the extravagant heart of a cheerful giver

i want to share a little story.

weeks ago i received an email from a sweet hearted lady who i'll call Jane.

Jane had read about emi's peru trip and wanted to send her "a little something".

i'm fairly certain this was the first conversation between us.

we talked about names, the significance of hers

& the significance of emi's middle name
and a few other things.

a few weeks later, emily received a large box

full

of many personal, thoughtful items.

she was blown away.

it was extravagant.

the next morning she walked into my room with an absolutely stunned expression.

while re-reading the very personal note sent from Jane

 something had fallen out of the envelope

that she had not seen the day before.

a check.

a generous contribution to her fund raising efforts.

honestly, it was an emotional moment for both us.

i facebook messaged our sweet friend Jane

& asked for her phone number.

emi called & with tears in her eyes, thanked her for a gift

she could never repay

a gift she did not feel worthy of

a gift from someone who seemed very humble about the gift itself.

well, sweet Jane emailed a few days later & told me she wanted to send the other girls 

"a little something".

she asked sweet questions.

favorite colors?

middle names?

every few days over the next few weeks

a large package would arrive for one of the girls.

it was as if Jane had spent much time with each of them

& knew exactly about them.

their heart

their likes

their hobbies

& of course, their middle name.

as their mom, i couldn't have picked out more perfect items for them myself.

i won't go through the response of each

but i will share about savannah's.

i was down stairs when i heard a shaky "mom......."

"mom, please come here...."

i walked in to savannah's room

where she sat, tears in her eyes

stunned.

she told me she was overwhelmed.

overwhelmed at the extravagance & the thoughtfulness

by someone she'd never met.

she tried to verbalize her feelings.

she was more filled with humility 

than she was backflipping over the gifts.

each & every item, something that she loved.

she was speechless.

so was i.

but only for a moment (wink)

we were sitting right in front of a teachable moment.

a kairos moment if you will.

i began to share with my 18 year old about a time in my life when i had the same emotions.

gregg had just passed away.

i had my hands full with a nursing newborn, a toddler and a 3 year old.

i felt vulnerable, afraid, and alone.

but

i had friends who during that time

would bless me in extravagant personal ways.

whether in tangible gifts, warm cookies, or acts of service.

ways that i would never be able to repay.

i told her about two families in particular

the Lewis's and the Bufton's

and the love they lavishly poured out on savannah and her sissies.

how weeks after loosing a hubby and a father

my entire family was invited to spend Thanksgiving around their table.

how the girls would spend the night at one of their homes

& come back home in new jammies

with a new stuffed Nala and Simba.

the list goes on.

i explained to savannah that i honestly feel like there are times in our lives

when the Lord loves on us through the hands and feet 

& cookies baked by

& gifts sent by

some one else.

an extravagant reminder that He sees us

not only when we are vulnerable, afraid and alone

but also when we are excited and giddy

just prior to going on a mission trip

or heading off to college.

i encouraged her to tuck that feeling that she had

deep in her heart

& never forget how she felt at that moment.

in this day and age 

especially around the teenage years

it's not uncommon to see an attitude of entitlement.

two of the characteristics dan & i have tried to teach our girls

is that of having a heart of gratitude

and that of being a good steward with the blessings 

and gifts they have been given.

whether it be simple or extravagant.

we've encouraged them to journal.

hand write thank you notes.

we've had thanksgiving journals on our kitchen table.

we've played the tell me the high & lows of your day.

all in an effort train them to have a heart of gratitude.

i know for me personally

the times i was given something

something i could not have bought

something i surely didn't deserve

those were the very things

i took the most care of

the things i was grateful for.

the irony of the timing of the two previous posts was not missed by me.

one about a child who chose to give up half her summer

who bravely did something i don't know if i could do myself

followed by the story of a new car.

one giving

& one receiving.

while there are moments like this everyday

maybe not as grand as a car or a trip to south america

but kairos moments.

the ebb and flow of giving and receiving.

i want my girls to be a Jane to someone one day.

i want them to be a Lewis 

or a Bufton

and love on someone

who doesn't expect it

who maybe doesn't even feel as if they deserve it.

i want them to be keenly aware of being available

whether it's spiritually or financially

to someone else who is vulnerable , afraid & alone

or maybe someone who is in a happy blessed time in their life.

whether it be simple or extravagant

a plate of cookies

or a ginormous check

but to be always on the lookout for an opportunity

to give

 to love on 

to encourage

another

from a cheerful heart

just like they were loved on

once upon a time.

~~~~
to my "Jane"
 i want to thank you.
thank you not only for the abundance in which you loved on my girls
but thank you for showing them
what the extravagant heart of cheerful giver looks like.

to the buftons and the lewis's
and those who i did not name today
thank you.
i have tucked your gifts or your words
and the memories of how you have loved me and mine
deep in my heart
& i am forever changed.

~~~~ 

Remember this~

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,

and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, 

not reluctantly or under compulsion, 

for God loves a cheerful giver.  

And God is able to bless you abundantly,

so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, 

you will abound in every good work.  As it is written:

   “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
   their righteousness endures forever.”

 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food 

will also supply and increase your store of seed and 

will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 

You will be enriched in every way

so that you can be generous on every occasion, 

and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 

2 Corinthians 9. 6-11