It's really sad for me to watch those that have not, not even try. Then it becomes a case of entitlement. I won't give money to someone standing on a corner with a sign. I have seen people standing there with their signs and the McDonald's behind them has a sign too...says now hiring. I'm sorry, you just spent 8 hours today on a corner with a sign...not job hunting?
Ps 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
You know the saying “God helps those who help themselves.” It is not in the Bible...but the principle is.
Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
They work and build and clean house. They are busy, busy, busy!
I have been poor myself. I grew up poor...but my mom worked hard to make things better for me. Since I have been married we have not always had a bunch of extra money to waste. We just kept doing what we were suppose to do and God just blessed. When we lived in NC we really didn't have money in the bank to balance so we just did what we could and left it up to God. For me I really didn't worry...it's like an onion...one peel at a time. When we moved back to Texas (AMEN!) we got our W2's in the mail. When we looked at them and knowing what our bills had been it didn't add up. God paid our bills is the only answer.
One of the most honoring things my daughter has ever said to me was about when we were in Bible college....
We both worked full time. John took a full load at school. We had three kids in Christian school. And ministry work. We always found time to do things with our kids. FREE things to do with our kids. The zoo back then was free, the rose garden still is. We bought season passes for six flags (that year it was just a few dollars more per person per ticket to get a pass) and went many times in Arlington and San Antonio. When would stay in a hotel for a weekend trip somewhere...we took a crock pot and rice steamer and made dinner in the hotel room. We would play games and have birthday parties for the kids...planned well in advance so I could buy things on clearance. We found museums that had free admission...We would drive around and look at Christmas lights with a packed thermos of hot chocolate and a Christmas CD to listen to. I did couponing and comp adding...there were times we as a family of five would sit down to a meal that cost 1.25 for the whole thing.
….After my daughter was grown, she looked back over it all and said, "Momma I never realized how poor we were. You never let us know." We never wanted our children to worry about the finances. We didn't discuss it in front of them. They knew we were teaching them that we could have a great time without spending a great amount of money.
Me personally I never looked at that time as being poor...we were very rich indeed!!
Family pictures 2013
Some would say as hard as we worked during that season of our lives we have nothing to show for it. I strongly disagree. We have the best memories of laughing and spending time as a family.
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