“Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.” Proverbs 10:2
Good Morning, hope your week is off to a wonderful start. My daughters wedding last Friday was amazing and I was amazed how much it wiped me out! Felt so much better yesterday and have gotten some good sleep the last few nights. Natalie is going back to work today and I am hoping that will be a good thing for her. Challenging I am sure, but a good thing. I have some buddies taking me to radiation appointments, so life keeps moving forward.
I feel like I have mentioned this but want to share a very important thought that keeps growing in my personal life! The thought is around finances. I believe and hope I have acknowledged, this is an area of my life I have not been the best example. But here are a few thoughts.
My dad died of cancer when I was 3. My mom, sister and I did not have much. I never thought of us as poor. We bounced around in some different housing for several years and I can’t imagine the pressure that put on my mother. We had a place to sleep, clothes and food. Life was good!
I started a paper route when I was 10 years old. I am not exaggerating, but honestly since I was 10 I have had different jobs and ways to earn a little money. Since we got married in 1987, I have had a primary job and almost always 1 or 2 part-time jobs on the side. I have cleaned offices at night, been a chaplain for corporate offices, ran a fitness bootcamp for years, part-time counseling work while being a full-time pastor. I have always had to find ways to help make ends meet financially.
One of the big ideas that has probably not been super healthy is. “I really have never worked to earn money.” Money has never been a big motivator for me. The bigger motivator has been doing something that to me matters, has meaning and if I can make a little money, great!
My biggest and one of the few fears I have had since the brain tumor diagnosis is, “not being able to work and earn a paycheck!” For a couple of weeks I was very concerned and fearful of what was going to happen. I have been unemployed for almost 2 months.
Now here is what has been amazing, a huge blessing and is teaching me a new perspective!
I have been overwhelmed at how financially generous people have been!!!! I want to be clear, I really don’t feel like anyone owes me a penny and yet people have been incredibly generous. It has made such a huge difference and has given me some peace of mind as I navigate this round of radiation and chemotherapy.
I have no idea what my future work is going to look like. I also need to shift gears a little and start figuring out what kind of benefits I am eligible for with a terminal brain tumor. We will start looking more into that very soon.
Let me tie this thought into this. A bigger idea than money! I honestly have never been comfortable being needy! The reality of my life is, I am a man who has needs!!!! I wish that were not true, it is and it makes me human. But my hope is that as I continue to understand that reality, it will encourage me to continue to find ways to encourage and support other people.
Maybe the reality of being human is we each are needy in certain ways. My hope is that the healthier we each get, we let others support us in so many different ways. AND!!!!! We each find different ways to love and support others in our lives.
Have a beautiful day! You matter, your life matters and you are loved!!!
Peace,