The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Yesterday was my giving day. I think it is a good idea to have a full day of giving. Moms of young kids do it every day; they have no choice. Rescue farms filled with crates of dogs that need to be walked and fed have no choice as well. The rest of us can take time off from giving now and then. I visited two nursing homes and then took Asherel and Josh out for frozen yogurt in gratitude for them changing my flat tire a couple of days ago. My whole day Thursday was spent trying to bring cheer and joy to people. I'm exhausted.

Thursdays are normally our catch up day. We don't have to be anywhere on Thursdays. I love to just sit home, drink tea, and take my time with Asherel's homeschool. Sometimes I even teach on Thursdays, the way good homeschool moms should. But this Thursday, my old senior friend Comer called to see if my tailbone was healed. It is, unless I sit down too hard on it. I had urged Comer long ago to start writing his poetry again. He had written poems as a young man, but then stopped when life's busy-ness got in the way.
"I have a pile of over 60 poems here," he told me.
"Wow!" I exclaimed, "Are you writing day and night?"
"Yes," he said, "I wrote the last one at 2 a.m."
"Well how about if I come visit? And if you like, I will type those up and publish book 2 of your poetry. I can come collect them now!"
"Well, that would be grand!," he said.

I spent the morning with Comer and then dashed on to Mom K's nursing home. We sat on the front porch and I told her my plans for the upcoming visit to NY. I reminded her that her first grandchild, Karli, would be coming in two weeks to visit with her only great grandbaby. Karli and little Jack will stay with us for a couple of days and we will smother Mom K with joy. The newly washed borrowed car seat and crib are already set up in our extra bedroom.
"Oh my!" said Mom K, "I will have to get ready."

Then Asherel called, and asked as long as I was out, could I pick up some yummy lunch for her? Sure, I texted back. Giving days have a way of snowballing. I came home with the yummy lunch, and finished the last edit of the WWII book I have been working on for a year. With great satisfaction, I sent the proof off to the publisher.

The final cap of the day was the trip out with the two teens for frozen yogurt. They filled their cup of healthy yogurt base with mounds of candy toppings. Then they sat in comfortable chairs and it took them some time to reach the bottom of the cups. Several thousand calories later, Josh read my blog post about how he helped change my flat tire and noted an omission-
"I notice you didn't mention that it was YOU and ASHEREL that told me to put the tire on backwards," he said.
"Yes...I thought you might notice that," I said.
So now the record is corrected, since giving days have a way of creating expansive good will towards all.

This is the way giving works, when it is giving of love. I tend to be stingy with giving, forgetting that I do not have a limited supply. God promises that the more we give, the more we will have to give. I think Thursday proved that.

2 Chronicles 25:9 (NIV)
Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?” The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.”

Acts 20:35 (NIV)
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Jude 1:2 (NIV)
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

2 Corinthians 8:2-3,12 (NIV)
In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. [3] For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, [12] For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.






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