Happy

I was reluctant to write this post at first, because I don't want to give any impression of being a mystic or be misunderstood in any way.  This is a personal story about how God loves His children - right where they are, understanding their needs and meeting them in His way, not ours.
This past Spring, Tommy and I changed the way we operate financially. Actually, I had lived our forty four years together unaware of the cost of living in the Dahn house...and yes, shame on me. Things in my world were about to change - by me and God.
We made some drastic alterations in our lifestyle - getting rid of a car, taking no "me" money each payday, getting rid of cable (we only had it for the sports channels anyway, so who cares, right?) - basically budgeting everything.  We were both onboard with this.  It isn't that we couldn't afford those things.  We could. But did we need them?  We did not.
We were not being the best stewards with what God had given us.  At least I wasn't. Tommy did not bear the guilt as I did. Hence, the huge purging we did last Spring - scaling down our excess and becoming free. Sometimes people own things and sometimes things own people. Our things did not own us in any way, anymore.
On with my story.
I began to see the Lord working in every direction of our lives.  Self-control felt good. I became a non-shopper and loved it.  Though at times I still had 'wants,' I gave my wants to Him. Yes, I could have purchased the 'wants,' but that's not how we agreed to spend our money...I mean God's money. I am not sure why God showed me favor, but from time to time, things on my 'want' list would appear in the most unusual ways.
A desired candle was given to me by an unknowing friend.
A piece of fabric I wanted for a nephew's blanket was on clearance, making it affordable.
There are many instances just like those that made me wonder how many times I missed God's gifts because I blessed myself so much?
But the amazing story was my Clinique Happy perfume.
I had smelled this perfume on a couple of girls at church and loved it. It went on my 'want' list, but I would be perfectly content if I never received it. You know what I mean?  It just smelled good. One thing I have learned about God in all of this is that nothing happens to us by accident. He orchestrates our days to magnify Himself.
My friend Marcy and I were in Palais Royal and we "just happened" to notice a rack of roll-on colognes as we were leaving the store.  One of them was Happy. Only twenty dollars - a steal at a fraction of the cost of a bottle! I intenionally passed it up, but was mindful that our anniversary was only a few days away.  After telling Tommy about it, he told me to go and get it.
I was excited as I went back the next day to make my purchase, but as I put my hand on the box, the thought went through my head, "Let God give it to you."
Me to myself: "What? I am! Tommy said I could have this and who in the world would give me Happy, not knowing if I even like it or anything? Quit being ridiculous.  It is okay to buy this. You can't expect God to just randomly give you some Happy cologne out of the blue."
So, I made my purchase with a gnawing doubt, but convinced myself I was justified in so doing.
The next week, we traveled to Utah for a visit with my son and his family. My daughter-in-law YuJueng and I went out for a day together.  I shared with her our changed habits and told her of the sweet blessings that had come my way and about the perfume. She said, "Mom, I have a bottle of that perfume I want to give you."
Me: "No, I have some! Really, I just bought it with Tommy's blessing!"
YJ: "Mom, I never wear it and I want you to have it."
I tried to argue with her, but when we returned home, she pulled out a bottle from a box containing many unused perfumes and handed it to me."
Did I wish I had not bought my roll-on? I thought about that, but I would never have talked to her about a perfume I wanted, if it had not been part of all God had done for me, so she never would have known and the subject would most likely not have come up.
What I am convinced of is that I must never again limit God as to what He can and can't do.  We can never take on the mindset that God is not able to meet any need/want, no matter how specific, or unimportant, or unbelievable. I now own two containers of Clinique Happy.  Both are from the Lord. One was given to me by my husband and one was given to me to remind me that with God, nothing is impossible. It might be my imagination, but it smells even better than I had remembered.
Please know that I do not sit looking around thinking of all the things I'd like to own and handing the list to God.  This was a personal lesson and in fact it has caused me to stop wanting material things. God sits on His throne and does as He pleases.  I am always blessed by whatever He does.
Psalm 115:3  But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. 
Many people have similar stories of His power and goodness and might.  Mine might seem very small to you, but it is so very real and life-changing to me.  It is personal.  My God cares about my world. May my wants be His wants for me. My Happy is appropriately named for sure.