My Christmas Miracle

Have you ever run a sewing machine into the ground (or just felt as if you, yourself, was run into the ground...I can relate to that this year too)?
My little machine is just a basic Kenmore model.  Got it b/c my mom has had her Kenmore since the year I was born.  I have had mine since my oldest was born...ten years now.
It has worked hard in those ten years and never harder than the last two years. 
Just this year it has made at least 100 purses/bags, multiple quilts, 15 or so aprons, stuffed animals, a coat and a Mater. 
Every time I have thought that I abused it to the point of it being done...one point it even made some awful loud noises and I thought I had killed it for sure...my dad has been able to take it apart, clean and oil it and have it running quieter than when I bought it.  This time, sure of my dad's patience, and knowing that my sewing machine was not quite right anymore...I took it to my dad and begged him to work on it.  It has been less then two months since the last time he worked on it, but has endured so much...including a full luggage set.  Anyways, Dad was not thrilled to have to take it all apart again, but I did at least find the book this time, and he did.  He spent over an hour with it, thouroughly cleaned and oiled it...and put it back together. 

Got on it and started stitching...the needle and presser foot and feed dogs do exactly what they are supposed to do...they all move the way they are supposed to.  The bobbin appears to be doing exactly what it is supposed to do.  But the material, when going through, just randomly stops feeding through.  The feed dogs keep moving as does the needle, but the material still stops and then goes again.  So there will be a continous line of stitches, with a small piece of thread going horizontal across the vertical line on the back...but not a broken seam...with smaller stitches or a knot of stitches at the snippet of thread.  Nothing broken from the bobbin or the top.  And cleaning didn't fix.  Changing the tension doesn't change it.  Changing the needle doesn't change it.  Rethreading top and/or bottom doesn't change it.  Dad and I looked at each other and we commented that it had had a good run.  (Then dad answered that he was not a sewing machine repair man and that maybe someone could do something.)  This machine has had a good run.  A really good run.  Once I make up my collage of all the stuff it made this year alone, I would say we can retire this good friend with fond memories.  I really, really have USED this machine.
In a way, it is bittersweet.  First of all, there is no money to buy another machine (don't feel sorry for me...keep reading) or to see if it could possibly be fixed.  Second of all, I have made probably 10x-20x the amount of money from stuff made with this machine (just in its last two years) then I paid for it over ten years ago.  But the bittersweet part comes in the fact that I have had this machine since making baby clothes for the first pregnancy that resulted in a baby I got to hold.  It helped me stay busy through the last year of my marriage when things were just more than I could handle...while listening to KLove and Spirit FM to keep my spirits up.  I learned to quilt, for myself and for others, on this machine...three years ago.  I have made lots of things for my girls on this machine.  And I started my business with this machine.  We have spent countless hours together.  And after the divorce, God used this machine to give me hope that He and I together could make this new life work...not to just survive, but to thrive.
And yet, there seems to be a blessing associated with this as well.  See, God KNOWS.  He knows what we are going through and HE CARES!!!  And He uses others to be His hands and feet.  Since starting to write this post, I have already received an email from a good friend and her husband.  They saw my comment on Facebook about maybe having to say goodbye to my trusted machine that has so been there for me.  Within 15 minutes of reading my post, her husband (who may I add...has never met me) got online and looked at sewing machines.  The email contained a link of a machine that they were wondering if would do what I needed it to do with a note saying that they knew I didn't need this on my plate right now and still have a business to run.  And the comment that if I wanted I could just pay it back with orders that I know will be coming (she is my best customer...at times I think she makes up need to keep me hopping knowing how much it means to me...and she would never want any attention for this at all...).  Today was a rough day anyways, so of course this offer reduced me to tears.  You see, I haven't even seen this friend in over 10 years.  We got to reunite on Facebook.  I have never met her husband but I know him to be a phenomenal man and a perfect match for her.  They have the biggest hearts of anyone I have ever met.  Giving of themselves beyond what anyone would expect (and sometimes I expect beyond what they would think their budget could do).  And even tho I have not seen her in over 10 years, she has been there for me on this crazy new walk I find myself on this year.  One of my biggest cheerleaders.  Letting me cry on her shoulder with each new hard spot...despite the fact that we live states away from each other.  She knows enough to know how hard this would be for me.  And for her husband, who has only heard what she has shared with him, to decide they wanted to do this for me...I don't think there are words to express what I am feeling right now.  Talk about being God's hands and feet.  This precious couple showed me God today in a way that I will never forget.
And I had been asking God lately, in the midst of the health issues causing depression that sometimes feels overwhelming, to help me to FEEL Him like my head knowledge knows Him.  He hears...I know He does...and He already knew before I did that I would have this need.  And He softened this precious couple's heart to be willing to step in and do this.  Something that to some may be a small thing.  But to me...was part of a Christmas miracle that I have been praying for.  I will not ever forget this.
And I am so thankful to God, and this couple that allowed Him to use them to touch my heart at the very core.  Thank you!  May God bless you, too, beyond your wildest imaginations and continue to bless your marriage making you each the partner that the other needs.  And may YOUR Christmas be filled to overflowing with love and family and blessings galore!  I love you!!!