Blessed!

 Here's a post without pictures, but full of praise. We've been living with my sister for a number of weeks. I rarely get on her computer and my computer is packed up in a town over an hour away. So I'm not taking many pictures and certainly not downloading any to the computer. Kim lives out in the country where a strong cell phone signal is hard to come by so I have few opportunities to talk to anyone on the phone. If it weren't for the ability to connect to facebook through my phone I'd feel totally disconnected from the outside world. So while I don't have pictures to share and it's been over a month since I've posted anything on this blog, a lot has been going on.
We closed on our house May 1, a full six months after putting an offer on it. We didn't realize we were buying a "fixer-upper." It didn't seem that way six moths ago. But when we walked through the house before closing it became quickly apparent that we had a lot of work to do. The previous owners did not completely empty the house. They still had a couch, bed, desks, entertainment center, shelving units, clothes, dishes, books, car seats,  food and lots of trash still in the house.The walls were full of nail holes, some way to big to just cover with spackling paste. I wish I would have counted the number of nails I pulled out of the walls because there were hundreds. A couple of the rooms have walls and windows covered with stickers, and not the kind that peel off easily. These stickers are the kind that destroy the walls when you finally get them off with a razor. The baseboards had been painted pink and yellow in high gloss. The carpet is filthy, stained all the way down to the pad. Every square inch of the house, including ceilings and trim, needs to be painted. Flooring needs to be replaced. Cupboards and appliances need a deep cleaning. Showers and toilets need orange and yellow stains removed. We have a lot of work to do - and that is just the inside. We have another list of outdoor projects that need to be done too.
We've waited six months for this house and we now wait (and work!) for the house to be ready to live in. So why is this a post full of praise? It sounds like a post full of complaints. Let me get to that.
Our church family has been so wonderful. We had one family come to our house and completely empty out the junk the previous owners left behind. I can't tell you how big of a job that was. The junk filled up a huge dumpster! Yesterday a few ladies joined me and my step mom and helped clean out the refrigerator, the oven, the microwave and the floors. We chose paint colors, We pulled nails.We filled nail holes. We sanded baseboards. Ben came after work and we got all the carpet removed. A water softener was installed. Ben and I have been working every night until about midnight. While working yesterday a couple from our church brought us a home cooked meal. I am so encouraged. I am so blessed.
Today Ben is at the house. I don't know what projects are being done today but I know that a couple ladies and another family from our church are there working with him. I didn't have child care today so I'm home with my kids. Evelyn is worn out. It's 1:00 p.m. and she is still sleeping - not from her morning nap but from going to bed last night!
I am so thankful for a church family who loves us and ministers to us!

179 Days Later

179 days, just shy of six months, we finally have a closing date! Lord willing, we will close on this house April 27!

I can't tell you how excited I am to be living 5 miles from church as opposed to 75, to sleep in my own bed every night, to be with my entire family every single day, to not be living out of a suitcase and traveling every weekend. I AM SO EXCITED. And thankful. Thank you, Lord!!!

We're Off the Market, for Now!

Not too many days ago I posted about my struggle with believing God would find us a house quickly. And today, exactly one week later, we have a purchase agreement signed by both Ben and I and the sellers of this house. The fact that both sellers even signed the agreement is a huge answer to prayer in and of itself. That's another story.

The house just went on the market Monday. We had an offer on it Monday morning. If you live in this part of the country you may be aware that homes for the middle class are extremely difficult to find. You can find lots of expensive homes on the market but not so many in our price range. We had literally seen every single house in our price range as close to the church as we wanted to be. That isn't very many houses. So when we entered this home and realized that it had many of the things (pretty much everything) we were looking for, we knew we had to act quickly.

We are praying that if this isn't the house God wants for us then this whole thing will fall apart soon. This is a short sale. Which means it's not a quick sale. The sellers have agreed to our price but now two different banks have to agree - and that could take months. We are locked in for 120 days. We have to have it inspected in the next 7 days. We are hoping and praying (and asking you to pray also) that the house passes inspection and that the banks both accept our offer without countering. And of course we pray this all happens faster then we've been told it will. It could take longer then 120 days, that's just the amount of time we are locked in. But again, if this is not the house the Lord has for us we don't want it!

Grace to Trust Him More . . . this has proven to be the perfect theme for me this year!

