Why am I Surprised...

When God answers a prayer I didn't even think to pray.

My tent broke that I use for craft fairs. Late last fall, it was a really rainy day and my church wanted to use tents to help shield everybody as they were carrying things in for setup. I said they could use my tent and Doug took it. He was pushing it up and one of the braces snapped. He doesn't know why and it isn't fixable.

Luckily it happened after all my fall shows, so I wasn't in any hurry for a new one. Now that it's closer to spring, I've been researching getting a new one. To get one just like I had, which would be fine, would be about $160. The only thing, it only has tabs that velcro at the sides. One of my friends has the exact same tent and someone broke into at a show last fall and stole about $600 worth of items from her. Since then, I've really wanted the sides that zip all the way down. Somebody could easily unzip them, but it would be much harder than undoing a couple of velcro tabs. I would also like an awning. Sometimes I put my table outside of my booth and it would be really nice to be able to have the awning to offer some shade and some protection for my cash register if it rains. I researched the ones with the zipper sides and awnings and they are $270. I don't mind paying for things that I know I'll use, but I just hated the idea of paying an extra $100 for just a couple of things that would be "nice" to have.

I had a craft show last weekend. Jessica was there. She's a friend I used to work with and she started making tutus and some hair accessories last year. She shared that she was thinking about quitting. It just wasn't paying off for her. I told her to let me know if she wants to sell her tent because I need one. She messaged me on facebook a couple of days later and said she was for sure quitting. She sent me a link to her tent and that she wanted $150 for it. When I checked out the link, yeah, it was the exact tent I wanted! The one with the zipper sides and an awning. I was so excited! I told her I wanted it and she wanted to know if I wanted to just do a credit with her and then she could just pick things out for me to make for her little girl. So now it's going to cost me about $60 in material and a little of my time for the exact tent I wanted that would have been $270.

I didn't even pray about it. There's just some things that I don't think to pray about. "Lord please provide a tent for my craft shows" ?!? That seems so meaningless. I pray for my uncle that has cancer. My friend that has cancer. That my kids will always remain close to Jesus. But to pray for a tent? I'm so thankful that I serve a God who cares about every aspect of my life. From the big things, like my family, to the smallest things, like providing a "want" in my life. Thank you God!