Jehova Jirah

I thought you who know my cousin Sally and have embraced her here would like to know the latest (and final I hope) chapter. For you who do not know her this is still a story of God's provision. Earlier this week we were getting pedicures when her phone rang. She hung up after telling someone she would get back to her, turned and stared at me with blank eyes. I go, "WHAT?" She said, "That was Hillcrest Gardens, and they have a studio available." At first, it did not compute in my addled brain. You may be asking what is Hillcrest Gardens? Well that is the very senior housing complex where she had hoped to get a place when we were running around putting in applications. When I finally figured it out I was dumbfounded. Based on the fact that all the senior housing places had told us it would be at least two years, we had looked elsewhere for a place for her to live. We finally settled on a mobile home (the least expensive place in Livermore which was at least $450 over her comfortable budget point) and on February 24th her family unpacked her and started putting things away. She and I put pics on the wall etc. Her first night to sleep there was March 2nd...JUST ON FRIDAY ONLY THREE DAYS BEFORE THE AFOREMENTIONED PHONE CALL!

So Sally called back and made an appt to see the place about an hour later. We were pleasantly surprised when we saw the unit because it is all one room. We thought it would be too small, but it has almost as much space as her mobile home has...and in several cases it is more convenient spaces than where she is now. In addition it has an amazing patio in front of the home. There are plans in the next several months to add about five feet onto the front of the living room and to make a wall between the bedroom area and the living room. As we talked we did the conversation of "what if" and "we could put this furniture in that space."

When we were on our way over there I was a bit skeptical, but I could almost immediately see the possibilities. She will have to do a bit more downsizing, but the important things like her sewing table, two very useful shelves and an antique hutch that I had given her will fit quite nicely. Of course her love seat and recliner that had been GIVEN to her will also fit.

Her rent will be $524 and that includes EVERYTHING...electric, gas, and cable. Her only extra expense will be her land phone if she decides to get one. This would make a savings of about $5,000 a year and allow her to be independent...not needing any financial help.

OK, now here is my take on this miracle. Everyone was praying for housing for Sally, and this is God's answer and miracle. He is sooo good. I was kidding around in the car with Sally and I said "Well God answered our prayers. but I dont get His timing...lol. Then I quickly said, "Just kidding, Lord." Later I did wonder if we had been guilty of not waiting on the Lord. My husband and I talked about it the next morning. He felt that we had reached the end of the time when we could just sit and wait without taking action.

I thought of my friend, Jackie's faith when she was looking for senior housing several years ago. She had waited on the Lord when she was needing a new place to live. I know that I could not have even dreamed that two years would turn into less than three months. Aparently the first person on the list had just moved into some other place, so Sally got bumped up to the first place. Still, I looked at things seen instead of things unseen. The bottom line is that God is never late. In fact when Jackie found out she emailed me with this comment, "Well, God is never late but He misses many opportunities to be early." HaHaHa...I got a good laugh from that.

The fact is that while He is never late we are often early in our expectations to answered prayers. Now the unpacking in the mobile home has stopped, and we will soon be repacking what is already unpacked. We will set to this task with joy and gratefulness to our Jehova Jirah. Sally's family will join the effort when moving time comes.

I am thrilled for my cousin; she means the world to me. We will weather this extra work of repacking and facing the manager of the mobile home park who has been wonderful to us. Sally will move to her new and "permanent" earthly home in early April, and all unpacking has stopped as of yesterday.

Heavenly Lord, Who is the maker of heaven and earth and even studio apartment miracles I thank You for Your miracles and Your unending love of us as You provide for all our needs. You never cease to amaze me, and I thank you for coming alongside my family to provide what is needed in life...in Your timing...in Your understanding of what we require...and in Your love of us. Amen.

Corinne Mustafa