How To Never Waste (Or Lose) Another Dollar. Ever.

"Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."   Matthew 13:8


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So. My driver's license expired last March, but have I renewed it? Nope. 

Why not? 1.) My groceries (and all else) come right to my red front door, so why travel to get them?, 2.) Tom drives us around, and 3.) Subconsciously I didn't want to make it official I'd turned 60.  シ

But finally I decided, "Hey. Eventually I'll need to drive (and possibly fly after 2020), right? Better go over to the Department of Motor Vehicles and get my license, an enhanced one."

So yesterday I gathered all papers/forms they stated online that I'd need, plus a couple extras since that's how I roll. I called for a taxi which arrived in 5 minutes(!); the cabbie even said I could sit in front. An older man, (likely my age, heh), he'd driven taxis in our city for 24 years.

Our DMV is located in a sad, rather far away part of town, made drearier by grey clouds, bare trees and dirty snow, but I tried to stay positive, even asking God for favor, because Honey, don't we all need favor at the DMV?

Before the cab driver left, I asked if he'd pick me up in one hour. Offering me his card so I could call him, I said, "I'm the only person in the world without a cell phone and most likely there's no pay phone here" (there wasn't), "so if you could come at 10 that would be wonderful." 

Cheerfully he agreed to be there and I gave him a $2 tip like I give all drivers. He seemed grateful.

But uh-oh.  Ol' Debra still does not have a valid license. 

The unsmiling woman behind the desk said my birth certificate is a hospital-issued one ("just a trinket,"), not the state-issued kind.

"But I've used this for 60 years and have never had a problem," I said.

Silence.

"In fact, this is what I used to get my New York driver's license."

Crickets chirped.

Gah. She just grabbed a tablet page and scribbled down the phone number to call for a real birth certificate. Maybe I thanked her, I'm not sure. Not feeling real thankful, I doubted whether God's favor was even valid down at the DMV.  ツ

Fortunately I brought a book with me, yet that hour still felt like 5 eternities. Happily, though, the cabbie arrived a tad before 10:00.

Now, the temptation? To think, "Man. I spent all that taxi money for nothing. Still I have no new license."

But you know? For years I've thought a different way. And in this case, I chose to sow my money into that man's family. To believe he'd use it wisely, to purchase necessities for himself and those he loves.

For when I sow money in that way? I reap back what I gave. I never lose a penny, never go without, never face a need God cannot meet.

Even if someone stole money from me, (however it happened, wouldn't matter), I'd reap lovely things from God if I--with a cheerful, trusting, forgiving heart--sowed as a seed what they snatched. From inside my head and heart, simply gave it to them.

You know, so God could return it to me as a touched-by-Him, golden harvest which always, He does.

"Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant."   ... Galations 6:7


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P.S. If you're thinking, "Taking Uber would be cheaper," well, you've missed my point. Also, you've forgotten I don't (by choice) use a cell phone. heh.

P.P.S. And I'm in the process of getting a birth certificate. I went through the DMV website and this cold, but sunny morning Tom and I will have a couple papers notarized at our bank as a second step.



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Speaking of Youtube (my last post), I saw John C. Maxwell there and thought, "Oh! It's been a few years since I heard him. Let's listen now." 
My, my, my. Laughed and cried and came away inspired. Challenged, convicted. What a blessing he is!

Here's the one I listened to, first. Then there were others. And others. ツ

And awww..... did you read this about Patrick Duffy? So sweet.




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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15