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For several weeks packs of luncheon meat were found opened, with one bite taken out and
pack replaced. This confused everyone in store so they kept a watch for perpetrator.
Finally, someone spotted Claire opening a pack of luncheon meat. She took a bite, carefully closed it up and put it back.
I agreed with manager that, for good of other customers, they should not allow Claire back in store. We ordered meals-on-wheels for her and my wife and I often brought her a bag of groceries.
Shortly after getting my new car, an incident happened with Sister Claire that stretched my toleration. At time, my life revolved around my new car. I know now it was wrong, but then I could only see that car.
Unbeknown to me, God put in motion a plan to cure me of my obsession. Have you ever noticed God knows just how to deal with us?
It was a normal Sunday morning and, as usual, I picked up Sister Claire for worship service. I had car for about a month and I still reveled in its newness.
Following worship service, I took Sister Claire home. I watched her until she disappeared into her house. Then I noticed it. My first reaction was good old-fashioned outrage.
The seat where Sister Claire sat was soaked. Sister Claire had an accident on front seat of my new car! Even now, after all those years, I still flinch a little.
I washed front seat hundreds of times. Seven years later I traded it in for another car and, whether it was my imagination or not, I don't know, but I could still smell it.
When Sister Claire died two years after incident, they found hundreds of thousands of dollars stashed throughout her house. She had no relatives and nobody knew where she got all that money.
When I heard this, I felt sad. All her money was not a blessing to her. She derived no pleasure from it nor did she ever receive any interest from it.
Not only could her money have been a blessing to her, but she could have used it to bless other people. She robbed herself of tremendous blessings.
I have come to recognize source of all blessings in my life. ''Blessed be God, even Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of mercies, and God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.'' (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV.)
What God has placed in my hands is not to be selfishly consumed, but shared.
James L. Snyder is a freelance writer and columnist living in Ocala, FL.
