Monday, June 10, 2013

The Birdseed Caper

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."   ...   Psalm 19:14

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A week ago I arrived home from my supermarket and discovered the cashier hadn't used the hand-held scanner on the huge bag of birdseed in my cart-- so I'd not been charged for it. 

Basically it felt like--until I righted this thing-- I'd be feeding our sparrows stolen birdseed.

So days later I returned to the store with my receipt and the upc cut from (another) birdseed bag and went to the customer service desk where I explained the situation then handed over my $10.87. As the young woman gave me my change she said, "Not many people would have done that." I just smiled and said, "Well, I've got to be able to live with myself." She chuckled and said, "Yeah."

Afterward I wondered if I should have thrown around the words 'Christian' or 'Jesus', but knowing me, I'd probably have blurted a whole blog post right there. So, most likely, my simple answer was best, given that I'm not quite over preaching sermonettes wherever I go. But I'm getting there. :)

Anyway, honesty matters. I know that for certain. 

And it reminded me of The Dog Whisperer (everything reminds me of that show since I've practically turned it into a 3-week college course), for always Cesar points out that the energy we exude affects--not just dogs--but our lives.

I mean, how serious of a Christian would I be if I'm praying to move mountains yet feeding my birds stolen birdseed? Or believing for financial needs to be met, yet overspending? 

Or how powerful is my message if I'm preaching, "Don't let fear torment you!", but living fearfully, myself? Or if I'm refusing to forgive, but believing God will bless me with joy anyway?

The true Christian life is more about being, rather than stringing together the perfect Bible verses, hoping they'll work, like magic.

My current prayer is that my energy comes from the Source of all honesty, peace, joy. And may I seek to be a simple conduit for all things beautiful from God's heart, for that kind of energy just might help change my world for the better, one person at a time.





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"Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part you shall make me to know wisdom."   ... Psalm 51:6



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This morning I found another free (as of today) cozy mystery for my kindle cloud reader. Looks good! Find it here.

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Oh, and any other fans out there of the old tv series, Boy Meets World? The cast recently had a reunion and in this article, the final scene of the series is shown. Wow, made me remember why I loved this show and how often it shook me up and brought tears to my eyes.

5 comments:

K.E. said...

I discovered I hadn't been charged for a litter box at Phydeaux (local pet store where I drop $40 every 2 weeks for the darlings:).
They were stunned and surprised that I came in, they wished they had a coupon for me.
Isn't it funny that people want to reward you for being honest (a.k.a. doing the right thing), and are so surprised when people do it?!

Tracy said...

Thanks for the link to the cozy mystery! I loved Boy Meets World, too. It was such a good show, and funny, too! :)

Bonnie said...

Well, *of course* you went back to pay for it! If only everyone would, right? : /

Here's a fun fact re the Boy Meets World show. Last summer we went to a backyard party with extended family and who was there but Topanga! (Danielle) It was a smallish gathering of about 30 people but I didn't speak with her, not wanting to do the star struck thing and she obviously was interacting with her own generation. lol. I hear that she is a very nice person and my husband noticed that she had a diamond ring on her left hand. So there's the scoop from California! Also, I read last summer that they were planning a spin-off of the show with the two of them married and raising a family but I haven't really heard much about it since. Just coincidentally, we were at LAX airport a couple weeks earlier picking up or 20 year old daughter and Topanga was on our daughter's plane and at baggage claim so it was a very funny thing that we should see her twice in a 4 week period.

I hear it's a little drizzly in your neck of the woods!

Pat said...

That's happened to me too, forgot to charge for an item in my cart. They always act so surprised that a person would actually come back and pay. I like to think the opposite is true, that there are more honest people out there...and I'm just one of them. I like to see the world through my rose colored glasses, it's much prettier that way!

Anonymous said...

When I have politely told the clerk they have forgotten to charge me for something several times they seem to be thinking I am trying to say they over charged me. Or when they give me back too much in change. They get an attitude and I have a hard time making them understand I owe THEM money. :) I have even had clerks tell me to forget it cause charging me for the extra item when I was through the line already would not be cost efficient for the store so just keep the thing!!!!! No way! It gets down right silly!!!! :-) I expect the store to be honest with me...and me to be just as honest with them. I just could not accept something I had not paid for. Its stealing. Then there are other times they do as they did with you, and look at you with some disbelief and relief and comment on your honesty. Silly world. But God is in the fine print so to speak. Sarah