Too high a price...

It has been a big week for the Falconers. I believe that thought comes to mind at the end of every week, but I have to remind myself that God is so good.
We opened our Old School Bus Ice Cream this week. God blessed us with continuous days of sunshine. I looked out the bus window at one point, and saw the endless line of customers, and thought about Christ instructing Peter to cast his net after fishing all night, and the net nearly breaking from all of the fish. God is so good.
God is sovereign and is at work all around us, although we often fail to see or acknowledge His presence. The night before the bus opened, we experienced His presence in a way that had me flat down on my face praising Him. We had been working for a few days in preparation. Against our better judgment, we often had the kids with us. On Friday evening, we had just finished a meeting with our staff, Meadow and Forest were both sitting on the deck. I walked inside the bus for just a moment, and I heard Blue yelling my name....I glanced out the window to see my little baby Forest, walking across Main St.!!!I have heard people say that time freezes when a disaster is imminent. My scream was lodged in my throat as I watched Taylor, a staff member who had just left the bus, stop his car and jump out. There were not any cars coming the other direction and Forest crossed safely to be scooped up by a lady on the other side, who immediately ran him back across and into my shaking arms. Praise God, Praise God Praise God... was all I could say.
I didn't sleep that night. I paced the house, and told God over and over how sorry I was for being so negligent. I told Him that I never could have forgiven myself. I imagined the loss of Forest over and over in my mind, and how I don't think that I could have survived. I would never be able to face Blue, or our family, or Meadow and Ocean, and explain to them that it was my fault that their son, their grandchild, their brother, their cousin, their nephew was gone. I thanked Him for protecting my son, crying out that it would have been too high of a price... God held me in His everlasting arms, in the shelter of His wing for hours that night, secure in His love. He gently reminded me of the loss of His only Son, the price to be paid for the redemption of mankind. Thank you, Father.
The second BIG thing that occurred involved our condo situation. Two years ago, we borrowed money from a private loaner to purchase and reno a condo. It was a short term loan and was designed to be payed back within a year, then the condo burned down. We had to renegotiate with them, because we really had no choice. Well, here we are two years later. I have learned two invaluable lessons that honestly have been worth the pressure and financial stress of the last two years. One, God is my security, He is ALL I need. Second, I love my husband unconditionally. Life is hard. Life is a journey. Ultimately, whatever happens in our lives, whatever poor decisions we make, I want God to be glorified.
This week, Blue's parents, graciously and sacrificially, refinanced their house to pay off our loan! It is much easier to give than I receive, I am sure. This is very humbling. They are showing Jesus to us, the price is too high for us to pay. We are forever grateful.
I read a few verses in II Corinthians this morning, "But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers."