The gift of a Coke

When is the last time a total stranger out of the blue offered to buy you a coke? When have you been visiting another city, realized you were a couple bucks short for a purchase and the store clerk said simply, “bring it next time”? Have you ever gone to a government building to find it closed only to have the cleaning lady let you in to see if you could get help?
These are all small blessings and we seem to be receiving them in abundance during this trip. Not only have we been blessed, but these small acts seem to touch my heart in a deeper way than they normally would.

For the person on the giving side, these small acts of kindness are not necessarily a sacrifice on their part. In fact, I would guess that within the hour the act has been forgotten by them. But for me, it goes deeper. I feel called to bless them and pray for them and ask God to repay their kindness ten or one hundred fold. In fact, I sometimes pray for them for days or weeks.

It seems as though God has put us on the heart of the giver so that He can then put the giver on our hearts. The children seem to notice it too. Regularly one will simply bring up a person in prayer that has blessed us from a week or two ago.

It makes me wonder if the reverse has been true in my life. There have been times when I have suddenly felt a need to do an act of kindness to a total stranger, for no apparent reason. Right now, I can’t recall one person or event, but I wonder if the receiver is touched in a way that I was not. Did God then put me on their heart to pray for?
It is more blessed to give than receive.
I am beginning to understand that God has a way of putting His hand on one of us so we think we are helping another….but truly He is helping the one He touches and the one who is touched by the one He touches..

Taken advantage of in Eastern Europe?

(click for larger pictures)
Photos by Reid Geary
May 4, 2008

At least twice in the last 48 hours we have experienced situations where someone was kind and helpful to us, only to then tell us how much we “owed” them for their kindness. In my many travels, I have experienced this often. In the past, I would get angry and sometimes even argue. This trip has been different.
First, let me explain what God is teaching me about money. It is all His. Whatever I think I “own” is really just a temporary ownership. I have temporary stewardship of everything….my home (someone else will one day own it), my children (they will soon be on their own), and my money (it simply flows through me to whomever God decides, whether I recognize that or not). What I need to be aware of is how I steward what God has given me. One day I will stand before the Lord and give an accounting of all that He has entrusted to me. When I look at my life from this perspective, it really brings all that I do and where I spend my time and money into a different perspective. That perspective takes on a more eternal perspective versus the temporal perspective we often have of this life.
Now I have known and understood this concept for several years however lately God is teaching me a deeper meaning. If indeed someone has taken advantage of us or is unjustly taking funds not due them, then they are really taking the money from God…not me. I have recently learned that God can deal with those who are unjust or dishonest much better than I can. I have also learned that what may seem inappropriate to me, maybe God’s way of getting funds to someone else from me. I do my best not to judge their motivation. Only God knows their heart, not me.

Secondly, I understand that everything I do reflects on God. As a Christian, I am called to walk in His ways. As I profess Jesus with my mouth, my actions need to speak more clearly than my words. If I argue about the value of their service, then money becomes more important than the person in front of me. From God’s perspective, nothing and I mean NO THING is more important than the person in front of me. If my actions taint the words “Jesus Christ” than I will have to give an account of that on judgment day too. Far be it that I would be a bad influence on another. This is much easier to say than to do. In both cases when I was told to pay for their services, I simply smiled brightly and paid up. I then thanked them profusely for their help, placed my hand on their shoulder and said, “May God richly bless you.” I meant what I said. I trust that God, who is a just God will make right any wrong, whether from me or to me.
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Lev. 19:18

The great benefit of this is I walk away blessed and I don’t have to worry about someone’s motives when they help. I have been helped (and in both cases we really needed help) and they have received what they felt was proper pay for the help. If I feel the least bit taken advantage of, I just give that to the Lord. I trust He will take care of it.
May I also give credit where credit is due….it is God’s grace that has changed me. The more time I spend with Him, the more He molds me to be more like Him. I praise God for His goodness in my life. Please praise Him too!

We have discovered that
one can learn real humility
and appreciation by
downsizing from a 4000
square foot house
to 4 suitcases!

Fear and Faith...

Train from Prague, Czech Republic to Warsaw, Poland

Fear
Many people have told me that I am brave. I am not. What bravery I may have had about this trip died about 2 weeks before we left. Fear has haunted me almost daily. I have feared that I had misunderstood the Lord about this trip. I have feared for my children’s safety, for the finances to hold up, for lost relationships, for offending those we visit, for our health, for missing a flight, losing our passports, losing our minds….you name it, it has come across my mind as fear.

I would have thought that since we are following God and doing His work that He would allow nothing to happen to us. I was wrong. What I am finding is God has allowed many of my fears to come to fruition. At first I would get angry with God. “How could you allow this to happen to us?” I would say. In my sinful pride, I expected a shield against anything I didn’t want. This thought was me forgetting that God is in control, not me.
Faith
God in His marvelous way has shown me this is more about teaching me to trust Him and walk in faith, regardless of what happens. That is not always easy.

Harrison steals a peak out the train window…looking for the yellow flowers.
In London, both Adrian and Helen in separate conversations brought up the idea of staying focused on the eternal, not the immediate. I have prayed for the last month that God would teach me more about the “Kingdom of God” and exactly what that is.
What God is teaching me is the Kingdom of God is the spiritual side of life. The more I focus on the spiritual and worry less about the physical the more God is able to step in and take care of the physical for me, in His way and His timing.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 24:3
Please pray that God will strengthen my faith and the faith of my children. Pray that God will be our strength and that we will always lean on Him only.
I pray God will teach you too. He is gentle and His yoke is light.

The beautiful yellow flowers were everywhere!

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 (NKJV)