God has me on a manna diet. He has for several years now. I seem to have just enough to get by on but not much more.
I’m a truck driver so I drive trucks for my main source of income. I’m signed up with a temporary agency so I can walk away from this line of work without harming a company when I leave after my writing takes off.
I know that may sound stupid but there’s a fine line between stupid and faith. I’ve been walking that line for quite some time now.
I’m either well balanced or stupid. The jury is still out. It depends on who you talk to I guess.
I used to drive mainly for a company that had a contract with the postal service. They paid well but most of the driving was during the night. That was beyond challenging for this day bird.
Things changed to a window company for a while as they had drivers taking vacations and/or being stuck in Mexico repairing a vehicle involved in an accident.
Lately I’ve been hauling mattresses in and around Texas, mostly around.
They’ve been keeping me plenty busy of late. Last week I drove over 2,000 miles between Monday afternoon and Friday evening. That should make for a good paycheck.
I’d probably be in good financial shape if my heart wasn’t so good.
Let me explain. I have friends worse off than I am now.
It reminds me there are several levels of poverty and I’m no where near the bottom.
What’s a guy to do when someone needs prescriptions filled, an electric bill paid or rent help because of an eviction notice on their door?
I help as much as I can. It makes for a teetering bank account but a good heart.
I have sticky notes on my calendar reminding me of when certain bills come due each month.
Last week I knew I couldn’t take many surprise hits before Friday early morning…that’s when my paycheck is directly deposited into my bank account.
I received some surprises so I prayed. “Do I need to ask my friends for help now?”
I waited to see when one of my regular bills would hit that same account. It was scheduled to do so sometime Thursday.
I’m thinking this will be the week I pay a late fee of $35. It didn’t hit until Friday morning…after the paycheck. Whew!
I’m launching off the dock this week on that same boat for the same reasons. The exception this time is, as of the writing of this post on Sunday afternoon, I don’t have any work lined up for the week…at all.
Okay. You can call me stupid if you want to. As a truck driver I’m sure I’ve been called worse.
All I know for sure is manna doesn’t taste as sweet when you swallow it as when it’s been digested.
I need to take Thursday off so I can be available at church for a gathering talking about the Kairos Prison Ministry I’m involved with. They scheduled me to talk about my experience as a first-time participant.
To prepare myself for the evening I decided to get my head examined.
I scheduled a dentist and eye doctor’s appointments that day to take advantage of the insurance I’m paying for. No good having insurance if you don’t have time to use it. Right?
That decision may have cost me the potential for a run later next week. I’m committed to helping those prisoners so I’m willing to pay that sacrifice.
I sure could use a good work week to build another great paycheck to end the month off with. That’s what my mind is telling me.
The same thing happened last month. I survived with a short check then with the help of a friend.
I now owe the Apainter Paul three days of work. He’s running low on big jobs he needs work with currently.
Oh, there was an offer on the family farm in Michigan. That would make a huge difference. All that needed to happen there was they had to pass all the inspections.
It failed the grandparents’ inspection this past weekend. The light at the end of that tunnel just turned into an oncoming semi. Ouch!
So, here I sit with no known source of income and more bills coming due this week.
Am I worried? Not really. I know I have friends who can help if need be…and a God in control of every detail of my life. He came through for me before so why won’t He do it again?
That’s what faith is all about.
When David saw Goliath he knew God would come through for him because of what God did in his past. That bear and lion died. Why wouldn’t the same thing happen with this loud-mouth uncircumcised Philistine?
I don’t know about you but my life is a challenge right now.
I’ll take this challenge if it draws me closer to my heavenly Father.
I need Him like I need the air I breathe.
The manna has been there before.
I’ll see you later. Wade
