Being Trustworthy

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?" Luke 6:10-12

I love those verses. They have been a constant reminder for me over the last year or so. I know I've mentioned it before, but once upon a time we were poor money managers. Our bills were always behind, we couldn't answer the phone, and our checking account was almost always negative. Then one day, we'd just had enough. I was tired of writing a check and hoping it wouldn't clear until payday, or calculating just how much I had to pay to keep the electric from being turned off. Yet we had closets full of clothes, plenty of toys and books for the kids, and food on the table. One day we decided to give our checkbook to God. Completely. Together we decided that first and foremost God would get his check first, and then the bills every week. And ever since the day we'd made that decision we've been turning around. All of our bills are caught up and have remained steadily payed, our checking account has always had a balance, and other than a few solicitors, we can answer the phone freely. It is great to put our trust completely in God!

Those verses above are such an encouragement to me. It is a daily reminder for me. I have become much more cautious about spending. I have also been out shopping far less, where temptation is sure to strike. I go shopping strictly when I have to- there's no such thing as window shopping for me anymore, because I don't trust myself to not spend. It is such an enouragement to me to know that my diligence with Andy's paychecks will be rewarded. We have been blessed by being able to meet our monthly expenses, and right now we feel we have been blessed immensely. Andy is smack dab in the middle of his third week of layoff. And do you know what he is doing? He is spending his time working on projects at church. While we miss his income terribly right now, God is providing for us, and it is actually a wonderful thing that he has the time to accomplish some of these projects. And while we are certain that he will head back to work soon, until that time comes, God will continue to bless us and that tiny unemployment check will continue to cover our expenses and we will be taken care of.

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

God IS our great provider, and he gives us instructions on how to manage what he gives us. And we are most certainly an example of the stubborn and persistant. Andy and I both are of a "I can do it" mentality, so give up and give it to God is something. And it has been a continuous blessing for us to follow his direction. So today his praise will continually be in my mouth and in my head as I continue about my morning.