God
is faithful and will provide for their needs.
It is a beautiful beginning.
 |
| You can find these trust rocks on Etsy! |
