Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of “A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush” (without using the actual phrase or literal example). (01/10/08)
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TITLE: Need or Greed? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marita Thelander
01/17/08 -
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Jordyn had already endured the better part of the previous day pacing her modest dwelling she called home. A fresh location is exactly what she needed. Writer’s block had hit Jordyn like an Acme anvil falling from the sky on Wile E. Coyote’s head. Naturally, writer’s block always happens when there is a deadline looming overhead. The devotional she toiled over for the church monthly newsletter simply didn’t have any umph.
Sipping slowly on her caramel macchiato, Jordyn began to relax. The noises of the mall would not hinder her as she tackled the notebook with her pen. After writing a rough outline, Jordyn knew she had something to develop.
Plopping a couple chocolate covered peanuts in her mouth and savoring another sip of her macchiato, Jordyn glanced around at the scenery before attacking the keyboard with great gusto.
***
We live in an eccentric country. A place where it is considered common for a woman to dress her pampered pooch in a custom made sweater, while children in the center of the city shiver in the cold due to improper clothing. A nation in which a spoiled teenager will stand in her walk-in closet and declare that she has absolutely nothing to wear, while a woman hand washes her only pair of appropriate slacks for her job as a waitress in a local restaurant.
Americans have a need for greed. Drive down any suburban neighborhood and see homes large enough for a small orphanage, yet only house a family of four. How many boats do we see that will be used a half a dozen times during the summer and sit with protective covers on them eight months out of the year? Sit in any mall and watch people spend money on a multitude of unnecessary items, to be added to superfluous objects at home.
Success and prosperity in itself is not a sin, it is what you do with that success and prosperity. The scriptures tell us in Luke 12, that if much is given much, much will be required.
***
Jordyn took a break from her typing to sip from her cup and linger on her thoughts. Smiling to herself, she enjoyed watching a mother and daughter, hand in hand, riding the escalator. Not carrying any purchases, they giggled and ran for the escalator to ride back up to the top. Over and over again the mother-daughter duo simply rode the escalator up and then down. Soon, they made their way over to the cookie stand, purchased cookies for each of them, and sat in the seat nearest to Jordyn.
Swinging her dangling legs, the little girl chattered excitedly about her day at school, merging eventually into reliving all the pretty things they had looked at in the mall.
“But best of all, mamma, is the es’lator ride! Yep, the es’lator ride and this cookie.”
“Ahh the simple things”, Jordyn thought as she turned her attention back to the article.
***
Perhaps prosperity has not found the path to your door. Do you have a roof over your head? Is there food in your cupboards? Do you have more than one set of clothing, a coat and at least one pair of shoes? Consider yourself blessed.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 (NIV)
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
***
Climbing the 2 flights of stairs to her apartment, Jordyn avoided her usual grumble fest about not being able to afford an apartment where they believed in elevators. Inside, she collapsed on her couch that doesn’t match her chair, kicked off her shoes and sighed.
“Yes, Lord, I am content. Content and blessed.”
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It was interesting how you intermingled her writing with what she saw around her.
Good writing.
"like an Acme anvil falling from the sky"
(smile)
My only red ink is that I think you're supposed to spell out numbers when it's less than 10. Something to look up.
And here's another vote for "doesn't".