Our New Vehicle

    So, my hubby recently had a car accident, and in the process, our car was totalled. Hubby walked away without a hair on his head out of place. Praise the Lord. After the initial shock of it all, we then started discussing our next vehicle with my father-in-law, who is our mechanic and used car dealership. The night of the accident he didn't think there was anything currently available in the shop parking lot. So we figured we might be waiting a bit before we had a new one. The next day he texted us pictures of an SUV that was in fact, sitting in the shop parking lot. Hubby had decided after his accident that he wanted us in an SUV next. We looked at the pictures and agreed that we both liked it.

    Later that day we found out that the SUV belonged to a family friend/mechanic at the shop. So one of hubby's coworkers. It belonged to his coworker's mother who recently gave up her license and vehicle.

    Hubby and I spent the rest of that weekend wondering how much money they would want for it. Hubby returned to work on Monday and was given the asking price. It was at the low end of what we thought they would ask.

    Before the accident, we intended to use our income tax return to finish paying off our debt. On the night of the accident, we knew that was no longer an option. That money would have to go to a new vehicle and that was fine. Life happens.

    Hubby's coworker tells his mother about the offer on her vehicle and who it was from. She told him to give us the vehicle. After work that evening hubby told me the good news and I'm still crying tears of joy and gratitude for this beautiful blessing. The next day hubby and I were at the shop after working talking to his coworker. We wanted to get his mom a gift card and thank you card for her generosity. He gave us advice on what to get her. I also asked him how long it had been since she gave up her license and vehicle. Two weeks. It had only been two weeks since the SUV had been sitting in the shop parking lot waiting for its new family. He said that he was planning on putting it on Kijiji but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Hubby said that he put it on "Jesus Kijiji."

    God in His soverign will knew we were going to need a new vehicle and brought us to it at just the right time. He is so good and we are so grateful. God provides my friend.

    It's now been three weeks since the accident and two weeks of ownership of our new vehicle and I'm still crying tears of gratitude every time I think about this beautiful blessing and gift.

    This afternoon, Blessing and I walked over our thank you gift to his coworker's mother. I told her who I was, that it was a huge blessing and how thankful we are for it. She said that it was an older vehicle so she didn't think it was worth much so giving it away to someone who could use it was the best option. When I lifted up the gift bag and said we wanted to give her a gift to say thank you she said that I didn't need to do that and that I was going to make her cry. I too started to cry. She thanked me and we parted ways and I shed a few more tears as Blessing and I continued our walk. I spent the rest of our walk thinking about our encounter. The principle of one man's trash is another man's treasure came to mind. Not that she thought the SUV was trash, but simply no longer useful to her and yet a huge blessing to hubby and me.

    But, God is not good just because He provided us with a new vehicle. He is good period. In His goodness, He blessed us with a new vehicle. When hubby told me that we were being given this vehicle, through my tears I said that I was raised to believe and still do that when you honor God with your life He honors you back. No, I'm not perfect by any means. I'm working through lots of stuff with my therapist right now, but I'm better then I was and by God's grace, I will continue to grow closer to God and closer to the woman that He created me to be.

    I pray that this post blesses and encourages you today friend and reminds you that God is good, faithful and always provides.

God Bless

~Hannah

God's handwork in Orillia two years ago during our anniversary trip.

Take Nothing For Granted

    Two weeks ago Friday, hubby got into a car crash. He hit black ice, lost control, and the next thing he knew, the car was upside down in the ditch. He prayed, and God got him out of the vehicle without a hair on his head out of place. Praise the Lord. Our car on the other hand was totalled.

    After it was all said and done he got a ride home with a police officer and told me all about it. We then called his dad who picked us up and brought us to the shop where our car was also headed via a tow truck. We sat in the show kitchen and discussed our next steps. We would start looking for a new vehicle and in the meantime, we were simply grateful that hubby was, and is alive. Not only alive but not in the hospital with broken bones or anything either.

    I said to hubby that at least we live in Wallaceburg near our mechanic who is also a used car dealership and we both work locally so our commute to work would be easy to navigate as well. Hubby rode in with his dad and then another coworker until we got a vehicle. I texted one of my best friends who I work with and live within walking distance from her apartment. She was happy to drive me to work as well. We put all other extracurricular activities on hold while we navigated our situation. In the past, we have borrowed a vehicle from his dad but the one we usually borrow is not good in the snow and in my spirit, I didn't really want to ask or borrow. Looking back, I think God was gearing us up to teach us about not taking our vehicle or any other available vehicle for granted.

    The things that needed to be done were not hard but it was an emotionally stressful and exhausting week nonetheless. Before long we were feeling a strong case of cabin fever due to not having our own set of wheels, but grateful to those helping us out.

    Hand-in-hand we navigated our situation and found another vehicle. The story behind that new vehicle deserves a post of its own and I'm still crying over it. As I said, it wasn't long before we started feeling the stress of not being able to leave our apartment without the help of someone else driving us. Long story short, we quickly learned how much we had taken our car for granted and how truly thankful for coworkers who not only got us to work and back but also took me out and helped me get our weekly grocery haul. The simple act of driving me to and from Walmart so that I could feed my family meant the world to hubby and me. You know who you are. I love you and hubby and I appreciate you so much.

    After I realized how much we took our car for granted I started thinking about all the other things we take for granted and now I'm reminding myself to be more thankful. Are there things in your life that you are taking for granted and now need a loving reminder to be thankful for? Well, here it is, along with a dose of God's grace to help you along your day.

    Enjoy thing snowy weather we are having on this Family Day long weekend. Hubby and I are enjoying a quiet weekend after the craziness of the last few weeks.

God Bless

~Hannah

I love winter and Blessing and I enjoyed a long walk in the snow today, but the best photography happens in the Fall.