Amy L. Sullivan's Blog, page 11

If You Need to Find God, Check the Furniture Section at Big Lots

We meant to buy our daughter a real bed, but she had a snazzy crib, which converted into a toddler bed, and I know she isn’t exactly a toddler, but five is close to toddler age, kind of, and therefore, the poor girl has been sleeping in the same bed we put her in on the day she came home from the hospital.

I know, I know. I can feel you judging me through the screen. Last week, our girl started sleeping on the floor because she said her bed didn’t fit her. Feel free to continue judging.

Insert serious parent guilt and a quick review of the finances (which are drastically less since I’ve started working part-time), and we quickly decided we could afford a used bed off of Craig’s List and a new mattress. Alas, Craig’s List was bare, and if there isn’t a bed, there really isn’t a need for a mattress. So, we did what all people who are looking for cheap furniture do, we headed to Big Lots.

Let it be known, Big Lots is not my favorite store, especially for furniture, but there we were. We found a new twin bed and a new mattress for a little under $300.00. But, the quality of the bed wasn’t great, and we weren’t thrilled with the mattress, and spending $300.00 on something we didn’t even like seemed ridiculous. So instead of purchasing anything, my husband and I lounged on the cushy coaches and discussed furniture options for our guest room. Since we were pretending, we went all out and decided on the funky colored lounge chair and matching table.

I’m not sure why we didn’t think to ask God about a new bed, probably because a bed seems like such a trivial prayer. However, considering the massive prayers God has been answering for us lately, praying about a bed should have been our first thought.

A couple we know strolled passed us in the store. We chatted for a minute before the husband said, “Hey, we have a twin bed and a new mattress that we aren’t using. Just follow us home and you can have it.”

Of course they do. People we don’t really know happen to have a bed and they happen to be in Big Lots and we happen to need a bed and we happen to be in Big Lots and these people want to give it to us because hey, they aren’t using it.

Now, you’d think when someone gives you a bed something must be wrong with it. The bed must be dirty or broken or gross in some unimaginable way. Not the case. The bed is perfect, the mattress new, and our awe of God renewed yet again.

Has God been surprising you in any big ways lately?

Mark Your Calendendar and WNC Family Volunteer Fair

When we ask for help and work with others for the Lord’s calling, we open doors that might have been impossible to open alone. God rarely has a solo plan for His work, and our lives intertwine with other Christians so that we all can draw from each other’s strengths. —Dianna Stone

Do you see these girls?

They are helping me with this little ‘ol community event.

The smiling faces pictured above keep me sane by telling me things like, “I found a facepainter!” and “You need to find a way to get into the venue earlier!” and “We cannot fit that many balloons in my car”. They have pushed me to ask for help when I would rather dig my feet in and do it all myself, and they show me again and again people aren’t put out when you ask. Instead, they are excited.

The Family Volunteer Fair is a celebration of community, love, and this book, the one which releases in 18 days. The one Kendal and Lori tell me to mention, but not yammer on about (as no one likes a yammering author).

I will not yammer. I will not yammer. For crying out loud the thing releases in 18 days. I will not yammer.

Should you find yourself in western North Carolina on September 27th, stop by our event. We have local nonprofits (HandsOn, ABCCM, Girls on the Run, Project Linus, Shortbus Studio, The Bair Foundation, and Sweetwater Youth Ranch). These organizations are excited to share about their missions, and they have even brought family friendly serving activities kids can participate in on the day of the event. The event open to everyone. It’s going to be grand. For crying outloud, there’s going to be a candy bar. We hope to see you there.

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Are you interested in ways in which you can help spread the word about the new book, but you aren’t sure how? Check out this post on 45 Ways You Can Help Authors.

On Death and Dirt Bikes

We went to visit family this weekend.

Camping on Labor Day weekend with the Virginia cousins has become an annual tradition, but instead of camping, this year our travel held a different purpose.

My husband’s uncle is dying, and it was time to say goodbye. The doctors called. They said so. Come now. This is it.

Our family of four packed up the car expecting solemn conversations around a sick man, but instead, we discovered a man embracing death, the same way he lived life: with grace and faith. We found cars lining a long driveway and swarms of people with pots of food and arms lined with desserts and chow-chow (that’s a Southern relish for all of you northerners out there) and hearts bursting with stories.

A teary-eyed woman raced up the hot driveway eager to share how my husband’s uncle had led her father to Christ only last week. She needed to tell him. She wanted everyone to know.

“It’s been this way for days,” a cousin commented.

People filing into the house. Not to mourn, but to celebrate.

We ate dirt pie and homemade mac and cheese. We looked at photos from long ago and laughed about mullets. We reminisced and memorialized with jumping and water games and even with dirt bikes.

And in the middle of camping chairs and chaos, sat my husband’s uncle, a man much smaller in stature now than in his earlier years, but a man who has lived well and loved well. A man who stands nose to nose with death, but still points all to Jesus. A man who struggles to move, but will still offer to carry dishes to your car.

Will you pray for our family?