Least Expected Rescue
In November of 2024 Michelle Van Loon of Sage Forum put out a challenge to her readers to submit stories of hope - in 400 words or less. I had a collection of stories to choose from but I bravely decided to compose a turning point in my life. My challenge was staying within the word limit.
Honestly, I thought my So Many Stories - So Little Time project was done when I switched to So Many Stories - Life in Lyrics. But then someone recently told me her story of hopeless desperation and then her sudden unexpected rescue and I commiserated with her by sharing my experience of despair and then my least expected rescue.
Funny how life themes seem to just pop up in multiple ways. Out of the blue, later that day, after that conversation, I was going through my files looking for something else when I found my story that I had submitted to Michelle, and that she published.
I thought - I wonder if this could be told in lyrics?
Duh.
Least Expected Rescue
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It was only September but she had no idea how she would buy groceries much less provide Christmas for her kids. She had run out of options with the borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.
She bit her lip to thwart the tears. She was praying in silent desperation for God to help her when the phone rang. Her friend Cindy invited her to lunch. Because she could be totally honest with her friend she admitted she was flat broke and could not afford to eat out. Cindy replied, ‘Pick you up at 11:30’.
Cindy was her usual bubbly self, full of interesting things to talk about. The age thirty something friends ate a burger and fries and then Cindy announced she needed to buy a present. They drove to a small house converted to a gift shop - Granny’s Attic. They wandered around the eclectic establishment filled with crafts, gadgets, handmade quilts.
One display caught her eye and she paused to take a closer look. The sign read - Pickled People - the small soft sculpted heads stuffed in a pickle jar were equally funny and disgusting but she told herself - I could do that.
When Cindy dropped her home, she pulled her scrap fabric box out of the hall closet, choosing soft remnants of flannel. Within an hour she had transformed fabric, pantyhose, and stuffing from an old pillow into a sweet baby doll.
The next day she returned to Granny’s Attic to show the owner her creation. She bit her lip holding it together when the lady asked her how soon she could bring in a dozen.
A week later she entered Granny’s Attic at noon with a dozen different soft sculpted babies. Three ladies on their lunch break walked in with her and as she approached the desk the ladies started grabbing the dolls. Every single doll sold within minutes.
And, as it turned out, it was pay day for Granny’s Attic consignees. She went straight to the bank, then Hancock’s Fabrics, then the grocery store, biting her lip to keep from crying tears of gratitude.
We are very often found asking that certain things shall be done for us by the Holy Spirit which the Holy Spirit will never do. He has to lead us into experience. It is the only way in which He can answer our prayers. ~ T. Austin-Sparks
My grandson Parker created a Youtube for my growing collection of So Many Stories music videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@MeemanatorMusic
Story weaver. Song singer. What a blessed combination.
This story reminds me of my desperate call for help after my husband died. I had no job, no income, and said, God I need to get out. Shortly after, the phone rang and someone from church begged me to come help her clean up her house - her aunt had passed and the family was coming over. That is how I started helping out everywhere I was needed. God hears you.