Worthy is the Lamb who was slain....
I love hearing that when I open up this blog.
I just don't get tired of hearing that song...
but anyway -
What is really on my mind is what my life for Christ means.
Tom's devotion today was about giving
How our life should be one big opportunity to give
really give.
The author (Bob Schultz - who's books I LOVE)
reminded us that it is God's very nature to give
What about Him is not giving?
Nothing.
He gives because He wants to
He gives because it brings Him joy.
It is in the root of His Being.
God is what a cheerful giver is all about.
and we are to be like God
Happy and excited about giving
Giving not out of necessity or grudgingly
but with my whole heart
out of joy and obedience (which brings joy)
It's in giving that we can share in God's delight.
God is all about giving
and when I give I am mirroring Him
Schultz encouraged us to make giving our hobby!!
to pursue it with zeal and delight.
Why not?
Giving is way bigger than money
It is smiles and kindness and time and provision.
It is giving up your place in line, or shoveling a walk
It is backrubs and picking up slack
It is meals and phone calls and written notes
It is saying "sure, my pleasure"
It is an extra chapter read at bedtime
It is reaching out to help in whatever way we can
It is seeing our abundance
and giving out of that.
We can radiate God's love
simply by giving
in dozens of ways every day
in thousands of ways every year
Instead of a lifetime of seeking to acquire
why not a life time seeking ways to give
"...happiness walks with givers not getters"
What is my abundance?
(I have so much)
Perhaps it is all there...
the material and the spiritual and the emotional....
just so I can give it away.
I want to share in God's joy of giving
"Silver and gold have I none -
but such as I have give I thee"
I pray that the rest of my life
can be filled with days filled and overflowing
with GIVING.
Ok, just had to write this down while the feeling is fresh...
Just had one of those Ah-ha moments - or Tommy did anyway
We have been working on a particular concept in math
I have been feeling like 'this is not getting through'
Many times I've looked at his cute face
and have seen this blankness
Like I am talking to a wall
Then suddenly today
after taking some time to review
and reteach
He comes in with his math assignment
and it is all done right
He didn't come for help
He knew how to do it on his own
SUCCESS
He has a big grin
I have a big grin - and a feeling of whew!
and on we go.
I love teaching my kids at home.
Two years ago, January 2009, our precious exchange student,
Terka, came to stay with us.
That ended up to be life changing and priceless
Tomorrow we will welcome Paloma to our home
Another exchange student.
Another January family change.
I can't sleep tonight
I suppose because I am anxious about tomorrow.
I love the idea of her coming
and expect that it will be a great thing -
but the first few days are always a bit awkward -
polite and friendly and stange.
I just want Paloma to feel at home
to feel like she belongs.
That takes awhile.
Steve knows Paloma already
She is a student of his
He really likes her and has a high opinion of her
Others too, have told me how nice she is
We have met her, but only briefly
Hallie and Tommy are both excited about her coming
We have her room all ready
We are all ready too
It has been kind of a drawn out process...
started back in November...
but after all the wondering
now the day is almost here.
I want to be able to meet her needs
and be a blessing to her
That is all that really matters to me
It has to be hard to be so far from home
I don't think I ever could have gone so far from home when I was in school - I don't suppose my mom and dad would have let me...
kind of like I don't think I could let my kids
(I am not willing to give up the time with them)
I have kept them home to teach them...
largely because I couldn't give up the time with them...
But here she is, far from home (Chile)
wanting to find her niche
I wonder what God has in store for all of us?
I was reading about God being the God who sees us
El Roi
He sees us and know our needs and wants to fill them
He knows Paloma's needs
He knows the needs of our family
Somehow those have something to do with one another
He is bringing us together for a purpose
His purpose.
I am excited to be a part of His plan for Paloma
I am excited that she is part of His plan for us.
I'm sure that the next 6 months will be interesting
and full of blessings
I pray that we will be faithful in following Him through
whatever is ahead.
I pray that through living with us, Paloma would learn much
about this God who loves her and sees her and cares.
On my wall there is a saying...
"Let me live in such a way that those who know me
but don't know God will come to know God because they know me"
I guess that is what I pray
that whether or not Paloma knows God now or not
She will get to know Him by living with us.
