Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Finding a Penny

Do you stop and pick up a penny if you see it laying on the ground? My kiddos sure do and holler – “make a wish!” As an adult, I’ve stopped picking up pennies for a while, but recently started again when I see them or at least point them out to my kiddos if they are along. 
 

The penny is the lowest form of currency in the United States. Recently Canada has done away with their pennies. Most people typically walk past them on the ground, not worth much to bend down and get it.  Souvenier places charge you 50 cents to smush a penny into a rememberance of their site....my kiddos do collect those too.
My hubby recently received a coin that sorta looked like a US penny, but discovered it was a South American coin and only worth like 1/6thof our US penny. He didn’t feel “ripped”off but rather as a casual coin collector of sorts, he was thrilled with it.
I liken picking up the penny to so many children out there in the foster system and other places in need. They are the “penny” of society and just need someone to value them as a 20 dollar bill and step up for them. The excitement my children have in finding coins is lost on older adults – we want “more” – top dollar or nothing. That sparkle they get when they find a penny is the life and hope living in them. As adults, many of us need to gain that sparkle back!
I’m looking at my “penny” children who to me are $1 million dollar kiddos – my job daily is to make them feel like that million dollars and still be able to make change! They are my God given purpose on this earth and I take that seriously, even when others sometimes make them feel like less. I’ve been known to be tough on my kiddos, holding them to high standards - but I work hard to uplift them daily as well. I’m searching for the penny every day and to discover it with great joy as they show me how it is done. Each day we share our "highs" and have done away wish sharing "lows" as to focus more on the positive at the end of the day.
Yearly, our church, with many other churches collect pennies from the children during offering and place the coins in a specially made tower. We then turn them in at the annual MCC Sale –each year all those pennies add up to a good sum – 2012 penny offering totalled $19,843.27 for world wide relief.
Here is a link from last year to this wonderful fund raising event that ranks in the highest percentage of your given dollar going to those in need! http://kansas.mccsale.org/
So, while not everyone in the world is called or capable of being a foster parent either, next time you see a penny on the ground – I dare you to pick it up….does it give you just a little thrill? Don't worry about anyone watching....find the joy in picking up that penny!  Think about it….

1 comment:

Dee said...

Penny's add up. :)

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