• Do most you enjoy going to homeschool conventions?

• Do you ever wonder what it is like for a vendor? 

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      Our family has been in the business of pre-owned curriculum for about 10 years.  During this time we have attended many conventions and book sales.  This year we have attended 9.  We just returned last Sunday night from our final of the season...Rapid City.  The drive to R.C. takes about 8 hours.Whew!  For vendors, we not only have to pack for our family, get the house in order, laundry done, and animals taken care of, but we also have to prepare our good to take on a long trip.  Sometimes it is hard, but after a weekend like we experienced, we know this is how God wants us to minister to the homeschool community.

     How apparent God was in that place!  At first I must admit that I didn't notice...just too busy, busy, busy!   I mentioned this to a fellow vendor, and this was her reply: "I came out from nursing my baby, and I just stood and took it all in. Everywhere through out the vendor hall I heard conversations  about God, how he was working, how He is blessing, how He is carrying these home school parents." Her face was positively radiant!  She had seen God at work.

     Has this ever happened to you?  God was at work and you missed it because you were distracted or busy??  The next day I took note and what I saw moved me to tears.   God was very much at work and present with us and I could have missed it!

1. One lady told me about her mother who was not saved.  She had a burden for her.   I now pray for Verna that she will come to know Jesus very soon.

2. A woman walked up and my husband felt prompted to talk to her about her children.   She told us how they were adopted and how God had intended them to have a large family.(We are prayerfully considering adoption)

3.Another woman told me she had a distraction from homeschooling this year...after having her 4th baby in August, she was very tired.  She was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in January.  She is now in remission. Please pray for her.  I was so inspired by her dedication to homeschool.  She considered her life threatening illness as a mere distraction to her families choice to homeschool. (What dedication and faith!)

4. We met another young family.  She was looking for books.  As I helped her she told me that they had a fire and it had burned up all their materials for homes.  She said they were on a fixed income. Her husband had been in a severe car accident and had a brain injury and could not work.  She wasn't going to come to the convention, but she knew God wanted her to be there.  (How this lady trusts in God and cares for her husband and children!)

     These are just 4 of the many incidents that happened at this convention. I would have missed this glorious movement of God if I had not looked. You know what?  God works even on vendors at conventions.  This vendor cried because I was able to witness God's loving care for his people.

Blessings,
Shelley Noonan