But this post isn't about money, directly, but what happened this morning as I sat down for breakfast. Prior to starting FPU my typical day consisted of driving through a local fast food and getting my taquito and Dr. Pepper for $4.55. I don't get hash browns or anything extra - just those two items. Well, for the past two weeks I haven't done this and I have really noticed that not having breakfast has made my morning hard. I seem to not wake up until mid morning and then I have such hunger pains the growlings in my stomach are all I think about for the next hour and a half. As I dropped my kid off for childcare this morning my stomach was telling me, "I can't go another morning without food! This isn't a fast!" Since beginning FPU I am restricted to a very small amount of money that I can spend each month on "entertainment" - this includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, movies or golf. You need to realize that some people eat to live, but I LIVE to EAT! So there I was this morning sitting in my car at the exit to the childcare center debating on whether or not to take a right and just go to my office or go left and satisfy my hunger, I decided (after some mom honked at me) to go left. But even as I was on my way I was debating on whether or not it was worth the $4.55 to spend of the minimal amount I am allotted each month for breakfast. I could just go back home and eat a bowl of cereal, right? Well, I made it through the drive thru and even asked the cashier if they took returns. She said, "No"! Oh, well. Too late now.
So, now to the point of this whole story. I sat down at my desk to eat my incredibly tasty breakfast and had a DEEP desire to say "grace" came over me. Have you ever done that? Here in East Texas it's pretty common to see people out at restaurants bow their heads and say a quick prayer. I have a standard prayer. It goes something like this, "Our Father. Thank you for this day, thank you for these people. Bless this food to the nourishment of our body." Now, when you can say that in 1.23 seconds - you've got a prayer hungry people can get behind. I say that same prayer almost every time we sit to eat. It rarely changes. However, that was not my prayer this morning. This morning I sat down to eat and I almost didn't say a prayer. Why? I knew the exact words I usually say to God. I hadn't forgotten them. What's another 1.23 seconds before I taste this juicy, hot goodness? Today...this morning...those words wouldn't do. Sometimes I think when we sit down to a meal and we say a prayer the words are just routine and only lip service to God, because that's what is expected. However, this morning as I sat here thinking that I just spent $4.55 of the $50 I have to spend this month I became very aware of how truly blessed I am. Many people around the world will go many more days than my measly two weeks without breakfast, lunch or even dinner. I realized just this morning how IMPORTANT our prayer time at meals truly is. This morning I finally understood that the money I had to spend is truly God's and the food it bought was a gift from Him. He chose to bless me this day with this nourishment.
And because I don't want to just say thank you to God for the meal He provided for me - I feel that would be too narcissistic - so I am going to donate $5 out of my monthly allotment to Convoy of Hope. I am a firm believer that when we truly encounter God it's not so that we can say, "Wow, that was really good" or "what a great lesson", but to move us to change and to put into practice. So what better way to say thank you to God, but to give back His money in order to feed someone else this morning. God has truly blessed me and my family. And God has blessed many of you, but there are many people who need to be touched by Him through His workers.
I hope the next time you sit down to a meal and offer up thanks to God above that you will take the time to truly thank Him for what He has done for you. Both in physical terms, but spiritual as well.
