My Seven Dollar Story

I'm in the right lane...about to make a turn...when I spot her over on the median. She's young...holding a sign...homeless? Yes. Because I seem to find a way to document life wherever I go...I instinctively lift my camera and snap a shot. I'm far enough away...so she doesn't hear the mechanics of the high-speed shutter. I snap another. The car in front of me turns...so now I must go. As I'm driving, I reach into my purse to see what cash I have. Seven dollars. Not much...but her sign said something about a bus ticket. Should I turn back? No, I'm only going a few miles...picking up a check for the Chemistry teacher and returning this way again to drop it off. She'll still be in the same spot. It will only take me twenty minutes at most. Wait...should I forget it and just keep the seven dollars? It's not like I can't use seven dollars...that goes a long way when ordering from the the drive-thru dollar menu. She didn't look like a drug abuser. I reach into my purse and add a tract (10 Reasons Jesus Came To Die) to my cup holder thingy where the seven dollars are now propped. I get the check from Brad and rush back. Same corner. No girl. She's gone....nowhere to be seen... not even in the rear view mirror. Drop off the check to the teacher down the road and turn back around to look for her. She couldn't have gone far. Maybe she's sitting in the shade somewhere...off to the side...out of plain sight? I loop around again, but she's not to be found. The girls are in the backseat and have caught onto the fact that my neck is straining and that my eyes are darting. They want to know what I'm so busy searching for. I tell them about the young girl...in her twenties...with the sign. There's nothing more I can do.

We stop and lift her in prayer. I explain to the girls that although I could not find the girl, Jesus knows exactly where she is...and that even though I thought she needed my seven dollars...He knows what she really needs and that even though I thought giving her a tract might draw her closer to the Lord...he is fully responsible for calling her into His bosom. I drive to the library, at peace with His sovereignty. There I find some gently used books for sale. When the total cost is calculated...am I surprised that it tallys to seven dollars...exactly the amount I have in my wallet once again? No, not really. Thanks, Lord for this second seven dollar blessing of the day. You make me smile. We head off to drum lessons. While we wait for Mcabe to be finished...we take a walk over to the resale shop. I find nothing today...but while I am there...the owner looks up my account. There's seven dollars waiting for me. I can have it in cash. The money goes back into my wallet and I leave feeling closely watched over and provided for.