Being taught how to give from our children....

I don't know if you remember when our daughter Catherine had her birthday...September 3rd to be exact. Grandmas & Grandpas & Daddy had given her a lot of money....almost $80...and she gave it ALL to Ethan's adoption! Then a dear college student friend, Bobby, gave exactly twice that amount...thus giving our fund a really weird number that i asked what the story was about and found that because our daughter had given so generously Bobby gave generously! What a gift that story was to me...when i read the story from Bobby i had tears streaming down my face! To have our children be the ones who show us how to give is an incredible blessing that overwhelms us as parents!
Well, this morning was no exception! We were at our home school group at our church when a mother gathered her "triplets" to surround me as she asked them to give me what they had in their hands. They each had a different colored envelope in their hands and one by one they gave me all the money they owned! When one of the children handed me money BEFORE i even opened her envelope i looked up into the face of the mother with a questioning look on my face as i asked, "Mommy, is this ok?" You see, there was a precious $10 bill plus a few other bills and remember, i hadn't even opened her envelope yet. Her reply was given with eyes swimming in unshed tears, "We will never stop our children from being generous!"
There was a story of course, as there are always stories if we just ask. The children wanted to help an orphan. Their Mommy was wondering how to make it tangible for her "4" yr olds. THEN she thought of our Ethan! So they got to see my pictures of Ethan in the book of photos that i usually have with me. They got to SEE the orphan they were wanting to help. Their heart for the orphan...well, it isn't a passing thing. You may think that they could have no clue as to what an orphan is BUT they do have a clue...they DO know...they understand! You see two of the three were just orphans themselves, last year! Yep, they have more understanding of what an orphan is than you or i ever could!
SO....how do we give? Do we give from only our abundance? Do we give enough so we can still have plenty? Do we give the way the widow gave? The widow in the Bible gave all she had and Jesus used her as an example of how WE are to give! Well, our daughter and my friend's three (of her seven children) are now modern day examples of how WE should give. In FAITH, with a joyful heart, giving generously and SACRIFICIALLY!!!
We are always ALWAYS blessed, Connie for the crew