Two cents.

I could have walked right past it, but who does that?

Apparently, my wife does.

We were walking into a local arena this afternoon to watch our high school basketball team play, and just a few feet from the entrance, there they lay:

A 1981 penny and a 2000 penny.

Besides my wife, I’m not sure how many people had walked past them, but I was going to make sure no one else had the chance.

I stooped down to pick them up, and while I was down there, I looked to see if there was anything else to pocket.

At my age, you’ve got to make the most of those bending moments.

While I was reaching for the pennies, my wife turned to see what was holding me up.

“I can’t walk by a coin when I see one lying on the ground,” I explained, noticing her look of disbelief.

I added, “Hey, I’m two cents richer than I was when I woke up this morning,” flashing her a big grin.

“Whatever,” she said as she opened the door, and we walked into the arena.

Now, when I walked into the arena, I was two cents richer. But after a trip to the concession stand, I walked out of the arena $27.55 poorer than when I woke up this morning.

Popcorn is my kryptonite.

Anyway, that two cents got me thinking.

It’s easy to overlook how the small things in life can make us richer.

For example, today, I got to sit next to my wife at a basketball game.
I got to laugh and joke with a friend at the same game.
I got to text two people to encourage them in their professions.
I got to share a meal around the table with my family.
I got to snuggle on the couch with my wife, our dachshund between us, while watching some YouTube show she enjoys.
I got to write these words to you.

Just like those two pennies, it would be easy to overlook these moments as being of little value.

Yet, as I prepare to end this day, I know I’ll be doing so richer in my relationships simply because of the deposits I made today.

Now that I’ve given you my two cents worth, I bid you wishes for a richer tomorrow as you seize those “two cent moments” that lay before you.

©2024 Travis L. Edwards All Rights Reserved

It happened on Wednesday.

We had seen him crossing the busy road as we were driving to the restaurant.

Now he was standing in front of us, putting his name on the waiting list.

His hair was unkempt.

His feet didn’t fit into his boots.

His speech was impeded.

He appeared to be homeless.

After putting his name on the waiting list, he sat down.

After putting our name on the waiting list, we sat down.

Without saying a word to each other, Melissa knew what I was thinking, and I knew what she was thinking.

After the man was seated, Melissa was standing.
“I am going to find out his table number,” Melissa stated.

I nodded in agreement.

Table 85.

After being seated, I asked our server if there was a man sitting at table 85.

He looked and nodded affirmingly.

“We would like to pay for his meal,” I said.

“I will let his server know,” our server said as he walked away with a smile and a bit more pep in his step.

When our server returned, he told us that this was the second time one of his customers had done that for someone.

I was surprised and hopeful he had only worked there for a short time.

As I sat there eating, the words of Jesus echoed in my heart: “Whatever you did to the least of these, you did for me.”
I felt a tear making its way down my cheek.

This year has been tough on Melissa and me financially.

Almost everything that could break down or quit working—things that are expensive to fix or replace—has done just that.

Add inflation to the equation, and we’ve felt a limitation like never before in our years of marriage.

Yet, as we sat at our table, Melissa and I knew we were still much better off than the guy at table 85.

When our server brought us our bill, he said, “You have some good karma coming your way.”

I know better than that.

I don’t have karma coming my way.

I do surely have goodness and mercy following me all the days of my life because the Lord is my Shepherd.

As we left the restaurant on Wednesday, we thought that was the end of the story.

However, it happened again on Thursday.

Different restaurant, but same guy.

Same hair.

Same clothes.

Same speech.

Same response.

I told the cashier I wanted to pay his bill.

She then told me that the restaurant has let him dine “on the house” before and that other customers have also paid for his meal.

She also told me that she and some coworkers had brought in some blankets and were going to see if he needed them before he left that day.

That felt good to hear.

I wish we heard more of such goodness because it’s happening all around us.

There are many who have lost hope, but not all hope is lost.

2,000 years ago, God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.

The angel told Joseph:
“Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”                              (which means “God with us”).
—Matthew 1:21–22

God with us.

Jesus was God with skin on, and that brought hope to the world.

The world still needs to know that God is with them.

People need to know there is hope.

The way they discover that hope is through those of us who know the Christ of Christmas.

We are to be Jesus with skin on.

To the hungry.

To the hurting.

To the homeless.

To the hopeless.

To all those like the man sitting at table 85.

©2024 Travis L. Edwards All Rights Reserved