God's Provision

This week I have a cool story to share. I debated on blogging about it because I usually blog about eating and weight loss but it's my blog. So I can deviate from the norm if I want to right? Right. 

A couple of weeks ago school fundraising season was in full swing. I had all these doe-eyed little faces coming to me and asking me to buy wrapping paper or candy or to help them feed the orphans. And I said "yes" every time. (Don't worry the hubby ate the candy. He can afford all those calories.) I mean how could I not?! They're all so cute! Well, I gave no mind to the amounts I was contributing or whether it would put a hole in my budget. (Those cute little faces!) It came time for me to plot out my household budget for the next couple of weeks and THAT'S when I realized....oh. Maybe I should not have been so impulsive! 

I prayed and asked God to give me the wisdom to make it work. I crunched some numbers and figured out that if we didn't have our once a week meal out for a couple of weeks AND if I cut my grocery budget back for the next couple of weeks we'd be back in the black...barely but it would work out. Thank you Lord! 

Then week two rolled around. I had been depending (in my budgeting and meal planning) on using vegetables from my CSA box that are already paid for. But the start of my CSA season has been delayed due to their losing crops to the harsh weather. Which is a risk you take when buying into a CSA. So now I have to buy vegetables. And my meat stores in the deep freezer are running low. There's no way I'm stretching the money I have to get everything I need. We may have to live on eggs and rice for a week. Okay Lord. Show me what to do. 

Suddenly I remembered a gift card my husband was given as a gift. It's a card to an out of the way local specialty meat store! We had been procrastinating using it because it was way out of our way, but now they have a location close to the hubby's work! Thank you Lord!

But He wasn't done yet. I sent my husband to work one morning armed with the gift card and instructions to bring home whatever it could buy us. He comes home that afternoon wearing a giant grin and carrying two bags. They say "Walmart" on the side. "What's all this," I ask. "Didn't you go the meat market?" "Nope," he replies. Then he tells me how so-and-so from work said he was trying to get rid of a bunch of venison to make room for when he goes hunting. Well my husband, being the nice guy he is, mentioned how we eat venison  and we could help him with that. The guy invited him to come on over after work and he'd gladly give him some. 

So there my husband stood. With bags of God's unexpected provisions. NINE meals worth. At first I thought the provision was the wisdom to budget and shop frugally. Then I thought the provision was the long forgotten gift card. But no. Each time the blessing just got better and better until there was no doubt Who it came from. Because God's cool like that.