The Widows Story or God's Promises Revealed

The white haired widowed ran her knurled bent fingers over the number keys on her solar calculator that she received as a bonus for obtaining a long ago cut up credit card once again. Only this time she entered the numbers from the bottom of her column to the top somehow believing that if she keyed them from a different direction the total displayed by pray fully pressing the summation key the total would increase. The sigh that escaped from her inner being when she pressed that “equals” key combined with the telltale drooping chin and shoulders validated what she already knew. No matter how she added them the list of numbers said the same thing, “Projected income was not enough to cover known expenses!” for the coming year.

Her story was all too familiar. Year after year there never seemed to be enough coming in to cover all that needed to go out. Income increased by “cents”. Expenses increased by “dollars”. Medical expenses increased as high summer thunderheads, creating the same havoc in her life that the storms wreaked on the farmers crops.

Auto expenses were up. Taxes kept threatening to steal from her the very home she had spent most of her married years working to obtain. Utility bills were riding on the up escalator. Income was waning. Happiness was sinking. Hope had become a dying ember.

She pushed the well worn balance sheet and judgmental calculator across the table and asked to anyone listening, “What do I do now? It just doesn’t add up.” As she pulled out twenty-plus identical budget sheets from her ragged cardboard folder she sighed again, “I don’t know how I’ve been able to make it all these years? Each year I seem to have the same problem. Will it ever go away? Will it ever be different?”

What a miracle was witnessed that day! The folder full of yellowed budget sheets, eraser chaff and broken dreams stood as a monument to God’s faithfulness. The glowing numbers on the calculator that just minutes before seemed to condemn her to another year of struggling now shown the light of God’s promise upon the very evidence being used to dishearten and destroy.

“Can’t you see how you’ve been able to make it?” “Can’t you understand the miracle here?”, I softly spoke. The first line item on each and every one of the budget sheets was the widow’s tithe. The ten-percent. That for which God asks was always number one in her budget. None had ever been erased or altered. The tithe stood at the top of the budget as a beacon, as a steering light to all of her financial decision for each of her years. That line item was the non-negotiable part of her spending plan. God honored that in the first year, in the second year, last year and ever year in between. God is the same today as He was yesterday and will be the same tomorrow. If He is that way, so are His promises.

God tell us in Leviticus 27:30 that “all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy unto the Lord.” He continues defining the tithe in Leviticus 27:32 where He says, “And concerning the tithe of the herd or of the flock, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, a tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.” When you are faithful to God, in this case the widow was faithful with her finances and that which the Lord sees as holy; God honors that and blesses you. Do not misinterpret what was just said. I did not say that you should give in order to get. That is not why we give. God loves a cheerful giver, (2 Corinthians 9:7) one who gives freely of whatever resources for which they have been provided, not the one who gives grudgingly or out of compulsion.

So knowingly or unknowingly the widow was being obedient to God’s wishes. Her tithe came first and was never compromised. As promised, God blessed her by providing for her needs each and every day for over twenty years. Did He prosper her? It depends on what you consider prospering. She didn’t have diamonds and gold. She will never be found in the upper stratus of society. She did meet every bill. There was always money for the necessities and mysteriously there was always enough left for the extras.

We are never to test God and His promises (Matthew 4:7) however God challenges us to put Him to the test when it comes to giving. Malachi 3:10 says that we are to bring our tithes into the storehouse and put God to the test. If we do that, He will open the windows of heaven and pour out the blessings so much so that there will not be room enough to receive all of them. Is this prosperity giving? No this is the Word of God. The widow’s situation is a tangible example of this in action in our lives today. - Dan

Why I Love Prep Football Mr. Frisco

Rod Frisco of the Patriot-News asked his readers this week to let him know why they like high school football. This is my answer to Rod Frisco:

Dear Mr. Frisco,

My earliest experience with high school football was when as a child my dad wanted to take my brother and me to see John Harris HS play. Only thing was I had to come up with fifty cents for admission. I don't recall if that was the going rate or just my contribution. I refused to hand over the quarters and to this day rue the fact that I missed that game.

Through the years I've come to realize that I missed out on more that just the game that day. I missed out on spending time away from life with my dad. Through my elementary school years and into high school most Friday nights were spent with my dad at Landis Field watching either the Rams or later on my own C.D.E. Panthers. During high school it would have been 'more cool' to hang out with my friends at those events but if I would have I couldn't have watched the game. I miss the old Central Penn League, I miss the
smell of a freshly lit cigar wafting through the bleachers and I miss the sweetness of a cup of hot chocolate in a cardboard cup. High school football was the focal point for good times and good memories for me during those years. Watch the game on Friday night and star in it over and over until the next Friday night.

Then came college and marriage and kids. I never lost the love of the game though. I listened to every game on radio that I could. I would drive home the long way just to hear the end of a game, between two teams I did not follow hoping that I'd catch an out-of-town score in which I was interested, because I knew my radio reception was better in the car than in the house.

As soon as my sons were old enough I started taking them to Friday night games. I suddenly found out what my dad already knew. A father and son had the perfect hiding place from the world when they were at a high school football game.

