We purchased a new (to us) van a few months ago. The old green van was great because it seated 8 and there aren't a lot of mini vans that have that many seats. It wasn't so great because it needed new tires, was starting to leak oil and a seal in the transmission needed to be replaced. The seal would have been super expensive to fix because the entire transmission would have to be lifted out in order to get to the seal. I was going to wait until next year to look for a vehicle but we decided it wouldn't make sense to put that much money into the green van this year.
So took the money we had saved for a vehicle and began to look around. Steve and I had already decided that we would spend 7,000 or less. I don't do payments and only spend what we have available. We knew that if we were supposed to have a different vehicle, God could provide what we needed within our budget. If we couldn't find something, than God had different timing and we would put that money into the old van. We also decided together that if we did find something within our budget, we would ask some friends to help fix up the old van and then we would give it to some family friends* that really needed another vehicle.
We have had so many people step up and help us that we feel it's only right - and commanded by God - to help others, whether or not we get anything in return. It was also a great teaching experience for our kids. They all helped clean up the old van yesterday. Many of them questioned why we weren't selling it and getting money because they know how tight money is at our house.
*Inserted Story: This family is a blended family. She had three small children, he had two small children. They married and are now expecting a baby together. All the kids are 1st grade or younger. He is a success story from Teen Challenge and is currently working full time at night and studying for the ministry. She works full time during the school year but doesn't make a lot. Once the baby is born in a few weeks, they wouldn't have a vehicle which would fit all of them together and I know they can't afford to purchase another one.
We wanted a vehicle that seated at least 7 (Brit isn't with us much anymore :), looked nice on the outside and inside and was mechanically sound and would last us for a lot more years. When I was in Sioux Falls, I found a mini van that fit exactly what I wanted but the price tag was a lot higher than my budget. It fit all the specifications that I was looking for and it even had a bonus DVD player for the kids. The short version is that I got the salesman to come way down in price. Thank you high school debating skills! But it would still take every bit of my 7,000 and not leave my much room for tags, etc. But I really liked it. I showed it to my husband a few days later. We test-drove it and Steve didn't say much. I kept asking him what he thought, with the intent of going back and purchasing the vehicle. Eventually he just looked straight ahead and said, "I just don't feel right about it."
The old me would have come back with, "well you're not the one who's going to be driving it. I am and I want it." The new me just said, "Ok." and took the van back to the lot.
The next week, Steve texted me from work and said there was a mini van he wanted me to look at. I explained to him that I wasn't really looking for a mini van, I had just really liked the one I found in Sioux Falls. He said, "OK. But I really think you should at least look at it."
He had a friend drive it over to our house so I could see it. It looked identical to the one I found in Sioux Falls. BUT......it had less mileage, less wear on the seats, and best of all, we knew someone who knew the dealer and he was willing to sell it to us for 5700. It even had the DVD player the kids wanted so badly! That's how we got our new van.
Ok. I'm gonna be real here. I have to admit that this morning when I woke up, I thought that I probably could have gotten some money out of the old van and then been able to purchase my glasses that have been sitting at the eye doctor waiting for me to pay for them and pick them up. I'm down to my last set of contacts and don't have glasses anymore since my old pair broke. When the frames broke, they split right in the middle at the edge so I couldn't even tape them together like a nerd! I'm feel like I'm totally blind without them and I've been wearing my contacts so long my eyes feel like they're on fire.I went in for the appointment a month ago and ordered new glasses. They said that my glasses were so old that they had replaced the lenses into my old frames 8 years ago. They didn't even have a record of how long before that I had actually gotten the original frames.
Anyway, I was selfishly thinking that I could have used money from the sale of the van and been able to pick up my new glasses. So that's why you get this story this morning. I needed to remind myself that it's not all about me. My not having glasses is a pain and an inconvenience but their need for a vehicle is a real need.
So I'm chosing to be thankful for what we have.......a nice,working vehicle.....and not be hindered by what I think I want. Thank you God for providing our relible new van!
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