With tight budget, they had to manage to pay all their bills, so they had no luxury. On the contrary, they were deprived of many small pleasures.
Their clothes were home made, their special meals were sporadic and only taken at the relatives' homes. Fortunately, the demands with the children were little: public school, parties at the Church, and that was it.
Not even in Christmas they needed much to feel happy. The children built their own toys of old and recycled materials, wrapped them up in brown paper and gave them to each other. It was a party!
Their simple life kept going until the father's work routine changed for one month. One of his uncles, who took care of a certain farmer's business, needed to take his vacation and leave in a fishery for the whole month. So, the father was invited to substitute him.
From day one, the father devoted himself in that farm's administration and did a brilliant work there. When his uncle returned from his vacation, things were going pretty well.
The father returned to his old activity at the shop. Next week, he received a visit of that farm owner, who proposed him:
"I am opening a fertilizers warehouse in the city, and I want you working for me"
"I would like that very much", the father answered. "But, I made a deal with my cousin to work for him at this shop and I have a moral obligation towards him. Unfortunately, I cannot accept your offer"
The farmer thought a little. He would never take no as an answer.
"Le's suppose your cousin decide to sell this shop. If that's the case, would you accept my offer?"
"I believe so"
A week later, the farmer returned to ask him again. Only, this time, he was now the shop's new owner. He had just bought it only to have that efficient, loyal and young man as his employee.
July 08, 2010
Rio
The boys were going well in school, though she had to help the younger frequently with his homework. He was always paying attention to his brother to copy what he was doing. The two of them were really good friends, in spite of the five years apart each other.
The girls, one blond another brunette, were still very young for many games outside. They stayed, most of the time, in the sewing room, playing with empty reels, or swinging on the rhythmical feet of their mother, while she was moving the pedals that made the sewing machine work.
School holidays had just started and they planned to visit grandma and the uncles in Rio de Janeiro. It was the first time they would make a trip like that, so, they were pretty excited.
It took seven hours by bus, a long travel trying to distract four children, but it was worthwhile.
Since the arrival at the bus station, they were dazzling with everything they were seeing in the big city. It was a show!
They visited the "Corcovado", the Sugarloaf Mountain, the Botanical Garden, the Church of the Rock and the most famous beaches, in only one week.
The marvellous city bewitched them and became a compulsory visit for them, every year, in every holiday.
The girls, one blond another brunette, were still very young for many games outside. They stayed, most of the time, in the sewing room, playing with empty reels, or swinging on the rhythmical feet of their mother, while she was moving the pedals that made the sewing machine work.
School holidays had just started and they planned to visit grandma and the uncles in Rio de Janeiro. It was the first time they would make a trip like that, so, they were pretty excited.
It took seven hours by bus, a long travel trying to distract four children, but it was worthwhile.
Since the arrival at the bus station, they were dazzling with everything they were seeing in the big city. It was a show!
They visited the "Corcovado", the Sugarloaf Mountain, the Botanical Garden, the Church of the Rock and the most famous beaches, in only one week.
The marvellous city bewitched them and became a compulsory visit for them, every year, in every holiday.
July 02, 2010
Answer
In the following days, nothing different happened, unless inside his heart. He started to feel more relieved, confident and eager to start again.
His wife sewing orders helped to put food on the table, and he kept doing some freelance jobs here and there. But, not long after, a new business opportunity opened for him.
One of his cousins, who had well progressed in life , had woken up some days behind with an urgent anxiety of helping his close relative. And he had no peace while he did not offer him society in a new shop in town.
" I have no money, cousin. I cannot accept your offer. "
" I enter with money, you with work, period! " The cousin insisted.
That was it. The father started working and the new shop progressed little by little. The first costumers came to buy all sort of veterinary products and received such an excellent treatment that, in short notice, all farmers around also became regular clients.
He enjoyed working there, and had a deep gratitude to his cousin for his timely aid in a time of so much difficult in life.
He had raised himself, and knew well that that was, above all, God's answer.
His wife sewing orders helped to put food on the table, and he kept doing some freelance jobs here and there. But, not long after, a new business opportunity opened for him.
One of his cousins, who had well progressed in life , had woken up some days behind with an urgent anxiety of helping his close relative. And he had no peace while he did not offer him society in a new shop in town.
" I have no money, cousin. I cannot accept your offer. "
" I enter with money, you with work, period! " The cousin insisted.
That was it. The father started working and the new shop progressed little by little. The first costumers came to buy all sort of veterinary products and received such an excellent treatment that, in short notice, all farmers around also became regular clients.
He enjoyed working there, and had a deep gratitude to his cousin for his timely aid in a time of so much difficult in life.
He had raised himself, and knew well that that was, above all, God's answer.
July 01, 2010
Pumpkins
At one of those dawns, she went to the kitchen and found he was bent on the table. In his hands, some counts to pay already due.
She sat there at his side, in silence, almost half an hour. Only then he hugged her and allowed himself to cry, for the first time.
Then, she started to report him a history of her childhood:
" My dear, I remember of a time when I and my brothers were still little children, in which my parents faced a great drought and lost their whole crop. Of everything that they had sowed, only a pumpkin plantation was profitable.
Surprisely, it never stopped producing pumpkins, great pumpkins the whole year! We might had nothing, but we always had what to eat.
Only when we recovered our production in the next harvest, that pumpkin tree stopped producing so much.
We do not need to be afraid, honey, I am completely sure that God will come to our help. Did you already ask him for that? "
In fact, he was feeling so failure he would not dare to ask God's help. In his Bible reading, he had discovered an advice in Proverbs of never becoming a guarantor of anybody. He was quite sure that what they were living now was a result of his own negligence.
On that kitchen's table, at dawn, the two of them joined in prayer for God's help, compassion and grace. They prayed also the Lord would enable them to work and take better care of their family. And they were listened.
She sat there at his side, in silence, almost half an hour. Only then he hugged her and allowed himself to cry, for the first time.
Then, she started to report him a history of her childhood:
" My dear, I remember of a time when I and my brothers were still little children, in which my parents faced a great drought and lost their whole crop. Of everything that they had sowed, only a pumpkin plantation was profitable.
Surprisely, it never stopped producing pumpkins, great pumpkins the whole year! We might had nothing, but we always had what to eat.
Only when we recovered our production in the next harvest, that pumpkin tree stopped producing so much.
We do not need to be afraid, honey, I am completely sure that God will come to our help. Did you already ask him for that? "
In fact, he was feeling so failure he would not dare to ask God's help. In his Bible reading, he had discovered an advice in Proverbs of never becoming a guarantor of anybody. He was quite sure that what they were living now was a result of his own negligence.
On that kitchen's table, at dawn, the two of them joined in prayer for God's help, compassion and grace. They prayed also the Lord would enable them to work and take better care of their family. And they were listened.
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