Kimra Traynor Herb

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Streets
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Kimra Traynor Herb
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Praying for money

Here's the thing about money- it can't buy you any of the important elements of life: health, family or happiness, but dang it, you need the stuff. One of my friends was telling me that they have hit a financial tough patch- and that she was considering praying for help. "I don't know;" she said, "it seems a little sacrilegious to pray for money."
I told her that nonsense; God wouldn't curse her for praying for money. I told her this mainly because I have done it; many times- and I don't think I have been cursed yet. Of course, I did say that God might say "no" and that just 'cause you pray for something doesn't mean you're going to get it.
I've pretty much never had bucketloads of money; so I can't say for sure, but I think that if I ever had a lot of it, I'd like it a great deal. Conversely, I've never been dirt poor- 'where are we going to scratch our next meal?' poor- in my life, so I guess I can consider myself pretty lucky on that account.
"It would just be nice," my friend said, "to not have to worry about money."
Well, yeah. That's the kind of life that around here, only my kids have. Only they DO worry about money. They worry that I'm not giving them enough. Tonight they left on a band trip to Orlando for which we forked out nearly $600 a piece. This trip includes all meals except five- two of which are breakfasts and all of which will be taken at fast food restaurants. In my infinite generosity (or so I thought) I gave the boys each $60 for the meals they will be consuming on their own. The way I figured it, the extra dough could be used for the extra sodas and snacks in the amusement parks. Oh, and did I mention that I fully stocked their suitcases with every known imaginable delicious treat?
"Mom," my middle son asked, surveying his suitcase, "aren't you going to give me some extra spending money?"
Now, to be fair, the kid (this particular teen, NOT his older brother) did sell the crap out of every known fundraiser the band held. He knocked a good $100 off his final fee just due to his exemplary ability to sell anything to anybody. However, this did not translate into an extra hundred bucks in his pocket, as I guess he felt it should. I did give him some extra dough, but alas, not enough for whatever grand plans (as if grand plans can be hatched from the back of band bus) he had.
"Yes, honey, that is it." I told him, as gently as possible. (After all, the boy has not worked a real job yet- he has no idea of the harsh world of finance until he earns that first $100 and pays $33 back to the government).
"But," he began, "I sold all those things."
"And I am so glad you did!" I enthused. "You really helped your dad and I out; I wasn't sure where we'd scrape up all that money for two band trips!" I smiled real brightly to take the sting out of the fact that he wasn't no way, no how going to see his $100 of work realized in cold hard cash. "I bought you Fruit Gushers!" I reminded him, and he had to smile at that bit of happy news; Gushers are normally a treat reserved for special occasions and his little brother's lunch.
'Cause, when it comes right down to it, his monetary woes are nothing compared to what my friend is experiencing, and these happy days of having the mommy handouts complete with a suitcase full of bottled water and Fruit Gushers are the life, my friend. Somehwere deep inside, my son realizes this, and he finally managed to thank me and give me a hug.
Money cannot replace moments like that hug, I told myself, as I waved goodbye to my nearly grown sons who were toting impossibly heavy suitcases laden with snacks I purchased for them. However, a nagging voice said inside my head, the Fruit Gushers were probably the main prompt for that hug; and I certainly didn't buy them with my good health NOR my happy family.

"Praying for money isn't sacrilegious." I thought again, as I pondered the possibility of offering up a prayer or two for a bit more of the green stuff for all.