$22 Red-Hots

I spent the Labor Day holiday pulling everything out of my kitchen cabinets and wiping them down with Lysol. You see, my husband woke up last Thursday morning with a temperature of 103 so I did what any normal gal does on a long holiday weekend -- I worked day and night to keep myself from getting whatever he had!

As I was cleaning the last cabinet late Saturday night, I nearly knocked over a jar of red-hot candies. Since my 15th wedding anniversary is next week, I would guess these red-hots are at least 13 years old - way past the end of their shelf-life. Instead of throwing the jar into the overflowing trash, I gently wiped it off and carefully set it back in place.

This jar probably contains the most valuable red-hots in the world -- if you go by dollars paid for them.

My sweet husband purchased them one November for me. He was a full-time student and we were barely making ends meet. With the cost of tuition and books and with my low salary, we were financially stressed to the max. I spent most of my time worrying about everything from the money we were spending to how much money we didn't have.

One evening I begged him for those red-hots. You see, when I was growing up my mom would make turkey-shaped gingerbread cookies every year around Thanksgiving time. And each gobbler got a peppermint red-hot for his eye. I wanted to make those cookies for us, too.

I was told by my husband that he doubted we had the money in our checking account to cover the candies. Even the cash we had between us probably wouldn't be enough. But he dutifully left our apartment and came back 20 minutes later with a single bag of red-hots.

About a week later, we received a letter from the bank stating that our checking account was overdrawn by $2 - the expense of the red-hots. We were charged a $20 overdraft fee making the total cost of these red-hots come to $22.

I realize now I deeply longed for the security and safety of my childhood home; the turkey-shaped cookies and their red-hot eyes represented a simpler time for me. I loved my husband (still do, in fact) but being a grown-up posed a lot of problems for which I was unprepared, to say the least. On that November evening, I was sure I simply needed these red-hots to carry on a family tradition. But, the truth was I had hoped to find a little security in those candies, too.

Possessions, financial success, friends, family -- these can add to my enjoyment of life but they can't add to my peace. I've learned that my security can only come from one place -- the reign of Jesus Christ in my life. In fact, He is called the Prince of Peace.

Is there anything in your life that is causing you to worry? Talk to God about it and ask Him to be your Prince of Peace in this situation. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Jesus,
Thank You for caring about every detail of my life. I'm glad that You want to be my Prince of Peace. I'm feeling anxious right now about _____________. Would You please take control of this situation? I give it to You and ask You to handle it for me. Please show me if there is anything You want me to do in response to this problem. I thank you now for Your peace and for how You'll be handling this problem to Your glory and my good.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.