Gratitude, pt. 2 (Graces and Mercies)


The Lord has been good to us.  

One particular blessing happened over the weekend.  On Saturday, I decided to tackle the fact that my truck was leaking antifreeze, and for some reason the problem wasn’t going away by itself.  I was hoping that the problem was going to be easy (cracked hose) and cheap instead of difficult and expensive (cracked radiator).  After filling up the cooling system and letting the truck run, I found the source of the leak.  The black thingy sticking out of the big metal part was gushing antifreeze.*  I called my friend Steve Coffield about it, and he graciously came over and was able to stop the leak.  Then, he fixed something else that was probably going to either eventually strand me in the middle of 494, cost us lots of money, or (most likely) both.  Then, he noticed that one of my tires was about to give up its rubbery ghost.  After a quick trip to Wal-Mart for a pair of replacements, Steve graciously balanced and mounted them.

Steve, thank you for giving of your time and talents.  You saved us quite a bit of money, but more importantly, you kept me safe on the road.  You have a gentle, servant’s spirit that is a reflection of Christ.  Also, you are being a great steward of the gifts that God has given you.  Thank you very much for your help.

*Yes, that’s about as technical as I get when dealing with engines.

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Thank you, Lord, for those who continue to come around and support us.

We have had many offers recently from people who are willing to take Ian for a while to let us find a few of our marbles.  Thank you to everyone who has come forward.  It gives Deb and I a few moments alone together, and it gives Ian something to look forward to.  A big “thank you” goes out to Deb’s mother, who graciously offered to take him for a couple of days.  This is a great break, allowing Deb and I to reconnect, spend time with God and have a little fun.

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Lord, thank you for those who continue to pray for us.  Also, thank you Lord for those who have walked this road before, and impart their experience and wisdom.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has been praying after I made this post.  Things are much better than they were.  I’ve been able to work out more often than I was (i.e., working out period), which definitely helps how I feel and how I see myself.  Also, God has been using The One Year Book of Hope by Nancy Guthrie to minister to me.  It may be a bit early to go too far into this book, as it deals with loss, and Ian is still with us.  However, it’s helping now, and I’m learning to live more in “the now.”  I’m also spending time reading Disappointment with God by Phillip Yancey.  From what I’ve read so far, I think that this book is going to lead me through some emotional honesty that I’ve been scared to explore.

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