camera, shoes, mac and cheese

God loves a cheerful giver. Have you ever heard that? I have. And now that we're out fundraising, we kinda like that verse a little more! Heh. We want to meet lots of cheerful givers! While at the same time, we're learning how much He loves - and blesses - cheerful givers! Let me share just three examples with you that happened to me in the past month or so!

First, my camera.

You might know that I love taking pictures!? Well, a while back, we had some good friends of ours just give us an extra digital camera that they had! What a blessing, huh?? Our first digital camera. We've had it for about a year... then "someone", someone little, wanted to take a picture, and opps... it dropped. So! The camera still works but won't zoom in and out and is a little picky about when it wants to turn on and off... Heh. So for my birthday I got about $100 all together to spend on "something for yourself". Oh good, I though, I could save a little more and maybe get another camera! I checked out Overstock.com and everything! Heh. Then...

Wouldn't you know. I was watching Life Today and at the end of the show, like usual, they showed kids who need help. While that was on, I "happened" to pick up a letter from Samaritan's Purse asking for help. When I got to the page about disabled kids who need help and the suggested amount was $100... I just got teary and thought, "Oh no, Lord, you want me to give away my birthday money, don't you...??" (Okay, not so cheerful, I admit!) I wanted to buy a new camera! Then I heard His voice in the depths of my heart... "Jill, how did you get that camera in the first place?" It was like He was kinda saying, trust Me...

So, out of faith, I sent of my birthday money and just kinda moved on. Okay. Did it. Off we go. Not so bad. Didn't think a whole lot about the camera since there was really no way to get a new one now anyway! Then...

Here comes my folks up for a visit. When my Dad tells me... he was gonna give me his nice, new, lovely, digital camera when we left for Russia but it looks like I could use it now. He's planning to get a new one sometime anyway... Ahhh! Wouldn't you know it! I could have all charged forward and spent my money on a camera that I wouldn't have needed! (Or got a cheap little one and never "needed" a new lovely one...?) Now, by following what I felt the Lord was saying, someone somewhere has what they need - and so do I! Can you believe it??

Then, Shoes

During one of our Bible studies with Blake and Crystal, we were encouraged to look past our own big "needs" and to reach out to someone else with similar needs. First I had to figure out what I think I need... Well, Kevin is the busiest husband in the world! Heh. (Along with thousands of others...) But the first one I thought of with the same type of busy husband was our music/youth pastor's wife, Emily. She's a friend of mine anyway and I just thought maybe we could have a playdate to get out and visit. The book stressed that you don't have to reach out with money or big things but a word or encouragement, or time, or a hug or something like that. Emily and I went out for a playdate...

While we had our playdate, we talked about shoes and how Ruth's was getting big holes in the toes. I said after our next paycheck, I'd go out to get her new ones! Then wouldn't you know... later that afternoon there's a knock on our door! Emily's standing out there with two new pairs of shoes for Ruth. She said she just felt like God was encouraging her to go get them! Wow.

The other part of our Bible study was about how when we reach out to others, God sees that and uses others to reach out to us, too. Not always the same person or the same day - but sometimes!! Heh.

Then lastly, Mac and Cheese!

Kev and I were talking about saving money. I told him, well, if we just have mac and cheese for several meals, then we could maybe get caught up with all our travel expenses from itinerating... Wouldn't you know, a day or two later, Blake shows up at our door with a big box filled with about 15 individual boxes of macaroni and cheese, extras from his office!!! We couldn't believe it. (or we could...) Kev's joke now is that next time we say that, he's gonna say we'll have to have steak for the next month! Heh. Never know...

So maybe the verse could say something like God makes a lover of giving - cheerful! We are so excited to see God at work in our lives! It actually is fun to give! And to recieve. What a dealio.