What I am about to tell you, will shock you. In an awesome way. But it shouldn’t shock us…. For the past couple of years, I have been driving an old, green 1995 Toyota Tercel with a broken speedometer and a broken odometer. It leaks some oil and doesn’t change gears until the first mile of the day has been driven. I was content with the car. Proudly displaying my Chick-fil-A license plate on the front bumper while using the car as my daily driver to and from work. However, I never carry my kids in that vehicle. There isn’t much room, and I don’t feel it’s a safe vehicle as it’s so small and doesn’t drive through rain that well without hydroplaning. But it was okay for me! I was thankful for transportation, and the gas mileage was tremendous (that gauge still worked).
Yesterday, I was sitting at my computer on Craigslist looking at cars and thinking that it would be nice to have a bit newer car that I could drive that could also accommodate my kids if I needed to take one child and my wife the other. I thought about finances and how money isn’t growing on trees these days… and I definitely didn’t want to touch the money I set aside for my CFA operator fee. Then I remembered something my mom always told me growing up. “Pray specifically that God would provide what you need…. pray that someone will GIVE you a car”… she would say. I kind of chuckled when I remembered that, and though I felt kind of silly, honestly, I prayed that someone would give me a car. I went to work not thinking about it at all, as it wasn’t really a pressing need, per se, just a desire of my heart.
I was about to climb into bed last night around 10:30pm when I received a private message on Facebook from a person that I had met only once in life. In a nutshell, the message said that they had recently upgraded vehicles, and God had told them to give their old vehicle to me…. WHAT!? I read on. It was a 2003 Toyota Highlander. Safe. Room for kids. Reliable. WHAT?! Toyota?? I LOVE Toyota. My mind was racing. It was hard to comprehend it all. You mean to say that I prayed a prayer that morning that someone would give me a car, and by that evening, out of the blue, someone not knowing that I prayed that prayer messages me and wants to give me their vehicle?!
Beyond the incredible answer to my car situation was the fact that at a time where work had been tough, and though I believe I am on the right path with CFA… God, through direct answer to prayer, confirmed in my heart that I am indeed walking the way in which He wants me to go. Shocking?? YES! But what a rebuke. Answer to prayer SHOULDN’T be shocking. God still answers prayer!! Oh me of little faith.
Shhhhhhh! It’s our secret!
Today is my son’s 3rd birthday. Wow… time does fly by! While we don’t really have the time and money to make a big deal out of his day, we still wanted to make it special for him. I was scheduled to open the store at 5:00am, and finish at 2:30pm. My wife brought Trey and his little 5-month-old sister, Lauren, over to Chick-fil-A around 2:00pm to see me. Trey came over and gave me a hug and I wished him a Happy Birthday.
After my shift, I hurried out to our storage unit and with the help of my team member, Evan, changed into the cow costume. It was my first time. It was hot. Really hot. For those who are the cow at long events, I wish I could pay you $100/hr. 🙂
Back to the story… After changing into the cow costume, I walked into the store and approached Trey and about 7 other kids who were playing in the playground. I instantly scared one little girl, but the majority of the kids and parents LOVED seeing the Chick-fil-A cow. It was Trey’s first time seeing the cow. How ironic, as it was my first time BEING the cow. He was delighted, and asked the cow to follow him around the restaurant.
After spending a few minutes with the kids and posing for some pictures, I went back outside and turned into Daddy with the white shirt and tie again. I found Trey inside and Mommy asked Trey who he had just seen. He told me all about getting to meet the Chick-fil-A cow. It was so fun!! Maybe when he turns 18, we will have a father/son talk and I will explain to him that it was really Daddy inside the cow suit… but for now, it’s our secret. Shhhhhhhh!!
HOUSE OF PRAIN 