IN GOD WE TRUST

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to

spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene,

was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine

home on the water-way, and cars costing more than her house. The first

day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare

glimpse into how the very wealthy live. 

The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to

the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity

to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself

immensely. As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive

restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene

and her husband. 

He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent

moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was

nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had

dropped, and a few cigarette butts. 

Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it

up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great

treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny?

Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout

dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no

longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin

collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for

the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies

before! What was the point of this? "Look at it." He said. "Read what it

says." She read the words "United States of America." "No, not that;

read further." "One cent?" 

"No, keep reading." "In God we Trust?" "Yes!" "And?" "And if I trust in

God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I

see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin,

but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me

telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I

pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the

coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time,

at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of

starting a conversation with me. 

Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful! 

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I

stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and

fretting in my mind about things I can not change. I read the words, "In

God We Trust," and had to smile. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems

that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few

months, but then, pennies are plentiful! 

And God is patient...