Have you heard my crib story?

I've told this story so many times, but I never tire of it, it is so special to me. It was also published on my other blog last March, but I thought it belonged here also.

This is the baby crib we bought thirty years ago, second hand. Nothing special about it except it slept my two babies...so how much more special can it be than that? About seven years ago a friend was collecting baby supplies for a young Russian couple who were living in married student housing at Kent State, expecting their first baby, and with very little money, needed just about everything. I offered my crib, which I was hanging on to in the event I ever needed it for grandchildren, who were not even on the radar screen at the time. Tonya and Sergi once had us over to their place for dinner and we so enjoyed seeing their little girl using our crib. We told them to use it as long as they needed it, and we would get it back eventually.

Time passed, the Russian students moved to another city, as well as our mutual friend. I wistfully said "goodbye" to my crib in my mind, and really never thought any more about it. Until in 2005 when I found out we were going to become grandparents! The sentimental thought of "oh my crib" quickly ran through my brain, and I felt a pinge of sadness that I had saved it all those years and now wouldn't have it when I wanted it.

If you've ever doubted that God cares about the tinyest things in our hearts, doubt no more. That VERY DAY I received an email "Hi Jacque, it's Tonya. Remember me? I have your crib. We used it for two children! I want to return it. We will be in your area this weekend." I'm not making this up!

But wait...there's more! A couple more years passed, and while walking through the atrium at our church, who do I run into but Tonya and Serji? They've now moved back to the area and are new but vibrant, growing Christians, and Tonya is now in my Thursday morning ladies bible study, sitting right next to me. I thought I'd recovered a crib, but really I gained a friend.

After all this time my eyes still fill with tears to remember what an awesome God I serve, One who desires to bless me and who knows the plans He has for me, down to the smallest detail. My fourth grandchild is now using the crib when he is at my house. How could I have ever imagined this 30 years ago or even 7 years ago?

When I was pregnant with my first child and feeling pretty sick most of the time, my husband bought my a plaque with a very special Scripture verse on it to cheer me up:

"...I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." Jer.29:11 NIV