My neck has been in a knot for about 4 months. Ironically enough, that is how long my computer has been moved since it was unceremoniously replaced with a stinking Chromebook. Lots of reasons ‘why’ but it still doesn’t make me happy. Plus, my neck hurts.

It might have to do with some other things in my life. I don’t have a lot of stress usually…I mean, I am a full-time teacher, single mom, working on a super tight budget, and well…kids. So, not a lot of stress. Just the normal stuff, right? Everyone is dealing with stuff so suck it up Buttercup!

Every now and then, it is nice to have a reminder that I’m not in this all on my own. It may seem like it when I don’t have that special someone to share the burdens with, no one to go on that weekly Friday night date with, and no one to blame for spending too much on Salad and Go except myself. It can become quite an annoyance to not be able to pass the proverbial buck on to anyone else. Talk about being a grown-up!

The reminders come fairly often if I’m willing to see them. Every week, I have 3-6 wonderful men show up to drive my son to and from his Service Mission assignments. Every week they show up. Every week. Some days, they are left at the doorstep for 20 minutes. Some days they end up going home without a passenger. They keep showing up. It has taken a load off my plate and blessed my son beyond measure.

I have light in my family room. That may not seem like an earth-shattering event for many of you, but we were down to one working light bulb in there and had no idea how to change the lightbulbs. Before you jest, realize that our ceilings are about 300 feet high. Okay, maybe not THAT high, but they are way beyond what I can reach standing on anything I own. A sweet man and his son came to minister to us and gave us light. The light extended beyond the room and into our hearts as we felt their love and desire to serve.

A blue suitcase appeared at my door today. It might look like just a suitcase to anyone else, but to me, it represents the biggest and the best partner I have right now. My son’s mission companions sent his suitcase home when he was transferred to Africa right after Thanksgiving. It never showed up. They were told it was lost and we would need to make an itemized list of what was lost. Ethan made the list. As I read it, my heart sank at the last items: irreplaceable – copies of scripture with personal notes, 2 full journals, 5 notebooks of personal notes…all lost. How do you put a price on those? And then… after many calls, the luggage was found. It had no name, no address, no phone number. How did they find me? One letter from home. One return address.

Sometimes it only takes one small thing. The Lord can use even the smallest thing. A grain of mustard. A loaf of bread. A humble stable. A heart that is open and willing.

The tender mercies that have been and continue to be poured out on my family prove that I am not alone. None of us are alone. We have the best, most loving, most capable, and most powerful partner possible. All we need to do is let him help.

He is there.

Cause I said so.