And I will now proceed to bombard you with an entire post full of words to show you that I have no words. *Grin*

Jeremy has no job. He has been laid off from his current company, and the interviewing company called to tell him that they, too, are laying off. We found out how much his unemployment check will be, and we plugged that number into our budget. The budget screamed at us, "You're stupid! You're all going to die!"

We ignored it.

And then encouragement came pouring in. The next day, my friend Brenda called -- just to talk. (Really it was just to say I love you.) My friend Jackie called. We couldn't stay on the phone long, but the fact that she had heard and that she called is precious to me. Phone calls have been pouring in. Encouraging notes on Facebook and emails in my inbox are wonderful little pick-me-ups that remind me: God still cares.

And then I got a letter in the mail from a lady named Claudene. She had met our family five months ago in a restaurant, and she had been so infatuated with Liberty and Mercy that she asked for our address. She told us she wanted to send a present to us when she got back to her home in California. Jeremy and I did some quick praying for wisdom, and then we gave her our address. We did not even know her name, and we had heard not a word from her in all these months until a package arrived this weekend filled with several antique silver spoons. The letter that went with them ended with this paragraph.

You are my sisters and brother in the family of God; I have a tie to you in my heart. God bless you each one in warm and joyful and surprising ways. Isn't it great to be SO loved by our God!

As if the little notes of love from friends were not enough of a gift from God, He decided to go dramatic on us and send us this billboard filled with His love!

And the truth is, I really do not have words to tell you how that makes me feel.

God is just plain nice!