Lessons Learned are the Best Blessings!

A couple of weeks back, around noon-time I was planning to prepare left over spaghetti with meat sauce for Kevin and I. It looked to me like there was only enough spaghetti noodles for one and that I would have to be sparing with the sauce.  I knew it wouldn’t take long to heat up water and cook some more noodles.  No biggy!  As I threw the pasta in the boiling water, I overheard Kevin on a phone call.  “Oh, you’re on your way now?”, he said.  After he hung up I asked, “Is someone coming over now?”  After all it was Saturday; which is usually “our” day and it was lunch time… a little heads up would have been wonderful! 

That little Proverbs 31 woman came and sat on my right shoulder while the other one came and sat on my left.  I reasoned with the woman on the right that it was Saturday (our day) and I barely had enough for us.  She reminded me that HER husband’s heart safely trusts in her and he is known in the gates. (Proverbs 31:11, 12, 23)  Then I reasoned with the lady on the left that I would do it for my husband.  He would really appreciate it and so would his friend.

I decided that I would have something different to eat and they could have the spaghetti.  I sure did want that spaghetti! So, I took a look in the pantry and found a jar of spaghetti sauce that I had just bought in the morning.  I was so excited!  I put some more water on to boil and dumped the sauce in with the leftover meat sauce.  I was happy with how things were working out for all of us when TWO visitors walked in the gate…. Agh!  I guess it was back to PB&J for me. Then I prayed, “Oh Lord, please help me!”  I want to have the right attitude and I almost did… but now two more mouths to feed.  And Zambian mouths at that… would they even like spaghetti?!

Then the story of Jesus stretching the five loaves and two fish came to mind.  I looked at the noodles, the sauce and the garlic toast that I had made, went in the fridge and found some greens that I knew the Zambian men would like and pulled out four plates!  I plated the spaghetti with meat sauce, greens and garlic toast; then brought four VERY full plates to the table. To my surprise I was humbled to the core to see leftovers of both sauce and noodles.  Does that story sound familiar?

Our guests (and Kevin) were pleasantly surprised when I said, “Lunch is ready!”  We all were able to sit around the table and have some very good conversation.  I’m always amazed at how it’s the little things that ruffle my feathers and the little things that turn out to be lessons learned and the best blessings.

Overall we had a great time and realized that everything really did work out for good.  The Lord was just answering our prayers.  We want to be used by Him, we want to grow in faith and we want to love our neighbors more.