A Penny for Your Cornbread!

How many of you say this little rhyme before picking up a penny.....See a penny, pick it up...all day long you'll have good luck? 

I'd said it thousands of times until one day feeling completely overwhelmed and convinced that MY world was about to crumble like an overcooked piece of cornbread, I decided to wash my car. A mindless activity as long as you have the right music thumping from the speakers and the perfect temperature outside.... allowing those cornbread crumbs to temporarily disappear!

With the assistance of Motown and a little elbow grease, the car was spotless (Dad taught me well). With Armourall in one hand and a faded red shop rag in the other, I decided to tackle the interior too.

Compliments of Al Green, Jackson Five and a little CCR,  I was one drink cup holder away from being finished. All the loose change I'd conveniently dropped into this perfect space was now …....nasty! I scooped out all the coins and placed them in the bucket of car wash suds to let them hopefully clean themselves.

I fished out all the coins, mostly pennies and started rinsing them off. I kept seeing the same words over and over again......In God We Trust.......whether a new shiny penny or laced with sticky Diet Coke drippings.....they all had the same message.....In God We Trust!

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

How many pennies have I picked up, handed over, tossed into a fountain and ignored this message? On a penny for crying out loud and here I sit, trying to escape my crumbling life with an entire cup full of reminders.

This had nothing to do with luck, this had everything to do with God doing whatever was necessary to get my attention. I knew where I was falling short. Prayer! I believe in God and years ago put my trust in Him, but I'd allowed life's circumstances to take over and I found myself using every excuse imaginable to avoid prayer or quiet time.

Sitting right there on the concrete, eyes closed, sun shining bright and wearing my most unattractive car washing get-up, I had a long conversation with my Lord and wrapped it up with my own penny rhyme.......In God I trust....Faith, I must!

Skipping forward, I've never intentionally walked over a penny. I pick it up and remind myself that I have a God that I can go to and I must have faith in Him at all times, in every situation. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Why not take it one step further and pass that penny along? Pick up the penny and pray for someone. Someone at church, in line at the grocery store, the cashier at the grocery store, a co-worker, family member, spouse......there really are no limits on who we can pray for, or how often!

It doesn't have to be a long prayer. It can be as simple as “God, I lift this person up to you in prayer and ask that you will bless their lives in a mighty way. Be with them and I pray they will seek you in all they do. Amen. “

Following your prayer, give them the penny and share with them...“Today I found this penny and I prayed for you. As you can see, there is already a reminder there for us.....In God We Trust. Have faith, I must!”

You might be wondering about my cornbread! Well, I learned to use ALL the key ingredients and sometimes that includes the cast iron skillet that needs to bonk upside my head to get my attention! Life is good and so is the cornbread!