Focus on the Volunteers

For three days this week there is a Center for People in Need in our community that dispenses holiday food and goods to needy families. I went there today to see what kind of holiday cheer they could offer two old, disabled seniors on a pencil-thin budget. Fiscal difficulties are definitely one of the major problems reported by caregivers. This one included.

The first thing you notice, as you drive into the parking lot, is how many hundreds of low-income people are looking for something special to offer their families this Thanksgiving and Christmas. The parking spaces were filling up fast, and the place was overflowing with vehicles. Then, the lines of people inside and the waiting required because of the streams of people pouring in convinced me that there are more low-income people than I had realized in our town.

I didn't just notice the people there getting things though. There were also many smiling volunteers, who were valiantly and tirelessly distributing the items. I tried to focus on them, because it's so easy to become judgmental when you are sitting there "people-watching" in a place like that.

I was tempted to think that some of the "needies" there certainly didn't appear to be lacking in material goods. Take that young mother with the expensive looking cell phone, whose child was in an obviously top-of-the-line stroller. But you know, she may have downgraded from her internet connection at home and is reduced to the cell-phone kind only now. And I've seen nice strollers at garage sales too, so I suppose I can overlook that expenditure too. Personally knowing a young mother who fits this description exactly helped me overcome my temporary lapse into judgmentalism.

From now on, I'll definitely focus on the volunteers instead. ;-)

The Gift of Bread

If there's one grocery item I hate to be out of, it's bread. I crave it in some form at almost every meal. So even when our pantry was shrinking this week, in direct proportion to our checking account, I didn't think it was possible for us to actually be out of this hearty staple. But then, we were down to our last loaf, and I was even out of bread flour so I couldn't make any in the breadmachine.

It wasn't a big problem, as I had plans to grocery shop big-time tomorrow when our money comes rolling in. But I was in for a pleasant surprise when our next-door neighbor comes over with a big box of bread to give away. He volunteers at some food distribution center and occasionally shares some of their excess food. I took eight loaves, putting most of them in the freezer. Dean and I cut into a loaf and it was soft, delicious wheat bread.

God tells us in Isaiah 33:16 "...Bread will be given him, His water shall be sure." It was just a reminder to me from God that He is still in charge and there's no need to worry about finances. God will provide. And He is the Bread of Life. John 6:48

Caregiver Woes

It has not been an easy day for this caregiver. My husband's appetite, although somewhat better since we lowered one of his meds, is still through the roof. He is asking me for something to eat repeatedly during the day, and it gets old. I'm still battling a chest cold myself, but that doesn't mean any lightening of my workload around here, including the constant worry about finances. And now he just got mad when I wouldn't give him one of my cough drops!

I'm tempted to think of him as a demanding, selfish old man, but then I remember all the hugs and "I love you"s he has also showered me with during the day and I'm reminded that this is just part of the dementia. He isn't trying to be a burden, and it would hurt him fiercely if I thought of him that way.

So I'll just try to take a deep breath, put it all in perspective, and pray for patience and strength to keep myself together for one more day. After all, look at what the good Lord puts up with in me.

The Best Insurance

Twice this week I have found myself cancelling doctor appointments, instead of scheduling them. I appreciate the secretaries giving me advance warnings, but it still doesn't make sense that Medicare won't pay for a cast on a fractured foot, or for an eye exam when you've been screened negatively for either a cataract or glaucoma.

I'm sorry, but I don't have hundreds of dollars left at the end of the month to pay for these medical costs on my own. I make just a little over the amount to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to pay for my own medical needs. So for now, I will just pray that my foot heals within the next month, and that this is just a slow-growing cataract in one eye and not glaucoma.

As one of thousands who are "falling through the cracks" financially, I still have a backup insurance plan I can depend on. God and I are business partners in a sense. Returning tithe to God is the best insurance plan on the market. No deductibles and no co-pays. Besides, it builds faith and faith is definitely a valuable commodity when you find yourself falling. I know my God will catch me. He's been doing it for years.

Miracle Food

Nothing like a middle-of-the-month online bank account check to totally depress a person. I know about now I have to slow down my spending in order to make the money stretch to the end of the month, but it is so unnerving to discover if you spend ANY more you will be overdrawn by then. I hate that, but it's a reality for many, many people these days. There's always more month than there is money.

I do draw some solace in the fact that I return God's tithe. And if I really keep my spending for needs only, my needs always seem to be met. That's such a relief in this hurting economy. I think of the widow who fed the prophet Elijah the last of her food. Before he left he told her, "The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry..." What a miracle that was! You could make a nice tortilla with some flour and oil. Or a pancake, or some flatbread, or a nice cracker. Whatever it was, it was made with miracle ingredients.

So, from here on out, I will not complain about not having enough, but will look at what I have as a gift from heaven.

Payday Thanksgivings

Today my husband became upset, as alot of husbands would, because we were moving and changing some things in the house and garage. Some of HIS things, he pointed out rather forcefully. Awhile later, I saw him reading in his recliner and felt the the Holy Spirit must have guided him to just the right article. He read me a few sentences and it was about how God owns everything we have.

This is a truth that we are likely to forget and has to be one of the reasons God instructs us to return one-tenth of our income to Him. How blessed we are that He only asks for one-tenth! After all, it's all His anyway. This ten percent, or tithe, is also a sign that we love and trust God. It allows God to be our business partner and enables Him to bless the 90% that's left. You wouldn't believe the ways God has looked out for us with our shrinking income these last few years since disability has hit our household!

In these insecure economic times, many are questioning the wisdom of returning to God what is rightfully His share. But for those of us who are aware and convicted of the Biblical requirement, can we really expect God to look out for us financially or to help us become or stay employed, when we refuse to obey Him in this matter of tithing? Think and pray about it if you aren't tithing. And for those of you who already are, rethink the reasons you do it, and let every payday be a thanksgiving to God!