The Money Jar - Sandra M. Hart

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

When I was nine, my dad gave each of his children a money jar for our weekly allowance. The clear jar, placed on top of the kitchen cabinet, allowed us to watch our money grow.

Money was scarce in our home. Dad could only afford to give us fifty cents a week, and we had to earn it.

My sisters and brother generally spent all their money on candy. I tried to save my money for bigger items. Slowly my dollars accumulated—two, three, five. I never recall having more than five singles in that jar at a time.

Times grew difficult financially for my parents until our allowances were phased out—gone. Once, Dad asked if he could borrow two dollars to tide him over until payday. He promised to return it after payday, a promise he kept.

The next week he borrowed money to make it until payday again. I agreed, but I began to worry. I was old enough to see the strain of worry on my parents’ faces. I knew that my friends had more than us, but were we poor?

Dad continued the pattern, but my attitude about it gradually changed. After a time, I was glad that I hadn’t used my allowance to buy candy. If I had, it wouldn’t have been there when Dad needed it.

Today, I think about the lessons of that money jar. I believe my parents’ goal was to teach us about saving. What I learned was far more valuable.

I learned how to give and I watched my parents give financially to others, far beyond their means. God always provided for us, always shook together the kindness, the need and the giving to turn out abundance. There wasn’t much, but the Father never let us go without.

Sure, our money jars taught us to save, taught us generosity and willingness to give, but more so, they showed us the way God fully provides for His children. The measure you use will be measured to you.

Sandra M. Hart enjoys writing historical fiction novels set in the Midwest. She is inspired by the people around her. Those labeled as “everyday people” are the ones who inspire her most. She hopes to have a nonfiction book published about a couple of these ordinary heroes who fill our lives with hope. .

Facing Your Fear -- Sandra Schomaker

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalms 4:8

Our church recently took a group on a mission trip to Honduras.
My interest was piqued as soon as I heard about the trip. When I found out where Honduras was located in Central America, I knew we would be flying across the Gulf of Mexico. I was afraid of flying over the water. It goes back to watching the movie Jaws and possessing an overactive imagination. I didn’t know if I could force myself to board the plane.

After a bit of soul-searching and prayer, I decided to trust God and sign up.

Though I ignored the fear, it never went away and the taunts of well-meaning friends didn’t help. If the plane crashed into the gulf, we’d all go to Heaven at the same time, they quipped. As nice as that sounded it still wasn’t comforting.

I took a window seat and watched as the plane left the ground in Houston. Fear tried to seep in but a good book and a lot of prayer helped to occupy my mind. I only allowed myself an occasional peek out the window. There was nothing but blue—blue sky, blue water—an unending sea of blue. When I saw the beautiful curves of the Honduras shoreline, a thin line of white sand leading directly into a green mountain landscape, I relaxed. God had given me a gift by allowing me to concentrate on other things as we flew over the ocean and, when the plane soared over the shoreline, I realized He’d nudged me to show me He’d kept His word.

I had the window seat on the flight back. I watched a movie, glancing out occasionally. When I saw the Texas shoreline, I felt God saying to me, “See, I got you here safely. I can take care of you.” God wasn’t accusing me because I had this overwhelming fear. He comforted me instead, allowing me to see that He was able make me dwell in safety as the scripture said.

Fear lives in the mind but grows in the heart. When I turned my thoughts to Christ, He cleaned the worry from my mind.

If you have fears that are keeping you from doing important things, like serving God, pray about them. When you face them, let God work in your heart and mind. You’ll find that God is bigger than all our fears.

Sandra Schomaker worked as a computer programmer for several years before deciding to pursue writing novels. She prefers to write historical fiction, both for women and children. She enjoys learning new things about the past through researching for novels, especially those set in Ohio, where she lives with her husband and daughter. Her three grown stepchildren live nearby.

A Still, Small Voice – Sandra Schomaker

"As has just been said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Hebrews 3:15

“There’s something wrong with me – I can feel it,” my sister told me last winter.

In fact, she had been ignoring little signs her body was giving her for over a year.

I had a strong feeling that she was right, but I sure didn’t want it to be anything serious. We'd lost both our parents less than six months apart, as well as other family members during that same period. It was a time of intense grief that neither of us had recovered from fully. Only a few months had passed since my dad’s death. I wasn’t ready for more bad news.

She trusted her instinct as well as the persistent pain in her abdomen her doctors had ignored in the past. The doctors felt that the pain was caused by scar tissue from a fertility procedure and felt that it would go away during menopause.

She persisted with her questions. Testing revealed a large ovarian cyst, about the size of a softball. Our aunt’s death from ovarian cancer, along with other family history, convinced my sister to have a hysterectomy.

Once the surgery was scheduled, my sister relaxed for the first time in a long time. At last, she could know there would be relief from the growing pain. She kept that positive attitude throughout the successful surgery and the painful recovery.

My sister ignored her pain for a while because her doctors weren’t concerned about it. Yet some nudging inside finally convinced her to pursue the topic again.

I believe that God guides us in many different ways. He may communicate with us through a conversation with a friend, a timely sermon, a prayer, or a scripture verse that speaks to us with the force of a blow.

Or He can be the still, small voice we hear within our hearts that directs our pathes.

Listen. Be quiet and listen, then take heed.




Sandra Schomaker worked as a computer programmer for several years before deciding to pursue writing novels. She prefers to write historical fiction, both for women and children. She enjoys learning new things about the past through researching for novels, especially those set in Ohio, where she lives with her husband and daughter. Her three grown stepchildren live nearby.