Don’t you just love the new “thingy” that Erica made? I didn’t ‘know’ her and I didn’t ask her…she just saw the need and did it!! Thank you sweet bloggy friend Erica!! You are a huge blessing. When I looked at what she had made, I gasped! There is nothing more appropriate sweet friends in our lives to represent the Memorial Box in our home, then a picture of our precious log home, where there is no doubt that the angel of the Lord not only protected but completely spared our lives this past January 14th. Infact, Erica did a Memorial Box Monday post yesterday…..you won’t believe it, but they had the start of a fire in their home just this past week. Read about it here. We praise the Lord for His protection over their lives and their home.
As more and more of you join in the Memorial Box Monday’s, recalling the things God has done for you and His complete faithfulness, I would love you to use the little symbol on your stories as well. Hopefully, someone can help me figure out how to put a link on sidebars as well.
Erica didn’t know how to do the sidebar thing with a link to my original Memorial Box Monday post….maybe one of you know how to do that? She suggested I ask you all. If you know how to do it, please email me at: APlaceCalledSimplicity@yahoo.com
I intend to set up a MrLinky kind of thing too. It will be such an encouragement to read other friends stories of God’s faithfulness. It builds our faith and ministers to our soul, no doubt.
Anyway, here is a short Memorial Box Monday (on Tuesday). It is the pre-requisite for tomorrow’s post (hopefully, I’ve been writing it in my head for weeks).
Three and a half years ago, when we were starting Isaiah’s adoption, we did not have one penny saved toward it. We just knew that God had called us to be an advocate for the orphan and to adopt Isaiah specifically.
Prior to starting the adoption process it had been Dw’s birthday and I had bought him a portable basketball hoop. It had cost about $300.00. We had not put it together yet and so it was sitting in the garage in a box from Sam’s Club. It was a prized gift, because that handsome hunka-hunka hubby of mine loves basketball.
A few weeks passed and Dw said to me, “I think we should take the hoop back….we could use the money toward bringing Isaiah home.” I mentioned that I was confident that the Lord would provide one used, at a yard sale. We started to pray for a used one and took the one in the box back.
Yard sale season started and one day we were walking up the driveway at yard sale and I saw Dw bee-line for something. I turned and there was a beautiful portable basketball hoop. It was part of the yard sale and was marked $50.00. Now we’re talkin’!!! Dw and I were so excited. We were giddy. We were so giddy infact at the Lord’s provision that we told the lady who was selling it. I whipped out a picture of our sweet baby boy waiting for us in Ch*na. The lady was smiling and very sweet and we could tell she was tickled to have had the hoop for sale for us.
We had no way of taking it home, so we wrote her a check and asked her to hold it for us. She was happy to do it. We eventually went home and Dw grabbed his truck and headed back to pick it up.
When he got there the lady handed him our check back. Dw said he looked bewildered and said, “No, that’s for the hoop.” She said, “I have been thinking since you were here….I want to give you the hoop, put the money toward bringing your son home.” *tears welling* Yes, a perfect stranger ministered to us and helped to provide for the ransom for Isaiah to come home – and Dw still got a basketball hoop!!
We had in our Memorial Box the cancelled check from that sweet lady as a symbol of how God provides for families miraculously, even through complete strangers, when people commit to bringing home orphans. Almighty God is, as we refer to Him, our Miracle-working, Mountain-moving, Awe-inspiring, Gasp-giving God!! How we praise His name!!
What would you put in your Memorial Box?? Our lives are full of God’s protection, provision and blessings…….you have plenty of stories too, I just know it… so please begin a Memorial Box and tell me about it!!
Beautiful post! Thanks for sharing your miracle. I too, know that our Heavenly Father blesses. I am excited to make our own box and presenting it to our family next Monday for Family Home Evening! Thanks!
