Subject: In G~d We Trust
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Sat Jul 26 2003 - 02:53:20 EDT
"In G~d We Trust"
Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband
were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's
employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous
about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with
a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more
than her house. The first day and evening went well,
and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse
into how the very wealthy live.
The husband's employer was quite generous as a host,
and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew
she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this
kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself
immensely. As the three of them were about to enter
an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was
walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He
stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for
a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was
supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the
ground except a single darkened penny that someone
had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the
man reached and picked up the penny. He held it up
and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had
found a great treasure. How absurd! What need
did this man have for a single penny? Why would
he even take the time to stop and pick it up?
Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her.
Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally
mentioned that her daughter once had a coin
collection, and asked if the penny he had found had
been of some valuable. A smile crept across the
man's face as he reached into his pocket for the
penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen
many pennies before! What was the point of this?
"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says."
She read the words "United States of America."
"No, not that; read further."
"One cent?"
"No, keep reading."
"In G~d we Trust?"
"Yes!"
"And?"
"And if I trust in G~d, the name of G~d is holy, even
on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription.
It is written on every single United States coin, but we
never seem to notice it! G~d drops a message right
in front of me telling me to trust Him! Who am I to
pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if
my trust IS in G~d at that moment. I pick the coin up
as a response to G~d; that I do trust in Him.. For a
short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I
think it is G~d's way of starting a conversation with
me; lucky for me, G~d is patient and pennies are
plentiful!"
When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on
the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized
that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about
things I cannot change. I read the words, "In G~d We
Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, G~d, I get the message.
It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number
of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies
are plentiful...
And G~d is patient...
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