I just finished reading, One Simple Act by Debbie MacComber and I highly recommend it! It was just what I have been looking for lately! I stumbled upon it at the library and I am so thankful I did! She has so many wonderful ideas on how to be a generous person. That’s not a word you hear every day but as Christians it is vital to grasp the importance of generosity. We should set the example for our children by showing them often how to be a cheerful giver. Giving generously blesses not only the recipients but the giver! It’s not only about giving money. That’s certainly an aspect of it but there are many other ways to be a giver without having the money to hand out.
We can do good deeds for others. My granny is 80 years old and a widow so I recently doubled a lasagna recipe that I made and gave her one of the pans. This was enough for her and my uncle that lives with her to eat on for a few meals and she didn’t have to worry about fixing anything for dinner that evening. And I didn’t have to worry about her getting a nutritious meal. It cost a little more money but it wasn’t noticeable. It blessed her but it blessed me even more to know that I made her life a little easier. I included my daughter in the preparation so that she would feel apart of this as well.
Another idea would be to mow an elderly neighbor’s lawn or pull their trash can in after garbage day. If you are at church and you see something out of place, be attentive and fix it. Don’t wait for someone else to do it! Even if nobody notices, you know that you helped out in a small way.
In One Simple Act, Mrs. MacComber writes about forgiveness as an act of generosity. Boy, this can be a hard one! I have a struggle going on in my spirit right now in this area! But, with God’s help, I know that I will overcome! Forgiveness frees you even more that the person that you must forgive! Bitterness and hatred will eat at your spirit until you have nothing left to give!
Being a good listener is another way in which to be generous. How often do you talk to someone with half your mind while the other half is thinking about the errands or bills? If someone trusts you with their thoughts and feelings, you can bless them by simply keeping your focus and letting them talk to someone who is completely there. Don’t interrupt them or be judgmental. They may simply need to get something off their chest. They may not be looking for a solution so just be a good listener.
Hospitality…this is something near and dear to my heart. I love to open my home to others. Trust me, my home is nothing to…write home about. : ) I enjoy decorating and keeping my home tidy but I live in a very small duplex right now. But, for instance, I am planning a fall gathering in September to invite a few couples from church to. 2 of the couples we are very good friends with and 2 of the couples we like very much but haven’t spent time with outside of church. I’m very excited about it and I’m sure I’ll be blogging about that too! But, it doesn’t have to be a big shindig, just a simple invitation to someone who could use fellowship. I once heard of a couple who invited another family over after church and they had chips, salsa, and smoothies and the invited couple loved it and had a blast. It’s about the fellowship, not the presentation!
I did not know we were blogging like this. :) Yay!!!
ReplyDelete:) Just started recently but I'm enjoying it. Olivia just started school and I started a part time job so there's not been too much time for blogging in the last week or so.
ReplyDelete