Page 124 of Share with Me

It means we have no money.“I’m moving money around so we can make the house payments. I have no income right now, so it’s going to be tough for a while.”

“Moving money around?” Grandma stopped rocking. “How long before they take the house?”

“If we miss thenextpayment.”Yeah, the next payment after this month’s.

“Tell me the truth, Ivan.”

Ivan knew Grandma would see through it. Carefully, he worded it. “We’re broke, Grandma. I am so sorry I wasn’t able to get us out of debt. We’ve missed a payment in December, and we’re going to miss another one this month. One more in February, and we’re out on the streets.”

Ivan expected Grandma to be upset, but she didn’t show it. All she said was: “God has a solution.”

“I wish He’d fixed it already.”

“Patience, Ivan.”

“Time has run out and God hasn’t come through.”

“Don’t speak like that about the God who saved your soul.”

“Time has run out.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“My fault.”Might as well give in.

“No, Ivan. We’re all at fault. From Grandpa Otto’s crazy business ideas to our lack of financial sense. None of us McMillans ever knew how to manage money. I remember Otto’s parents living through the Great Depression. Things aren’t as bad today as they were back then, but life has always been hard for our family. If only we learned how to manage what little we have, we wouldn’t be shaming God now.”

Ivan wanted to sink into the couch. He felt that he was the man of the family now that Grandpa Otto was dead and Quincy was out of the country. But he had failed to be the head of the household.

“Ivan, look at me.”

“Yes, Grandma?” Ivan’s shoulders sagged.

“Our real home is in heaven. If we have to sell this dump, then sell this dump.”

“It’s not a dump, Grandma. We grew up here.”

“Those times will always be in our memories, but there comes a time when we have to move on. Beatrice at church told me about this place in Brunswick. Low rent. Low utilities.”

“Beatrice lives in a trailer park, Grandma.”

“So what? It’s a roof over our heads. Maybe that’s how God is providing for us.” Grandma rocked again in her well-oiled rocker. “Sometimes we have incorrect expectations of how we want God to provide for us when perhaps He has already provided.”

“Don’t forget to think of God,” Ivan said. “That’s what Brinley said to me on the phone just now.”

“She did?” Grandma smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. She’s growing as a Christian. Something we need to be thankful for.”

Yeah, sure. But that doesn’t solve our financial mess.

Ivan wondered how he was going to keep his promise to take Brinley out to a nice dinner. He couldn’t even afford cheap hot dogs on sale now, let alone take her to Saffron on Jekyll, which he had in mind. Saffron would be the type of restaurant that Brinley was used to. He wanted to show her that he could live that kind of lifestyle too. Eat in that kind of restaurant.

But where was he going to get the money to pay for even that one dinner with Brinley? He regretted the impulsive invitation.

Sigh.

Ivan gathered up some mail and passed them on to Grandma. “Probably Christmas cards.”

“I guess it takes a while for airmail to get here.” Grandma placed the stack on her lap and began to cut open the envelopes with a letter opener she always kept in her pencil stand on the table where her Bible was.

---