God's Leading to Pastoral Ministry

Before Ben and I were married he shared with me his desire to be a pastor. He had already graduated from Word of Life Bible Institute and Liberty University. He had a degree in Bible and taught at a Christian school. He was very involved in his local church and had worked several summers at Camp Barakel as a counselor. Right after we met he went on a missions trip to Mongolia. One of the things that first attracted me to him was his heart for ministry. Shortly after we married he began to pursue a masters degree in order to prepare himself for ministry. However, we quickly discovered that teaching full time, working a part time job on the side and being heavily involved in our local church made it next to impossible to work on a degree through correspondence courses.
There was a time when we thought he was going to be hired on staff at a church here in Michigan. When God closed that door we began to seriously consider further education. We strongly felt God calling Ben to pastoral ministry and many times over that calling was confirmed to us by our local church and other men in the ministry. I remember a conversation Ben and I had one night as we discussed the idea of selling our house, quitting our jobs, losing our health insurance and stepping out in faith to move to another state where we knew no one to go to a seminary we couldn't afford. Ben said, "The next four years are going to pass either way. In four years do we want to be where we are now, or do we want to have a seminary degree that can prepare me for ministry?" We chose the latter. And I'm so glad we did.
We moved to Kentucky in August of 2006 and Ben started classes just a couple days later.
He worked hard and despite the fact that he worked a full time job, had a wife and became a father to two children during that time, he finished in four years (It is a 90+ credit hour program)! I'm a proud wife. And I had the privilege of learning right along with him as I took classes in the Seminary Wives Institute and plugged into Bible studies at our church (one specifically designed for ministry wives).
Ben graduated in May 2010 and to my disappointment we didn't have a job waiting for us when he walked across the stage to get his diploma. I knew it was unlikely that he would find a church right away. Many of our friends who have finished seminary have waited a good 2-3 years for full time positions. But I hoped our situation would be different. Seven months after he graduated we learned I was pregnant and our world seemed to turn upside down. We had to move. We had to get different health insurance. We had to get different jobs. And we had to move back to Michigan, regardless of the fact that I did not want to. It was clear it was God's will. So I struggled through those weeks in December and January. I really struggled. I took the counsel of Katherine Magnuson, a wonderful godly woman at my church in Kentucky, and made a theme for 2011. My theme was "Grace to Trust Him More." I posted about my theme here. God has been faithful in teaching me to trust Him as I continue to grow in this area. I often question rather than trust.
We moved back to Michigan at the very end of January of this year. Ben continued to send out his resume and contact churches. When doors didn't open as fast or as wide as I thought they should, I secretly began to question God. I wondered if we had misunderstood His calling. I tried to wait on the Lord but found it difficult. Ben, on the other hand, never questioned. He was always confident that God had a plan and that he was called to pastoral ministry. I'm thankful to be married to a man of such strong faith!
Before we even moved back to Michigan Ben sent his resume to Springview Community Church. We never heard back from them but we still prayed for this church for many months. Earlier this summer Ben was asked to fill the pulpit at Immanuel Bible Church, the church we are members of. Springview Community Church learned that Ben was going to be preaching this particular Sunday so they sent half a dozen people to hear him. We never knew this was going on. I taught Children's church that day while Ben preached and neither one of us had any clue that there were people there from Springview. A short time later Ben got a call from one of the members of the search committee asking if he would be interested in doing an initial phone interview. This was the first contact we had with this church and it was months after Ben first sent his resume. How neat to see that the Lord was working during all those months of silence! After a few interviews Ben and I had dinner with the leadership team and their wives where we spent three hours discussing ministry and answering questions. Evelyn was 11 days old at this meeting. When it was over Ben and I got in the car and the whole way home talked about how much we loved the people. We felt an immediate connection! Not long after Ben was asked to come preach at the church. He preached two Sundays in a row. One Sunday they had a potluck dinner following the service which was a great opportunity for us to meet with many of the people from the church. We absolutely fell in love with the people of this congregation. There is a real sense of community among the body and it is so clear that they truly care for one another and minister to one another.
On Sunday, August 28 the church voted and extended the call of senior pastor to Ben. He gladly accepted the call. We are so thankful! The church is excited about having a new pastor and we are so excited to be joining this church. I honestly cannot imagine a better ministry for us. It just seems like a perfect fit. God does things like that. He knows what we need. He knew we needed to be in Michigan and he arranged our life in such a way to get us back here. He knew we needed these last 15 months between seminary life and full time ministry. None of these are coincidences. Rather, this is the hand of a sovereign God. It is such a delight to go back and read through the things I posted over the last few years and see how God has brought us here. In the midst of all of this God is still giving me the grace to trust Him more.

