Car Wash Bonus

 

My car was so dirty that I had to go to the car wash Saturday.  It cost me $7, but I thought it was worth it.  They have a “bug removal” wash area before you go through to pretreat your car to remove the dead bugs.  I used it to remove the bird poo that accumulates because I park under a tree where the birds roost.  That’s the thanks that I get for keeping their bird feeder full.  But that’s another rant.  After I went through the car wash, I pulled around to vacuum the floorboard and wipe the windows dry.  While vacuuming, I found a stash of coins on the pavement that had melted candy all over them.  I scooped them up with a paper receipt from the back seat and put them in an empty Lowe’s bag.  At home, I washed them and spread them out on a towel to dry.  I counted $2.42!  Free money!  Hey, my car wash only cost me $4.58!  Some folk won’t bend down to pick up a penny, but I will … and then wash my hands (thanks to Covid).  Solomon said in Proverbs 15:6, “In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.”  I’m not sure how righteous I am, but at least the dear Lord provided $2.42 for me today.  And, at least I didn’t spend $2.42.

Fear

Fear is an unpleasant feeling.  Many of us live with fear each day.  We fear cancer.  We fear the boss.  We fear growing older.  We even fear fear.  Probably the most fearful thing is the future, because it is cloudy.  We may plan and prepare for the future, but no one can be sure what will happen.  No one, that is, except the dear Lord.  God knows what is in the future because God is there in the future right now!  God is outside of time.  God is in the past, God is in the present, and God is in the future.  So, it’s a good idea to trust in someone who already knows what is around the next corner.  Paul reminded Timothy in II Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  Those are good words to combat fear.  Trust in God and don’t be afraid today.

A Bargain

 

In 1971 I moved to Detroit to be near my sweetie, Kathy Papastavro.  I got a job at Jim Robbins Seat Belt Company making … you guessed it.  My brother-in-law was a foreman and he got me the job.  I worked assembly line, maintenance, plating, stamp pressing, parts tumbling, well, you name it.  There was an old maintenance man who worked in the machine shop.  Lenard D. was good with his hands, and I learned a lot from him.  Leonard had a brother-in-law who raced snowmobiles.  Leonard tweaked the engines and drive train to give his brother-in-law’s machine a little more power.  I spent many lunches talking about life with Leonard.  Leonard had a saying, “I married a wife.  Everything else is for sale.”  Of course, Leonard would put a pretty high price on an item that he liked, but he would sell it … if the price was right.  Solomon must have known someone like Leonard.  Solomon said in Proverbs 20:14, “It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.”  The buyer and seller haggle over an item.  The buyer says, “This old thing is a piece of junk.”  But the seller says, “It’s the best that’s ever been made.”  The buyer undercuts the price and the seller overprices the item.  And then the negotiations begin.  I have been part of such proceedings in markets in Mexico, Venezuela, Romania and Ukraine.  It can be fun.  Hey, in 1956 I made the best deal ever!  I exchanged my dirty rotten sins for eternal life in heaven.  And Jesus Christ willingly let me seal the bargain!  Thank you, Jesus for loving me!