We have family visiting. The fall foliage here is beautiful right now and way better than where they are from, so we went in together and split the cost of a minivan rental. Everything was all paid for and taken care of electronically, and I even patted myself of the back for saving over a hundred dollars through choose my own price bidding.
One teeny tiny problem. The bidding site neglected to tell us that even though we had already paid for the van, we had to have a CREDIT card, not a DEBIT card, to actually take the van away. "We have rented cars before without credit cards!" is what I am sure I screamed at my poor, defenseless hubby when he broke the news over the phone. He explained that each time before we had a return plane ticket. Oh. We have credit cards, we just do not use them and certainly do not carry them. I did not wanted to forced to use it! I was so upset. We had reservations for dinner on top of a MOUNTAIN! It was going to be FUN with my parents, grandmother, and aunt. Everyone would be disappointed. I had let everyone down. Why can things never go right?
Then God touched my heart. Enjoy the day with your family, he said. Have fun, take the girls to a thrift store with some of those coupons you got. Just enjoy the day. So I said, "Okay God, thank you." When it got home, everyone except my mother was actually GLAD to be staying home. My grandmother was tired, my aunt was excited not to be drugged up on dramamine for the day, and my dad was grateful for the rest after driving 600 miles the day before. Wow. Mom was okay too, just not as EXCITED as everyone else. Hmf... oh well, thank you Lord, you know best.
It gets better. Decided to have a date night with the hubby since we had sitters. I tried to use promo codes to get movie tickets. I completely WASTED money when they didn't work and booked two different show times at two different theaters. We coud have gone and seen a show seperately at seperate times, but we did not. That is NOT a date! I was mad and grumpy that we were not going to get to go. I told my husband "I am taking the women to the thrift store, we cannot go to a movie, decide before I get back if you even want to go out to just eat." I am sure he was SOOOOOO excited for an evening together after that.
I passed the thrift store but found it quickly when we turned around. When the light turned is when I realized and I was in a left turn only lane and had to turn on to the INTERSTATE! Not that I am scared or anything, but it was forever before there was an exit to turn around. When I finally could get off I was turning around in a parking and wonder of wonders is was the parking lot of another branch of the same store we were trying to find. We just stopped and went in, one is just as good as the other, right?
Oh no, God gives his children good gifts:) We found some great deals, most that we probably could have gotten at the other store too, but we will never know. But I found the mother load. A pair of 7 For All Mankind Jeans, perfect fit, for $8.99. Now, I do not know much about jean brands, I buy them cheap wherever I can get them, but from a friend I knew these sold for between $150 and $200 on most occassions. I'm thinking HELLO EBAY! However, now that I think about it, I may keep them as a reminder... I just need pray to see what He wants:)
I had also been lamenting about the wig that goes with commercial Strawberry Shortcake costume this year. My two year old desperately wants the costume, which is moderately priced, but the wig comes separate and is almost the same price! My mother found a red toddler wig at this store for $2.99! Yes, thank you Lord for good gifts.
Date night without the movie? Fantabulous! I really think God meant for us to have a night to reconnect, and you cannot do that at a movie or rushing to get to a movie. He had a wonderful dinner, went to get ice cream and sat in the car listening to music as we ate, and then we killed some time in the Christian bookstore and my husband found a great book that I know God had planned for him to find. I got a pretty neat deal too...
Point being, God knows, and he has better things planned, even in the small everyday details of life. Try not to waste this miracle being grumpy like I did for a long time yesterday, but enjoy it fully.