Our Last Week in Louisville

I can't believe it's already been a week since we moved to Michigan! Our friends in Louisville did a great job of making our last week special and our friends in Michigan gave us a nice warm welcome upon our return.
Here is our last week in Louisville in a nutshell:
(Ben worked every single day, including the day we loaded the truck!)

Saturday, January 22 - Our friends, James and Lisa, have us over for dinner for one last evening of being together.

Sunday, January 23 - We go to church and Ben teaches our ABF class for the last time. We go out to lunch with our friends, Sharon, Jennifer and Mark and all the children. That evening our friends threw us a going away party. It was so special! They presented us with a large framed collage of pictures of several of our activities together over the last few years. Then they signed the mat around the frame and wrote kind notes of encouragement.

Monday, January 24 - I watched Will for the last time. We went to McDonald's to let the kids play in the play land together and spent the rest of the day packing. Our friend, Sharon provided us with a meal for dinner.

Tuesday, January 25 - last doctor appointment and hair appointment, more packing and dinner with the LaFleur family.

Wednesday, January 26 - Our last family breakfast at Chick-Fil-A (for free, of course). We continued to pack. Our friends, Tyler and Rebecca, had us over for dinner.

Thursday, January 27 - Packing, packing and more packing. Our friends Mike and Manda treated us to a dinner of pizza and bread sticks. That night Ben stayed at the apartment to get more work done while the kids and I spent the night at our friend's house, Daniel and Sharon. We put the kids to bed and several of the women from our church came over for a late night of chatting and snacking. I'll miss those girls!

Friday, January 28 - My friend, Sharon watched my kids ALL day while another friend, Jennifer, spent 12 hours with me packing and cleaning my apartment. What a blessing! That afternoon my father-in-law, brother-in-law, Andrew, and Phil arrived from Michigan to help us load the truck and move us to Michigan. We also had other friends give a helping hand: Kyle, Greg, and David. We ended up back at Daniel and Sharon's house around midnight. What a long day!

Saturday, January 29 - We said one last goodbye before getting into our vehicles to head north. We arrive in Michigan where Ben, his dad, Andrew, Michael, Phil, Chris, Jon, Heather, Mark, Lynn, Debby, my Dad, Jeff and Kim help us unload our belongings into our new home. Heather provided dinner for everyone. She also, along with my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and Lynn stocked our refrigerator and pantry full of grocery items. They even put a few meals in our freezer. What a blessing!!!

It was so neat to see family and friends and the Body of Christ come together to minister to us and help us in more ways then we could have imagined. Thank you to everyone who gave a helping hand!

Special Gift

Ben received some very nice, very generous (very much unexpected!) gifts for graduation. His sister, Sarah gave him this clock. His name and degree are inscribed on the bottom. Thank you, Sarah!

And thank you to those who sent cards, gifts, text messages, facebook messages and made phone calls to congratulate Ben. We appreciate the thoughtfulness so very much. Because we have so many wonderful people in our lives, I am staying busy writing many thank you notes!

FINISHED!

It was just over four years ago when I wrote this post announcing Ben's decision to sell our home, quit our jobs and move to Kentucky to pursue higher education. I asked many of you to pray about these things, and you did. It was excited to share our journey on this blog, to show how God had answered our prayers and directed our paths. And it was a real blessing to have so many loyal friends who went to the Lord on our behalf. Our faith was stretched and we grew as we waited on the Lord to sell our house, which He did just a couple of weeks before we needed to leave for Kentucky. Once we moved here God provided us with work. Ben got a job at a Jewish Temple and I landed a teaching position at Whitefield Academy. We were here less than six months when God answered another one of our prayers and I was able to get pregnant after dealing with infertility. Once we had our first child we knew we could not afford to live on one income while Ben was in school, but we also knew that we did not want Owen in day care. Yet, again, God gave us the desire of our hearts and allowed me to get a job that I could bring Owen to. I could write a book about all the prayers God has answered!

