Here's Your Sign

Kevin & I have a lot of stuff.  Partly from blending two households, partly because Kevin always liked to get new things, and partly because I don't like to throw anything away that might still be useful.  Even before Kevin passed away, I'd realized we have too much when I thought about how spacious our house seemed when we first moved in, and now it feels too cluttered.

At the beginning of the year, we thought we'd be empty-nesters about now, and while we were not planning to move to a smaller house, we had decided to start decluttering: to simplify what we have down to what we really need and use and enjoy. We made some pretty good progress doing 40 Bags in 40 Days during Lent.  But then everything changed when Kevin died.

Suddenly I feel emotionally attached to more stuff because it carries memories for me that are a lot more precious now that we don't get to make anymore. Yet at the same time I know that once the boys move out, I probably won't want to stay in this big house by myself for much longer, so I don't want to have a lot of stuff that I have to pack up and move.

Something that I don't feel attached to is all the surplus electronics. DVD players and cameras and printers and so on. I wanted to start there but I don't know what to do with all this. I'd found a home for a VCR when the one in the Senior Center at work broke down and they asked for a replacement. But I still was feeling overwhelmed with these things, and Sunday night while praying I asked "God, please help me know what to do with all these things."

Monday I saw on Facebook where a friend had shared a post from another friend who was looking for an old police scanner for a  nursing home resident.  I thought the closest thing we have is a weather radio but that wouldn't really help.  Later that night I was filing some papers away and straightening up the desk and picked up what I've always thought was a walkie-talkie, intending to put it with the other electronic stuff.  I wondered why there was only one since walkie-talkies usually come in a set so I looked at it closer.

Pro-39 Hyper Scan Programmable Scanner

Could this be an old police scanner, like my friend's friend was trying to find? I googled it, and sure enough that's exactly what it is.  I had no idea we had something like that, and I really don't know why Kevin had it or what he ever used it for. The next day I put fresh batteries in it, and it still works.  So I downloaded and printed out an owners manual to go with it, and let her know I had one she could have.  

She's very happy to get it, and I hope that it will bless and comfort the resident she is taking it to.  I'm sharing this here with you now because it was just a really neat message to me from God, saying "I AM here, I AM listening to your prayers, and I AM going to help you figure all this out."

He listens to my cry for help and will answer my prayer. Psalm 6:9

I know my prayers won't always get answered so speedily and so obviously, but in this moment when I really needed it, God showed me a big sign.  

I'm feeling encouraged by this, and I hope you are too.  If you have any stories about how God has answered a prayer in a neat way, I'd love to hear those too.