catholicsphere

I don’t mean to brag or boast, but the past week or so I and my family have been pretty blessed. Among a few other things…

• I got a good review and some extra money from work.
• After “wishing” she could have a dress just like the one that her Rapunzel Barbie came with, our daughter received some hand-me-down clothes that included a “Sleeping Beauty” dress that matched almost exactly.
• And, I have now lost 15 pounds after 9 weeks.

All in all, I’d say we’re on a roll.

However, in the past, we would have taken our “good fortune” and gone out celebrating, spending extra money, and not saving a dime.

But, we’ve now realized that was stupid. Having been through “dry” periods, we know that it is in these times that we need to praise and thank God, and prepare for those bumpy roads that inevitably will come (and we should praise and thank Him in those times too!).

I recalled the Bible story of Joseph interpreting the Pharaoh’s dream in Genesis, which was a warning of 7 years of famine after 7 years of plentiful harvest …

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up.

The Pharaoh summoned others who could not interpret the dream. So then he called on Joseph …

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

With this understanding then, the Pharaoh decreed that some of each of the first seven year’s abundant harvest should be put away for the famine times that were coming.

“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

I believe that that is what God calls us to do. That we should act wisely and prudently in the good times, so that we are prepared when bad times do come along.

And, that is precisely what I intend to do. I hope you do too.

[tags]catholicsphere, finance, God, Joseph, rich, famine, Bible, faith, praise[/tags]