Sunday Morning Musings: Bread Cast Upon Water

Sunday Morning Musings:  Bread Cast Upon Water

“Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later.

Divide your gifts among many, for in the days ahead you yourself may need much help.”

Ecclesiastes 11: 1-2

Image by Mark stanley from Pixabay

This verse was what I thought of after I was given the help I needed. Although in my head, the verse read, “Bread cast upon water will return to you a thousandfold.” No idea where I heard that, but I like it.

What I needed was help with my website because I am about the least techy person alive. I’d received help from a friend in my writers group in the redesign of the site, but someone would have to do the updates and the maintenance. I realized that someone should or would have to be me. Except I lack the skillset required for such a task.

I can’t believe the amount of time I spent angst-ing over this. The sleep I lost the night before I had an appointment with the designer to teach me how to work with the site. My complete lack of faith in myself (for a very good reason).

As I got ready to leave a thought occurred to me. I have no problem paying my editor to edit my work. Why? Because he has a skillset that I lack. So why would I be so reluctant to pay someone to maintain my website?

A further thought based on something I’d seen recently that said if you want to be a bestselling author you need to act like one. I thought, how many bestselling authors are doing all the maintenance on their websites? Probably not many.

Instead of learning everything I needed to know to DIY it, I asked my friend the designer if she could and would do the updates as needed and she said yes. I said I know I can’t pay you what you’re worth and she said, that’s ok. I wanted to know why it’s ok.

She said, “Well, you run the writers’ group and you don’t get paid for that, and I really enjoy being a part of the group and that’s why I’m ok doing this for you.”

It’s a humbling experience when someone views what you do as generosity and wants to repay you in some way for the effort you make. Apparently, even though I feel I make a minimal effort, what I don’t see is the effect is has on others.

Did I pray about this beforehand? I must have, but I don’t remember doing it. What I remember is lying awake most of the night worrying about it. But like most things we worry about, it didn’t even happen. God, through my friend, already had the answer.