Revelations about the beginning

In light of this new year and my apparent lack of knowledge of the Bible AND my new beautiful latte and turquoise decorated retro Bible that I got for Christmas from my mom, it is time to embark on a quest to read and understand the Bible once and for all! I'm always surprised when I call a good friend for advice and they quote me a scripture that TOTALLY calms my spirit, and I respond, "Really? It says that?" And it's verified, what I already know is true, but for some reason, people like me need reassurance in writing. Call me Thomas. Anyway, so I thought I'd start at the beginning, as it is a very fine place to start.

Genesis. What is the DEAL? Did you know the whole thing is pretty much about sex and babies and more sex and 700 concubines and 400 wives and living 989 years??? Did you know that kids were begged NOT to marry local people their age, but to instead marry one of their cousins to "keep it in the family" per se? Did you know that two daughters got their DAD drunk to have sex with him to carry on the family line? Well, after these tidbits, I'm shocked and nervous and appalled, but.....intrigued. When did all these freaky practices go away? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they did....it's just that, I find it interesting that things were so different then than now. What's more, I have gotten little glimpses into what God is really like along the way. These stories are told in Genesis, but the coolest part is when God steps in to say something about it all. He doesn't always. Not even when horrific things are happening! But then sometimes, and most of the time, he steps in to say "Do not be afraid. I am with you." That's his main theme. From my research anyway.

This has brought me to reflect on current times when we do not sleep with our cousins OR our fathers, we marry one person at a time and so on. But God remains the same. He steps in, every once in a while to say, "Do not be afraid. I am with you." Sometimes these moments have been clear in my life, and others have to be pointed out to me by faithful people because I've lost sight of the truth...the truth being that even though I'm self centered and think that my hard work produces EVERYTHING, I'm wrong. God has the big guns. God is a hero and he continues to save me to this day.

Most recently, I've been really trying to be better with money. I want to pay off debt and free myself from all these crappy bills that haunt me. I don't want to be consumed by it anymore. I've asked for help along the way, from a good friend's advice, to prayer, to just teaching myself to be vigilant....$20+$20+$20+$20= more than $20. Did you know that? News to me. Anyway, little things add up, so I've started to pay attention. And in light of all my changes, I found myself nearing Christmas with no cash and no credit and no way to buy gifts that I wanted to and fearing the worst as our mortgage grew closer and screwing things up, paying too much and ending up with nothing, etc. But I forgot, what happens when we've tried our best and are still failing??? And our goal is an honorable one, set for the right purposes and intentions???

My mom taught me how to sew and I had a revelation. I can make things!!!! Instead of buy, MAKE!!! What a concept! I realized that I also could make gifts for Christmas and I was excited. So I made these letter pillows for my brother with my mom's help and sewing machine and I wrote stories for my family. I desperately wanted a sewing machine so I found a cheap one (for $99) that looked uncomplicated enough that a moron like me could run it, so I tried to buy it. But it wasn't in stock. So they called other stores for me and I drove out to West Des Moines the next Sunday, since I was going there anyway (to save gas money I waited a whole week) and tried to buy the stinkin thing and low and behold, not there either. There was only the 179 dollar one I couldn't afford, although quite nice and I wouldn't mind having it. Sigh. So I asked the lady to check in the back for me. After all, I had driven out there and couldn't she see how excited I was?? 10-15 minutes later and a multiplying angry line of people behind me, she returned with the $179 sewing machine. My face fell. I said, "Thanks for looking, but I can't afford that one." She said, "Let me check the price on this one first." "No, I said. I already know its too much". But she scanned it as I was whining and it rang up...to my total shock....$89!!! My face lit up and I thanked her profusely...too much probably and shouted, "We should be friends!" as I ran towards the check out with my sewing machine box slowing down my running pace a little, ecstatic to start my new domestic life. I was hoping this wasn't a mistake. Or even if it was, THANKS! Now this story may sound dumb to you and you may not think this is a God thing, but it was. And so was showing up to daycare today, ready to pay an enormous bill I left sitting there while we were Christmasing. But today there was a new bill in my folder....HALF of what my bill was before I left. I checked the date, I asked the director, I verified that this was true. And then I smiled and accepted this gift (because we don't always get good news), and payed it with joy. What happened? Who knows?

A refund from an overpayment to my insurance company arrived in the mail. $80. I was panicking the day before about paying $80 up front to get my aching tooth fixed the next day. Tell me, what are the odds of that? Before I sound like an infomercial to a pyramid money scheme, let me clarify, God is not giving me money. Nor do I think he does so ever, BUT I have been taken care of lately, and so have you. Look around you. Not everything is coincidence. A lot of bodies, hands, thoughts, minds have touched your life in some way, not always by their own will (although they might think it is), but by God's gentle leading, a whisper in their ear, a thought placed here or there, a sign to remind them.

I remember a story a lady at camp told me years and years ago about wanting to make a birthday cake for her child. They had four children and were broke beyond broke. There was no credit cards and no money in the bank or under the mattress. She looked and looked in her fridge for anything she could make the cake out of but there was nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes and she sat down and cried. But then the doorbell rang, and there was a lady from her church, holding a bowl full of butter and eggs and bread and a few other things, and she said, "I just had a feeling you needed these." And before this sounds like a bad email forward, IT'S TRUE.

Things don't always go right in my life, and sometimes I cry in utter despair. Sometimes I feel like there's no one there to help me and God doesn't give a rats patoot about me or my bills. I feel guilty because I know that there are much bigger problems in the world and who cares about my medical bills anyway? God doesn't have time for that. Does he?

I think he does. I'm reminded he does. And things aren't always random and unplanned...just because they weren't forseen by you or me doesn't mean they weren't intended to happen.

When I embarked on this financial adventure, I decided that I wanted to be able to give others extraordinary gifts. Not like an IPOD for their bday or something, but something life changing, like a bowl of butter and eggs. Or like $10,000 to help someone pay off their debt so they could adopt a baby (that's another true story). Or this year, before Christmas break, hearing that one of Sophie's teachers offered to watch kids over break because she couldn't afford her car payment. This is a high school kid who works every morning before school and every day after school with these kids, earning money, and doing a fantastic job with the kiddos. I respect her for being so cool at age 16. I wish I could've given her $100 bucks anonymously. I wish I could've payed her whole stinkin car payment. I will someday. I want to someday, and I'm so incredibly thankful that God is helping me on my way.

Eat it credit cards and student loans! You won't keep me down. Thank you God.

What's Exodus about? :) Next time.