In between bouts of writing, I flipped on the TV. Cruising the channels I watched a show about a Navy EOD team in Afghanistan, portions of the film "The Deer Hunter, and a program on the Inspirational Channel called Camp Meeting. The Camp Meeting program was interesting because the focus of the preacher's sermon was how God fulfills his promises to believers. The preacher worked his way, step by step, Scripture by Scripture laying out the evidence before his congregation. Along the way, he tossed out personal anecdotes of blessings that he had received in his life; moments in which he had been in desperate straits and God sent him miracles. The momentum build was palpable as the preacher exhorted his people to, "Stand in Faith against the Enemy, and open your arms to God's blessings."

Then the hook...

These blessings can only be activated through sacrificial giving. As Jesus sacrificed himself for mankind, we are called to uplift the Word of the Lord through our sacrificial gifts. Not comfortable donations, People of God, sacrificial gifts. (With the unstated implication that the greater the sacrifice, the greater the reward - either here or in Heaven). Then his final testimony: He was a simple country preacher and was down to his last $42.00. He had a family of 6 to feed, a broken down station wagon, and little hope on the horizon. He had nothing in his pockets, but he had his faith in his heart, so he took out his credit card and made a gift of $1000 to a preacher at a local revival meeting. Within 5 days a man showed up on his doorstep with a check for "thousands of dollars", two days later a woman contacted him and asked if she could bring money by his home to help out his family. Within two weeks he experienced abundance unknown to him before this time - and it all began with his sacrificial gift.

He closed his message with a quiet hymn as the ushers moved briskly up and down the rows collecting from those congregated in that place. I'm sure there was grocery money, rent money, and diaper money placed into those collection bins. Money that was earmarked for prescriptions, birthday gifts, and bus fare, all placed in the collection in anticipation a "Great Movement of the Spirit."

I hope they get it. Mom certainly didn't and no one had more faith than she.