The Challenge to Give

Thought this was a good one to share...


I tried my best to smile for the camera in the grocery store. Tears welled up in my eyes and cascaded down my cheeks, dragging my mascara along for the ride. I had one toddler on my hip and a baby on the way, a pressing concern when our only income was from my husband who was paid straight commission. Some weeks he earned money; others brought no paycheck at all.

That day in the store, my budget was so tight my dollars squeaked! As a result, I had to remove a few items from the conveyer belt as I watched the total mount. As I paid for my order, the cashier handed me a scratch-off card from the store's current promotion. Customers could get money off of their order by matching dollar amounts revealed on the card.

I used a dime to rub away the shiny silver coating, revealing a $10 match! Smiling, I handed the clerk the card and asked for the "can't afford them" items back. "Sure!" she replied. "Now, do you want to use the remainder of your prize today or on another trip?"

My puzzled look must have clued her in. "What?" I questioned. She then showed me I'd actually won $100! A manager quickly snapped my picture to display alongside the other smiling winners on the store's wall. Only in my photo, my smile was saturated with grateful mascara-smudged tears.

During those lean days God always took care of us, often through generous people in our lives: groceries left anonymously on our porch, cash in an envelope tucked under our windshield after church, and hand-me-down clothes from an acquaintance who wanted to share her children's outgrown clothes.

We learned to live frugally during that time, and yet God also challenged us to give. As we did, we found ourselves blessed. Sometimes monetarily. Always spiritually.

Nowadays, although at times our family experiences layoffs due to the nature of my husband's employment, we are in a place where we can more consistently be the "bless-er" and not just the ones being blessed. What a thrill it is to treat, secretly pay, or stealthily provide as we ourselves become spiritually blessed and ultimately God—the giver of all things—is glorified. -The Boomerang of Blessing by Karen Ehman

Baby it's cold outside!

I went out yesterday afternoon with my daughter to run some errands and it ended up taking longer than I'd expected. Typical, right? When we left the sun was still out and when we came home it had gone down. set It was a chilly day but even more so with the absence of the sunlight. As we left the last store, shivering through the parking lot on the way back to the car I was more anxious than ever to return to my warm and inviting home. We passed someone with their head bent under the hood of a car, dealing with some kind of engine trouble, I was sympathetic but definitely glad it wasn't us this time. When I pulled into my own driveway fifteen minutes later it was with a sigh of relief I went inside. 

I'm especially thankful today for the blessing of heat and a comfortable house to live in--something I often take for granted. A small and simple thing? But not for those who don't have it. 

 I've kind of had a rough week, dealing with challenges and it has been harder than normal to keep a positive attitude. When I came across the following quote it was a great reminder.

"The things you take for granted, someone else is praying for."

I took an honest look at myself, my surroundings and all blessings in my life, and was immediately humbled. Life is not perfect, but life is good!