A Hug from God in the Meat Department

written Sunday, September 27, 2009 3:30pm

I blogged this morning before church about the last 3 weeks and God has continued to work in my heart about my ingratitude. During Growth Groups this morning we were asked how progress is coming on securing more permanent housing. These people haven't known us long but I think that they have gotten the idea that we are a bit more transient than most :) We told them that we had decided to rent and that, Lord willing, we will be able to move into our apartment next Monday because, Lord willing, the landlord will be done with the repairs on it by then. Dallas said something about us being given a discount on rent on the apartment and we realized he was thinking about the other apartment and I was thunderstruck again by God's grace and shared that the apartment is actually $150 less a month than the discounted price on the other apartment and we weren't responsible for things if they broke and it has two bathrooms. God is so good to us, better than we deserve.

After church we followed Julaine to her house that she is letting us stay in until we can move into our apartment then headed over to the apartment to pick up a key from the landlord so we can get in and do some cleaning in the apartment sometime before we move in. We called about a block from the apartment and found out that, though he planned to be at the apartment noon to 9 today, he was still at home because he had gotten really sick last night. We found out where he lived and went to his place to pick up a key. Glenn chatted with him a minute and found out it would probably be two more weekends so we won't get in there until the middle of October. Again the 'Lord willing' of timing comes into play :)

After getting the key we stopped at P&C to pick up some milk and butter and to let Lydia go to the bathroom. I picked up a flyer and saw that their boneless skinless chicken was only $1.88 a pound. That is a great price so I thought that I would go over and pick up a pack to have some chicken sometime this week. When I got to the chicken I discovered that there were “Manager's Special” tags on all of the boneless skinless chicken and it was discounted to 99 cents a pound or less. I don't know if I have ever seen it that cheap before. I stopped and thanked God and bought 7 packs and a box of freezer bags. They weren't on my list but I figured since it was such a great deal, how could I not? As I was leaving the grocery store this song from Paul Baloche and Benton Brown was on my heart:

O Lord you are gracious, and full of compassion,

You're slow to anger, abounding in love,

As high as the heavens are above the earth

So great is Your love for those who fear You

You heal our diseases, You forgive our sins

You remember that we are formed from dust

And all that we are depends on You

You do not treat us as our sins deserve

You will not accuse or your wrath preserve

We rejoice that You have removed our sins

May the world now see that

Our God saves, Our God saves

There is hope in Your name

Mourning turns to songs of praise

Our God saves, Our God saves

Thank You God for being gracious to me. Thank You for blessing me beyond measure in things great and small. Thank You most of all for saving me and not treating me as my sins deserve. I love you Lord!