Just Thought I'd Share

There was a post on my heart to write yesterday morning, but I never did get a chance to sit down and write it. Even so, it was an appropriate one to have to think through. You see, yesterday wasn't a great day. It was frustrating and difficult – one of those days when everything seemed to go wrong. Not necessarily by any fault of mine or even the kids – just almost by default.


In the midst of that, the post that was on my heart was a thankfulness post – one about all the ways God has answered prayers recently. It didn't change the frustration of yesterday, but it did help keep it all in perspective.


So, what has the Lord been doing in the Hibbards lately?

  • The house! When we first moved to Monticello, we knew the house we moved into could not be permanent. By about March we knew we needed to be actively seeking a new place to live. We just didn't know where to start! So, we prayed. And, guess what? We didn't even have to look! As we waited on Him, He laid this house in our laps. And, it is wonderful! We love it! We've been here two months now, and we feel truly settled. It's spacious, bright, and easy to keep clean. Sometimes He guides us in our searching and other times He tells us to wait and let Him provide completely on His own. This was one of those waiting situations, and it wasn't super easy – but it was definitely worth the wait!

  • Firewood. A more recent and short-term request was for firewood. We've never had a “real” fireplace before. In Horn Lake we had a gas one that was a lot of fun. But, it didn't put out much heat and it wasn't really economical to use. So, we mainly used it occasionally for a date night or in the early mornings to knock of the chill just a touch. Here we have a fireplace insert with a cycling blower that really works to heat the front part of the house. But, having never messed with a fireplace, we've also never dealt much with securing firewood. We were praying for the Lord to lead us to trustworthy and affordable sources of firewood for the upcoming forecasted cold spell. He did just that! Thanks to some church members who had enough to share or sell to us, we have a nice stack of wood in the carport with the promise of more to come. It has been such a lifesaver as our temperatures have hovered around or below freezing in recent days.

  • Upward. I shared both here and on my thoughts blog that I was very nervous about coaching an Upward basketball team. God really guided Doug to step in and know exactly what was needed. He went through the whole practice with me, helping me get a firm grasp on how Monday night needed to roll and what challenges I might face. Meanwhile, God sent three other great people from church Monday night. As I guided the flow of the practice, Fred – someone with both an understanding of basketball and a knowledge of teaching sports to kids – stepped in to actually teach the concepts to the team. My team consisted of Angela (the only girl on the team) and five adorable little boys – four in KG and one in 1 st grade. Meanwhile, Mark and Meranda showed up an hour early for their son's practice so they could be there to jump in when needed. Although I didn't need them in the practice itself, they cheered me on from the sidelines. Their encouragement was more than I can express. Isn't God good to send His children in to provide just what we need?! I'm so thankful!


There are so many more things we're thankful for in this new year – so many blessings and provisions. We've seen our children grow and learn. I heard Angela tell me last week that she was sad because we didn't have school that day. I've heard both of my girls apply spiritual principles in new ways. I've seen Steven mature in many areas because of the ways he's been challenged. Doug and I have seen growth in our lives and have seen areas where we can continue to grow. God has shown us how to grow in healthiness and related discipline, and has provided the tools and resources we've needed to do so – and the encouragement to keep it up!


May God receive all the glory for how He works and provides! And, I pray that each day that just seems to go wrong I'll be reminded of the many, many ways He is working in and around my family.


Comments

Mandy said…
What a great post, Ann! I love how God works like that. He puts thankfulness in our hearts right before we have a horrid day. Almost as though he's providing us with a great test so that once we pass it we can see how easy it is in the future to choose thankfulness and joy NO MATTER what the circumstances.

It sounds like the kids are all doing so well! I love hearing about each of them!
Choate Family said…
What a sweet answer to prayer for your rookie season of basketball coaching. I'm having a blast catching up on your blog!

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