Do I write all of this to boast about how great our life has been? Not exactly, though I admit God has been exceedingly kind and gracious to us. I write all of this to show that God is good. He is faithful. He provides. He answers prayer. He's not a genie that gives us everything we ask for. In fact, He loves me too much to give me everything I ask for. As I look back at the last four years I am in awe of all that God has done. I didn't always see God's hand in the moment, but it's so clear to me now.

And now, as I write this, Ben is finishing his last exam - in Greek. He's not finishing easy! Many of you who faithfully pray for us have asked where we are going next. We don't know. Just like we didn't know how we would get to Kentucky, how we would make it through school, how we would pay our bills, how we would be able to have children. BUT . . . God knows. And once again I call upon my friends to pray for us, that God would show us where He wants us and continue to direct our paths.

God Sure Does Provide for Us

On my way to the mall today after story time I prayed and asked God to help me find some good deals on clothing for my children. I want to be a good steward and I also want to make sure my kids are dressed for next winter. God answered!

Let me break this down. In this picture, you see:

3 dresses

5 pairs of sweatpants

2 sweatshirts

7 long sleeve shirts

3 sweaters

8 pairs of khakis or jeans

1 skirt

1 snowsuit

3 jackets

I'm thinking that's quite a bit for the $80 I spent. Thank you, Jehovah Jireh!

What I Am Most Thankful For

During the month of November I was challenged to post on FaceBook something that I was thankful for every single day. It was encouraging to read so many thankful posts from my friends, but eventually the novelty wore off and not everyone kept up with it. But each day as I thought of what I wanted to post I realized that I have so much to be thankful for! I am thankful for my adoring husband and delightful children. I am thankful for my health and the health of my family. I am thankful for great friends who sharpen me spiritually. I am thankful to be debt free. I am thankful for so many godly influences in my life. I am thankful for our church and the seminary. I am thankful for my job and my husband's job. I am thankful for a reliable car and a cozy home. I am thankful for coupons and free places of entertainment. And then there are always the little things to be thankful for: nap time, victory over a temptation, a good book, a close parking spot at the grocery store when I have three children ages 2 and under with me.

As I think about all that I am thankful for I am forced to face the reality that all of these things could be gone in a moment.

A few years ago a friend of mine lost her husband and she was left alone with their young children. Just last week a family in our church lost their six year old daughter. My Mom was perfectly healthy until they found cancer in her eye during a routine eye exam. The cancer eventually took her life. I know lots of people right now who are struggling with health problems.

One bad accident and I could be in debt for the rest of my life. Without any notice my husband or I could lose our jobs. I've seen this happen countless times. Our home could be gone in a flash. Just last week I watched the house across the street burn. At any time my car may not start. Friends have hurt me and will certainly do so again in the future. Memories can even be taken away if one loses his mind in old age.

So what's the point? Should I not be thankful? We should be thankful for what we have and I truly am. However these earthly things are not what I am most thankful for. These are not the things that I ultimately live for. What I am most thankful for is that which can never be taken away - my relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only confidence I have, my only true security. He is the only One who will never leave me or forsake me. He is the only One who cannot let me down. And because I have a relationship with Him, because He has given me new life, I will spend eternity with Him. Eventually I will lose everything on this earth. But I will never lose Christ, my salvation is sure.

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4

I'm not poor, and neither are you

It is so easy to feel sorry for yourself when you compare yourself to those that have more: a bigger home, nicer car, better job or a larger bank account. Unfortunately we as Americans never seem to compare ourselves to those who have less. It bothers me when people refer to themselves as "poor." If you are able to read this right now, you are not poor!

I like what Proverbs 15:17 says, "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it." When my family sits down to dinner I could care less what is on our plate. It doesn't matter to me if we are eating steak or hot dogs as long as we love each other and our home is a place of peace and harmony.

He did it again!

God never ceases to amaze me in the ways He takes care of my family. Last week we purchased a minivan. Here are a few reasons why it's a better vehicle for me to drive:

- It has a CD player (never had one of those before and Owen LOVES to listen to music!)

- Both the heater and the air conditioner work

- The windshield wipers are quiet

- ALL the doors open

- It can seat my children plus the children I nanny

- It has a remote to unlock and open doors (a huge bonus when you're loading three kids into the car in the pouring rain)

- No rust

- Less than 100,000 miles on it (less than 200,000 would make me happy!)

