Did you eat your black-eyed peas?

Have you eaten your black-eyed peas yet? Did you get plenty of them? I didn’t get quite as big of a portion as I intended, but we found some. The weather had us up in Enid an extra day, so we enjoyed lunch at Golden Corral. Yeah, we’re getting old. Enjoying that senior discount. Soon, we’ll be searching for the “Early Bird Special.” 

You’re supposed to eat black-eyed peas to ensure a prosperous New Year. Just about everybody is looking for that, and hoping for a better 2015. Say, have you heard about Grumpy Cat? His picture is everywhere! Tabitha Bundeson, a waitress in Arizona, owns the cat, whose feline dwarfism and overbite results in a permanent grumpy appearance. The cat’s pictures and captions have gone viral. Grumpy Cat merchandise is popular, and a corporation founded to handle it is now worth a million dollars. Ms Bundeson has taken a leave of absence from her job at Red Lobster in order to manage the corporation. Her earnings were in the “low six figures” as of mid 2013. I wonder if they served lots of black-eyed peas at Red Lobster?

Wealth is a gift from God, but it comes with a caveat: Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. —Proverbs 23:4, 5.

Unearned wealth can disappear quickly. A British study of modest lottery winners revealed that 44% of them are broke again within a few years of their windfalls. Other studies done in the States says happiness doesn’t necessarily follow wealth. Often major accident victims are just as happy as lottery winners after a few years. Note that Ms Bundeson still has her old job on hiatus. Smart girl!

After the Christmas wrapping paper has been discarded

I wonder if it felt like this after the feeding of the multitudes. The building has been cleaned and swept, boxes of gifts loaded into the cars, wrapping paper is stuffed into the cans, and the leftover turkey and brownies have all been divvied up. 

There are stories for next year. Saphronia’s nephew went into the ditch on the way up from Texas. It is true, Texans can’t really drive on ice or snow. He got muddy from head to toe trying to free his car. They made it in late, and he got to play “Dirty Santa.” (We advised our kids to stay home, as did Dad.)

Now, it’s time to get back to normal. (Aw, do we have to? People were so nice, so generous, forgiving, forbearing and loving!) No, I’m not ready for the time-stressed, mean and impatient spirit that usually prevails. May take us a few weeks to bring down our Christmas decorations because of that.

I believe heaven will be a little like this. Even better, because you won’t be broke and in debt from Black Friday! All over the New Testament the marching orders for disciples are laid out: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. . . Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Read the rest of Romans 12 to get a general idea of how discipleship should look.

Hope you all have a happy and prosperous new year. May you find grace and courage to deal with adversity, and celebrate God’s blessings every day.