Blessings

At the beginning of the week, I was very concerned.  It was one of those weeks that we would be praying to get through and hoping we could make the gas money stretch so we could get everyone where they needed to go.. including Mike, who works 30 mins away!  And I was concerned becuase the pantry was very bare, and the fridge and freezer weren't looking much better.  So I prayed.  I just simply said, God, help us make it through the week.  However you feel necessary, please Father, be the provider.
Blessing #1
After all of the Easter festivities we had with our families, we ended up with some leftovers which helped us make it through the week without needing to go to the store.
Blessing #2
On Monday, I went to the mail box, and when I opened it, a dear blogger friend sent us $20 after reading the blog about Crazy Love.  Seriously, you have no idea how that $20 helped us this week.  That little bit made it possible for Mike to get back and forth from work!
Blessing #3
All the gorgeous weather!  The beautiful scenes... man I was so blessed driving through the country side.  Amazing!! It made me realize that God loves us so much that He made the earth to be as beautiful as it is so we would know He is who He says He is!!!
Blessing #4
They just hired a new guy at Mike's work... his schedule is very similiar to Mike's while he is training, and he live near us, so he and Mike are car-pooling.  Good stuff, right?  Save on gas, all that stuff.  Even better?  The new guy and his wife are foster parents.  Shut the front door!  Lol!!  AND, his wife is a youth pastor!  God rocks.  Seriously.  Mike was very glad for a godly man to spend an hour a day with, and a man who has been there and done that when it comes to foster care.  Im so happy that Mike has this guy to talk to.  YAY!
Blessing #5
After riding bikes with the kids all week... with them taking turns becuase we dont have enough bikes for everyone, and awesome woman Mike works with is giving us 2 bikes... ones a girls and one is a boys, so we are still short one bike, but Im NOT complaining!  And she said she bought the one bike for us from a non-profit organization, so the money she spent is going to bless others!! NICE!
Blessing #6
I also just found out that we can get a check from our foster agency to buy both girls bikes and all the accessories!!  So they are sending us that money soon... which means that both girls will have bikes and helmets and all the other important biking stuff!!  Maybe even a basket for Jay... she thinks they are cool! LoL! :o)

Wow.  We are blessed.  I was thinking last week that we were just kinda blessed... and that we never get those physical blessings, like money and stuff.  Blah blah, pity party, Blah blah blah.  :o)
Then Linny @ http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/ wrote her blog about Crazy Love (you have to scroll down pretty far, but her other posts are awesome, including the one about Hearing God!!).  And I decided to write my post with out need, but I also wanted God to use us to meet a need.  So I prayed and was obedient.  And no, we didnt recieve 10 grand to buy a van.  No, we arent somehow, miraculously debt free.  But my faith is bigger, my hope, brighter.  I think God was saying to me, Dana, it's time to look at all the blessings I DO give you.  They may not be big giant things like a new house, or a new van, but as you are faithful in the little things, so am I. I know God could give us a house.  A van, or 30,000 to adopted a child.  But I think He is choosing to have us work for our stuff.  To work through all the mess of this life, to stay faithful and know in His time it will happen.

So for now... my faith is bigger.  My hope... BRIGHTER!!