Are you a Giver or a Taker?

At church this morning, we watched a video of a preacher named John Morgan give a message. He said there are 2 kinds of people in this world. Those who give and those who take. He gave many good examples of each. He talked about in the work place... when you get off at 4:30, are you already packed up and walking out the door, or are you finishing your work up so you can leave? When you are on the freeway and someone wants to get in your lane, do you allow them in or try to cut them off? If you complain a lot, you are probably a taker. We need to ask those around us if we are complainers. Most complainers don't even look at themselves as one. He said to think about the most loved person you know. Someone that everyone loves. They are very good at giving love. It comes back to them in a bigger way than they give. The world's wisdom tells us to get more things, make more money, take all that we think is due us. Jesus was a giver. He was always giving and we are to imitate Christ. Godly wisdom is the more you give, the more you are blessed. There was too much shared to be able to tell it all or even to do a good job in telling what little I have, but he encouraged us to be giving. Give of our time, our money, our love, ourselves. Give to our children, our spouses, our extended family and friends. Give to the people you come into contact with everywhere you go. You can't out give God. It will come back to you in greater proportion than you could ever give. Do you see someone with a need.... Fill it. It is easy to do that for people who are nice to us, but we are to do it even to those that are not so nice. There was so much he talked about that hit home with me. What are you doing for the Lord? Many of us go to church and have a devotional time, and even pray for family and friends. However, the rest of our time is about us and what pleases us. I want to be able to stand before the Lord and have Him say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant!" I want to take all that he has given me and use it to give to others. He said that to be a giver is part of character. He said to draw close to the Lord. As you get closer in your relationship to Him, you will start to be a giver without even trying. Oh Father, may I see each situation this coming week of where to be a giver. May I spend time each day with you. Not just reading a bit and praying so I can say I had my quiet time, but to truly sit at your feet.

I don't know how many of my family reads this blog, but I am going to tell a true story about one of them. I have a niece named Carli who LOVES horses. When she was 11 or 12 years old, she was saving her money to buy a horse. I don't remember how much she had, but she had been working hard at it. There church was starting a building program and Carli felt like the Lord wanted her to give her horse money. She very cheerfully and willingly gave all of her savings to the Lord. One of the pastor's heard about it and was sharing it with his son who worked with horses. His son said, one day there is going to be a horse for that girl. After she gave the money, she would pray every night that the Lord would give her a horse. Awhile later, she came to her dad and told him that she was wondering if it was wrong to pray for a horse every night. She felt that maybe the Lord did not want her to have a horse and to continue to ask every night might be selfish. Her dad told her that it was between her and God, but if she felt that God did not want her to pray anymore then she should stop. So, she decided that she would stop praying. If God did not want her to have a horse, then she needed to be content with that. What Carli didn't know is that God did want her to have a horse, but He also wanted her heart. About 15 mins. after telling her dad that she was not going to pray anymore, the phone rang. It was that pastor. His son had not one, but 2 horses for Carli. Another woman heard about it and gave them a years worth of hay, 2 saddles and all the tack that they needed. They already had a barn, so all that they had to do, was to put up some fencing. Carli cheerfully and freely gave up her dream and God gave way above and beyond. Now Carli works for the World Reigning Champion, Stacy Westfall and is able to work full time with horses, plus is gaining all sorts of training and knowledge from the best.

The pictures are just more fall pictures. I think these are actually from another year. =) Most of the leaves are gone around here. I will have to take some more pictures.