Today I was getting stuff together for Easter. By that I mean I was getting packages ready to mail to my grandchildren all over the place. Every holiday I try to make a handmade card to send to each of them with a gift of some sort like money or a book etc. I enclose a picture of Grandpa and I in with the goodies as well. (One time I forgot the picture and heard about it from them...so I won't do that again.) Giving gifts to my grands is so easy. I love giving them things. It is fairly easy to find things that they will like. After all they are young and pretty much love anything their grandparents send for now.
What is that saying...it's better to give then to receive. Well I don't know about you but I love receiving gifts too. There is just something special about getting something from someone. It means you were thought of. For just a moment in their day they wanted to bless you with something special to cheer you or to just let you know you are loved. I am sure there are many other reasons why people give gifts but for me these are the two reasons I usually have......to cheer or encourage a person and to let them know they are loved and thought of. In scripture it talks about giving all through out the bible. God gives us good gifts. He commands us to give ourselves away. He leads us by example with his giving nature. We are told to give generously. Oh I love the word G E N E R O U S L Y.......don't you? But what does it mean to give generously? Do I do that? Or do I just give enough to look like a great giver? Where's my heart when I am giving? I am not suppose to store up treasures here on earth as moth and rust will destroy them right. Oh how I want to be a generous giver. But I must confess that some times I am not. Don't get me wrong I give good gifts but sometimes I don't put a lot of thought into a gift or just pick something up quickly without thinking to give to someone. Those don't have the right heart in them.For the past few months God has really been placing it upon my heart to give things away that I have. These things aren't ordinary things but things that I treasure. Ouch! In the past I have ignored these promptings but recently I have heard it more often. It's still a small voice but it is a voice that says...why don't you give your friend this ________. I have two choices. One to ignore or one to be obedient. Thankfully I have been obedient these past few times. I find it amazing how wonderful it feels to obey these promptings. I find myself thinking...what else can I give away. :) But then on the heals of that thought.....is oh dear what else will God ask me to give away. Eek! Are there things in my home that I am holding on to that I would have a really hard time JUST giving away? (I am afraid yes there are.) God knows what they are and why I treasure what I do. I realize that He will show me and help me to give up those things when the times comes...if the times comes. It may be painful but it will also be for my good. I don't want to hold on to things for the sake of having them. I realize I have been blessed with more than enough. As a follower of Christ it is right for me to give and give and give......GENEROUSLY!
