To: Those Who Are Rich

I'm reading this book called Stories for the Heart: The Second Collection, which is, as it says, a collection of heart-warming stories (Think: Chicken Soup for the Soul), most of which have a religious morality or ending to them. Here's one I just read & wanted to puddle around in for awhile:

This particular story is written by Marion Doolan from The Bigness of the Fellow Within

Lady, are you rich?

They huddled inside the storm door - two children in ragged outgrown coats.

"Any old papers, lady?"

I was busy. I wanted to say no - until I looked down at their feet. Thin little sandals, sopped with sleet. "Come in and I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa." There was no conversation. Their soggy sandals left marks upon the hearthstone.

I served them cocoa and toast with jam to fortify against the chill outside. Then I went back to the kitchen and started again on my household budget...

The silence in the front room struck through to me. I looked in.

The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked in a flat voice, "Lady...are you rich?"

"Am I rich? Mercy no!" I looked at my shabby slip covers.

The girl put her cup back in its saucer - carefully. "Your cups match your saucers." Her voice was old, with a hunger that was not of the stomach.

They left then, holding thier bundles of paper against the wind. They hadn't said thank you. They didn't need to. They had done more than that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers. But they matched. I tested the potatoes and stirred the gravy. Potatoes and brown gravy, a roof over our heads, my man with a good steady job - these things matched, too.

I moved the chairs back from the fire and tidied the living room. The muddy prints of small sandals were still wet upon my hearth. I let them be. I want them there in case I ever forget again how very rich I am.

How rich are you guys?

I don't know about you, but even in my very circumstance I've got four walls around me, a bed with pillows and a blanket, a kitchen with food, and my mother & sister here with me.

How rich am I? Deuteronomy 8:10-18. It's a good one. Here's a bit of it: (17-18) You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

This morning my mom and I got quite busy cleaning up the apartment, dusting, putting away things, scrubbing, etc. I worked for hours on my room. I moved around furniture, now that we've been here for a few months I've realized where things should be due to necessity, so that's good! I added some new elements to my room, hung things up on the wall, and am in the process of doing 5 loads of laundry. It looks splendid, I could tell you that. Things are color coordinated (I'm quite a neat freak in that ideal) and everything seems to match. My things match.

One of the pastors at my church last Summer said something to all of us college kids that kind of stuck with me. We were talking about fellowship and watching out for, as well as taking care of, your brothers and sisters. He said to check in with each other, with your friends, with non-friends even. We're all brothers & sisters, so why not? He said it could be as simple as going up to a friend and saying "How's your heart these days?" It'll be an invitation for each of you to check your own heart.

So here I am, in my spick-and-span cleaned-up room saying to myself, "How's your heart these days?" Without going too much into detail - yes, things aren't as wonderful as they could be, and I'm working on it, but everything matches. Matches in the sense that, I'm loved by Christ, by my mother & father, my sister, my boyfriend, my best friends, my family. I love them equally back. So...matches. It all matches.

The things in between my four walls, sure, they match. But they're not where my wealth is. You could check my wallet or savings account too! I can assure you, that ain't where my wealth is. If you want to know where my wealth is just ask me how my heart is doing. :)

From: Me

To: Ye of Little Faith

Do you ever feel like this guy in the picture? "Finding my faith" says his sign. I've proclaimed Christ as my savior for a long while, I still hold up that same sign. The finding part is not so much a search for salvation or even redemption in one form or another, I know where love & grace comes for. The finding part of my sign is more of a What Am I Going to Do With My Life for His Glory plea.
Tonight after he got off work, Prince Charming stopped by...with pie. :D I mean, it was already enough for my little heart to go pitter patter that he was able to come over, but top it off with delicious, wonderfully baked, perfectly crusted khalua pie in hand!!! We splayed ourselves on the small sofa with Mama & Sissy while we watched tv & ate pie. It wasn't until after he left that I realized that for the entirity of his visit, I wasn't relaxed. I hadn't relaxed. While everyone was laying out with their feet up on the faux leather ottomans, I kinda just sat there, somewhat stiff-backed, just sitting. I couldn't relax.
Once PC had left, I texted him an apology for any awkwardness I gave off. I had things on my mind, and I couldn't relax. He asked what things were on my mind and I replied 'The usual :\ Money worries & looking for a job.'
To which he replied: Matthew 6:25-34! Read it now!
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Now, PC & I have been working on growing spiritually together, and giving each other verses throughout the day is something we're trying out. It's still fairly new to him, sharing his faith, so just the fact that he'd sent me a verse & said read it now!!! to me, meant that A) it was something very important, and B) he's the most wonderful guy in the world for kicking my worrisome butt with good ol' fashioned Biblical backup!! :P
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Here it is: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
First of all, it says DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE. Didya get that?? I read it twice through trying to make it stick in my brain! Here it is again: DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE!
Second of all, it even says, worrying does nothing to improve your life. It does you no good.
Third of all, and most important, TRUST IN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, HE KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED. SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM & HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Don't worry. Why would you? Trust God! He is ALMIGHTY! ALMIGHTY!!!! That's not like He's a cool guy, or pretty neat. Nope. He's ALMIGHTY. He knew you before you were born. He loves you. Trust in His perfect plan, may not be what you thought, wanted or hoped for - but if you SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, you'll realize (and by you, I mean me) that He'll keep you. You're kept. So trust Him.
I don't know if I'll get a job today, tomorrow or two months from now. I don't know if I'll be financially set. I don't know if I'll be able to pay off student loans. I don't know. I DON'T KNOW. But He does.
I'll continue to trust in His timing with the help of someone who has already shown me God's blessings when you least expect them. :)

From: Me