If you've been around for awhile, you may remember the story about the Vermont Teddy Bears that my kids wanted when we were on vacation once. We just didn't have the money for them, but God provided one for each of my kids from thrift stores - the exact fur color and everything! (I'll try to insert a link to the post, but if I can't figure out how to do that from this blogging app, you may have to search for it on the blog. It's from May 11, 2011. It's still here and is one of my favorite blog posts of all time.)
Well, my kids have grown up a bit since then. My son turned 12 this year, and he's turning his attention to things like tennis shoes these days. Around his birthday this year, he told us he'd like some expensive Nike shoes that he had seen another teen wearing. Since my husband was unemployed at the time, we just couldn't justify $80 for a pair of shoes when he already had a pair that he could fit. And because of his age, he sometimes seems to outgrow a shoe size in one month. We promised to keep an eye out at thrift stores and buy him a pair if we found them there. We looked and looked ... and were still looking when his birthday rolled around. He had even mentioned that he'd love to have those shoes for his birthday present (a sure sign that he's not a little kid anymore).
I probably don't need to tell you that I had prayed many times, asking God to prove Himself to my son at this time in his life. Yes, my son remembers the Vermont Teddy Bears (we still have them), but I wanted another reminder for him that God hears him when he gets older, too.
Well, we still hadn't found the shoes when his birthday came. On the morning of his birthday, I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a bus. (I later found out that it was the flu, but I didn't know it then.) My husband had work to do for someone, so I was the only parent around during the day. Since we homeschool, I have the liberty of taking the day off when it's my kids' birthdays, and we always do. We do something special. I asked my son if he'd like to go to the local thrift store to look for shoes, and he said that he would. I felt a bit better later in the morning, so we went.
Now I have to tell you that my son takes after me. He was a bit skeptical that we were ever going to find those shoes because he knew as well as we did that they weren't a real *need* - just a *want*. Even at his age, he knows that we don't always get what we want.
But we went straight to the shoe section that morning and found not one, not two, but *THREE* pair of those shoes - all different colors - *IN HIS SIZE* and in beautiful condition!! It's just like God to answer my prayer over and above what I ever could have expected. He even got to pick what color he wanted!
Needless to say, my son was grinning from ear to ear when we left the thrift store that morning. God had come through just in time and given him a special birthday present. I made sure he understood that God had provided even more than we had asked for this time.
I knew it would encourage other people, so I wanted to share it here.
Well, my kids have grown up a bit since then. My son turned 12 this year, and he's turning his attention to things like tennis shoes these days. Around his birthday this year, he told us he'd like some expensive Nike shoes that he had seen another teen wearing. Since my husband was unemployed at the time, we just couldn't justify $80 for a pair of shoes when he already had a pair that he could fit. And because of his age, he sometimes seems to outgrow a shoe size in one month. We promised to keep an eye out at thrift stores and buy him a pair if we found them there. We looked and looked ... and were still looking when his birthday rolled around. He had even mentioned that he'd love to have those shoes for his birthday present (a sure sign that he's not a little kid anymore).
I probably don't need to tell you that I had prayed many times, asking God to prove Himself to my son at this time in his life. Yes, my son remembers the Vermont Teddy Bears (we still have them), but I wanted another reminder for him that God hears him when he gets older, too.
Well, we still hadn't found the shoes when his birthday came. On the morning of his birthday, I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a bus. (I later found out that it was the flu, but I didn't know it then.) My husband had work to do for someone, so I was the only parent around during the day. Since we homeschool, I have the liberty of taking the day off when it's my kids' birthdays, and we always do. We do something special. I asked my son if he'd like to go to the local thrift store to look for shoes, and he said that he would. I felt a bit better later in the morning, so we went.
Now I have to tell you that my son takes after me. He was a bit skeptical that we were ever going to find those shoes because he knew as well as we did that they weren't a real *need* - just a *want*. Even at his age, he knows that we don't always get what we want.
But we went straight to the shoe section that morning and found not one, not two, but *THREE* pair of those shoes - all different colors - *IN HIS SIZE* and in beautiful condition!! It's just like God to answer my prayer over and above what I ever could have expected. He even got to pick what color he wanted!
Needless to say, my son was grinning from ear to ear when we left the thrift store that morning. God had come through just in time and given him a special birthday present. I made sure he understood that God had provided even more than we had asked for this time.
I knew it would encourage other people, so I wanted to share it here.
posted from Bloggeroid
2 comments:
I have had the very same experiences as you. A few years ago I couldn't afford a pair of new shoes for my daughter, but during a trip to the thrift store there were that day 3 pairs of nearly new shoes that fit her perfectly! A pair of sneakers, a pair of mary janes for school, and a pair of winter shoes. Amazing, and my first thought was to thank God! I've also found several American girl dolls for her at the thrift store for $6 - $8, when they retail for over $90.
<3 This is wonderful! Good Luck to him and you for a great next year, may it be his best year yet!
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