Can it Wait?
/A few days ago, in between music performances at Target, my goal was to find Annie a winter coat. I was bound and determined. Of course, she did not want to do this. She only wanted to play. So with her usual, brilliant two-year-old intellect, she said, "But Mommy, I already have a jacket at home and I'm not even cold right now and Mommy... I have three jackets at home!" she exclaimed. Well, of course, this stopped me in my tracks. She was just trying to play; she wasn't trying to teach me the philosophy and theology of living lightly, but she did.
She does have three jackets. Well- not jackets. But zip up hoodies. And let's be honest. We live in Texas. At the height of our winter, I could layer those three hoodies on top of each other and let her sleep in the back yard if she wanted and she would not be anywhere near frost-bitten!
(Don't worry, I won't try this. I don't have a back yard.)
In that moment- Annie taught me another lesson with her simple 2-yr-old, "But momma, I already have a jacket."
And so I let it go.
She's right. She doesn't need a coat right now. It can wait. Lots of things can wait. And, she already has three. Instead of getting another coat I went to the bank, pulled out the money I budgeted for the coat, and set it aside for a need that does exist right now.
***
Don't underestimate the power of your money. Big or small. Truth is, there are a lot of things that can wait. Don't believe me? Ask a two-year-old. Even they know excess.
And there are some things, like the current famine in Somalia that's leaving thousands of innocent children starving to death in its wake- that cannot wait.
My friend Derek just traveled back from the Horn of Africa. Please take four minutes to watch his documentary- it is inspiring.
Ask yourself- is there something that can wait so that we can all give hope to people who cannot wait any longer? Your money counts. What we do with our money collectively counts.
Join me and World Conern as we try help families who desperately need food in the Horn of Africa.