I love it when God does something so out of the ordinary that it has His fingerprints all over it.
In the fall of 2018 after much prayer, I started to build a retail store for online sales. Spending a lot of time learning how to do that, then applying what I learned, and writing my book meant time in front of the computer on my Dell 14” laptop.
I am now learning that a web site is never done, there is always tweaking to do and products to add or update. So my time on the computer will continue.
Feeling the need to update my computer screen, possibly the whole computer, I had begun whispering prayers for direction, yet not buckling down to do it. I wanted to be so careful to choose the one that would suit my needs best and being a good steward of what I purchased.
Walk in the Woods
A while back I had even purchased a used screen at the thrift store to use. It did not work out well – not a clear screen and made more clutter on the desk with the connections.
A couple of weeks ago Al took a walk on public land. Over the years Al has spent time tromping this area, so he was pretty familiar with it. It is a forested area that follows the Canadian Border. As the crow flies, our home is only one mile from the Canadian Border.
As he was walking, Al found two changes of clothing and shoes neatly folded near the creek the clothing looked like they had been there awhile. Then he walked further and found a box with what he thought was a computer screen in it. The box was wet but looked new.
He decided to carry the box out of the woods.
Authorities
When Al got home he called the Border Patrol and let them know he found the clothing and box with a computer screen.
We did not hear from the Border Patrol for several days, so Al opened the box to try to dry it out some.
Then I took pictures of the model number and serial number on the box, to see what I could learn about it.
By those numbers, it looked like it wasn’t just a screen, but the whole computer. My curiosity got the best of me at that point, so we opened the package all the way up. Under all the new packaging we discovered that it really was the whole computer.
Apple. Nice computer.
Moisture along with pine needles had gotten into the box. The screen had water droplets on it.
I plugged it in to see if it worked. I turned on, but the screen looked like you were looking through a transparent giraffe skin.
Now, what do we do… it is probably a stolen computer.
I was not comfortable keeping it unless we had permission from the local authorities. So Al called the local police. They soon came out took a peek at the computer and talked with Al.
After talking a while, the officer said they did not need the computer, if Border Patrol didn’t want it, we could have it.
Border Patrol did call back then and took the information I had gotten off the box. He was going to learn what he could.
I did begin to hope we would be able to keep the computer.
A few days later he called back. The clothing had brands and labels from Mexico. A water bottle was found with a date from last fall … so the clothing and computer were probably both in the woods all winter.
He also shared that with a guide to cross the Mexican/US border costing $5,000 – 10,000, more Mexicans are attempting to cross the Canadian/US border.
Since he could not search out any more helpful information on the computer, it was ours to keep.
Repairs
I took the Apple computer to the dealer in Kalispell. He ran some tests to see if anything in the workings of the computer was damaged beyond the screen. It all tested as good.
So with the cost of repairing the screen, we have been blessed with a new Apple computer.
God is Big
If God can provide an Apple computer (handpicked for me) out of a pine tree forest, what can He not do?!
God is so much more than the ‘man upstairs’. He is personal, caring about EVERY detail of our lives. He wants to be God in every area of our lives. When we let Him, God makes everything about life better – giving us deep peace, provision, the direction in decisions with wisdom way beyond ourselves.
I don’t think I would have even considered purchasing an Apple computer due to the price tag – this one sells for $1300. Yet God brought it to me for the cost of a repaired screen.
Who is your God?
Have you had the joy of walking with Him, sharing our joys and trials with Him?
He greatly desires to share all with you – and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills…and so much more…
Even an Apple picked out of pine trees.
~Sheila
“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” ~Psalms 50:10
