Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Perspective

Last week, I decided I wanted to watch a video (An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Debra Kerr) and relax a bit. I hit the power button on my VCR and nothing happened. I thought maybe it was unplugged so I checked all the cords...nothing. My VCR had seen it's last movie. Then I tried to just watch a DVD instead, but my VCR has to be on for the DVD player to work...and the VCR was dead...so no movie. And to beat it all I had gotten rid of cable.

Later in the week, my neighbor gave me a VCR that her grandmother wasn't using. They came over to hook it all up, but the picture on the TV was very dark. We tried everything - all three of us sitting there - each with a different remote - trying to make the thing work. No doing. We even took the TV to their house and hooked it up to cable...the picture had gone out on my TV.

Double Bummer.

Maybe God is trying to teach me a lesson...

I think I learned it tonight.

Money has been a little tight for me lately. As a teacher, I chose to get my pay spread over 12 months, but for some reason, we get 2 checks in June and no check in July. Yeah...kinda painful in the summer if you don't budget. Usually, I put the second check in savings until what would be time for my July check. Last month, some extra bills came up and I had to sneak into that money early. But the money I needed was there. Also, I am blessed with family who is willing to help out if I am in a pinch. But it's going to be tight until my payday in August - especially with purchasing the supplies needed for my classroom. I've had to make some choices on what is really important - that cute new border for my bulletin board or...say, bread. I have what I need.

Tonight I was at Wal-Mart getting a few things and I ran into a former student and his mom. D was one of those kids that just grabbed your heart. He struggled with learning, but he gave it his all. Somedays he struggled with behavior and I would have to get on him. His little eyes would well up with tears and it would always break my heart...he really did want to be good. Oh and his heart is so big...he would often make comments about Emma in China...or hug me if he thought I needed a hug...he was just a sweet kid. He also has such a heart for God. His grandparents take him to church. He told me he'd written a letter to C telling him that God would take care of him. (keep reading and this sentence will make sense!) As I talked to them tonight I found out that their house had become infested with fleas. Further into the conversation, I found out that her fiance (C), a guy who D calls Daddy, was in a coma. An ulcer in or around his intestines had ruptured. The doctors were able to patch his intestines, but the infection in his body caused sepsis. Doctors had him in a medical induced coma until today. He came out a bit, but appears to have fallen back in to a coma. C has been out of work since he was laid off earlier this year. D's Mom was out of work this week staying with C in the hospital. Talk about money being tight. I have family who can help...she doesn't. My problem is just not having TV...she's worrying not only about the life of her fiance, but about her child, and her flea infested pet and house, and whether or not there will be food to eat since she's been out of work.

Perspective...think I found it tonight.

I was able to give her some help and some ideas for getting their needs met. And I was able to pray for her. She's a "sometimer" at church...maybe with a little more prayer and a little encouragement, she will come to really see how God can meet her needs - not just the physical ones, but the spiritual ones!

Please pray for C with me - that he would come out of the coma and have no ill effects from his illness... That the time in the hospital may be the "cold turkey" way to getting away from alcohol...that when he is healed, he will be able to find a job

Pray for M - for strength - in all ways, for the ache in her heart to be met by Jesus, for her job to remain steady so she can have a reliable source of income

Pray for D - for a great year at school - that he would gain confidence in academic areas, that he would develop good, encouraging friendships, that he would continue to grow in his relationship with Jesus, that he would stay "on the right track" through life...

D is just one of those kids my heart aches for...he has so little, but loves so big...

Perspective...

But I still want a new TV! :)

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Wow. Does make me think differently as well.
Kelly