We adore the area where we live. The neighborhoods and amenities are fantastic. The only downside is the hefty Homeowners Association dues. And they are due in December (but aren't considered late until January 31st). I always wait until January to pay them because it's just hard for us to pay that big chunk around the holidays (especially on one income).
Seeing as we are on the home stretch before our savings runs out and I return to work full-time later this year, it was going to be especially difficult to pay those HOA dues this time around. I even (somewhat) jokingly prayed to the Lord that it would be so helpful if someone would just pay those HOA dues as our Christmas gift this year. Ha! Silly prayer, right?
I have been avoiding balancing our checkbook because it is always scary in January, but it was time to stop procrastinating and do it already (and pay those HOA dues). So today, as I was looking through our online banking transactions, I noticed a payroll deposit for an unusual amount dated January 3rd. My Brad gets paid on the 15th of each month so I was seriously confused.
It took me about 10 minutes to make sense of it, but I finally remembered that Brad's district was paying their teachers a one-time incentive pay as part of their raises this year. And it was to be paid in one chunk in January. I had completely forgotten all about it since this isn't the norm.
Y'all. The extra amount that Brad received is $95 OVER what we need to pay our dues. Do you know who orchestrated that? Nope. Not the school district (even though we do thank them). It was our Heavenly Father who is so incredibly good to us.
I sat on the living room floor by myself today...with bills and receipts all around me... and I wept. I wept in relief. And gratitude. And humbleness. And shame for not trusting in Him to provide.
And I remembered my silly prayer about someone paying our HOA dues.
Then I wept some more because our Father paid them....and He paid for so much more. Like all my sin.
Heavenly Father,
My words will never be enough to express the gratefulness and awe I feel in my heart. So I simply praise you and say thank you. And I love you.
Michelle
God always provides, we just sometimes seem to let every day stresses get in the way of us remembering that. You my sweet friend are such a faithful servant of God and a constant reminder to me to keep my faith strong. Thank you for your honesty and uplifting,and helpful blogs. God bless y8u and y8ur awesome family.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! :) Comments like this encourage me so!!!
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