Memorial Box Monday – Not One, BUT Two Sweet Surprises

It’s Memorial Box Monday and this story is hot off the press! As most of you know, last week we took Jubilee to Children’s Hospital in Denver and Isaiah to Greeley to see his doctor. We had some very surprising revelations about our sweet Jubilee: like that she has moderate to severe hearing loss in one ear and moderate loss in the other. They say that hindsight is always 20/20 and in this situation it couldn’t be truer. We just hadn’t put it all together, but once we knew that – WOW! Life made sense.

We also learned that hearing aids are $1800.00 each and often insurance doesn’t cover. Add to that new information that we are definitely in need of a larger vehicle since 10 of us is hard to squeeze in an 8 passenger – with 4 in car seats. The trips to Children’s are overnights since we live 8 hours away.

Now please don’t misunderstand me…..we weren’t sitting around worrying about it. We were just making some financial observations…..”Yup, God this is gonna’ be fun to watch you provide. We have seen You supply for every, single need we have ever had. You have never let us down. Not ever. Your timing might not be quite as quick as our impatient little lives would like it, but that’s because You seem to move according to ‘God-time zone’ and not necessarily according to our ‘Mountain-time zone’!”

So the next morning after packing up the two hotel rooms and heading toward Greeley we stopped at Chick-Fil-A to eat. We love, love, love that place and it is definitely a highlight stop anytime we are in the Denver area. We all climbed out and went in to order. Three salads. Three large chicken nugget orders. Two large fries. Extra BBQ sauce. Extra ketsup. 9 waters. A bazillion napkins.

$35.+ total.

While Dw and Graham were getting all the food, I was taking, with the help of Emma and Liberty, all the little ones to the potty and to wash hands. We found a booth, over near the bathrooms, kind of out of the way, pushed a small table over to the booth and grabbed a couple extra chairs to make for a total of 8 places to sit with Elijah on my lap.

The Chick-Fil-A wasn’t crowded. Infact I was surprised at how few people there were in it. Anyway, Dw and Graham brought the food and we thanked the Lord for it and soon started eating. We were laughing and talking and enjoying each other’s company. We even played a round of the thankful game, just for fun! There were a few patrons around us, but none that stood out and certainly no one who seemed to pay any attention to us.

All of a sudden one of the server/clerk persons came over to our table. I’m sure we looked kind of surprised, cause we were. We couldn’t imagine what she wanted. She was probably in her sixties. She said, “One of our customers wanted you to have this. They saw your family and thought you could use it.” She then handed us a gift card to Chick-Fil-A. We laughed in disbelief! Nu-uh! It turned out that it was for $35.00….almost exactly to the penny of what we had spent for lunch.

Both Dw & I were humbled and the kids and us started to kind of laugh and shake our heads all the while thanking her profusely and asking her to thank that most kind and generous person. We looked around. There was no one watching. Crazy. She walked away and we were telling the kids how that was so like the Lord to pay for our meal, reassuring us that our needs will be met. Our kids were soooo tickled with us. What an unbelievable blessing!!
We eventually went back to eating and talking and laughing. About 15 minutes passed. All of a sudden the same woman came to our table again. She said, “Ummm, this is from another customer. They want you to have it. They thought your family looked really special.” I started laughing and said, “You’re joking!!” She shook her head and said, “Now do I look like someone who would joke?” Dw and I started to laugh in shock and amazement. What in the world? Sure enough – there was another gift card to Chick-Fil-A ….this time for $50.00!!

After handing us the gift card, the clerk lingered longer and so we told her the story of our family and how God’s heart is for the orphan and how we like to think that our family looks like God’s heart – cause our Almighty God is color-blind!!

We told her about Dw leaving for Haiti soon and that we love having a big family and how blessed we are to be older parents with a boatload of kids. We thanked her again and asked her to please thank this second really generous person for us. We looked around and really, there was no one to even suspect.

As she was walking away she told us how much of a pleasure it had been for her to meet us and we were left dumbfounded at the generousity of total strangers.

Graham thought that we should go eat at Chick-Fil-A every day!! It could provide a substantial living – haha.

Anyway, in the midst of that generous double blessing {even within minutes of each other!!} we felt that the Lord was reminding us that He will be providing for every one of our needs. He’s known about the financial/medical needs from before the beginning of time. He has known about the bus/van need from before the beginning of time. He has known about every need of yours, too, sweet bloggy friends – from the beginning of time. He is faithful. He will supply all of our needs. He will sometimes use “ordinary” ways to meet our needs. Sometimes he uses “extraordinary” ways to meet ours needs. But no matter what, it is HIM meeting those needs. He will sometimes even send total and complete anonymous strangers to meet our needs.

