What Do We Have Here?

by Monica Gambrell

There was a period of time when my mother actually made valiant efforts to keep her hoard clean. During that time, there was a Saturday regimen that rarely deviated. We awoke early to the smell of biscuits cooking, and just as we finished eating, my mom would say, “As soon as we’re finished cleaning, we’re going to hit the road!” From top to bottom, we would clean furiously in order to begin our adventure. We never knew where we were headed—and neither did she. There were countless times I heard her say that we would go wherever the road takes us. The point she was driving home to us was it’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey.

My mom kept what she deemed to be necessary items in the trunk of her old car at all times. There was a handcrank ice cream maker, rock salt, canned milk, charcoal, matches, aluminum foil and paper goods, and all sorts of non-perishable food items. We were inevitably out during meal-times, so she would open the trunk and ask, “What do we have here?” Once, when we stopped at a state park for an impromptu picnic, she was searching for something to flavor the homemade ice-cream with, and we ended up with peanut butter and jelly flavor. It was amazing!

Another time, we were on an old two-lane highway, and it was already dark on the way back from a trip, and we all decided we were hungry. My mom pulled over to the side of the road, lit a fire, and cooked some hotdogs. The police officer who showed up told her she couldn’t do that, but he was empathetic to a single mother’s efforts. That is a memory I won’t soon forget. My mom was an expert at making something out of nothing. She stretched the budget, improvised constantly, and always did her best to make lemonade from the lemons she had. I have every worldly reason to focus on the negative aspects of my upbringing, but I choose not to dwell there. There actually were a few positive memories sprinkled throughout.

I hope that my husband and I gave our children some of the same gifts my mother gave me: frugality, a sense of adventure, an innate ability to ask, “What do we have here?” and then make the most of every gift given.

Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content.”

Proverbs 15:13, “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.”

Father God, when Your joy lives within us, it is easy to find it in our outward world as well. Whether our resources are sparse or abundant, our joy is found in You. That joy may be made evident to those around us through our very countenance. We must imagine someone is watching us at all times and that we are the only Bible they will ever read. What they know of Your nature may partially be found in our words and actions in their presence. Therefore, it behooves us to allow Your indwelling joy to flow through us to those You place in our path. Strengthen us to do so!