Living Generously

I wonder what will come of these conversations about faith and money with my kids. Like most of life,lessons are not learned the first time they are “introduced.” Our kids did not speak back to us the first time we spoke to them, yet we continued to talk to them and at the right time, they began to babble back something that appeared to be the beginning of language.

So I take heart and believe that the more conversations, the more experiences of giving, the more I demonstrate and live out what it means to have a generous heart, the more likely my kids will also follow down a similar path.

That's what my parents did. They lived, loved and gave generously.

II Corinthians 9.11 "You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion."

Learning to live generously

At Christmas time I began to use the 3 jars setup with the kids. The 3 jars are labeled church, savings, and spending. I told the kids that 10 percent needs to go into the church jar; 10 percent needs to go into the savings jar; and the remaining money they can decide where to put it. It’s been interesting to see the kids add extra money into each of the church and savings jars. I’m not sure that they quite get the concept that they cannot spend the money but it’s all a process.

Today when they received their “blessing/allowance” we shared with the kids that their school, Paragon Academy, is collecting money to support relief work in Haiti. For a $1 the kids can purchase a heart that provides support for Haiti. Unprompted both kids said that they wanted to use their money to purchase a heart.

Later that evening I made a bet with my son about the Pro Bowl score. (I should NEVER bet against Jeff, he’s sharp and I always loss!) Naturally I lost the bet, but then he just informed me that the dollar I now owed him would go towards buying another heart for Haiti.

Not every circumstance has this kind of ending, but when it does my mom’s heart is full!

Learning to live generously

Both kids have been buying their school lunches and while that has been convenient it’s not the most cost effective way to eat lunches. During Christmas break the kids and I talked about how much it cost to buy lunches every day. Jeff did the math - $2.35, 20 days, multiplied by 2 kids. We decided to only buy 20 lunches a month between the 2 kids, the other 20 lunches would be packed. Jeff went through the January menu with Allie and together they decided which lunches they were buy and pack. Then Jeff made up a chart for me, so I could easily see what days and which kid I needed to pack lunches.

We’re all feeling good about this decision. The kids like carrying their lunches, I like knowing what they are eating and we’re happy that we’re saving money.

"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion." 2 Corinthians 9.11a

Living Generously

The other day I was reminding Jeff how we all give money to the church at the end of the year and Westwinds met its goal. I reminded him that I had given my Christmas money to help the church. He knew that was hard for me since I have a dream of taking my family to China to visit Allie’s homeland and I’ve been slowly saving money for our trip – which will probably in 2020!

I shared with Jeff that the other day, I had unexpectedly received a “gift” for the same amount I had given to help the church. Jeff looked at me and said, “You were blessed, Mom.”

Yep at many levels I was blessed but the best blessing was Jeff’s comment. He’s beginning to see and experience how the economy of God works.

Learning to live generously

At the end of 2009 Westwinds Church still needed $4,000 to finish the year in the black.

Obviously there was nothing that my kids “needed” nor “wanted” since we had just had 3 family Christmas celebrations. So I mentioned the church’s need to the kids and then suggested that they give all of their allowance for that week to help the church.

I reminded them of the reason they received an allowance. The idea that Mom and Dad are blessed and we want to bless them so that they can also learn to bless other. I was pleasantly surprised when they both agreed.

We took their money and added what my husband and I were giving and drove over to the church. Jeff addressed the envelope and then figured out what percentage we were giving towards the total amount. It is a good morning.

Learning to live generously

After 3 years of commuting to Toledo, Ohio for work, my husband amazingly found a new job in Jackson, Michigan (the end of September). Note that Jackson, Michigan has the worst of the worst economies in the country. No kidding. Michigan has the highest unemployment rate and Jackson has the highest in Michigan. It was a totally God-thing that my husband “found” this position that was advertised only once in a small local paper. God has been so good to us.
In the midst of this blessing, we have also experienced a 33 percent cut in our household income. The trade off however is a consistent paycheck, not sporadic commission checks, and the best trade off is we eat dinner together as a family every night. Most nights when my daughter prays at dinner time, she thanks God that “Daddy got new work and can eat dinner with us.”
This new job has brought about numerous changes such as parenting jointly, our daily schedule and our finances

Living Generously - a parents example

My parents are givers. From my earliest memories my parents gave to others. I remember each of us kids getting an offering envelope with money to give to church. I remember my mom saying that the first check she wrote each week went to the church.

Today at 83 years old my parents still give 10 percent to the church and more to missionaries they support. They will shop at Goodwill and do without (sometimes even their costly medicine – that’s dangerous) so that they can give to others. The actual dollar amount my parents give off their merger income is pretty insignificant in the big picture of their church. But my parents have always given, and they have given of themselves by serving and helping others. They have opened their home to let people live with them, they visited the sick and shut-ins, they befriended a young boy who committed murder and visited him in jail for 43 years until he was released last May.

My mom and dad both have generous hearts. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. 2 Cor. 9.11a This verse summarizes my parents life.

Though I wrote this entry several weeks ago, I'm posting it today as a tribute to both of parents, but especially my dad, who passed away January 19, and “journeyed further inward into the loving arms and presence of God our Father.”