I Needed A Sewing Machine!

I made this story lengthy. I wanted to remember the details. In the future I will be able to look back on this and praise God for his provision and be encouraged to depend on Him.

Two months ago I was working on a jean rag quilt. (I posted about it HERE.) I was really looking forward to getting it finished. My sewing machine started to give me trouble as I was working on the quilt. It is a 1980's Kenmore machine. My Great Aunt gave it to me when I was a teenager. I had to have it serviced 3 years ago. It had quit working then because a part had broken. This time my sewing machine stopped working after a 40 minute sewing session. About 9 months ago it started doing this. I could sew for 40 minutes and then had to stop. The working time has gradually dropped off from 40 minutes to 30 minutes to 15 minutes to 10 minutes to 5 minutes to not at all. I couldn't finish my Rag Quilt. Right around the time that post about my quilt went live I took my machine to the repair man. The repair man I go to does estimates on each job beforehand and gives you the option to get it fixed or take it elsewhere once you hear the price. I was hoping that my machine would just need something simple like a cleaning and greasing. I called after a week had gone by to get the estimate. He said my sewing machine needed a bobbin assembly and some other part. Calculating parts, labor, and taxes the total would be $133 and some odd change. I wasn't prepared to spend that at the time and told him to hold off on the repair. I had a few things running through my mind. What if my machine is just old and has other parts ready to give out. If I get it fixed, how long will it last before something else breaks? I contemplated my options. I thought maybe I should consider it a business expense and pay for it with my Etsy money. If I got it fixed maybe it would work long enough for me to make the amount of money I would need to buy a new machine. I thought perhaps I should do hand sewing projects to sell until I had saved enough money from the proceeds to buy a sewing machine or fix mine. I wondered if I would be able to find a good sewing machine for a good deal at a garage sale or thrift store. And, how long would it be before I found one? I prayed that the Lord would help me make the best decision. In the mean time I packed up my Rag Quilt pieces and started some hand sewing projects. 

After a couple of weeks I got a call from Mr. In The Mid-west. He was on his way out of town to go to a job. He had stopped at a thrift store before he left town and saw a couple sewing machines.  I was glad to hear that information and thought perhaps this was my answer to prayer. I gathered a spool of thread, a bobbin, and some fabric to try out a sewing machine. I loaded the children up and headed to the thrift store. One of the sewing machines was an Elna priced at $15 and said, "As is." It had a sticker on it from the sewing machine repair man that I go to.  I figured someone had gotten an estimate and decided not to fix it but donated it to the thrift store instead. The other sewing machine was a Singer priced at $30. Not too bad. I asked at the front desk if I could have it plugged in to test out. One of the ladies there carried the machine over to the counter for me and plugged it in. We found that the thread spindle was snapped off, but I didn't think that was a big deal.

 I didn't end up getting to test it, though, because it didn't have a needle and I had forgotten to bring one with me.

 The woman helping me said they do have a lady that tests the machines before they are put out for sale. They also give you 7 days to return an item. I was satisfied with that knowledge and said I would buy the sewing machine. Before I checked out, though, I wanted to shop some more. I found a few things that I needed and went back with my selections to check out. A different lady was at the counter and when I walked up I let her know that I was purchasing the sewing machine also. She rung up my items and said my total was $13 and some change. I said once again that I was also purchasing the sewing machine. She said she knew and it was half off because the tag was red. Half off of $30 is still more than $13. I thought that one of the ladies must have discounted it due to the snapped off thread spindle. I was so grateful! I said, "Praise the Lord," because I was so excited, and then opened my wallet to pay my bill. That is when, you won't believe it, I hardly believed it, a woman who was a customer checking out next to me said, "I'll pay her bill." I was taken aback. She reiterated, "I'll pay for her." I was so thankful! I thanked her and blessed her. What a sweet woman! I have wondered if the woman heard me say, "Praise the Lord,"and that made her want to pay my bill. Or, maybe she liked that I wasn't wearing a mask* (she was also not wearing a mask). Maybe she took pity on me because I was wrangling three little children. Or, maybe, she was tired of waiting on me and my unruly children. Maybe she was just a nice lady and out of the kindness of her heart she wanted to help me. It is probably best that I never know. I feel like I did not do anything to deserve her kindness. I can thank God for using her to bless me and ask God to bless her in return.

 That is how I came to have a new sewing machine. I hope to finish my Rag Quilt soon and show you all some pictures. I hope you have been encouraged to hear how God used this nameless woman to provided my needs. Another thing to take away from this story is a desire to be that nameless woman. She didn't prescreen me and find out if I was truly in need. She didn't make sure my beliefs lined up with her's before she decided to do a good deed for me. She didn't have any strings attached to her gift. She wasn't looking for glory or fame. She was kind and generous. Let us strive to be more kind and generous.

Matthew 6:3+4
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

* This event took place during the 2020 Corona Virus mania.