Monthly Archives: September 2013

Extravagant Giving

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In a downpourI love the word “lavish”. Even the definition is fun to read: open-handed benevolence; giving in great amounts without limit; generosity occurring in profusion; abundance poured out.

The word originally comes from  Latin, lavare, which means “to wash, as in a downpour of rain.”

Although “lavish” is used in Scripture only a handful of times, God’s lavishness threads through the Bible in his actions. That’s still true today, and I’ve kept a journal detailing the lavish blessings he’s rained down on our family over the years, an effective antidote for any ingratitude that might creep in.

The road-map to God’s lavish provision often looks something like this:

  • A need appears.
  • We attempt to meet it.
  • Our attempts fail, and the need increases.
  • We try harder to meet it.
  • The need escalates to crisis level.
  • We realize we can’t meet it and turn to God for rescue.
  • He meets the need lavishly.

A perfect example took place when Nate was battling his cancer and fading fast. Our 7+2+2 children had come from far and wide to be with their father, all except Hans who lived with his family in England. Visa problems and UK re-entry issues made a trip to the States impossible. The story of God’s lavish provision is written up in a blog from that time. (Then God stepped in!)

It seems God relishes opportunities to pour “a profusion of generosity” on his children and is watching us for two things: a willingness to (1) trust him, and a determination to (2) wait for him. We say, “Oh, that’s easy!” when in reality the opposite is true. Both are difficult and take repeated practice.

God knows we struggle to trust and then wait, so he details a variety of examples in his Word, showing how good it can be. One of these (taught in every Sunday School) is the feeding of the 5000. While growing up I viewed this as a nice miracle Jesus did so those he was teaching wouldn’t have to leave the meeting for dinner. Of course there was much more to it.

Feeding 5000+Just before that big picnic, Scripture tells us Jesus and the disciples had been so busy, they hadn’t even had time to eat. We don’t know how many meals they’d missed, but surely their stomachs were growling when Jesus suggested they separate themselves from the multitude so they could rest (and presumably eat). When the crowds continued to follow, their hope for rejuvenation evaporated.

But fast-forward to the other end of the miraculous feeding that satisfied every appetite, and we see 12 full baskets of extra food, one per disciple. Jesus caused it to work out exactly that way (another miracle) not just to provide for their next meal. He wanted to use the leftovers to make an important point:

12 baskets of leftovers“Trust me with your needs, men; then wait expectantly, and I guarantee you’ll see what ‘lavish’ looks like, every time.”

“They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.” (Mark 6:42-43)

Failing to Succeed?

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I’m a terrible clothes shopper and hate to go to malls. Set me in a women’s clothing store with an assignment to find a new outfit, and I’d rather flee the country.

Maybe that’s why my closet is full of outdated items, most of which are older than a decade. Modernizing is just too complicated, not to mention time consuming, expensive, and sometimes humiliating. My failure rate is high.

As I see it, there are 9 clothes-shopping stresses:

  1. Racks and racks...Giving up several hours of precious time.
  2. Finding a store with clothes designed for 60-somethings.
  3. Getting acquainted with a store’s layout and inventory.
  4. Pawing through endless racks of clothes.
  5. Choosing a variety of items to try on, hoping they’ll morph into a cute outfit.
  6. Squaring off with a full length mirror in a harshly lit dressing room.
  7. Creating 3 piles of clothes in that small space: (A) Possibles; (B) Rejects;             (C) Needing other sizes or colors.
  8. Re-finding the racks of other sizes and colors.
  9. Repeating 1 – 8.

Even after all that, the whole convoluted process may be fruitless, requiring a 1-9 do-over on a later date. It’s a mystery to me how so many women find this process enjoyable.

Today I found myself in yet another massive mall making a third attempt to find a business-casual outfit that I’ve needed for some time. I put it off as long as possible, not wanting to spoil an otherwise good day. Friends suggested I try a place named Chico’s.

Chico'sWhen I stepped into the store, a little flame of hope flickered. A dozen other women my age were working the racks, chatting over great sale prices. Maybe this would be my one-stop-shop.

Our lives are full of things we don’t especially want to do, not necessarily dramatic ordeals but just everyday tasks. We know that if we want to act like responsible adults, we must tend to them. Shopping for clothes is only one of hundreds, and though we might tackle these jobs in fits and starts, for the most part they get done.

But what about spiritual tasks?

Are we excited to push other things out of the way to make room for them? Or do we look at things like prayer and Bible reading as duties we “must tend to?” Do we approach them with eager expectation, or do we see them as non-obligatory chores?

Bag of goodiesToday I left Chico’s with a bag of goodies, but that’s not usually the case after my shopping excursions. More often than not, I finish empty-handed.

When I go “shopping” for more of God, however, I’m always successful, 100% of the time.

“Acknowledge God…. and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you.” (1 Chronicles 28:9)

September 26, 2013

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BrookeThroughout the year 2010, I blogged about each of my 7 children on their birthdays. That included my 2 in-law children (children-in-love), but one was missing. That’s because Brooke hadn’t yet joined our family. As a matter of fact, 2010 was the year she and Klaus first met, and on June 22 of this year, she became a Nyman.

To her credit, she hasn’t been intimidated by her new husband’s large family but has joined our ranks with enthusiasm. Maybe that’s because she lives all of life enthusiastically. I love her exuberance and the fact that it bubbles out of a heart committed to Christ.

Brooke-made jewelry

 

Brooke has strong creative genes that show through in her interior decorating, her cooking, her jewelry (left), her wardrobe, and her passion for antique-ing. She can turn almost anything into a work of art and is not above “dumpster diving” for her supplies, most recently orange crates for book shelves. She also sells her creations at flea markets, craft fairs, and in boutiques.

A champion at bargain-hunting, she loves a “rare find” and enjoys stretching a dollar. Surely her careful spending will be a gift to her marriage and family for the rest of their lives.

I fully believe God brings marriage partners together in ever-unique ways in answer to the prayers of both the man and the woman. And if their parents are also praying for the Lord’s choices, how can they miss? Hearing the origins of these love stories is fascinating, especially hunting for God in the details.

Although Brooke and Klaus were raised in towns 110 miles apart, our move to Michigan in 2009 and Klaus’ arrival in early 2010 turned out to be pivot points in bringing the two of them together. I’ll never forget the excited text I received while visiting daughter Linnea and family in Florida, the day after Klaus met Brooke. “What do you think about me dating a 19 year old?” Since he was 29 at the time, it was a good question.

I responded by asking if she was a Christian, and when he said, “Yup!” I figured, why not?

Brooke and KlausThree years later, the two of them are having fun feathering their nest and settling into married life. And since we live less than a mile apart, I get to see a great deal of them.

One of Brooke and Klaus’ favorite Scripture passages is Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

They both trusted the Lord to direct their paths to each other, and as the verse says, if they continue to depend on his understanding over their own, he will continue showing them which paths to take.

Brooke, we’re so glad you’re finally on the family birthday roster. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you!

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” (Psalm 37:5)