Giving At the Grandparents

I love practicing Giving for a Living when we travel to Kansas City. Why Kansas City? Oh that's where Marilyn and I were raised. Our parents still live there and I never tire of going back to see our parents and to reminisce of the special times when they gave so much to me; to us. I wish we could do it more. The joy of our visits comes full circle to me though when we can give back in a small way; by listening; by smiling; by doing simple acts of service that makes their life easier. Oh, the joy that giving brings!

As the proud son and son-in-law of two terrific sets of parents I marvel at the grace of God to have been so good to me as to allow me to be raised in a God-fearing home and to learn how to give by receiving. Not that I can speak for my bride, but I would guess that she would say that she too marvels each day at the grace of God to have been so good to her for the same.

I guess that's the way our Heavenly Father teaches giving as well. By demonstration first and then confirming his acts of love by instructing us to do t he same; to (as the old campfire song states) to "Pass it On." He tells us we should practice it in his word but it takes on meaning for the Believer when we realize that he demonstrated it first. And we inherit eternal life by believing in his demonstration. "For God so Loved the world that he gave..." John 3;16

Thank you Lord for a heavenly model of selfless giving...and thank you too Lord for terrific earthly models as well. Marilyn and I couldn't be more blessed that to have seen what selfless giving looked like in our parents. For it's in giving that we receive. And in receiving, we are compelled to give again.