Answers to prayer

Our car has been out of action for almost three weeks, and up until yesterday, we had been very lucky in always having someone willing to take us on the school run and me to work.  Yesterday we had to walk home from North Leigh to Witney.  A walk that took us 1hr 1/2.  Yes, that's right, an hour and a half, for part of which we were rained on.  We managed to keep our spirits up by singing every nursery rhyme and song we could think of.  A particularly fun (!) part was when we stopped by a field full of sheep.  When they heard my singing they started to run.  So we sang louder and they ran faster.  Just as they thought it was safe and started to slow down, Jasmine screamed (and Jasmine is good at screaming!).  The sheep took off again at full pelt until the field was empty - we thought it was hilarious!

As we walked on and on down the side of this A road (so therefore, not a pleasant country road) we started to get achy and weary and fed up.  The road just seemed to stretch on and on into infinite.  During another bout of grumbling I stopped and said to the kids that we are very lucky that we have legs that we can use to walk.  And that there are children in some parts of the world who have to walk further than this to school and back every day.  Hearing this, Ben said "that's a prayer" and he closed his eyes, put his free hand to his forehead and prayed "dear Jesus, thank you that we have arms and legs that work. Amen"

Now how is that for gratitude!  I was so proud of my two walking so far, having to carry all their school stuff down a busy road, in the cold and sometimes rain with only the odd grumble.  And they finished up feeling happy about it because they understood the privilege of having a body that works and does what it's meant to. 

I also learned a valuable lesson.  I was feeling so sorry for myself and the children having to walk so far and I was feeling so disappointed that, despite my many prayers, we still didn't have the money together to fix the car (we had been quoted almost £1000!) I was upset that it was taking so long to get the car back and that on top of that we were now having to walk home (even though up to this point I had a lift or a loaned car whenever I had needed one).  I was feeling like God just didn't care after all.

Then Nick came home with the car later that evening.  And he had news.  The Cam belt wasn't snapped, as they had originally thought, but rather the started motor needed replacing (as we had originally thought').  They sorted out the starter motor, replaced the cam belt anyway and changed the oil.  The total cost?  Icluding what we had paid the AA for the year's roadside assistance, it came to a grand total of £566 and 30 something pence.  Up to that point we had £567 together.  How amazing is that!  Answers don't always come in the way we expect or when we expect. 

Bonfire Night

All week Ben and Jas had been looking forward to going to see a bonfire and some fireworks.  We had baked potatoes with sausages for dinner and then, when Nick got home from work, we set off for Combe.  Unfortunately we got there too late for the fireworks, but we did get to stand around a big bonfire with everyone and used up a couple of packets of sparklers.  I hadn't actually wanted to go anywhere, it was very cold, my limbs were aching from our marathon walk, I was tired and most importantly of all, I was engrossedd in my book: Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom (which I have now finished after only 1 1/2 days - it was that good).  But as usual I really enjoyed the family time and there is just something so alluring about a big fire (controlled of course!).  And I love sparklers as much as the next kid!