- It was made in this century

- The interior lights turn on when I open the door

- The driver's seat can be adjusted

- So far, it starts up every time I turn the key

- The brakes don't make a funny sound when I press on them

- It uses less gas

- No cracks or chips in the windows

I don't deserve any of the above perks, but I sure am thankful for them!

Job Change - a long time ago

Please excuse the numerous posts all at once. I have been an unfaithful blogger as of late and all of the sudden I have a desire to get caught up. Nesting, maybe? Alicia prompted this post, though she doesn't know it. She mentioned in a comment on this blog that she didn't know I nannied. Shame on me for not posting earlier about the ways God has provided for our family! Last fall (yes, it was that long ago) I was working at The Temple with Ben. I liked the job and I was allowed to bring Owen to work with me - which is the one major criteria I have before accepting any position. Owen was a real trooper during the three days I worked but it became apparent to us that eventually it was not going to work. In time he would no longer be taking two naps a day or be easily entertained with toys on my office floor. Ben and I began to talk about what we should do. We couldn't afford for me to quit without a backup plan and we needed the health insurance.
All of the sudden God surprised us by putting a job opportunity right in front of me. I didn't go looking for it, it found me. A friend of mine had a sister who needed someone to watch her children a few days a week. I decided to go ahead and meet this woman, Lisa, but was still hesitant about leaving the security of my job at the Temple. I was offered the job and struggled with whether or not to accept it. Ben and I decided to go ahead and pursue the opportunity. I kept praying that somehow God would really show me that this was indeed what He wanted me to do. And guess what? The same week I was planning to turn in my two weeks notice, I lost my job at the Temple. I had NEVER lost a job before but due to the economy they had to make cuts and the board decided to get rid of the part time staff. It was a wonderful feeling to know without a doubt that God was indeed moving me away from the Temple.
When Owen was 15 months old we quit working together at the Temple and instead starting nannying for a wonderful family. This have proven to be a great move for us! I love the family I work for and my "boss" and I have become great friends. I watch three children: one is in school all day, one is in school half a day and the youngest child is a boy four weeks younger than Owen. It really seems like the perfect fit for us. Owen and Will are great buddies and no longer is Owen left to entertain himself. I have the entire day to play with he and Will. I get to take them to story time at our library, go on trips to the park, pack picnics, visit the zoo and play at the mall. I seriously could not ask for a better job. God has used this family to bless me in so many ways.
I started nannying right after Thanksgiving last year. And to answer your question, Alicia, yes, they are allowing me to come back to work with our baby. God just continues to do more than I could ask or think! He knows I desire to be with my children even though we need me to work and He just continues to find ways for me to do both!

Big Boy Bed

Because God surprised us with some extra funds a couple of weeks ago, we were able to order Owen's new bed. We spent last night rearranging his room to try and make some space for the new baby. Owen was VERY excited. Because he is only 21 months old, I wasn't in any hurry to move him to the new bed, but I did want him transitioned before he HAS to give up his crib. Daddy decided that Owen could sleep in his new bed last night. He did great!

So proud of himself!
"What? You're telling me I'm not allowed to stand on my bed?!"
(The frame behind the headboard is going into storage)

Bedtime Prayers

He never got out of bed and fell asleep in no time. When we went in to check on him we found his pillow had moved to the other end of the bed and George was kicked out.

And he STILL slept sideways. Silly boy.

What $33.53 Can Buy

Thanks to some great deals at Meijer this week and the incredible coupons I found, this is what I bought last night for a mere $33.50. Included are ten boxes of cereal, three boxes of crackers, potatoes, carrots, strawberries, bananas, corn on the cob and much more! My bill was almost $70.00 before I scanned my coupons! Thank you Lord for answering my prayer - to find some good deals and help me be a good steward of our resources.

