PRAISES

All praises due to the God of the Universe, the Most High God. Today while sitting in a great assessment/data workshop, a call came in on my cell phone. It was from Creative Mobility (aka The Bike Rack) in St. Charles, IL, the place I went to to customize TT's bike. I've been wanting to get Tamara an adaptive bike for quite a few years now (over four), mainly because TT loves doing three things: eating, swimming, and bike riding. I eat too much as is, I'm not getting into a bathing suit until I shed about a hunnerd pounds (not to mention that I can't swim to save my life), so that left bike riding. Though I can't ride a bike either, I can walk alongside T on her bike and get exercise while she enjoys herself.

Anyway, a bike adapted for TT's special needs costs $3,300. I'd all but given up hope on funding such a bike (after years of petitioning places for scholarships), when my sister J encouraged me to keep hope alive. I listened, and rec'd a $1,000 grant back in January or so. I combined that with my own $500, plus another 500 from J. I intended to use my income tax money for the rest, so I put a down payment at Creative Mobility. Unfortunately, for the first time since I've been paying taxes, I ended up owing Uncle Sam rather than getting a refund. I had to make that dreadful call to the bike shop telling them I wouldn't have their money when they'd have the bike (around March), and asking them to give me a couple of months to save up. Well, it's been almost two months and I haven't saved a penny. And then I get a call today...

The owner and his sister knew my situation, and they had a donor who recently asked to whom they could give a donation for a bike. The two folks thought of TT, and as of Saturday, T will have her new bike. Man, I was blown away by God's sovereignty and generosity. My little one will finally have a bike at home to enjoy on weeknights and weekends. We can finally do something enjoyable together.