Shiny Dime
A young man
and his wife
walked hand
in hand
down the old
railroad tracks
with no money
and no food
carrying
two small children
crying and hungry
wondering
what in the world
they were
going to do.
The year 1939
and the Great
Depression
had taken
hold of the people
struggling to
make ends meet
with no work
and no food.
The young couple
had hope
in their hearts
that some way
some how despite
the dire circumstances
they would be able to
at least feed
their two children
a girl age 2
and a boy age 1.
They walked
those tracks
back and forth
for hours
pondering in
their hearts
where to turn
and just what
they could do
when suddenly
the sun shone
brightly on
an object lying
on the rail.
The young father
rushed ahead
and picked up
the object
and began to cry
as he ran back
towards his young wife.
He held in his hand
a shiny brand new dime.
Where had it come from
and why hadn't the train
ran over it making it
worthless?
They looked at
one another
as he quietly said
'God provided
for us honey
only God could have
done this'.
They left those tracks
and rushed
to the general store
across the way.
With the dime
they were able to buy
beans and rice
to last them
three days.
As they took
the food
back to their
simple home
and the wife cooked
their meal
both cried
and gave thanks
for the provisions
provided
for their family.
The very next day
the young father
found a job
at the Shipyard.
In the coming months
they were able
to buy land
build a house
and move in.
When life looked
so bleak
and without hope
their love
sustained them
and their belief
that God would
make a way
for them
and their children.
Years would pass
and they
often reminded
the other children
they had of the story
of that shiny new dime.
Telling them always
to believe in their heart
that God would provide
for them if they believed
and love would carry them
across the mountains
and valleys of life.
This is a true story.
It is the story of
my mother and father.
***********************************
I was reminded today
again about that dime
when I saw on the news
that rice is being rationed
here where I live
because Thailand has
stopped exporting it.
Wal-Mart
its warehouse clubs
and several stores
are limiting the amount
of rice customers can purchase.
The China Doll Rice
Distributor showed
his warehouse nearly empty
and stated that by June
rice and dry beans would
be hard to find
in the local stores.
***********************************
Sheila M. Williams
04-25-08
By Missing
© 2008 Missing
(All rights reserved)
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