Give Up and Get Rich!

So, were any of you up late into the wee hours of the night hyperventilating wondering about what I would write about today, like me?

No?

Well, then you must have at least been up all night wondering what my kids gave up for Lent, right?

No again?  Really?

Well, poo!  Sadly, my children's Lenten decisions are my only idea as a follow up to yesterday's post!

(Allow me  a sidebar here, if you will,  but I feel I need to clarify EXACTLY what happened yesterday with the launching of this blog.  I've narrowed it down to one of two possible things that took place since I can't quite understand it myself, so bear with me: 


EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY VERSION #1:  I was just sitting at my computer innocently-- and, I may add, rather confidently-- typing away some great words of wisdom about life and Lent and God, etc., when I suddenly had a weird out-of-body experience that possessed me to log onto Facebook and post an announcement about my Maiden Voyage into Blogdom for all of my "friends"-- some of whom I may not even REALLY know--when my fingers rapidly typed something and evidently hit the word POST.    What was THAT?  I thought to myself.  Oh, well, it's the middle of the afternoon, no one will notice.  Then, suddenly [with comic book sound effects, no less]  Zap!  someone...no wait...a FEW someone's "liked it" and then... Zing!  I had one comment.  Then another. *Ack!* WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?? ?!  And then I returned back to my body, but now I somehow look like Sheryl Crow.  The end. 

I know.  Weird.

It was EITHER that, OOOORRRRR  


EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY VERSION #2:  The moment was what I can only imagaine must have been similar to when the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced to her she would be carrying GOD HIMSELF in her womb.  Imagine for a moment that even though she'd never "laid with a man" so the possibility of being pregnant--let alone PREGNANT WITH GOD--seemed completely impossible, still here right in front of her was an angel telling her that she WAS going to do this and that she COULD do it despite all her doubts, excuses, worries, fears, trepidations and  misgivings.  And then what does the Virgin Mary do, you ask?  Well, apparently WITHOUT REALLY GIVING IT ANY THOUGHT she found herself giving a hearty "YES!"  And then I guess she ran off to go see her cousin and share some good news.  That last sentence is kinda where any similarities get real sketchy if, in fact,  this version has any hint of the truth.


So there you have it.  Those are the only  two possible explanations I can see.    Like I said, it was one or the other.  In one version I end up looking like Sheryl Crow, in the other I'm the Virgin Mary.  You can decide for yourself what you think really happened.  For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure the true version of what happened is somewhere in the middle.   However, today I know that I myself am wishing the Bible had a whole lot more solid info on just exactly what Mary did after this Angel appeared, besides running off to tend to her cousin Elizabeth.   Because I can tell you that if in that moment yesterday afternoon I was at all metaphorically the Virgin Mary, I do in fact feel like running right about now.  But unless "Elizabeth" is a code word for "hiding"  that's where me and the Virgin Mother really part ways. 

Even so, rest assured that me and my trusty brown paper bag *breathe, breathe* are back for Day 2.  ) 

Anyhoo, let's get back to you, shall we?  We were talking about you and you're complete disregard concern for me and my blogginess.

So, what you're saying is it was just me that's been thinking about my kids' decisions then? 

And by that, I mean it really was JUST ME.

Especially considering this was what I found when I posed the Mom-trying-to-act-like-she-really-doesn't-care -but-do-you-know-what-you're-doing-for-Lent? question this morning at breakfast. 

Let's see how they responded, shall we?

The Little One (kindergarten):  (Wrinkles up her nose)  What's LENT?  (Says it like it smells bad.  And though she posed the question, it is clear she really doesn't care to know more).

 

 

The Big One (middle school):  Umm... I'm still thinking.  (To which I force a That's OK I Can Wait For You To Decide Smile.  Instead of my preferred response of  wagging my finger in his face and telling him that "Deciding not to decide is still a decision!") 


So, with me now beginning to lose all hope, The Middle One (not-quite-10-year-old) chimes in with:  I'm giving up spending money during Lent.





I begin to roll my eyes and wonder what lecture I should begin.  But something stops me cold. I wait.  Did The Middle One have an answer?  I think he did.  What did he say again?  Something about money? 

 

 

Me:  I'm sorry, can you say that again?  (OK, I really probably just said, "Huh?" but it's called literary license, people!)

 

 

The Middle One (again):  I'm giving up spending money. (I stare at him a moment).  For Lent.  (He says to clarify, because apparently I looked as though I'd forgotten the question, but really I was just considering his answer).

 

 

I think ...this answer sounds... good!  In fact, it sounds responsible.  It may even have a hint of charity in it.  It also sounds vaguely...familiar.  Still, because this sounds pretty good, I give him my Encouraging Smile. 



Then, wondering what led up to his thinking behind this decision I ask, "What made you decide to do that?"  He got big eyes, and an even bigger smile, and said very excitedly, "Don't your remember?  The Big One (his brother) gave that up last year and he got REALLY RICH from it!" 

Hmmm...

This is true, I remember.  No wonder it sounded familiar.  I also recall that while The Big One was lectured encouraged to give charitably from his savings, it did not happen and instead ended up in the purchase of  (if memory serves) a Nintendo DSi.  For himself.  Not charity.

On the other hand, a voice whispers to my heart, don't we all get "rich" from our sacrifices?

After six weeks of letting go of "me" and letting God GO BEFORE me, don't I, in fact, feel "rich"  too?

I do.  I do indeed.

Of course, it occurs to me here that The Middle One may be forgetting that when The Big One made this sacrifice last year his birthday (a.k.a money deluge) fell smack in the middle of Lent.  It won't be that way for the The Middle One, I'm afraid.  And I wonder for a moment, should I tell him?

But then I remember Richard Rohr and his words again, "Your image of God creates you."

And I realize there is no need to tell him.  He's on the right path.  After all, I've been enjoying my own journey for some time now, and when I was a not-quite-10-year-old my image of God was a fatherly figure who kinda/sorta asked me to give up bubble gum for six weeks until the Easter bunny came. 

His not-quite-10-year-old image of  God will make him rich.

So I throw The Midde One a second Encouraging Smile.  

And I pray with confidence that for him (and for all)  this Growing Season ends for us in wealth beyond measure.