I'm reading a book right now called God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew. It is a biography of sorts detailing the journey of Brother Andrew, who was involved in smuggling Bibles into communist countries. I came across this book at a yard sale for 25 cents. It was a God thing. When I picked up the book after a quick glance I actually mistook it for another book I had wanted to read a few years ago. I didn't examine it closely and later when I got home I realized it wasn't exactly what I thought it was. So glad that I decided to go ahead and read it. The major theme for me personally is God's provision.

Throughout his ministry, Brother Andrew had countless times that he needed something or needed something to happen and God provided exactly what he needed. It has reminded me of my lack of faith, when at times I try to manipulate things so that my needs/wants are met. Like justifying spending money on something that is just outside of my budget. Instead of trusting that God will give me what I need for what I can afford -- and that He will even go above and beyond my needs and bless me with something that I want instead of just meeting my needs.

Reading Brother Andrew's story has made me more aware of God's provision in my life. Even little things like that awesome parking spot that I got at the library yesterday and the grocery store today. And the bigger things too. On Sunday I had a plan for dinner. I preheated the oven and started getting my ingredients together. Then I realized that I forgot to purchase one of the key ingredients to the meal. And I really didn't have a good plan B. And then my oven started smoking. I had drips from the previous night that were burning. So now making anything in my oven is out. I had a few coupons for local restaurants so I started going through them. They were all for dine-in only or closed on Sunday. So with a hungry family I set out the Harris Teeter to find dinner at the grocery store. My plan was a rotisserie chicken. But they were all out and not going to have any for another 30 minutes. The only other things they had in the hot case was pork (we don't eat that) and fried chicken (we rarely eat that). So I begin wandering the grocery store for another idea. I ended up back at the case, putting the fried chicken in my cart. We were hungry. In the mean time I had found grapes for 79 cents a pound (WOW!) and a cantaloupe for 99 cents! I went through the line at the register and my total seemed higher than I had done in my head. I chalked it up to my hunger. :) Got the kids buckled in the car and then decided to look at my receipt. Ugh. They charged me $2 extra than the chicken should have been. So I grumble to myself about the chicken that I didn't even want in the first place and unbuckle the kids and go back inside to get my $2 back. The customer service person smiled and handed me $7.57 back in cash. I asked why I didn't just get the $2 back and she said that whenever the item doesn't ring up correctly and you bring it back to be adjusted, it is free.

So that was why my oven was smoking. That was why I was missing the ingredient. That was why there were no rotisserie chickens. That was why I opted for fried chicken. That was why I didn't check the price before leaving the store. God wanted to bless us with a free dinner.

We ate our greasy fried chicken and thanked Him.