Not guilt. Not shame. Gratitude!

Not long ago at the state Museum of Pennsylvania, the father in the soiled baseball jacket brought his son to the doorway leading to a special fun exhibit for kids. The boy excitedly craned his neck to see the colorful play stations and activity centers inside.

Now the state museum is an enormous and wonderful place, filled with all sorts of scientific, cultural and artistic treasures. And as many Pennsylvanians know, it's a real bargain. Admission is free, except for certain special exhibits, such as the one for children that day.

"That will be $2 per person," the clerk at the entrance said.

You could see the father trying to suppress the look of pain that washed across his face. He pursed his lips and reached for his son's hand. "Hey, why don't we go look at the dinosaur exhibit!"

Witnessing this drama unfold as I approached with my own children, I was astonished to realize that the father just didn't have the $4. For most of us, $4 is pocketchange -- the  price of a Big Mac combo meal, a large Frappachino at Starbucks, or a gallon and a half of gas. For this father, it might as well have been the national debt.

Are you rich? When you ponder that question, you probably do what I do -- think of friends and family who are better off and say, "Who, me? I'm not rich." But when you look from the other end of the telescope, at those who have less, a different picture emerges. 

That's why a visit to the Global Rich List, one of this week's new resources, is so enlightening. Key in your annual earnings and you'll find out just how rich you are in comparison to everyone else on the planet. Go ahead! Give it a try. Pray about the results.

The idea is not to make you feel guilty over what you have, or ashamed that despite a decent income you are struggling to make ends meet (as are most people), but grateful for whatever God has given you. Gratitude is a foundation of good stewardship. And most of us have a lot to be grateful for. If you have a safe and clean place to live, sufficient food in the fridge, and a cash flow that covers your bills and leaves you some money for entertainment, you have a lot, indeed.

Some parents can't afford $4 to take their children to a museum exhibit. 

-Rob Blezard, editor and webmaster

P.S.: By the way, things turned out OK that day for the father in the soiled baseball jacket. One of the parents in line stepped forward and bought tickets for him and his son.

New This Week:

How rich are you?
Having trouble keeping up with the Joneses? The Global Rich List may be able to provide you with some comfort. On this site, you can tell how you keep up with the Joneses worldwide. Just key in your annual earnings (make sure it's expressed in dollars) and viola! Use it as a congregational conversation starter! Click here for Global Rich List.

The Spirit drives a program forward
"Homeless people and those receiving welfare can get all the job training and all the help with dealing with issues of addiction -- or whatever contributed to their situation -- but getting and keeping a job in our society without a car is becoming harder and harder.  Bus routes dwindle because most of us have access to transportation." Click here for Pastor Dana Reardon's weekly column.

 Sharing God's Planet
Wow! Here's a free resource you -- and your congrergation -- can really sink your teeth into! It's a 72-page PDF report outlining the challenges facing the our world's environment today, how our Christian faith calls us to think about these challenges and how we can meet them. Meticulously researched and well written.  Click here for "Sharing God's Planet," from The Church of England. Episcopal Life. (PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

A Shower of blessings stewardship thrust
"What can we do to motivate members about their response to God's blessings?" That was the question stewards from Grace Lutheran Church, ELCA, Eau Claire, Wis., asked. The answer is this full stewardship program. Click here for "A shower of blessings," part of the archives of the Association of Lutheran Resource Centers. This week's Treasure Chest item.