A Penny Saved

My younger brother is a numismatist. He has collected coins ever since he was a young boy. Mike shared his knowledge of coins and collecting with anyone who would listen. I listened, a little.

I never became a big enthusiast, but I did save some coins,I thought might be valuable someday. Today I was looking through the small box of coins I had, wondering if any were worth much. I checked each one for dates and mint marks and the wear that would lessen the value. It wasn't long before my mind wandered as I picked up coin after coin.

I began to think of all the people who had touched those coins. Where had these pennies traveled and how many lives were attached to one little cent before reaching my little box? Had they been found in a purse or dropped into a car seat or sofa? Were they lost from a hole in a pocket and left to be found on the sidewalk or street? Had they had a simple path to my small collection by being handed to a clerk and give out in change again and again? To me it mattered little about the coin and its travels. I thought of the people.

The little boy or girl who held tightly to the penny while choosing a piece of candy from the counter must have thought it was gold. The Mom who dug deep into her purse for those few cents may have needed them for milk or bread. The Indian head nickle may have been a treasure saved for a special gift. Those who held my coins are connected to me in a simple way. We both found value in a small disk of metal.

We hold money in different ways. Some of us cling to it, and some of us let it go much too easily. We help others, or we selfishly use it for our pleasure. Money is given in exchange for our work. Each hour of our life is worth the wage set by our employer. Money is an exchange for our lives. It is this that gives money value to God.

Our tithe is a giving of our lives that we exchanged for wages. It is a holy sacrifice.

Father God, Creator of each life touched by my coins, You are holy. you give life and take it away! You are a Generous Giver of life. Thank You for allowing me to return to You so little of what You deserve! Forgive me for my selfish ways. Teach me to see You and Your human creation as holy and more valuable than material things. I want to hold my life out to You with open hands.

Work & Worth

I sit here wondering how to speak out without sounding like I am complaining or even trying to defend some of us. I don't want to set anyone above another but I do want to express something I have thought about frequently.

The subject has to do with work and worth. One of the questions most commonly asked when meeting someone for the first time is "What do you do?" It may be phrased , "Where do you work?" The two questions are meant to be a barometer of where you stand on a scale of how important you are or what you are worth to the person asking. For me this has always been an uncomfortable question.

I have felt uncomfortable telling others I've been a stay at home Mom and now a stay at home Grandma. Oh, I know people make grand statements about the importance of Mothers' work but in reality after that bit of information gets leaked, there is little else others will talk to you about. It does not matter how well versed you are in another subject besides diapers, school functions or shopping at the grocery store. If you are not bringing home a pay check there is not much worth placed on you as an interesting person. I hope I am an isolated case, but I tend to think this happens across the board.

Okay, so the perception is that some people have greater value than others just by reason of their work status and ability to make money. I see this happen with those who are unemployed right now. They even think less of themselves because of the difficulty they are having getting work that pays. What is the truth?

The truth is that our worth comes from our Creator. He decides our worth and His word says that He is no respecter of persons! Could it be true that my little income for taking care of my grandchildren and selling my poetry, cards and being a speaker has no influence on Gods' view of me?

My work is an eternal work. My Grandchildren are hearing Gods' word through me every day. My writing is meant to convey Gods' truths and hopefully inspire and impress others to seek a deeper relationship with their Creator. I do not make a huge salary and I suppose I should be more concerned about that, but I cannot devalue myself because of my lower status on the economic grid.

Father, I am deeply grateful for Your love and pride that You take in my work. I thank You for providing all things that I need and most of what I want! You give me purpose and I rejoice in knowing that You value me though I am not worthy of it.

Lost Words, Lost Thoughts

Yesterday I wrote out an entire blog but it failed to post so I am here to apologize to interested readers for the loss.

Everyone has had experiences of losing a dream as we awake. We also lose a thought now and again. Then there are times when we just cannot find the right word to express what we want to say. Losing my blog was a bigger loss. I had complete thoughts and the right words. It was lost because of a computer failure, not my brain dysfunction. It will not stop me from trying to share new thoughts with you.

Loss is a part of life. We think new thoughts and create new words. We also will lose some of them. The truth is that they existed. They lived even for a short time and so they were of some value, even if only to me.

Human life is like that too. It can be short or last many years, but all life has value. Life's value does not come from its length, greatness, nor purposefulness. Life's value comes from its Creator because He alone is given glory through it.