Gold Rocks

As I am packing and sorting, preparing for the task of moving, I keep shaking my head at all the stuff that apparently accumulates without my even noticing!  I have so much to share, and stories of The Little Pantry That Could, a ministry of the West Nashville Parish that simply gives what it has from what has been given to them, to persons in need for free has been an inspiration to me.  

A tale that brings a chuckle to my heart as I work at what could be an arduous task is this—supposedly written by Aesop:

There was once a miser who sold all his possessions and bought a large piece of gold.  He buried the treasure in the earth near a large wooden fence.  Each day he dug up the gold and admired it.

A gardener observed the miser’s daily ritual and wondered what the old man was doing.  One night, he crept to the exact spot where he had seen the miser and discovered the magnificent gold piece.  He immediately placed it in his pocket and promptly left the country.

When the miser discovered the empty hole the next day he let out a cry of anguish.  A neighbor heard the scream and came running to the aid of her friend.  Full of grief, the miser told her the entire story.

“Stop your crying,” the neighbor advised, “and find a stone of equal size. Paint it the color of gold and put it back in the earth.  Each day you can come and pretend that it is still here.  The stone will serve the same purpose, since you never meant to use the gold anyway!”

Ouch!  Hit by a painted gold rock, I’ve been!   If you see me making box loads of trips to that Little Pantry That Could, just wave—and maybe you’ll join me!  You can find them at 4710 Charlotte Avenue, and it's true that they give out what they have for free, and if a need arises, they often put out a call and the need is fulfilled.  How cool and Christian is that!

Grace and joy from my desk this morning,

Julie