Ronald and Gloria:  By AJ Herman

Ronald Conniffe and his wife Gloria lived a devoted life to one another on a rented dairy farm in Maryland.  Although sometimes it was hard, they lived their lives following the instructions of God.  For a small example, on their twelfth wedding anniversary, they chose to eat dinner at home instead of going out for a fancy meal.   The two decided to donate the extra money that they had saved up for that special dinner to a family that just needed a dinner.  The two just couldn’t enjoy a forty dollar steak knowing that a neighbor of theirs couldn’t even afford the pound of ground beef to put into a box of Hamburger Helper.   Simple acts of gracious kindness like that was a daily part of the Conifer’s life.

Everyday, Ronald and Gloria worked hard to keep the farm and family going, but sometimes it wasn’t enough, and the two had to swallow their pride and take on second jobs.  Ronald worked nights at a liquor store refilling shelves of products that he himself had never tasted.  Old friends that knew him well joked with him about the fact that every time they saw him, he had a bottle in his hand.

Gloria worked at a busy McDonalds’ restaurant where she was thy only one that spoke English fluently.   When the English speaking customers would grow impatient with the rest of the crew and start to unleash their anger towards her, she would whisper softly to them, “We are all God’s children trying to make it in this world,” to calm them down.   The real evil will customers would bark back at her that they had just come in to get a Big Mac, not a sermon. 

At nights before they rested their tired bodies, they would say their prayers.  Ronald and Gloria wouldn’t pray for things that would make their lives any easier, but for other people.  Ronald often prayed for a family man that came into the store a little too much. Gloria will always pray for all the mothers who didn’t have a man like Ronald to help them raise their children. 

God kept a special eye on Ronald and Gloria.   One night when Ronald was working late at the store, God sent an angel to him.   The angel appeared to Ronald when he was on his dinner break.  Ronald was using his break time to balance his and Gloria’s joint checking account.  He was wondering where the money would come from to pay their bills.  The angel explained to Ronald that God was pleased with the way he had been living his life and would like to reward him with one of two options.  

The first option was a reward for Ronald’s understanding and demonstrating the value of material things over true happiness and life it.   God would see to it that there would always be enough money in their bank account to pay their bills and enough left over for the family to enjoy some of the finer things that they have went without those many years.  Upon hearing this option, Ronald thought about the time when he wanted to buy each of his three girls a new bike for Christmas, but only had enough money to buy one bike for the girls to share.  That day, watching his girls take turns on a single bike, was one of the lowest points ever in his life.

The second option was a reward for Ronald’s ability to withstand from sins of the flesh.  God would allow Ronald to fulfill all his inner desires without bringing any harm to himself or his family.  Upon hearing this option, Ronald thought about some of the women that he had seen over the years coming into the liquor wearing fewer clothes than his wife normally wears to bed.  For the first time in his life, a devilish smile appeared on Ronald’s face.

But he quickly shook the evil smile off his face and told the angel that he wanted to take the first option.  The angel smiled at Ronald and told him to look at his bank statement.  Ronald saw the amount change from $219 dollars to $100,000 dollars.  Ronald looked up to heaven and thanked God for His kindness that He has shown him and then he ran home to tell his wife the great new.

It was late when Ronald got home and he hadn’t seen his wife all day.  Gloria was in the kitchen getting something out of the freezer.  As quickly as he could, Ronald told his wife about the angel and God’s gift.  At the end of his story, he held up their bank book to show her the $100,000 dollars that they now had in their account.

And for the first time since he met his wife he saw something on her face that he hadn’t seen before, a devilish smile.  Gloria told Ronald that an angel also visited her today and gave her the same two options.  Ronald scratched his head wondering where the other $100,000 dollars was in their checking account while his wife slowly walked towards their bedroom with a big bag of ice.

Written for www.buddthompson.com .   Web publisher are free to use if only you link it back to this site.  Ronald would do it.