Sooooooooo, this has been an adventuresome and challenging couple of months. End of July, I spoke at a conference in Houston. August started with a leadership intensive in my home for 32 leaders from all over, then off the next weekend to a family day weekend with our kids in California, where we were notified that my sweet mom died.
Then, travel to Oklahoma for the memorial and burial, then drive to Texas for clearing out her house and dividing up the "stuff" and then driving in a rental truck 820 miles home. Pack Joel off in a move to Los Angeles. Pack Sarah up and move her to southern Colorado. Sarah then had a friend who rolled her car 3 times and totaled it, then she had a wreck in the conference van she was driving for Summit Ministries and a truck plowed into the back of her car while she was stopped, followed by a ruptured ear drum and visit to the clinic. Joy needed surgery, which was eventually postponed while I took Clay to different appointments for his surgical procedure. Then surgery and the last 10 days of nursing, falling, having pain, sleepless nights and a trip to the emergency room and now anemia. Holding it all together amidst articles, meals, house-keeping, ministry, plane tickets, more trips ahead and deadlines and being mom to all the various needs of my children.
Sometimes, I have observed, that when I am seeking to walk with God, bearing under lots of stress by faith, seeking to have a strong and resilient spirit, I have not known just how tired I am or how vulnerable, I am until something unravels me unexpectedly.. When I am running at full pace without a break, I don't have time to think about how I am doing--just no time to think about myself.
Then there was yesterday. My computer had died on Tuesday, and I need my computer for almost everything I do. Finally, got a call from the store yesterday and said, "Come in and we will talk to you about it." So, I took a short break from Clay, made it to the store and was talking with the "genius" at the genius bar about the ramifications. Seemed they would have to look at it again , it was very sick and needed work, and they have keep it over the weekend for more days. Arrrggggghhhhhh--I felt frustrated because I am so far behind on everything. But somehow, I kept calm and practiced my strong, "I can deal with this" attitude because I really have been just releasing things to the Lord and somehow He has sustained through day after day.
Then, a manager came up and asked me what was going on---I began to explain, "The fan doesn't stop, the motor keeps running, it overheats, it shuts down and won't reboot........."
And then, out of the blue, she said, "This is what we are going to do," as she pointed to the top of the computer window to her fellow employee. He shook his head in the "yes" motion, and walked away to get something.
"I am going to give you a Mac for free and 3 years of warranty. It is the right thing to do as I don't think we can fix this any other way. And would you like a MacAir or a macbook? I would suggest the air since you travel a lot and write books. And I will throw in extra space on the computer, and a three year Apple care warranty, because I want to do it! I just want you to have this because I just felt like giving it to you and that you might need it."
I was stunned. Shocked. Absolutely did not expect it. Suddenly, my tears began to roll---something about someone being unexpectedly nice to me in the midst of all that I have been carrying, melted me. I am quite sure the sweet angel woman thought, "Well, she has lost her marbles now. I do something nice for her and all she can do it cry! Wonder what that is about?!"
Joy walked up and was shocked that I was crying. She said in alarm, "Mom, what's wrong? What happened? Did something happen to Daddy?"
"The store manager just gave me a brand new Macair for free and extra bells and whistles--and it just made me cry, cause I am so touched."
Then we both started giggling at me, and couldn't stop giggling.
I can tell you, I believe in angels, miracles and I feel like I am typing on a toy, because it is so cool and thin and sleek and fun and light. So, that was my miracle Thursday--and it all came about through a Mac Computer!
How was your Thursday?