I Only Have a Nickel!

As I was cleaning up today I noticed something shiny on the floor, looking closer, I realized it was a nickel. Suddenly, my mind was triggered and took me back to when I was about 9 years old and in the fourth grade. I remember I used to walk home from school now and then with one of my friends. We used to pass by one of those old fashioned hamburger places, you know, the ones with the greasy buns and juicy burgers (yummy!). One day, on the way home from school, my friend and I decided to stop and ask how much the ice-cream cones were. The man told us how much they were, I thanked him and started walking away. He called to me and asked me, "how much money do you have?" I said, I only have a dime. He called me back and said, "oh! I forgot, today the ice-cream is on sale for a dime, what kind would you like?" Well, my friend and I were pleasantly surprised! we both had a dime! so, we both ordered chocolate.

The next time we passed the hamburger place, we stopped and asked if the ice-creams were still dime, we were happy to hear they were! Needless to say, whenever we planned to walk home from school, we made sure we had a dime in our pocket.

One day as we passed the hamburger joint, it was obvious we were not stopping. The man called to us and said, "Hey! no ice-cream today?" I replied, "No, I only have a nickel" The man smiled and said, " Guess what! today the ice-creams are only a nickel!" Wow! today is my lucky day, I thought. So we walked back, and Yes, I ordered chocolate.

As I got older, I realized, the ice-cream cones were probably never a dime or even a nickel. The cost was what I had to offer at the time. This reminds me of how God is with us. We come to God with little to offer, and yet, it is just enough for God to bestow upon us, His FULL measure of MERCY and GRACE.

I may only have a nickel, but my Father is a King! a Mansion Builder... and I live rich in His BLESSINGS, His MERCY and GRACE.

Oh! by the way, I'd better go back and pick up that nickel!