It's obvious, I will have to admit it (darn! I have to admit my stinky lack of faith!)

Okay, I have to admit God answered my prayer on this one. I don't wanna (sounds whiny, eh?), but yep, it did happen. As blatant as the nose on my face, it was.

About a week ago I whispered to God, "Please, pretty please, could I find some way to go to the Saint Olaf Choir concert?"

If you don't know of this ensemble, what rock do you sleep under? Seriously, in my completely non-biased Minnesota-native opinion, they are the greatest college choir in America.

And they won't be back in Nashvegas for another five years.

But I really couldn't justify it. Times are tough and cash is extremely strapped in the nashbabe/nashdude domicile.

So I just assumed like always that God would say "no". He has on a lot of other things I wanted, and even some stuff that I really thought I need (a roof! a roof! are you listening to me, Lord?--I swear, how does He put up with me?).

But I kept asking. And I'm totally stretching that passage of scripture. This isn't exactly justice against my adversary, unless you count a little peace and refreshment in the face of that dirtbag Satan's relentless poundings on our family. But humor me, will ya? (I'm even worse than that. I used to quote that passage to the sales reps who worked for me...rofl.) No vacations, no rest, no money. Worn down to my last nub.

Well, hadn't seen any action on the request either way, so I kept asking. Like a whiny child? I hope not, but it probably bordered on that.

Yesterday I went to one of my accounts to restock, and the fabulous Meg! introduced me to someone who has a shop in another part of town--one where I've really needed a good retailer to stock my stuff, and lauded how it sold for her. The fabulous Meg!'s friend said she was quite interested. Hoo rah.

So a possible new account in the dead of January? No way. No possible way. Even the fact that the fabulous Meg! needed product was a big surprise. As a chandler, I usually sell SQUAT in January. Actually, I have ALWAYS sold SQUAT.

Then when I returned home from seeing all things Meg!, there was a very sizeable order in my inbox from another of my retailers. Didn't have to buy a thing to fill it; have all the materials already.

I mean, an order I would NEVER see in Jan or Feb. EVER.

Not to mention that the retail climate is WAY below what it would usually be. So there was no chance of this happening, right? Yeah, pretty much.

So I decided that God must probably be saying, "See? ANYTHING is possible. I know you're worn out from the hell of the last couple years, but here's a little gimme for ya. Enjoy."

Thanks for letting me know you ARE listening and working out things for my good. Please don't delay on the big stuff, okay? Please? And thanks.