39 cents n' God

well, believe it or not- i am still alive! and i have missed my blog.

there is SO MUCH to catch you up on...and there are SO MANY pics to share! but...for now....this will be a little post about 39 cents...and God. i can't ever seem to tell a short story, so be forewarned...

last weekend, we were blessed to be able to stay the night in palm springs with my family (parents and sis' family). we had a blast...hanging by the pool, playing games, watching movies, and bbq-ing. we came home (with a million other people) on monday evening, and were caught in some traffic. each family had their own car, but we were all headed back in the same direction. we texted along the way about meeting for yogurt when we got closer to home.

when we found a yogurtland in riverside, we decided that we'd all stop. our kids hadn't eaten in a while....and while we were okay skipping dinner, we decided to grab them some (very healthy) wienerschnitzel. we paid for the kids' food and when bryson went to fill up his drink, he found some change laying on the counter. it was 39 cents, to be exact. he was so excited to find the money...and the "toy" in the kid's meals' just happened to be a fold-up, paper bank.

we walked to yogurtland, and found a table outside. the boys were enjoying their food when a homeless man walked up and asked for money. there were lots of restaurants around and i told the man...."i'll buy you something to eat." the man replied...."um, that's not gonna work. find someone else." he started to tell me that he had some mental issues (his wording, not mine), and the gist of it was that he wanted alcohol. the boys were right there, and all of a sudden, bryson piped up..."here, i have some change. you can have it." he got all of the coins he had found just minutes before, and handed them to the man. the man thanked him...and then hudson, being ever so generous....grabbed a penny out of his bank and said...."i'll give you a penny." the man thanked him as well, and walked off. at this point- josh was quietly crying...and i said to bryson..."wow! how nice, bryson. that is awesome that you would give that money that you just found to that man. that was so generous of you." granted, it wasn't much money at all...but it was all he had! bryson looked at me and said, "oh- my pleasure. if i can help someone- i want to help them." of course, after hearing that- i started crying, too. gotta love it when your child humbles you. this kid has the ability to work every possible nerve i have, but his heart is so sensitive and so tender. he loves the Lord...and he loves to help.

anyhow...a few minutes later, we were recounting the encounter to my parents, who had been inside getting their yogurt...and bryson said, "can i go tell that guy about God?" there was no way we could tell our boy 'no!' i truly believe that the Lord puts that kind of thing on our heart(s)...and we could not deny our boy the privilege of evangelizing! josh gave me a few (uncertain...'are you sure?'...) looks....but then took b to find the man. of course, little bro had to tag along. i think my parents may have been crying at this point, too?! we sat and watched as they found the man and began to talk with him. we anxiously waited to hear how it went....and when josh and the boys came back, i asked bryson about it. he said, "oh...he already knew about God. i asked him if he had Jesus in his heart and he said he did." josh was silently shaking his head behind bryson. i waited until later to ask josh about it, and it turns out the man reeked of alcohol and was *most likely* drunk. his version of God and heaven had something to do with disneyland, tinkerbell, and a wand. josh had talked to the man a bit, too...and josh and the boys told him that they'd pray for him. his name is dennis....and we have prayed for him.

i could end this post in a number of ways, like:

-how sweet my boy's heart is

-how i hope that one day dennis will be freed from his bondage

-how i could learn from my son, to not be so cynical and to be more giving

-to make sure you readers know that i'm not trying to boast about my son, but rather, tell you that i learn from him and am challenged by the depth of his child-like faith

-to remind you to share the "GOOD NEWS" of Jesus wherever you go, whether in word or deed

-to recognize that we all have different struggles/bondages/issues...but that is NOT what Christ wants for us....He died to set us free!!

-to challenge you to give to someone in need

before i finish, i want to share some scriptures that i am being reminded of right now....

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

-Galations 5:1-

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

-2 Cor. 9:7-

"....For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required..."

-Luke 12:48-

"'For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.'"

-Matthew 25: 35-40-

one more thing and then i'll let you go....our pastor's message on sunday included a portion of what this post has been about. he told us that when we are asked for money, we should give a dollar or five dollars, or whatever....but before we hand them the money- we should give them the gospel. we should give them God. josh and i looked at each other upon hearing this, and smiled. our boy had done just that....he had given all that he had, with a cheerful heart...but more importantly- than that 39 cents- he had given that man God.

may you be encouraged and challenged today. i know i am.