700 Shekels Short

I was watching CNN International over lunch today (I happen to like catching the news from outside the US...it gives perspective, something I've picked up since beginning to travel overseas as an adult). Anyway, the last story I saw just before returning to work was about these letters people write to God (see Greg Kinnear). From all over the world they send them to some post office in Jerusalem where the postal workers initially started reading them out of curiosity. People would ask for forgiveness, money, material things, etc. One letter came from a man living in poverty right there in Jerusalem. He requested 5,000 shekels (~1,000 USD) so he could get back on his feet. The postal workers felt so bad for the man that they collected money for him and got up to 4,300 shekels, and mailed it back to him. Not too long later, the guy wrote back "thanking God" for the 4,300 shekels but asked that next time God not send it through that post office because "those postal workers are all thieves". He explained to God that when he received the money, it was 700 shekels short.

I have to wonder if when we ask God for something and he finally gives it to us and we end up complaining in some form or fashion, does He feel as if we're complaining about 700 shekels? My guess is the guy who wrote that letter would probably do fine without the remaining shekels, and he certainly had more than he did before he sent in the request. I think I've been complaining about 700 shekels.

When I left my son in FL because of Katrina, I asked my sister & her husband to keep him indefinitely. Although they don't manage money as I do, and they don't have the same lifestyle I do (two things I haven't been too thrilled with since I see what the results are), I have to say that anything negative I might think goes right up there with 700 shekels. I'm just going to be happy to have my 10 year old home with me...alive and well after a very difficult time.