Christmas rolls upon us like a storm. Rain clouds like wild horses rush across the sky and snow falls gently in the quiet.
We are currently in one of the most beautiful places in the world where they have learned to love snow. They are kind of like Elsa and want it to always snow. They do winter well.
It makes me miss my second home keenly. I feel like my internal thermometer's equilibration had been found for heat. Heat to even endure weddings.
Hubster and I were at a wedding and after enjoying the ceremony we waited in line to give a gift. We walked up with our little tea set and money in an envelope. A large crowd watched as we handed over the gift. Then the lady asked us how much was in the envelope. Everyone ahead of us had given about 30 cents and we were giving 20 dollars. She shouted it out just like all the other figures. The lady writing down the numbers shouted it back and then a third lady checked. We learned our cultural lesson and did not give money at that type of wedding again!
We know the back story of this widow. We know that they used to put coins in large vessels that made noise like the coin machines in banks and that some people tithing even had a trumpet blown when they tithed. Can you imagine a more wealthy family trumpeting their giving at your next worship service? Not really. Not many of us have lived the reality of this woman.
Again the mayhem of many people gathered. Noise, Staring, animals, craziness. People sitting and watching people tithe. Can you imagine if you walked behind the people taking the offering and stared at what people gave? Really the core of this story remains foreign to us. The picture very foreign. But the message very real. In this season full of hidden costs are we giving what little we do have to our King? Am I giving with generosity, joy and out of areas in my life that I feel poverty?
May I have a heart like the widow Jesus!
We are currently in one of the most beautiful places in the world where they have learned to love snow. They are kind of like Elsa and want it to always snow. They do winter well.
It makes me miss my second home keenly. I feel like my internal thermometer's equilibration had been found for heat. Heat to even endure weddings.
Hubster and I were at a wedding and after enjoying the ceremony we waited in line to give a gift. We walked up with our little tea set and money in an envelope. A large crowd watched as we handed over the gift. Then the lady asked us how much was in the envelope. Everyone ahead of us had given about 30 cents and we were giving 20 dollars. She shouted it out just like all the other figures. The lady writing down the numbers shouted it back and then a third lady checked. We learned our cultural lesson and did not give money at that type of wedding again!
We know the back story of this widow. We know that they used to put coins in large vessels that made noise like the coin machines in banks and that some people tithing even had a trumpet blown when they tithed. Can you imagine a more wealthy family trumpeting their giving at your next worship service? Not really. Not many of us have lived the reality of this woman.
Again the mayhem of many people gathered. Noise, Staring, animals, craziness. People sitting and watching people tithe. Can you imagine if you walked behind the people taking the offering and stared at what people gave? Really the core of this story remains foreign to us. The picture very foreign. But the message very real. In this season full of hidden costs are we giving what little we do have to our King? Am I giving with generosity, joy and out of areas in my life that I feel poverty?
May I have a heart like the widow Jesus!
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