When first told that we were moving back to Asia, our 11 year old threw his arms over his head in an air pump fit for a ball game. The excitement faded as we packed, said goodbyes and the reality of another move sunk in. I began to worry. But, I never should have doubted the One who called us to move.
The first week in our new home we were invited to eat at the home of some dear friends we have known since our first days in Asia. Soccer Dude and their son, the same age, are great buddies. As we approached the front gate of their apartment complex, Soccer Dude’s friend was waiting at the gate. He held in his hands the wave board Soccer Dude had given him when we left three years earlier. A gift of a wave board and the offer of a friendship to be picked up right where it had left off. Gd’s provision through the generosity of a 6th grader.
In the past 2 months, I have been deeply moved by generosity that has come in many different forms. Each has been a reminder of my Heavenly Father. He has whispered His presence and provision into my heart through His people.
Family who worked tirelessly to help us pack, move and clean out our house….knowing as they worked they were helping us to move so far away. How do you measure that type of support and generosity?
Teenage sisters making a commitment to give toward our work along with countless others who are giving and pr@ying so that we can be here.
A box of hand-me-down clothes for Little Man.
A single mom offering to mail art supplies for the orphanage.
A gift in cash that was the perfect amount for us to buy bunk beds for our kids.
Offers of used books for our English lending library.
I seriously could go on and on. But maybe just one more story from this week.
A family, who has collected Thomas the Train toys for their children and carried them to China over the years passed them on to Little Man. Not only was Little Man thrilled, but as I home schooled – with a three year old completely occupied with a train set – again I felt Gd reassuring me that He is providing for us in big and small ways.
I am overwhelmed. Humbled. Blessed.
All this generosity has gotten me really thinking. Being a generous person really is a way to share the Good News with others. If I see Gd in generous people then I am sure if I were to be more generous I too would have a way to share Him that I haven’t fully tapped into.
I want to be known as a generous woman.
So I am making a list of ways to live out a deeper life of generosity….more than just money, but with sharing what I have, with my time emotions and energy.
Starting with my family.
I want my kids to see JC in me and what better way then to be generous with them. Let the dishes sit in the sink and read Go Dog Go one more time, leave emails unanswered so that I can play a game of Monopoly, take in one more drink of water to the sleepless one when all I want to do is sit on the couch with my book.
Pr@ying that each small act of generosity will show my kiddos who controls my heart and life. As I master it with my family, I also think it will become more natural with my neighbors and my community. This could be big.
So the 6th grader who so warmly welcomed Soccer Dude….his mom didn’t leave out the other kids. A wagon was shared with Little Man and craft supplies with the girls. There is something to that. Generous parents impact their children to be generous. This could be deep. Maybe the title of this post shouldn’t just be that I want to be a generous woman….it should be…I want to be generous so that my children become generous and we all impact the world for JC. (Shoot that doesn’t fit on the title line.)
Thank you all for spurring me on to be more generous. May Gd richly bless you for all that you have given and done.
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Casting A Stone 