This morning I met with my women's ministry team to discuss our plans for two up-coming women's get-togethers. One of the many materials we would be needing for our meetings are pocket folders. Lots of them. 200, to be precise.
I volunteered to search for the folders. We have a women's ministry fund that would pay for them, but I thought, wouldn't it be nice if I could find a good deal and pay for the folders myself? Then the fund could be used for other valuable materials.
It was a beautiful day, and rather than make phone calls, I decided to enjoy the weather by driving to the various office type stores to compare prices.
Maybe the large number of folders I needed might induce a manager to offer me a discount.
I parked in front of OfficeXXX and confidently marched into the store. There, I found a disappointing selection and an even more disappointing price. In addition, the manager said that since the rush to buy school supplies was long over, there would be no discount. I politely and cheerfully said thanks and no thanks.
I headed on over to the big W-XXXX store. Their prices for folders were even less attractive and no, they wouldn't offer me a discount either.
At that point, it dawned on me that I could pray about this little endeavor. Yes, indeedy, if all else fails, pray!
So, just as I entered the next well-known store, I uttered my prayer for a reasonable folder deal. In this store, the guy who helped me was so nice, and actually seemed to comprehend my shocked reaction when he unveiled the price for 200 plain pocket folders. Hint: the actual retail value was going to be over two hundred dollars.
As I trudged toward the exit, I prayed silently, "Lord, this cannot be the deal I just prayed for."
A dismal image popped into my mind: me, folding and decorating 200 large rectangular pieces of construction paper and stapling little contrasting sheets inside for the pockets.
I shook my head to dispel the gloomy picture.
"Wait a minute, Lord. there's the B-XXX Store just down the way."
I headed in that direction. Just inside the entrance to B-XXX, a nice store worker approached me. "May I help you find something?"
"W-well, I just need a large number of pocket folders." My eyebrows slanted upward into the classic pleading position.
"There you go, Ma'am. Right over there." He pointed to a display unit close by the check-out center.
Remember the movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Remember the music they played every time the knights got close to finding the grail? Well, that's the music I heard in my head.
There had to have been at least three hundred of the sweetest pocket folders: reds, oranges, blues, yellows, greens. And each one, 18 cents.
18 Cents! Hmm, let's see, that's 18 times 200. . . It's only 36 dollars plus tax. Wow, what a deal!
Thanks, Lord.
You know, God is interested in even our smallest quests.
He knew my heart. He knew I sincerely wanted to help ease the burden on the women's ministry funds. He knew I was willing to pay for the folders. But he also answered my prayer for a decent price, too. How sweet is the Lord. How generous. How intimate His care.
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter. 5:7 NIV Bible)
I volunteered to search for the folders. We have a women's ministry fund that would pay for them, but I thought, wouldn't it be nice if I could find a good deal and pay for the folders myself? Then the fund could be used for other valuable materials.
It was a beautiful day, and rather than make phone calls, I decided to enjoy the weather by driving to the various office type stores to compare prices.
Maybe the large number of folders I needed might induce a manager to offer me a discount.
I parked in front of OfficeXXX and confidently marched into the store. There, I found a disappointing selection and an even more disappointing price. In addition, the manager said that since the rush to buy school supplies was long over, there would be no discount. I politely and cheerfully said thanks and no thanks.
I headed on over to the big W-XXXX store. Their prices for folders were even less attractive and no, they wouldn't offer me a discount either.
At that point, it dawned on me that I could pray about this little endeavor. Yes, indeedy, if all else fails, pray!
So, just as I entered the next well-known store, I uttered my prayer for a reasonable folder deal. In this store, the guy who helped me was so nice, and actually seemed to comprehend my shocked reaction when he unveiled the price for 200 plain pocket folders. Hint: the actual retail value was going to be over two hundred dollars.
As I trudged toward the exit, I prayed silently, "Lord, this cannot be the deal I just prayed for."
A dismal image popped into my mind: me, folding and decorating 200 large rectangular pieces of construction paper and stapling little contrasting sheets inside for the pockets.
I shook my head to dispel the gloomy picture.
"Wait a minute, Lord. there's the B-XXX Store just down the way."
I headed in that direction. Just inside the entrance to B-XXX, a nice store worker approached me. "May I help you find something?"
"W-well, I just need a large number of pocket folders." My eyebrows slanted upward into the classic pleading position.
"There you go, Ma'am. Right over there." He pointed to a display unit close by the check-out center.
Remember the movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Remember the music they played every time the knights got close to finding the grail? Well, that's the music I heard in my head.
There had to have been at least three hundred of the sweetest pocket folders: reds, oranges, blues, yellows, greens. And each one, 18 cents.
18 Cents! Hmm, let's see, that's 18 times 200. . . It's only 36 dollars plus tax. Wow, what a deal!
Thanks, Lord.
You know, God is interested in even our smallest quests.
He knew my heart. He knew I sincerely wanted to help ease the burden on the women's ministry funds. He knew I was willing to pay for the folders. But he also answered my prayer for a decent price, too. How sweet is the Lord. How generous. How intimate His care.
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter. 5:7 NIV Bible)
Amen! God does care about every aspect of our life. My wife prays for mall parking spots at Christmas time and usually gets them!
ReplyDeleteHave a Great Week Dena. :-)
BTW, thanks for your comment on my "Don't Mess With Old People!" post. ~Ron
Thanks, Ron. The Lord is the great God of the universe; but He's also our Daddy, and Daddies care about the little things in their children's lives.
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