Generosity bestowed

In my fall resolutions, I mentioned wanting to find new ways to be generous. Well, I've been learning ever since that day.

To start with, my friend Dan Erickson taught me to find creative ways to be generous to people. I told him how I had been thinking about starting to do some design work on the side but wasn't sure how I was going to buy my own equipment to get started with. He told me it might not be as hard as I thought and in about two weeks this computer showed up at my house. Dan knew of a computer his company owns that was not going to be used anymore and figured out a way to make it mine. He obviously didn't have to do this, but he did it and I am very thankful.

The next lesson was taught by people responding to the F3 tornado that went through Nappanee a few weeks ago. I heard a story of a lady whose house was destroyed yet she went out and bought 10 bags of groceries to donate to the food bank. Her reasoning was simple - she has insurance and some people don't. She knew some people needed those groceries more than she did. Wow!

Another lesson came my way yesterday when Leslie Yoder stopped by our house unexpectedly. I was at work, but she talked with my wife and somehow stumbled on the topic of cell phones. My wife just broke her phone (which is insured) and my phone has not been working very well (roaming almost all the time). Leslie and her family recently switched wireless companies and had an unused phone from their old company, which just happens to be our company. So, she went home and brought us this phone. She also brought some games for our kids. The generosity didn't stop there, either. Leslie called us last night and offered us free tickets to Saturday's Notre Dame game. This will help me check off one of my other fall resolutions.

I've written about the Yoder family before, and I continue to be amazed at their

generosity. They've taught us so much about how to be selfless servants.

The most amazing thing the Yoders have done for us has nothing to do with giving us things. What we are blown away by every time is the genuine care, kindness and friendship they give to us. I can't imagine very many couples with one child in college, one in high school and one in junior high who would make the time to spend with us.

This is where the story gets even better because not only do we have the Yoders, we have Mark & Cindi Lantz (who I've also written about before) who seem to enjoy spending time with us. They are around the same age as the Yoders and have one child in grad school, one in college and one in high school. They are busy enough without us, yet they make time to invest in our lives. What a blessing!

So, I've learned a few lessons on generosity. If I will invest some creative energy in it, maybe I can bless someone else. If I will invest some time, maybe I can bless someone else. If I am selfish, I'll never be a blessing.