I was an educator for the Univ. of MD Cooperative Extension for quite a few years and retired 6 years ago with a modest pension. I taught budgeting, tracking expenses, getting out of debt, and did personal money management counseling with families. I practiced what I was teaching and for years I tracked my own expenses almost to the dollar to see where my income was going. I was a saver and small time investor. In our Extension classes we said look at your checkbook or at your credit/debit card statements and you will see your values. So, after the first Enough class, I looked at my checkbook and saw money going for a greener lawn (Elizabeth Buckner will surely be talking to me about this poor value), golf, a new dress for a wedding and a large amount for a trip to a developing country in Feb. when it is cold here and warm there. This year I am going to Vietnam. This is not a once-in-a lifetime trip– I visit an interesting far away country every year. These 3 weeks cost more than I give to St. Matthew’s for 49 weeks of spiritual uplifting. Is this really my priority?
This church has done a lot for me and my daughter. She attended our preschool and kindergarten here; she participated in Sunday school and MYF. Years ago, I traveled with mission teams to the Red Bird Mission in KY and then twice to Juarez to build houses. I learned much in two Disciples classes and have attended adult Sunday school. My life has not always been smooth. Bob Paulen, our former minister, helped me through a stressful divorce after a very turbulent 16 years of marriage. Dick Stetler officiated for the wedding of my daughter and Ginger performed the baptism for my granddaughter. We have been so fortunate to have excellent pastors. One Christmas Eve, a couple of years before my adult daughter got married, she told Kendrick, our former Assistant Minister, that she was a CE person. Later when I asked her what a CE person was, she said she was a Christmas and Easter church attendee. It was the truth.
However God works quietly in our lives. A year ago in November, Ginger performed a beautiful baptism for my only grandchild and carried my tiny darling down the aisle while we sang “Jesus Loves You”. The service was lovely and then afterwards the “saints” of this congregation greeted this family so warmly that they could see and feel what a community of faith can provide. Now they are attending Capitol Hill UMC regularly and their toddler is in the church nursery.
This church has deepened my faith and helped me through difficult times. I have blessings galore; God has been generous to me. At St. Matthew’s, we have been blessed to have excellent ministers, in the past and now. I can even remember points of the sermons until at least Wed. and I have downloaded two of Ginger’s powerful sermons to reread. The last chapter of the Enough book discusses fear of the future. I have been afraid of running out of money during retirement. Now is the time for me to feel secure enough to let go of some of my savings and cut back on some expenses. “Trust in the Lord and He will provide.” Next year at this time I hope my checkbook will show my true values. Amen!