Mother's Day 2009

Mother's Day isn't exactly "happy" for everyone. In 2003 I knew it was going to be my last Mother's Day with my Mom. She died a few weeks later. 2004 was my first Mother's Day without my mom (but it was also my first Mother's Day with my wonderful Mother-in-Law)! Mother's Day of 2006 was difficult because I was struggling with infertility and heard my doctor tell me that I may never have children. If your Mother is no longer alive, or you have a strained relationship with her, if you don't have children but desire them, or you have lost a child, today can be a very hard day. No words I say can take away the pain some of you experience on this day, but my thoughts are with those of you who are facing these battles!
I am thankful that God has placed many women in my life over the years who have "mothered" me and mentored me. I love those women who take the Biblical command seriously to teach the younger. I have certainly been blessed.
Mother's Day 2007 I was pregnant for the second time (the first baby I miscarried). Mother's Day 2008 I had a son! And Mother's Day 2009 I have another child on the way! I am thankful.
(If you click on the picture, it will enlarge).

We finally got someone to take a family picture (Michael) and this is how it turned out. Hahaha

Me and my kids (that sounds weird!)

It may be Mother's Day, but every day is a day to celebrate having a good daddy in the home!

I love saving money!

Yesterday, I went to Kroger to pick up a few things. They were having their Mega Event Sale and I had lots of coupons which Kroger doubles. I ended up spending $58.07. The impressive part is that I SAVED $66.00! God provides again.

A Big Gift From a Woman I Have Never Met!

This is a picture of the Baby Einstein Activity Jumper that I registered for at Babies R Us. It had not been purchased for us so I told my sister that if all Owen's aunts and uncles on both sides of the family wanted to pitch in $15, they could get it for Owen for Christmas. I like it because it's a stationary toy and our apartment isn't big enough for a walker.

Well, yesterday Ben and I came home from work and I stopped to chat with our neighbor. Ben came downstairs and said, "We have a package sitting in front of our door. It's big. It's from Babies R Us. You're going to want to come see this. I don't know who it's from." I went upstairs and saw this activity jumper in it's box. I wondered who would have sent it and thought maybe a group of people from the Temple where we work all pitched in and got it for us. I took the invoice off the box and it said "To: Owen Glupker. Billed to: Susan." Ben then checked the mail and saw that we had a card from Susan as well. Ben kept saying, "Who is Susan? Is she a parent of one of your students?" Then he read the card. Susan used to work with my sister, Kim. She is a woman I have NEVER met. I would have been touched and surprised just to have received a congratulations card. But she went out and bought us an $80 gift! In her letter she said that even though we were strangers, she was very happy for us. I called my sister right away and told her about this generous gift.

Once again I am in awe of how kind and giving people can be. God certainly does provide in ways we would never expect. Susan has challenged me to look for ways that I can give as well. I hope to be a blessing to someone just as she has been to me.

The Lord continues to provide

Today I interviewed for a secretarial position at the Temple. I got the job! I am thankful for a hard working husband because he is the reason I was hired on the spot. Ben has a great reputation at the synagogue and everybody just loves him. His co-workers constantly tell me that he is nice, dependable, hard working, and takes initiative - always doing much more than he is ever asked or expected to do. Because he has proven to be such a good worker they asked him if I needed a job because they needed a secretary.
I start on Tuesday. The office ladies all seem very nice. I can have as many hours as I want and the pay is pretty good. They repeatedly told me that they were very flexible and would work around my trips home, doctor's appointments, etc. They even told me that once the baby was born they would allow me to bring the baby with me every day if I wanted to continue working! How many employers allow you to bring your child to work with you every day?!?! We haven't made any final decisions yet, but it sure is nice to know that I have the option to bring in some extra money and yet still care for my baby. Thank you, Lord!

The Lord Provides!

Right before I gradutated from Northland in 2002, I began looking for a car to buy. I didn't come from a home where you were automatically given a car when you turned 16. No, rather, I had to purchase my own car. Because I worked my way through college, and all of my hard earned money went toward school bills, I was not able to purchase a car until I was 22. At that time I purchased a 1995 Lumina for $1,000. Granted it had 187,000 miles on it, but it was cheap! I still drive that car - it now has 245,000 miles on it, but I have had to put no money into it over the last four years.
This week, we purchased another car - a 1993 Saturn, again for $1,000. This time it only has 98,000 miles! It also is in great condition. What a blessing! My father-in-law says that you should be able to get 20,000 miles out of a car for every $1,000 you spend. For us, this rules out purchasing a brand new car. We certainly have been able to find good deals and make our dollar stretch, I am so thankful! I can't imagine having a car payment every month - the Lord is so good!