And one day, we will have two empty gift cards from Chick-Fil-A to put in our Memorial Box. If you have no clue what a Memorial Box, it is fully explained here. Basically, it is a box {or shelf} where we put little symbols of the stories in our lives that remind us of our Miracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving God. The times in our lives we have seen Him work: healing, providing, protecting, and even surprises! Frankly, we are a very forgetful people and God told the Isrealites to

If you are in need of encouragement, please click on the links below to see what Almighty God has done for others. Most likely you will be reminded of times that you have seen Him at work in your life as well.

And lastly, is there a story of a time where God surprised you and met a need when you least expected it? Please share your story with us!

If you are linking up, please feel free to use the Memorial Box badge on the right side bar. It’s a picture of our sweet log home and is one of the ultimate Memorial Box stories in our box – serving as a constant reminder of how God spared our lives that day.

34 thoughts on “Memorial Box Monday – Not One, BUT Two Sweet Surprises

  1. What an awesome story! And I believe that your much-needed vehicle is just around the corner…..I'm standing in prayer with you for our gracious & mighty God to fill this need for your precious family.

    Love you guys!♥
    PS – prayin for D in Haiti….

  2. God surprised me several years ago in a fun way. I had been in a minor wreck and had lost one hubcap. For some other reason that I can't remember now, I had also lost a second hubcap. I kept meaning to get them replaced, but just somehow never got around to it. Plus, we really didn't have the money to do so at the time.

    We live on the end of a cul-de-sac that backs up against a pretty major street. One day we were out in the front yard playing with our kids when a lady in a car just like mine – same color and everything – pulled into our driveway. She got out of the car and handed my husband a box. She said she had been driving by our house – on the OTHER SIDE of a busy street – and had seen – THROUGH the row of trees that separate our house from the street – that our car – which was just like hers – was missing a hubcap.

    She had just bought all new hubcaps for her car and still had her old ones in the box. When she was driving by, she just happened to see our car missing a hubcap (she could only see one from that side of the road)….so she stopped, TURNED AROUND, and came back to give us her old hubcaps (in perfect condition, by the way).

    Isn't God fun?! I love it when He does that! And I hadn't even ASKED! I had thought several times, "Oh, I need to get those replaced," but had never once thought to ask God for them. I truly didn't think it was something He would even care about. 🙂 It truly makes me realize that He sees me and thinks about me and cares about every single detail.

  3. Love, love, lovin' the story Linny! Twice over!! I'm getting ready to send the link on to a sweet Christian family here in TX (Houston), who happen to be the mama and daddy of seven, including three China girls w/number eight waiting in China to come home! They own two Chick-Fil-A franchises (and she directs their church's children's ministry), I know this story will just bless their hearts–BIG!!

  4. That is so awesome Linny!! When you tweeted about the 1st gift card, I was so touched. Now to find out there was a second, I'm so blessed! There are truly awesome people out there, but even moreso, an Awesome God that wants us to never forget that He knows our needs, and He WILL meet them!!

  5. Linny!
    I love this story! I can just picture the Lord grinning as He showered you with these gifts!
    I cannot tell you how much these Memorial Box stories bless me. I love reading them all and God seems to use them at the perfect time!
    I wanted to let you know that I have been praying for Jubilee and following along…just haven't had as much time to comment lately!!!!
    Hugs!
    Shannon

  6. Who would have guessed that you could have a beautiful God-filled moment at a Chick-Fil-A. I just love your Memorial Box Monday postings. Your family continue to be such an inspiration. Continued blessings.

  7. What I want to know is, which Chick-fil-a you ate at in Denver? We live really near the one on County Line Rd. Would love to meet you for lunch sometime when you're here. We also love Chick-Fil-A.

    I love hearing your stories on Memorial Box Monday.

  8. What a great story…. you know, it made me wonder… what if we gave the blessings that we received.

    I mean, I know we cant do this for everything (the shark, for example)… but what if we made a list of the things that God blessed us with and then when we have the chance, turn around and bless someone else with the same gift…. so maybe one day in the future, Elijah will be a teen and remember this very thing and give someone in Chick Fil A a gift card….

    How cool would that be? And how like our God to continue the good works through His people.

  9. oh, linny…i LOVE it. that is so fun & such a sweet gift of love from Him.

    i've wanted to join for so long….and finally did it! i linked here & we'll be placing our 1st item in our memorial box together as a family tonight!

    thank you for the encouragement. {i even planned on doing it last week & didn't. THEN, our pastor encouraged our congregation to have some sort of memorial box!!! i LOVE it!}

  10. God is so faithful in even meeting our smallest needs, and he will be ever so faithful meeting your bigger needs for the larger vehicle and for Julbilee's hearing aids.
    Father God I ask that you line up the right people to cross the wonderful family's path so that their current needs be met if that is your will for them. Thank you for providing future lunches for this family, Thank you THANK YOU Jesus Amen.

