The dump truck arrives...

It was before Christmas. Jason, Gage and I went to Indiana to see some of my family. There are several stores in that area we love to browse - Bass Pro, Hobby Lobby, Old Time Pottery, Salvation Army, Rural King, Harbor Freight.

Most of the time, I like to branch off from my "men" and let them pursue their manly interests. However, one store we all like to go to is Rural King. They have the best popcorn in the world. Popped in that big commercial oil popper and given free to their shoppers. Gage is our popcorn lover, and he always has to have a bag full or two.

The trip was festive, exciting and we looked at all the toys and gadgets that lined the shelves for the Christmas gift-giving season. Hundred of trucks, tractors, toys...and Gage looked almost all of them. There is a brand of toys that are German made, name brand "bruder". There were several quite large trucks that Gage took a shine to, of course. Which little boy wouldn't?! However, I almost fell over when I looked at the price tag. The dump trucks were over $50 each. What?!

Gage and I looked at the dump trucks. We felt of them. We opened their blue doors. We raised the hood and looked at the detailed molded plastic motor. We admired the tiny bulldog ornament on the hood - because it was a Mack truck. We admired the movable tailgate and the shiny side mirrors. What a nice truck, we both concluded. It even had a license plate and mud flaps!

I felt almost as sad as Gage when we put it back on the shelf. $50 was just too much to pay for one dump truck. Christmas morning came and went. We put the figurines of Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus back in the box with the manger. We took down our decorations. We put away the lights. We took the nutcrackers and snowmen out of the window sill. And yet, Gage still mentioned that blue and yellow dump truck. And I still thought about how his tiny heart yearned for that toy.

My sister and I drove up to visit my Mom and Tom and go shopping Tuesday of this week. We stopped by Rural King to check on an item completely unrelated to the big truck. And there...at the end of the aisle was a huge sign that said CLEARANCE. I couldn't believe it...a dump truck. THE dump truck. One dump truck. The only dump truck in the store. And it was on clearance: $8.75. I left my sister guarding the box, and ran back to the front of the store for a cart. That truck was going home with me.

My son was so happy, so excited. And because he was so happy and excited, so was I. So was his daddy. We have all enjoyed the dump truck. Right now it is sitting in the middle of the living room floor while Gage sleeps in his twin bed with his Snoopy blanket.

It is a sign to me. It gives me faith. A dump truck giving me faith?! Yes, because I believe that truck was saved for my little boy, our special little man. A wonderful gift that he would not have received had the truck not have been on the clearance section. It was the very last one in the store. I was an hour and half away from home; visiting my family, running around town with my sister and having a much needed day away from my work. I was in the right place at the right time.

God works in mysterious ways...and no desire is too small for him to bestow upon us. He saw the wishes of a small boy's heart. He saw the desire of a mom and dad who would really like for their son to have that dump truck. And He saved it just for us. Who am I to doubt the workings of a wonderful Heavenly Father, when we are His children and the apples of his eye?! And if our desire is a plastic dump truck, it is not too hard for him to do.