Three of my six sons played football at Bishop McDevitt. None beyond their sophomore season and none ever made it to Friday night or Saturday morning. It did not matter. For six wonderful years it gave me a reason to go to football on Monday nights and Wednesday afternoons in addition to the weekend. I was living large.

There was a period of twelve to fourteen years that my wife, a McDevitt grad, and I didn't miss a McDevitt game for any reason. We were at all those games as a family. All nine of us. The allure of the game, the family of McD friends and the security found in the autumn ritual drew us each weekend with the same magic that draws the geese out of Canada.

My youngest four kids did not play football but thank the Lord they played instruments. Instruments in the band which just happen to play at half time of, you guessed it, McDevitt football game. I truly have lived a blessed life.

I never put on the pads and played but many times I scored the winning touchdown on the field of my dreams. I never coached football but many times I called the down and out to Raki or pitch right to Shady. I never officiated a game but many times I felt remorse for the things I felt in my heart for those that do.

High school football is magical not in what it does but in what it allows you to do. - Dan

More Thoughts on Nate and Jen's Wedding

All through scripture God uses stories to speak to us in a way that we will understand. One of the analogies I love the most is how He explains the relationship between God and His church by using the bride and groom.

Before their marriage Nate spent time readying a place for his bride, Jen. Likewise, Jesus left this earth to go and prepare a place for His bride, the Church (John 14:2). Nate then met Jen on their wedding day at God’s altar. He came back for her. Jesus promises that He too will come back for His bride (John 14:3).

The anticipation and preparation of Nate and Jen’s marriage generated much joy and happiness for all involved. Those that were directly involved with planning the festivities were taken to and kept at such an emotional high one must experience it to fully understand the plane on which one resides during that time. Even those who were somewhat involved in the preparations and planning were pulled along into the excitement. John talks to us about this in his Revelation (19:7) when he says, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready."

This brings us to the symbolism of the bride and her gown. Jen wore white as a sign of purity as she stood before God and her bridegroom. God’s bride, the church, will also be adorned in this same white symbol, “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

As much as I was excited and inspired by the marriage I was equally excited with the anticipation of seeing and being with family and friends at the receptions held for Nate and Jen. I would be seeing friends that I have see for a long time as well as those that I am with on a regular basis. This very aspect of the relationship between Christ and the Church is highlighted in scripture when John wrote what he was told, “Blessed are they that are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." The word ‘Blessed’ here means happy. Then John follows this with the statement, “And he said unto me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’” (Revelations 9:19)

The marriage supper of the Lamb will be held in Heaven, the very place that Jesus went to prepare for us. If I was excited to see and be with folks that are here in this life with me, I can only imagine what it will be like to once again greet, hug and be with those that have gone to be with Jesus before me. Let me change that statement, I can’t imagine it.

God has used and continues to use the simple things, the things that we can relate to, like a wedding, to reveal Himself to use. - Dan

Scattered Thoughts on Nate and Jen’s Wedding

As I sit looking out my window at the second day of rain, I realize how much of a blessing they received with the weather they had last weekend.

I enjoyed watching the building excitement displayed by all the people involved.

Coming home and finding the wedding party creating flowers in my kitchens was neat.

One-hundred plus cupcakes! Wow!

It was neat to watch the bonds growing between two people as they prepared a place to live and bought a vehicle.

To see Nate and Jen take charge and do it ‘their way’ was nice.

The family that gathered to help celebrate the event was exceptional. It is always a blessing to get everyone together and share our lives. We got to see some that we don’t see too often and we got to just sit and talk with those we do. Many new friends were made and new friendships have germinated.

I am glad that I got to read the Scripture from Solomon during the mass. It was scripture that I wasn’t too familiar with and this got me to look it up and spend time with it. I was also honored and blessed with sharing that duty with Don. What a thrill and blessing that was. It was nice that Nate had his father and God-father participate in his wedding.

Ann and I were able to reminisce about our own wedding held also at St. Margaret Mary Church thirty-four years ago. The memories of my own bride still fills me with joy as our love has only grown many time over through the years.

We got a picture of all our kids and their wives, ten people, all because two people fell in love.

Music at a wedding reception, from an iPod, priceless.

The look of their eyes. The look in their eyes. - Dan

Adding by Subtracting - A Different at Look at Math Fact Families

After the Christmas holiday in 2008 our fourth son Nathan and love, Jennifer, told us they were planning to become engaged to be married. They also said they did not want to wait or have a long engagement. That’s how Ann and I did it. We became engaged in June after I graduated from PSU and were married in November of the same year. Nate and Jen set a date of September 4th for their wedding.

This having kids grow up and get married stuff is advertised as making your family smaller but don't believe it. We did not lose Nate we gained Jen. We did not lose a son. We gained a daughter. It is great adding kids to your family as they are about to graduate from college. It's really great benefitting from someone else’s hard work. Previously we added Sydney and Corinne to our family. These are three of the finest young ladies for which a father and mother could hope. We've grown from 7 to 10.

So many folks have commented about us “losing another one”, or having another “leave the nest”. In that case we have. They are gone from our everyday routine. They are gone from the breakfast table. They are out of the shower line. However, they are not gone from our family. They are not gone from our hearts. They are not gone from our prayers. - Dan