an empire {the zucchini needs to be appreciated}

I started praying last week that God would be
creative in his provision for our family.

Our budget is t-i-g-h-t and adjusting to two more kids,
makes it tough.

So of course I would love to expectantly go to the mail box
to find an unexpected big-fat check.

God is certainly capable of doing that!

BUT,
here are a few ways God has creatively provided recently:

*Fresh zucchini and cucumbers from my in-laws' garden.
*Fresh pineapple from my mom's Midwest garden (haha, not really).
*Fresh sweet corn from my friend Angela's grandma's crop.
*A plethora of eggs from my hen crop (more on that later).
*New clothes/shoes my mom bought the kids.

Now listen,
I do realize that probably ALL of you are getting these types of things.
It's summer...and that's just what happens.
People share their abundance with others.

True enough.
But I guess in the past I just counted it as me lightening someone
load and doing them a favor to take their extras off their
hands.

But this time, after having prayed for God's creative provision,
I completely saw it as PROVISION.

Each item of food provided wonderfully delicious and nutritious side dishes
for several dinners for my family.

I figure if God wants us to care for the small things,
in order for Him to give us bigger things,
the zucchini needs to be appreciated.

:)

So as for my eggs.

Oh, what is God up to?

As you may recall, when Kelly was in China, I took over the
chicken care.

I had never really done it before.
It was icky to me and was HIS job, so I always avoided it.

But when he was gone, I found myself...loving it.
I would go out multiple times a day to
look in on my feathered friends.

I even talked to them.

Well...nothing has really changed.
I still do all that.
I go out multiple times a day to gather eggs, give fresh water,
and for one-sided chats.
Which is really refreshing compared to what goes on
inside the people house.


So suddenly my eyes were opened to the fact my eggs were stock-piling.
I needed to do something because...
God was creatively providing.
Then He dropped the idea into my head to call the
little country farm market where we buy our feed to see if they
wanted to buy my eggs to resell.
So I did.
Sure enough, they were eager to buy them.
I hopped on my horse and buggy and took them five dozen eggs.
I got store credit to put towards our feed.
It was dejevou
(I have no idea how to spell that and neither does my spell-check. Dang French).
I felt like I was reliving an episode of Little House on the Prairie.
But Nellie Olson was nowhere to be found.
Thank goodness.

You guys, I was reeling with delight.

Delight, I tell you.

I couldn't believe that I had done such a Proverbs 31-type thing.

When I got home I told Brenden all about it.
Hoping he wouldn't make fun of me.
He said,
"Mom, you've just started an empire."

Don't you know it!

So guess what else I did?

I ordered 15 pullets last night.
Oh, yes I did.

*That's female chicks for you civilians*

I also made an "Eggs For Sale" poster to hang on our church bulletin board.
Oh, yes I did.
Nothing can stop me now.

Bwahahahaha.
*Insert evil greedy laughter*

An empire?

Creative provision.