  11. Hi Linny
    What a beautiful story once again of God's goodness and how He provides for every need. These Memorial Box Mondays have carried me through a tough time right now…and writing my own has helped me to be able remember GOd is with me.
    I am asking for your prayers today as I go in for uterine cancer surgery on March 23rd. I have Lyme Disease, CFS, and many many allergies so that hospitals and surgeries are a bit more risky for me. I have vollied back and for between fear and calm that all will be well, working hard not to get stuck in the worry of it all. Reading about how God's goodness prevails and writing about it myself has helped me on this journey. God is in the details and He has shown that to me..just as he has shown it to you in your many stories.
    God bless.
    Thank you
    Renee

    http://www.myautumnyears.blogspot.com

  12. God cares about even the smallest things in our lives! I don't even know how to put words to how that makes me feel! GOD…the One who created everything…cares about the little things in my life. He took care of one of those little things for me this weekend. My husband just started his own business and has been working very hard. Last week, he worked from 7AM to 9PM pretty much every day. He was planning to work on Saturday too and that made me feel sad. I've been going through a valley and I really wanted to spend some time with the one person who understands. And God made that happen. My husband didn't have to go to any of his 3 jobs for various reasons…and I was thilled! Some people may not think that was God, that it was just a fluck, but I know better. Only God could have made that happen and He did because He cares for me!!!

  13. What an awesome story thanks for sharing!!! Next time you are in the Denver area you should check out our friends restaurant not that Chick-Fil-A isn't great too. It is called the SAME Cafe. The name stands for So All May Eat!! It is awesome and the owners are the most fabulous loving people ever!!! They serve ANYONE and it is by donation only. If you can't pay for your food then you work to pay for it. They feed so many homeless and it is wonderful food! Sorry when you mentioned Denver my heart immediatly goes to Brad and Libby and their restaurant. Check it out sometime and tell then Holly from back home in Illinois sent you!!

  14. I have decided to start a memorial box with our kids. Lately I have felt like we have all these needs but they arent being met. But if I really think about it, I know God's got it under control… and I also know that God has blessed up in other ways. SO I think this memorial box will help!
    Also… we are praying for a bigger vehicle as well. We only have one car and my mother is SUPER graciously allowing us to borrow hers, but I want to honor her and give it back (if that makes sense) and have a van as our second car. If you could pray with us on this, we would be so greatful… and we are praying for your bigger vehicle as well! :o)

  15. Linny,what you said so reminded me of something I just read in God's pursuit of Man. By A.W. Tozer.

    "If we grope back to the fartherst limits of thought where imagination touches the pre-creation void, we shall find God there. In one unified present glance He comprehends all things form everlasting, and the flutter of a seaph's wing a thousand ages hence is seen by Him now without moving His eyes…."

    How in our finite being can we comprehend his infinitness? And yet he doesn't hold that against us…. How humbling,thought provoking and magical is that????

  16. how awesome…speaking of chick fil a…my husband and I ate there this past summer while on vacation and we got their peach shakes and they were OUT OF THIS WORLD with chunks of peach in them! 🙂 YUM!

  17. I was praying for Gods provision and blessing over you guys this morning! Then I clicked to check in with you ( and share your site with a couple friends 🙂 and was so encouraged to see God is doing just that. I love you and cannot wait to see you soon!

  18. oh Linny, AGAIN, can I say how THANKFUL I am for YOU!?!

    I have gone from praying, to laughing to crying while reading your blog tonight. I think 'catching up' on here is exactly what I needed. I'm not exactly sure why this one is hitting me so hard. But I can't stop the tears from falling.

    I guess maybe it's because I see a BEAUTIFUL family who I've only come to know over the past year via Bloggyville, and wish so much that you lived closer so you could rub off on me even more! I've learned so much through your life stories of how He made beauty from ashes and has blessed your adulthood with an amazing husband and a boatload of precious children! I can't think of a more deserving family and I LOVE hearing about the ways that God blesses you… even at Chik-fil-A! God was having so much fun with you that day!! 🙂

    I love how merciful our Father is. How he cares about our needs. It's something I've been struggling with as our travels to bring Khloe home from China are likely only a month away. We are expecting our TA in a couple of weeks, and we are short some major $$$$$ if you know what I mean!?! But I see so many other families out there that I believe are more deserving for various reasons. And I guess some of why I might feel I'm not as diserving is for times when I've spent money foolishly when I could've saved it instead. If I had, we would be sitting much better right now as we approach our travels. So it's hard. Yet I know God loves us. That He forgives us. And that He still wants to bless us and provide. So reading stories like this one just show me how caring our Heavenly Father really is. How He shows up when we least expect it. So I was encouraged to continue to look to Him and that it's still okay to ask Him to provide, even if I might not be the most in need or most deserving…even if I do miss the mark sometimes.

    I think it's about time I locate one of those memory boxes myself. I think I have the perfect one, we just need to get it out and use it, as I know it will bless our kids, as well! God is so faithful… lest we forget!!! <><

    love you,
    ~Tanya
    thomclan@cfaith.com

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