Righteous Endeavors

Today’s Thought Righteous Endeavors G. Ward

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23

My brother and I were very enterprising while growing up. We lived in a predominately Jewish community and on the main highway there existed 2 major bakery shops (for those recipients from the Detroit NW area = Zeman’s and Star Bakery). Passing these shops was absolutely tragic if you were without the means to purchase the many delicacies they offered. Moreover, in that day asking your parents for money to buy these items would have afforded you a Jap slap of sorts (Amen somebody!), because the struggle to buy enough food was always an issue. I would imagine that all the children of that day were told about starving children in the uttermost parts of the world to get you to eat those horrific vegetables.

My brother was quite the entrepreneur. During the spring and summer he would enlist me as an amateur horticulturist (i.e. grass cutter), while fall and winter allowed our raking leaves and shoveling snow business to flourish.  It generated enough to purchase candy and baked goods from those bakeries I mentioned earlier. The competition was fierce, in that many of our friends endeavored the same. It placed great limitations within our immediate scope; therefore we decided to venture out some to endeavor working where our friends wouldn’t consider (*If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again!). On one particular day we secured what appeared to be a goldmine several blocks away. Upon knocking at the door of the most quaint bungalow, we were greeted by an older lady of eighty plus. She expressed that the job was ours however her son (who facilitated her budget) would remunerate us in several days from then. We promptly endeavored the work with a manual (push) mower and an old trimmer (needing oil terribly) and hedge clippers (rusted from the 50’s). I neglected to share that this era rarely found gas mowers and electric accessories for yard care (Thank the Lord for presence in this modernity!). During the course of our working, there was great micro-management from this elderly lady that had us there beyond our intentions. We certainly didn’t worry because the latter part of the week we were to collect $10 for this work from her son. Ten dollars in that decade bought what appeared to be an unlimited amount of candy, etc. Our objective was to order dentures soon afterwards, in that we would rejoice with all the sugars ingested. We worked in that yard for what seemed like 6 or 7 hours. Upon finishing, this lady assured us the money would be there in a few days. Needless to say, my brother and I equated that wait with anticipating Christmas Day. When that day arrived, we arrived at her doorstep to see the door open, whereby this woman issued a quarter to my brother and the same to me; suggesting that’s all her son had to give (True Story).

That was the first victim of the string of murders my brother and I committed. Happy Thursday!