We've been living here 2 and a half years. We've been to three churches regularly in that time. We just started our fourth. Most of us are pretty happy with it. My youngest doesn't like change and wishes we had stayed at the first.

However, at the third one, though the pastor kept saying he didn't believe in health and wealth and that giving doesn't mean getting, every Sunday that's what the ten minute sermon was on. The guy who gave it is the CFO for some company. He's also kind of that for the church. And this church is hurting for money. Put out big bucks with a small congregation to get a place they can grow into, for years. They got enough land they won't have to move if the congregation gets over 200.

Anyway, every Sunday he reads out of Malachi, talking about how if you just test God, he'll give you money. He says that if we tithe the first part (pre-tax, which we never see and which the Israelites didn't have), then God will give us so much money we won't even see straight.

My husband got sick of hearing about it and decided we'd try it. He said for six paychecks we'll give 10%. Off the top. We quit going to that church, but that is where our tithe is going. (so I guess the cfo guy is happy.)

We've paid four. And all our buffer is gone. So is the money we hadn't yet put in an educational IRA for the boys. At least, if God doesn't do something major. I mean, those checks got sent off today, so they aren't really out of our account. But they will be soon. We're pretty much over exactly what we've tithed, plus my birthday money. I spent that, but I put it on a credit card. Cause I thought I could just pay it when I got the bday check. But I can't because it is gone.

It's weird. Malachi offers the only time in the whole Bible that God says to test him. We're testing him. He's failing. I know you can always try to pull a grade out in the end, but I do not see how he's going to do this one.

Maybe part of the problem is we haven't tithed my part-time income. A tithe on it pre-tax, for the whole year so far, is $80. But if I write that check, our other checks will go like bouncing little red balls. There's a limit to how much testing I am willing to do, I guess.

My hubby says we are going to stick with it. He gave God a promise and he's going to keep it. Even if we go into debt to do it.

Guess I really need to write the check and start paying for everything with the credit card then.

That sucks. I hate debt.

How is God going to give us back that money? We don't buy lottery tickets. Dying relatives would be a BAD plan; takes too long to probate a will in court. Plus, who'd ever trust a response like that? Give me your money and I'll kill your nearest and dearest. Husband hasn't had a raise in over 18 months. In fact, about that long ago he took a 12% paycut. I guess it will really have to be a God-thing.