Like most 2 year olds, Jack can be frustrating at times. He is constantly destroying something or yelling or making messes or hurting his sister. Well, Saturday, after he destroyed a figurine that he was not even supposed to be able to reach in the first place, I began to do some serious thinking. He’s been watching Daddy work on projects lately, and he loves working with tools. He grabs any tool he can get his hands on and tries to use it (including a saw -Yikes!) As I was thinking through his recent behavior I thought, “Maybe he is just bored with what he has and needs more things to challenge his mind. This little boy needs his own toolbox.”
So I decided that Monday (yesterday) we would go to the thrift stores. I specifically prayed for a plastic tool set, a wooden tool set, a workbench, and a memory game. I also needed these things to be cheap. I had seen all these these things at Christmas for $20,00, $13.00 and $40.00, but they seemed overpriced and he already had a lot of presents, so I waited. I prayed about it Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning, but in the back of my mind I had this little bit of doubt. I mean, what are the odds of finding all those things at once?
As we were getting ready to leave Monday morning we realized, “Today is Martin Luther King Day, so Valley Thrift will be 50% off!!!” It’s crazy shopping, but you can get some great prices. We went to Village discount first, and I found a battery operated toy saw for $.60. We looked around some more, and I found a memory game for $.90. I was about to end my search when an employee came by putting out new items. I looked down on the bottom shelf of her cart and there was a bag of plastic tools! I waited until she came back and asked her if I could have them. She said sure. The bag included 4 screwdrivers, a hammer, a clamp, miscellaneous bolts, nuts and plastic “wood” pieces to screw them into, and a drill press. Cost: $0.90 (store price $15-$20).
Then we went to Valley Thrift. I looked up on the shelf and there was a Bob the Builder workbench! I had Joe find someone to get it down and I looked through the toys. There on the shelf was the exact wooden toolbox I was thinking of for only $1.00 -with a hammer, screwdrivers, nuts, bolts, etc. Joe had gotten the workbench down and it was only $1.00! I even found a hard hat for $.05! The Lord gave me the four exact items I had prayed for at extremely cheap prices! We also found a few other items we needed for less than a dollar a piece, including a Little People car for Sabrina to ride around the house for only $.50!
As we were checking out, Joe went up front to look at the big items. There was a double stroller. I’ve been looking for a cheap-but-in-good-shape double stroller since I found out I was pregnant with Sabrina. They are not easy to find! This stroller is a jogger’s stroller (3 wheels), easy to get up and down, easy to maneuver, and looks like it was barely used. I looked it up online when we got home and it costs $169.00. We paid $35.00 for it!!!
I was humbled. The Lord said, “O ye of little faith. I gave you the plastic tool set, the wooden tool set, the workbench, and the memory game, and because you doubted me I’m going to through in the stroller just to prove how great I am.” Once again He proved that He supplies all our needs (and wants) according to His riches. I am humbled that even when I’m in doubt, He is faithful and provides what we need and even what we want. At Christmas, He told me to wait, and in His time, He provided the things I specifically asked for, He provided other things we needed, and He provided the stroller which I’ve prayed for off and on for 1 1/2 years. Our Father cares if the sparrow falls, and He cares enough to give a little boy a toolbox.
Josiah Kagin 