A Different Kind of Wagon

I feel very blessed that we live 2 blocks from the beach.  We love walking there as a family a few times a week. We took a spontaneous trip to the beach yesterday evening in our clothes to just "look" at the ocean after wrestling practice. :-)

Of course they all ENTERED the water...

…and returned drenched to the bone! :-)

This is our list of things we bring:

7 towels

3 life preservers or floaties

beach toys (including buckets, shovels, etc.)

diapers and wet wipes

bottle of vinegar (it's supposed to help ease the pain from jelly fish stings)

gallon of water with cups

4 boogie boards (the boys carry those on their own) 

fishing supplies

We have been carrying most of our supplies in a big IKEA bag.  It's a pretty heavy bag once everything is in it, and whoever carries it usually has an indention on their shoulder once we arrive.  

We really are fine carrying our Ikea bag; but for a couple of months now, I have been looking at the price of little red wagons in every store I enter.  I have stopped by several garage sales checking for them too.  I envisioned how much fun it would be for the young children to sit in their little wagon with all their beach supplies.  

I have stood in front of the little red wagons at Walmart many times trying to justify in my mind spending the $100 to buy one.  Every time my wise self wins.  I choose to save the money for necessities when I remember we really are fine carrying our Ikea bag… it's only 2 blocks. 

Yesterday before leaving on my run, I crouched in my driveway to ask God to bless my run.  I have mentioned before how I pray before I run.  I do that for many reasons:

Alma 34:18-27 is one of those:

 18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

 19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

 20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.

 21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

 22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

 23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

 24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

 25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

 26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

 27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

I am with my children all day.  I love being with them, but I am finding that with my husband gone so much, I am really needing a short time alone.  I pray for my 30 minute runs to be blessed by God because I need that 30 minutes (along with scripture study) to rejuvenate myself for an entire day!!  I know that HE can do more with my limited time than I can on my own.

Yesterday I decided to run in the sand right on the beach instead of the sidewalk that borders it.  As I ran, (silly or greedy as it may seem) I pondered on a couple big things I really wanted for Mother's Day.  

One of those things was that little red wagon.  

As I ran, my mind was clear and I was thanking God for the beautiful waves and refreshing breeze.  All of a sudden the thought came to me:  "You have a wagon!!!  2 of them!!"

I forgot!  I did indeed have 2 little carts that would actually work as wagons!  I could roll all of our things down to the beach!!  Because they had been folded up in a corner in the garage the thought never even came to me.  When I was Young Women's president, I used to put all my supplies in one of these carts.  I frequently plopped my youngest baby on top and walked all around the church doing my duties.  Last summer I had picked up another cart just like it at a garage sale, but I hadn't used it yet.  These carts were such a clear resolution to my problem, and I couldn't believe I hadn't thought about it sooner!!

After we came home last night I loaded up my "wagons" 

…and let my little ones take a ride.

This of course made me ponder further.  How interesting that God answered my prayer with something I already had in my possession.  I believe we have been blessed with talents and gifts within ourselves that could be resolutions to many of the problems or dilemmas we face in our lives.  Praying to God will help us to see what we already have.

No wonder we pray over all that we do!  There are obvious resolutions to MANY of our dilemmas, and a little prayerful, quiet time… away from the busyness of the day…  is all we need to allow God's answers to enter our minds!!  HIS ways are the clearest ways. 

HE cares about all that happens in our lives… even having a wagon for trips to the beach.