Putting your money where your mouth is.

When we lived in Arizona, a Che' told me that if a person had wealth and a home and his famliy was not taken care of, that the person was living out of harmony.  A life in harmony distributes wealth and makes sure that everyone eats, everyone has what he needs, and no one person can flaunt their wealth over others.   He was a very wise man, and his way of describing stewardship makes a lot of sense to me - and it has worked for him for a VERY long time.

First I must preface this with the statement that this is in no way a glorification of some great thing I did.  That isn't my  purpose, though those comments continue to roll in, they make me feel uncomfortable.  What has transpired is merely the outward appearance of my inward belief that nothing which is technically "mine" really belongs to me.  When I am buried, someone else will take my home and my jewelry and whatever other earthly posessions I have.  The Lord will direct the location of my soul - so really, there is nothing that belongs to me.  Money is important only when we run out, so in the interim, I believe it is my responsibility as a good steward to be Christ to those around me. 

Several months ago, my brother, who has been incredibly brave in the face of his issues, ran out of money and ran out of hope.  I drove up to Indiana to pick him up, and at 3 in the morning, we loaded all of his earthly posessions into the back of my Jeep and made for Georgia.  He is in a better place now, both spritually and financially, though he just isn't completely "there" yet.  He needs a place, I have room, he lives with me until he is ready to go.  Seems pretty cut and dried - and it surprises me the number of people who think this is an extraordinary thing to do.  He's my brother, for Pete's sake and he was homeless, what was I to do, let him live in his car or under a bridge?  Sorry, not really an option.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I found out that a single mom who is a friend of ours was being evicted.  She is also not in a good place mentally or financially.  And her son, who is 4, needs to be somewhere safe and clean.  So I talked with Jake about her situation.  Jake, who is already facing surgery , who is a teenager trapped at home as a result of the epilepsy, and who has plenty of reason to feel like life has shorted him.  In moments like this, I wonder if he is some secret angel sent by God to remind me that there is a purity of heart and a simple goodness in each of us - he just seems to have it in spades. You get the picture.  Jake offered to move into my room and to let this friend and her son have his room.  I was impressed.  Then, he took everything of his out of the room - without being asked - moved a mattress in and added clean sheets to make sure they were accomodated.  He and Josh moved all the furniture and assorted items to make way for these folks - with zero complaining.

I was talking to the boys about this, and was told that they felt that this was the right thing to do: that plenty of people put money in the cup for homeless people, but not enough open their homes.  Josh said it wasn't that difficult to accomodate someone and that it was the right thing to do.  I have to agree.  I am so impressed by his maturity and by his focus on things that are "enlightented" to use his word.

I love having the little guy around.  It is just joyful and exciting and loud and all those things the house used to be when my boys were little.  To be honest, I really was hoping to have another child back in '05, but that was not meant to be. I have missed the patter of litle feet - especially because now all 3 of my kids tower over me.  I'll like being a grandma, though, when that time comes - not rushing it, but I can hardly wait.

My dad was a CFO, and was markedly better at finances than I am.  He had always said that I should marry a man who could balance my checkbook and take that one very hated task off my plate.  Hasn't happened yet, and the checkbook still isn't balanced.    Instead, we have the current method, give until you are broke, then go make more money.    What, doesn't that appear really fiscally sound to you?

But an odd thing happens: the more I give away, the more I receive.  The less I focus on storing up my money, the more money there is to store.  It is a little wierd, by earthly standards, but it is exactly what God says He will do.  I take one step, He takes the next three.  I invited these folks to stay with me, and I got a call 3 days later that I was getting a $7,000 raise this next year. Maybe you could argue that it was a coincidence, but I don't believe in coincidences. So, since the current system does not seem broken, I will not fix it.

More updates to come, as having 6 people in the house makes for some interesting stories.