Ninety-eight Pennies

It seemed, even with best intentions, I usually seemed to be running late for church. I pulled into my usual spot in the overflow lot and started toward the entrance when something in the grass next to the pavement caught my eye. On the grass lay a scattering of copper pennies, as if poured from a cup, and light from the sun coming over the the horizon was dancing playfully on them. 

I stopped; caught my breath. Looked around me. Looked toward the heavens. Smiled.Whispered thank you.

Anyone watching me would have wondered what was up.

It had been a particularly troubling week for me. A week when I questioned myself, my motives, my worth. A week of feeling I could never be enough.

This is the story behind the pennies . . .

I was walking into work with a friend one day when we spotted a penny and she paused to pick it up. She said the reason you should pick up pennies is because finding one means an angel is standing nearby. 

Not scriptural, but a lovely sentiment.

Afterward, I found that whenever I picked up a penny, I paused and became aware of God’s presence (even though I know He is with me all the time.) 

And when I began paying attention, I noticed that I began to find pennies at special times- times when I really needed to have a special awareness of God's love.  

After church, I told my friend, Sheila, who knows my whole penny story, about the pennies outside the church. (She picks up dimes in the same fashion, and sometimes we find the other’s angels to exchange! I laugh and tell her- “Your angels have been following me around this week!”) 

When Sheila asked me if I picked up the pennies in the parking lot that morning. I told her I did not; I had left them for someone else. She said, “Well, God might have put them there Himself, just for you.”

When I walked back outside that morning, the pennies, now walked past several times over, were still there. I picked them up and put them in my pocket, excited as a child unwrapping a gift at a birthday party.

At home, I placed them on the kitchen counter; counted them. Ninety-eight. Ninety-eight angels to greet me and shout God’s love into my needy heart. Ninety-eight angels cheering, “Go, Girl!"

God always finds ways to communicate His love to us. We need only to watch and to listen.

If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most high your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. Psalm 91: 9-11