My thougts on money

Not much happening in the way of excitement for me lately. I did get paid yesterday, and much to my dismay, all the money is pretty much gone already. I don't really know why that surprises me. It happens every single time I get paid. And every single time I am dismayed at how fast it all gets gone. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be a millionaire. Not a millionaire that inherits his/her money and never knew what it was like to not have any. But the kind that got there with honest hard work. The kind that could retire, but chooses to work for a paycheck. I wonder, if I had a million or more dollars in my bank account just sitting there, would I still use my entire paycheck in less than 2 days? Would I use my paycheck to pay my bills, or would I use some of the money that is already in the bank? If I never needed my paycheck to pay bills or purchase the absolute necessities, what would I do with that paycheck? I have no clue. I cannot even imagine that. Would I use it to buy unneccesary things for myself? Like clothes, shoes, toys, cars? Or would I use it to buy those same things for my husband, children,or family? I would love to have the freedom to have absolute, "not a care in the world" type of fun with my money. But, never having the opportunity to really do that, I hope that I would be more wise. Even if I didn't have to be.

I hope I would be generous. I hope that I would be wise enough to know how to help the people that need help but won't ask. I would like to help the people that don't know that they need help. Like the children that I see at school that have no clue that they are technically homeless because they live with friends or family and have to move so much that they can't learn their address. The ones that don't realize that, not only are they are wearing hand-me-downs, but they are wearing clothing that have been handed down several times. Or the ones that have no clue that Christmas came from perfect strangers and not from Mom and Dad.

I hope that I would be generous enough to not even question giving to the missionaries that visit our church. Or sponsoring individuals that are going on mission trips to build churches in Africa. Or paying a year or more salary to a pastor in a struggling church that would have to close if not for help.

I hope that I would be generous enought to pay for a struggling uninsured single mom's medical bills. I hope that I would buy her that much needed vechicle and pay her rent for a year,or better yet, buy her a house and pay the taxes on it, so she can get back on her feet.

I hope that I would pay for a child of poverty to go to college, all expenses paid, so that he/she could change that cycle of hopelessness that his family is so accustomed to.

I could go on and on. All I have to do is leave my house to see so much that could be done. But with all my "hopes", my biggest is that if I were a millionaire, I would do all these things with guidance from the Lord, and that I would follow His word. I hope that I could do all these things without fanfare. Without any thanks or acknowledgement needed. I pray that I remember that it would be better to cut of my hand than to let my right hand know what my left hand is doing.

As I sit at the computer, typing what comes to mind, I am reminded of the widow's mite. She had only one mite and gave it anyway. And this was a much bigger gift in the Lord's eyes than any amount of money the rich man could give. It was such a sacrafice to her, yet the rich man did not sacrafice at all in his giving. So, I can hope "until the cows come home". I can say every day of my life, "Lord, if you would only bless me with millions of dollars, I would be able to help you." But what does that do for His kingdom? Not one BLESSED thing! (And I mean that literally.) Because He is not going to bless me until I start sacrificing as the widow did. I PRAY that I can remember this the next time the Lord asks me to give.