I work for the Lord.

I am a firm believer that, in some cases, there is much more to a book than the words contained within its pages...actually in all cases that is the story - somebody, somewhere wrote the words down that defined a major life event, or a personal struggle, or steps to success or maybe even a fantasy, sci-fi world.... When you read a book just try to imagine the author handing you the book and telling you, 'this is my story' pass it on. How incredible and personal and touching to think of people who write for others enjoyment, fulfillment, pleasure.

We were driving home one Saturday from our weekend Adventures when I saw a new placed called Bargain Warehouse on the side of the road....They advertised "Household goods at 50-80% off msrp" and they had a huge tent set up outside. I had been curious about this place for a while, so the set up pulled me in. We found a parking place and unloaded the boys and as we made our trek across the parking lot I found three dollar bills folded nicely, almost as if God himself had reached down and dropped them on my path. I picked them up - rather excited about my find! We made it inside and looked through all kinds of junk. I was feeling rather disappointed...this didn't seem like a 'bargain warehouse' it seemed like a 'junk warehouse'. They had everything from Christmas decorations to clothes to food to 56k modems...I was looking at some of this stuff thinking, 'why would anybody by any of this stuff?' And then I made it to the back corner of the store and found one entire row of nothing but old books...then suddenly the store didn't seem so bad! I started looking through the books, I found one - Dearest Debbie In Ai Lee - and for some reason I opened up the front cover. And the rest is history.

Inside the front cover I found the following, nicely written in blue ink...some 46 years ago:

                            "To mother,
                                    Whose warm love for children,
                                     will understand and cherish this
                                     tender and heart-touching story.
                                                         Love, Betty"

Little did Betty know that not only would her selection be a touching gift for her mother (that I am sure her mother enjoyed because what mother doesn't love what their kids get them) but also that it would land in the hands of somebody working for the Lord. 

I purchased this book, because of the emotional strings it pulled by reading what dear Betty wrote in it.  I didn't read the back cover of this book, I didn't read the first few pages...I simply bought this book based on what somebody said 47 years ago.  Sounds silly I am sure, but I am a sucker for old books with emotional baggage.  Especially when they only cost one dollar....and even more so when technically it didn't cost me anything because I found the money!

Forty-six years ago a woman named Betty decided to buy her mother a book for Chrimtmas. In an effort to personalize the book she jotted down a little message.  On February 10, 2011 I passed that book along in an effort to provide hope and comfort to somebody who I don't even really know.  The circumstances surrounding this book and how everything 'fell' into place is evidence to me that it was 100% God's plan.  He wanted me to find the money.  He wanted me to purchase that book.  And he wanted me to give that book to somebody who needed it more than I did.  How awesome it is when he uses the things we love to show us about His plans. 

*This was a draft that was never published....cleaning out the drafts folder and this one is a keeper.