42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Luke 12:42 (NKJV)
By Bro. John L. Cash
We had a wonderful Easter Sunday with loved ones at our country church; a big crowd of 167 for morning worship. And Susan and I had a wonderful Easter week with lots of relatives stopping in for visits. We were privileged to have Susan’s mom and also her younger brother Alden (who we call “Duff”) and his two sons. Spencer and Madeline came home two weekends in a row, and Seth and Leanne stopped by for brunch. (At one point we had 11 people at our house.) 
Baby Landon had his first birthday party on Holy Saturday and was a very good boy, despite the fact that grownups kept taking his new toys away to hand him another package to open. It was just like it always says in those old church papers: “A good time was had by all.”
As I’ve been telling you, I’m really enjoying being a stay-at-home grandfather. It’s one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever done, but I’m trying to improve my skills each day. Up until now, I haven’t been doing much cooking. To be honest, it would have been nearly impossible for me when Landon was a newborn, since it seemed like he needed to be held almost all the time. But now that he’s a year old, it seems like he’s a little easier to take care of as each day passes.
The Bible teaches us that as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. That was certainly true for me this week, as I learned a great deal from my brother-in-law. Duff is a single parent, and his sons are 9 and 12 years old. He works a full-time job, is diligently nurturing his boys, and is vitally involved in their lives. Both of his sons are rapidly advancing up the ranks in Boy Scouts. I admire him so much for the remarkable job he’s doing.
The most fascinating thing to me was the fact that Duff cooks a hot dinner for the three of them every night on a grocery budget of about $100 a week. (I’ve dined at his table many times, and he is a wonderful cook.) His tips about sale-shopping, meal-planning, and using a Crock Pot have inspired me to learn to be a healthy, frugal, and efficient supper-cook.
It’s amazing how many home-management blogs there are in this age of the Internet. But, in reality, the subject of life-management is nothing new. The Bible has a great deal to say about this subject, calling it stewardship.
The Scriptures (and common sense) teach us that successful living isn’t always about how much a person has. What really matters most is how well we make use of the gifts God has given us. Jesus said there will be a reward for those who spend their lives being good stewards.
This week, let’s ask the Lord to show us ways to be more faithful in His service. In doing so, we’ll store up treasure in Heaven and reap more happiness on Earth.
Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad.” He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and has spent the last 32 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He recently retired after 28 years as a Mississippi public schoolteacher, and is now a stay-at-home-grandpa with his grandson, Landon Cash. He and his lovely wife, Susan, live in a brick house in town (where the Preacher is making slow-cooker chicken and vegetables today.) Their kids include Spencer (age 26), his wife Madeline (age 26), and Seth (23), and his wife Leanne (age 22). You can send him a note at brotherjohn@ilovechurchcamp.com.
