It’s more than a truck. It’s a white truck, sitting in our driveway! It’s our truck . . . um, Jamie’s truck. Okay, maybe I should backtrack a bit so you can see why this big white truck is such a big deal in the Brandenburg house . . . er, uh driveway. If you don’t know our story, you can either catch a glimpse of it here, allow me to give you the super brief applicable to this post version, or skip ahead and celebrate with us at the end!
Super Brief Applicable to This Post Version: In 2008 we were heavily invested in real estate. The market crashed. We went down with it. One morning during the downfall Jamie received a call. “Mr. Brandenburg, we don’t usually do this, but we noticed a car seat in your truck and wanted to give you the opportunity to come get it.” Jamie’s truck had been collected from our driveway in the middle of the night. We had just made a payment and worked out a payment plan with the bank to catch up the rest. However, in order to get the truck back, we would not only need to catch up our payments but pay an additional month plus added fee to the towing company. We felt betrayed, to say the least. We had enough to make the next month’s payment we had planned for, but that was it. Jamie opted to let his WHITE truck go. You see where this is going, don’t you? For the next three years we were pretty much a one car family–trust us, it can totally be done. But let’s be honest, we don’t do it anymore (because by the grace of provision, we don’t have to).
We fought to hold onto my Jeep (no mini-van for this mom of two) and even hid it in the barn one night the year we lived at the farm–now that’s a story–when our payment was THREE CENTS SHORT due to a banking error! When we moved to Nashville, feeling the relief of stability underneath our feet, and my Jeep totally gas guzzling and spatially impractical, I was the one to get the nice new shiny SUV. Jamie settled for the used sedan (don’t get me wrong, it was really nice, and we were super excited to have the second vehicle). We were set until over the past few months we began to see the unplanned growth of TDP (The Doubling Project).
To make our weekly TDP warehouse pickups, we borrowed a neighbor’s truck and sometimes paid him in gas although he never asked for it. (If you’ve ever been a truck owner, you know the struggle of “borrowers” is real!) We were doing our best with the space in my SUV for other deliveries and added a tag-along or tied boxes to the roof rack when we couldn’t get the truck. More than once, Jame said, “We could really use a truck.” (FYI – We use the word need sparingly in our household.) He was right; it sure would be handy.
TDP had grown from a homeschool project to a supplementary income–it’s our crazy, unique, non-traditional way of life . . . but it’s ours and we love it. We foresaw TDP and its ability to help others in our future. (Oh, friends, stay tuned, Jamie’s about to unleash the TDP Kracken!) We saw ourselves buying bigger–it was time.
Two days ago, it happened. He hadn’t really planned on it, nor had we even gone to look. But he needed a truck. Through a course of quick events . . . drum roll please . . . we have a truck! Not just a truck, a new, WHITE truck! TDP allows us the extra income to make the payment–how cool is that! Now, let’s not forget to give credit where credit is due: Not only has Jamie put in the hard work, he’s been patient and faithful. We’re not shy about our faith, and we totally believe our Father Creator gives us the wisdom and through it the provision (sometimes that provision is an outright blessing!) for what our heart desires.
I’m pulling out a bit of Psalm 37 for this one:
Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Oh, if you hear “Low Rider” playing unusually loud from a large white truck hauling a bunch of boxes, give the driver a wave. It just might be my Jamie, and let me tell you, he looks especially handsome driving around in all that truckish-ness.
Once again . . . I’m feeling blessed!
Lauren
