*Warning: This is one of those posts that I wasn't sure if I should put out there for all the world to see. I finally decided to under the pretense of encouragement to others and sharing what I know to be true.
I'm a Mormon.
Did you know that?
Well, we really prefer to be called members of The Church of Jesus Christ, but to me, being called a Mormon is just fine.
As members of our church, we pay 10% of our income in tithing.
The faithful payment of tithing comes with an amazing promise as written in the Old Testament.
This principle was earnestly taught in my home growing up.
My dad would take out a roll of pennies, count 10 out and then ask us how much of that we owed to God.
I pretty much felt like a champ when I got it right.
I remember handing the branch president (who, at the time, was also my father) an envelope full of coins that I'd carefully counted out from my wages as a 3-year-old sweeper at my dad's shop.
Since that time, I've been a full tithe payer.
Up until three months ago, it was something just did automatically.
Then, it went from something I did automatically to something I that made me think, "Man, that extra 10% sure would come in handy."
And from there, it went to, "There's no way we can live without keeping that 10%. Surely the Lord will understand."
Luckily, the angel on my right shoulder won out over the devil on my left.
I continued to pay tithing regularly - teeth gritted, mumbling under my breath, hoping the check didn't bounce.
Miracles occurred almost immediately at the hands of people who could not have known our situation, as I never told anyone.
A lady from church just happened to be cleaning out her cupboards and three entire boxes of canned food showed up on our doorstep.
A friend of a friend sent a giant box of hand-me-downs for Carolyn.
Monetary support has just shown up a couple of times.
The hospital forgave our entire $76,000 bill (adjusted down from $252,000, thank-you-very-much).
We are feeling amazingly blessed and know that it is a direct benefit of paying our tithing.
3 comments:
What a beautiful story. And around Christmas time, wow. So glad about your hospital bill. So glad for you and your family!
Amanda
I absolutely know that this is how these blessings work. I am not Morman but don't doubt for a minute in thes miracles. Merry Christmas!
oh WOW.
Erin, that is HUGE. I tell people all the time that tithing doesn't always pay out in monetary blessings, blah blah blah, but by golly if it doesn't work out that way sometimes.
What a wonderful Christmas Miracle for your family. :D
And PS The reindeer hat is pretty much my favorite Carolyn photo shoot EVER.
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