Generosity and graciousness

One of the things we are being amazed with on this trip is the generosity and graciousness of people we meet along the way. Basically everywhere we go we have had people pouring out all kinds of goodness on us that has touched us, and quite honestly amazed us. It is surreal to the point of seeming like a joke at times, but we know it is not a joke. It is simply people wanting to show their love and concern for us and to minister to us in a tangible way.

This would include very thoughtful things like little goodies (or even baskets full of goodies) for our kids, but it also includes incredibly generous things like giving us use of a first-class vehicle while we are in the area to save us the cost of renting a car or the open invitation to stay in someone’s home with them rather than in a hotel, etc.

As we prepared for this trip one of the big factors is cost. We were scared at how much this time was going to cost, but our friends and loved ones have so generously and graciously come through for us in such creative ways, finding options and suggestions that have really blessed us.

Now the challenge for us is to be good receivers of all these blessings (being generous and gracious as a receiver is a totally different skill in some ways than while being the giver) and to be equally or more giving of these qualities back to others.