Welcome to another random musing post, my friends! My son Chris, who lives about six hours away, came late last Friday to turkey hunt with his dad. They enjoyed spending time with each other and catching up on their lives since the last time they were together; which was last fall’s deer hunting. He went home a day early due to all the rain we are having and his daughters and puppies missing him (as well as his wife!).

While Chris was here, our son Harold, who lives about seven hours away in the opposite direction, went truck shopping. He got a good deal for trading in his jeep that had been having problems and found a Ram truck to suit his family’s needs. He and his dad had several long conversations and pictures were sent to show Dad what he was doing. Well, their discussions led to Dad deciding if he wants to trade in his truck, he should do it soon.

The grace God gave us when we showed up at the Kia dealer in February to find the Telluride we’d been hoping to buy was sitting right out front held true with our truck trade. We went a day earlier than John was going to go, found the manager had taken the truck John found on line to the dealer three hours away. Well, the salesperson found another truck in line with what we wanted, then we test-drove one that wasn’t the color we wanted. When we got back, the salesperson found the truck he thought was out in the back lot had been right out front the whole time. It was just what John had been looking for and had been talking with our son about!

We picked it up today, the day after we test-drove. Turns out the one we test-drove sold shortly after we left the day before, the salesperson put the plates on the wrong one; there were “twin” trucks, and they also sold the twin to the truck we bought, and it was also being picked up today! There is a great demand for good used vehicles at the dealerships right now if you’ve got any idea to trade yours in.

What a blessing! This is the earliest we’ve ever traded a truck in (5 years) and we got an excellent trade and zero % interest; the trade-in garnered half the price of the truck, which made the deal! John also got to talk to the owner at the collision shop where our Kia has been for three months. He was so thankful we did not call and chew them out for the long wait. He said the last part we need should land on American soil at the end of next week; he could give us a rental until then. John said we really don’t need the rental, but could he take some off our deductible payment? He said he definitely could guarantee half, and probably get complete payment authorized. John told him my birthday is on the 14th, and it would be a good gift for me, so the man said he’d really try to get it to us by then!

On this National Day of Prayer, I am so thankful for the blessings our family is experiencing, the Dad/Son (and mom) time my family is getting, and the wonderful things the Lord is working out in our country. All for His glory!

I am being challenged again to draw deeper in my relationship with Father, Son and Spirit of God. Patricia King, in the devotion I did today from The Prophetic Manifesto for 2020, shared the essence of Brother Lawrence’s story you can find in the book The Practice of the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence constantly practiced turning his thoughts to God. No matter what he was doing, he would remind himself to turn back to God through worship and prayer. As I said, he did it no matter what or where. People would come to be near him just to feel the presence of God that emanated from him. This reminds me of an interview I saw with Carol Arnott; every ten minutes she talks to God. She’s been doing it for long enough that she doesn’t need to set a timer anymore! What would our lives look like if we became that connected through the Spirit of God? Jesus modeled this for us, but few of us achieve it. In last week’s post, i mentioned that most of us don’t fill our God-hunger with worship and prayer, or even giving thanks throughout our day.

I ask two questions: first, what would it look like for you to practice the presence of God each day? second, what could you remove from your day to make this possible?

Take advantage of God within us, hope of glory. Remember this verse from my theme for this year; in Him we live and move and have our being. Let us endeavor to grow deeper in understanding of this. We do not take a breath without Christ in us. The blood flowing through our veins would cease without Him sustaining us. Let us give thanks with a grateful heart continually, as we are able. Come, Holy Spirit, burn within and draw us near that burning love to abide! Reveal keys for us to draw near, as each of us is unique. I encourage you to start by quieting your soul and letting thanks and praise come out of your mouth from a grateful heart. Let’s start with one of my favorite verses in Psalms, “Be still, and know that KI am God.”