Sunday, December 04, 2005

Pennies on the Sidewalk

I know I was an adult when my mom told me about this--I just can't remember exactly how old I was. But my memory has that adult-feeling to it, and feels more recent than any adolescent or childhood memory. My mom and I were walking down a sidewalk somewhere, when she saw a penny and stopped to pick it up. She asked if she had ever told me what finding a penny means to her. When I responded that she hadn't, she explained: at some point in my mom's life, she decided that whenever she found a penny on a sidewalk, (or elsewhere), that it was a message from God that He loved her, or that He wanted to remind her that He was there.

I'll admit: it's rather difficult to remember all the little things your parents tell you, especially those pesky bits of advice like "Be home by midnight," and "When you're sliding on snow, turn into the slide." But, for some reason, this little tidbit has stuck with me over the past few years, maybe because it was simply something I needed to remember. Whatever the reason, whenever I find a penny now, I'm reminded, given a brief touch, a little prompt, that God is thinking of me, and that he wants me to remember that.

I love finding pennies. I found one today, and, in the midst of chastising myself rather too severely for being late to ward choir practice, it was a comfort to have a small reminder that God does think of me, and that just as He's mindful of my foibles, He's also mindful of my needs, and the good things I do, and that He loves me. It was a timely reminder, and a very good thing to know.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

How sweet is that! I think there are probably lots of things placed in front of us every day that are meant to remind us that Heavenly Father is watching and loving us. I wonder how many of them I pass by without noticing...as if they were pennies on the sidewalk? Maybe I should be looking harder for them each day. You are very wise dear Beth.