Another Day Another Dollar

Ok, so seriously? Work for the business is going pretty well! The sales guys are doing what they do best and selling steel...sadly for me, we're not buying as much so I have less and less to do as the days go on. I'm the kind of person that NEEDS to keep busy! So this stinks being done with what I can do by 10 or 11 in the morning and then having to sit at my desk and just WAIT for the phone to ring so I can answer it...

But, I get paid for being here 40 hours a week, so that's what I need to do. Even if that means bugging co-workers and bosses for things to do or sitting around hoping a fax comes over with the words "receiving report" on top!

So as I sit here and twiddle my thumbs and try to get up and walk around every-so-often, I read emails! (thanks to those of you who forward good forwards to me! Gives me something to pass my time!)

Today I got one called "Pennies." Seemed like something I normally just skim through and then use my cursor to drag it to the file marked "delete."

But this one really caught my attention!

So here it is, for you to enjoy as well!

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc… This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

'Look at it.' He said. 'Read what it says.'

She read the words ‘United States of America’

No, not that; read further.'

'One cent?'

'No, keep reading.'

'In God we Trust?'

'Yes!'

'And?'

'And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin, I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

'It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient...'