Saint Thomas the Engineer

In the end it isn’t about money. It’s about life. We learn to manage money, make wise decisions not as an end in themselves but to benefit and to be a blessing to ourselves and others, not only in our life but after our passing. My father-in-law understood this truth. Although his life in this world came to an end 8 years ago, the chain of blessings that he nurtured throughout his lifetime continues until this day.

For most of his life my father-in-law was a little more than comfortably middle class, but hardly wealthy. In the last few years of his working life he earned what most of us would call a pretty decent income. With this money he provided for and protected a wife, a son, and a daughter. In fact, I would say, he spoiled them more than was healthy. If he had any shortcoming it was that he loved too much.

My father-in-law spent very little on himself. He always had pretty decent cars, his last couple of vehicles I would describe as entry level luxury, perhaps a step down from what he could have purchased at that stage of his life. In his later years, along with his wife he saw a bit of the world in package tours. That was about it. What he didn’t spend on his family he put in savings and investments.

Of course he was a pillar of his church, a Sunday school teacher, a deacon, a giver. Numerous men and women looked to him for guidance as a model Christian. They have told this to us again and again after his death. My mother-in-law would get aggravated when other women would ask her what it was like to live with a Saint (really). He also supported and cared for his mother-in-law for many years until it was physically impossible to continue caring for her in his home. His brother-in-law died early without much of an estate or pension. His sister-in-law was really never able to earn enough to support herself after her husband’s death. My father-in-law stepped into the gap, making up the difference when events, like the death of a car, required his financial intervention. His sister-in-law told people my father-in-law was better than a second husband. At times she said she felt like his second wife. My father-in-law’s money continued to support both his wife and his wife’s sister after his death. My mother-in-law paid her sister’s rent in a senior high rise until her sister was no longer capable of independent living.

The last years of my mother-in-law’s life were terribly expensive. Besides the cost of frequent trips to the hospital, she required 24 hour a day home health care to maintain the fiction of independent living until the end of her life. It was what she desired. My father-in-law paid for it.

Now my mother-in-law is gone. There is enough money remaining in the estate to provide generously to our retirement and to guarantee than more than enough will be made available to pay his sister-in-law’s medical bills until her death. I also suspect there will be enough to bless his niece and nephew in retirement once his sister-in-law passes.

May I live up to even half of his standards.

First Timothy Chapter 6

[6] But godliness with contentment is great gain.
[7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
[8] And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
[9] But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
[10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
[11] But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

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[17] Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
[18] That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
[19] Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.