God's Blessings

People ask how we can afford to have such a large family. I really believe God has blessed our faithfulness. Ever since we made the decision for me to stay home and raise the children and not bring in a second income we have had to stretch things to make ends meet. My sister once said for our homestudy that we always seem to cover the things that matter.

Our children are not lacking. As we have embraced each child that has come along, God has stretched our income to go a little farther. We have never had more than one income. In the construction industry, framing is one of the lowest paid trades. About two years ago that trade finally began to be paid more in scale with the rest of the trades. Through this God truly blessed us.

This was in time for us to begin an adoption. We had no idea at that time that we would be pursuing an adoption, but since we began the endeavor the money has been there.

God is meeting the needs of our growing family. I have absolute belief that no matter how many children we welcome into our home God will meet our needs.

A recent example is when I began walking. I have this tiny little umbrella stroller. I bought it when Briton was 4 months old so that I could take it to movie sets while working with Cassidy. That is the umbrella I was pushing when I hurt my arm. And an update on that arm. WOW!!! I really hurt myself. What I thought was a sore muscle turned out to be either a pulled tendon or a nerve. The doctor thought one thing and the chiropractor another. All I know is that for one month I had the feeling of electric shocks in one area, plus the most intense internal bruising I have ever experienced. Nothing visible, but it felt like someone had knuckled punched me a hundred times in that area. PLUS the tendon/nerve/whatever, was exposed and pulled taught from under my armpit down half way to my elbow!!!! Wow! Talk about pain!!

Well, God knew that little stroller was the culprit. It had barely and room to put my feet under the handle bar, so I was stretching my arms out as I pushed it up the hill!

One day I saw a friend of mine and she told me that a friend of hers had a jogging stroller that was sitting idle on her porch. She didn't need it. After she asked this friend if I could buy it, the friend then offered it to me for free!! GOD IS GOOD and meets our needs.

I truly believe that if it is in a mum or dad's mind to stay home and raise their children with one income, God will bless this. Yes, there are things you will need to do to make it work: less takeout, less eating out (we do takeout maybe once a month - eat out a couple times a year), cut expenses where you can, watch for sales, buy in bulk etc - there are so many ways to make ends meet. And God will fill in the blanks!

We are actually better off now that we have nearly 8 children than when we had 3!!!! Nothing has changed. Ray works at exactly the same thing he did 11 years ago. But we tithe faithfully - that is when you give 10% of God's money back to Him for His purposes - and He fully blesses this! It is His money after all!!! He is just loaning us the money, so by giving back to Him a tenth of all money Ray earns we are just fulfilling a scriptural principle and receiving the benefits of it!!!

Bill Gates is one of the most giving people in the world - I have heard that he gives 80% of his wealth away! I know that our tiny little town way up North in Canada received computers for one of our 2 schools!! That shows you how far reaching his giving is!! And look how blessed his business is! He may not even be aware that he is fullfilling God's scriptural words - but yet, whether or not Bill Gates knows, God knows and God is fullfilling His promise of opening the 'floodgates of heaven' and filling his 'barn to overflowing'. Bill Gates is blessed in his endeavors because he gives so much to the needy!

And many times I don't even have to ask. God knows our needs before we ask. He knew that walking was important to me - my health - and he knew that I would need a better stroller. He arranged for it - I had nothing to do with it!

And there are ways to bless others. I have been given many pairs of skates for our kids over the years. I have only ever bought one pair - for our first child many years ago. Now this year, I had an abundance of skates and I knew a girl whose little one was skating in too small skates. So I found out the size and sure enough I had an extra pair in that size. She used them for the season.

If anyone ever reads this and wants to know ways to cut corners to be able to stay home and be a one income family, please leave me a comment so I can get back to you.