Miracles Do Happen

Those of us here constantly worry about our wives and our children back home. They are in our prayers and in our thoughts. When things happen that test and challenge them, it’s hard on us as we can’t be there to “solve” the problem or even just be there to lend a shoulder to cry on. So when we, I hear about how the Lord blesses my wife and family with large and small miracles, it humbles me to know that He is looking out for them.

I meant to post this two weeks ago but have been in a writing slump. Pictures are easy but drafting anything of value to anyone or of interest has been a challenge. Janae told me of another incident that happened recently that reminded me that He truly is watching out for my wife and sons. It made me realize that I needed to get these posted so that not only would I write about them, save them to my hard drive for future reference, but to let you all know that the Lord is hearing your prayers on their behalf.

This first incident occurred two weeks ago when Janae and Luke took several boxes of humanitarian supplies from his Eagle Scout project to the post office to be mailed.

So here, in her own words, is what happened…

We had a little bit of a scare at the post office I put the zip lock bag in my coat pocket that had the cash for mailing the humanitarian supplies. I thought I had put my wallet in the other pocket. When we got up to mail the packages I couldn't find my wallet.

I had Luke go back out to the car and look in the car. He couldn't find it. I had him look around the car. He couldn't find it. I had him call Seth and see if I had left it at home. Seth couldn't find it. I had the money in my zip lock bag, so I knew I could pay for the mailing, but I did not want to lose my wallet. I didn't have the time to cancel everything and get a new license, etc. The military ID's etc. are all in there.

Well, as I continued to pray inside while they were weighing the packages, etc., a lady walked up to me and said, "Are you Janae Church?" When I turned to say yes I saw that she had my wallet. She had found it in the snow outside the post office. [She] looked inside at the name and picture and came inside and found the person that looked like the picture. Then she said, "You don't look as old as your birthday!"

What an answer to my prayers. After thanking her over and over, I began giving silent prayers of thanks. I'm so grateful that an honest person found it. It must have been knocked out of my pocket while carrying the boxes in. That's why I should always take my purse. Of course, Luke is never going to let me forget about this and I'm sure he will tell everyone about how his old mom lost her wallet. I don't think I'll take my blood pressure right now. I'm sure it's a little high. Another small miracle. Actually, I think it's a big miracle. A lost wallet is horrible.

Just recently Janae prepared a gift basket for one of Luke’s teachers at school for Teacher Appreciation Day. Here’s the story, again, in her own words…

At the junior high back to school night I signed up to do a teacher appreciation basket for Mrs. History Teacher. She is the history teacher that was so good and Luke did so well in her class.

A couple of weeks after signing up I was in Xpedex and they had reams of paper on sale. I had the thought, "Buy the pink paper to use for the basket." So, fortunately I did. I'm not sure why I felt I should buy the pink paper, but I did.

So, I decided to do the basket with a pink theme. I bought some pink note cards and made some flower pens with pink flowers. I had some pink bath salt, pink tic-tacs and pink gum. Then I bought some Valentine peanut butter kisses, so they are pink; Mrs. History Teacher likes peanut butter candy things. Then I put in a pink FUZE drink. Anyway, everything was pink.

Today after teaching morning kindergarten I went to the junior high to put all these things in a basket for her. I had some pink ribbon that I was going to use to tie a cute bow on the basket, but the basket they gave me already had a bow on it and it had pink in it, so I just left that bow on.

After I filled the basket, they asked which teacher it was for. When I said Mrs. History Teacher, they asked me if it was okay if she didn't get it for a few days. I guess they ask that just to make certain there's not something in it that might spoil. I said that was fine and asked if she was out sick or something. They said that last week she found out that there was a baby for her and her husband to adopt and that's why she was gone.

She's been teaching school for 8+ years, so I think she's 30 something, so that's so exciting that she finally is going to have a baby. Anyway, I then asked if she was adopting a boy or a girl. It is a girl. WOW! That's why I was supposed to do a pink themed basket. Pretty cool! That's my exciting story of the day.

These are just two examples of how the Lord watches out and takes care of our families back home. What a testimony builder, but more importantly, what a comfort that is to a soldier who is thousands of miles away, to know that his family is being taken care of. Truly, the Lord’s tender mercies at work.