What Does It All Mean?

Edited - Thanks for the stories! Yes, Janine says you will get back in kind but you always get more than you give. I guess that means that if you give away Walmart clothes you will get Gap back and if you're giving away Gap then you will get back designer clothes that I don't even know the name of because I'm still shopping at Walmart and Gap.


Another thing Janine says though is that tithing is different than philanthropy. You have to give 10% of each. That is a lot of money to be giving away every month!! Do you think you could do it? We want to try but Stranger says we'll have to sell the house first or we'll go broke.

I have been listening to one particular seminar cd from the Thomas Jefferson Education Forum that Stranger and I attended last spring. Three times to be exact. Once myself, once with Victor and once with the whole family. We are all captivated by the money managing concepts of Janine Bolon, author of Money...It's Not Just for Rich People!

One thing Janine claims is that you have to give money away to get money. She says that once you give money away, within two weeks, money will come into your life. Victor wanted to test this out on Friday when we were at Walmart so he asked for some of his money to throw into an upside down umbrella that was there to raise money for Primary Children's hospital. I gave him 50 cents, he tossed it in, then ran off with his Dad while I sat and waited for them to finish working on my van.

Ok, now this is the unbelievable part. Not even two minutes later a women walked by me, turned around and asked, "Are you Victor's Mom?"

"I am."

"I thought so. I'm the one that ran the Fair Factor contest. I wanted to call you but I lost your phone number."

Here's where I get to tell you that after Victor won his $25 gift certificate that day he promptly lost it. I had reached for it, suggesting he give it to me so he wouldn't lose it but he angrily grabbed it away and said that he was putting it in the bottom of the stroller and he was NOT going to lose it! I watched him put the card back into its envelope and then I turned around while he apparently tossed it into the bottom of the stroller. When we got home later that day the envelope was there but the card wasn't in it. Very mysterious!

I didn't mention this little part of the Fair Factor story because he was embarrassed and upset about it. We called the Fair Factor lady the next day to see if they found the card while they were cleaning up but she said they hadn't seen it. The story continues...

"I called Golden West Credit Union who donated the prizes and they were going to give him another card but I didn't know how to get a hold of you. Call me on Monday and you can come pick it up."

Unbelievable! Now Victor wants to give money to everyone he passes on the street and so do I!!!

If you've had an experience where you've given money away and then shortly afterward money has come into your life, I want to hear about it. Is it just a coincidence or do you think the universe really works that way? I, for one, do not believe in coincidences.

BTW There is an article at GNMParents that Victor and I wrote together about his Fair Factor experience. As if you haven't had enough of Worm Guts and Crickets Brains. Did I mention that he is writing a monthly article over there now? I'm so proud!