This totally choked me up. I remember reading about a 'canceled check' as a symbol of how God provided for you in a time of need, but what a NEAT story to back it up! I love it!! 🙂
Have a blessed day and know that we are praying for sweet Jubilee and your family! <><
Hugs,
Tanya
I just want to thank you for sharing that. The tears are streaming!! We are in a similar situation. Called to adopt, and we don't have a dime saved. We applied to the agency we liked best in total faith. We knew they only had one opening right now (they only work with 40 families at a time) and there were over 100 families that had applied. We got a call sunday that WE GOT ACCEPTED! We only have one slight problem…. we have only 10 days to sign the contract or they will give the slot to the next family. And when we sign the contract, we need $2900. It seems like such a HUGE mountain. I know God can provide it and we are begging Him to do this for us. Thank you for encouraging me today. I'll definitely be reading more of your story!! You can read ours at Strivingfor31.com
I'm in!! I will definately start a Memorial Box Monday post on my blog. It has been on my mind more and more lately. We are beginning a journey of faith ourselves. I cannot wait to see the ways that God provides for our journey. I can totally relate to the 'not one penny saved toward it" statement. God bless you, sister. I am praying for y'all.
I am so touched by the kindness of strangers. God is alive and at work!
Hallelujah!!!!!
Sweet friend, I'm in the midst of packing up dreams and fulfilled promises. The Lord is calling us back home from the mission field after serving for the past 5 years. We leave on Sunday morning. Our treasures are priceless … our memorial box is full …
I just packed a wooden fish bowl that we bought in Kenya to remind us of how God provided after my little 5 year old gave his ticket money to help our Costa Rican team get there to minister. He waited patiently everyday to see if we had the money to buy him a new ticket (and mommy's too) because as he told us … a little boy gave Jesus his fish and bread and He provided for everyone. I gave my ticket to Jesus and I know He'll provide for all of us. Yes, we all went, every Costa Rican on our team and our entire family to share the love of Christ with the Masai in kenya for a 2 month outreach. I found the little fish in a market, a treasure to remember …..
I just might need to join you on this memory box day!
Blessings from this missionary mommy,
Sarah Dawn
I love the badge…beautiful. And what an awesome story in regards to the basketball hoop. God is indeed good!! Hugs
Such an awesome story!! Thanks for sharing!
We don't have a memorial box yet, but we do have specific memorials – and I want to start one too. These memorials are given to our children- statues of angels, or "mommy & them" or "daddy" and them kind of things. Every time we look at these we think of how God protected each of our children from all the reasons they came to us. We share with our children that God brought them here, and we fought spiritually for each of them before we even knew them. And of course after we knew them too. Our children love to hear of when they first came to live with mommy and daddy, and what we did when we found out they would come. Makes me tear up just thinking about it!
Hi, I came to visit from another blog. I can't believe how much time I have spent here and of course I don't really have the whole scope.
Your family is amazing. You must have so much energy. I am 56 and have MS and am doing very well. I get a hole in the toe of my right shoe because i often drag that foot a little when I am tired (like after a 30 minute walk :o) God is good. I have four Granddaughters and do day care… they go home. I need the rest.
Is your husband better? I didn't get the end of that story… or are you now in a different house for good?
I live in Longmont CO and have camped in your area before. Gas prices have kept us closer to home.
I enjoyed getting to know you. Please stop by some time.
What a cool button for Memorial Box Mondays!!! How creative and special Erica is! Thanks to Erica from all of Linny's friends!!
I love it!!! I haven't found a Memorial Box yet, but I don't think I'm going to wait ant longer to begin.Thanks!
I just LOVE that story!! 🙂 And the Memorial Box thingy–it's GORGEOUS! I gasped when I saw it. LOVE IT!
My biggest problem is posting a MB story on Monday because I am not a very scheduled kind of girl. :)) But I am TRYING! 🙂 I could have save my story about God giving my son a job, but of course, I couldn't wait and blurted it out that very same day. Sigh… I am hopeless.
hey friend. I'm sure Alexis would do that for you. any news????
Here's mine for the week! I can't wait for you to get a Linky-thing. 🙂 Not that I know how to use it, but I digress! 🙂
http://theplacecalledhome.blogspot.com/2009/09/memorial-box-monday-wednesday-edition.html
Linny, I got one, I got one. We decided to spend the day quietly as a family before M moves on Tues. We headed to an antique and fleamarket and then to the beach. However at the market I found the perfect "memorial box". Oooh I wish you had been with me shopping. I was thrilled. I'll post about it this coming week. And the first thing to go into it, a Christmas ornament. Now I just need to find a spot for it. I'm so excited.