November 22 - Spending of Ourselves

...if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

Isaiah 58:10

As this cool, rainy day draws to a close I find myself reflecting on a devotion we chose for our family tonight. 

How do we spend ourselves? 

We spend our money....our time...our resources...but how do we spend ourselves?

Something happened to us tonight that I don't remember happening ever before.  After enjoying a nice dinner at On the Border we received our check and were told that someone else had picked up our tab.  What a joy to be on the end of such generosity.  To whomever it was, 

thank you very much!

Last week, I had a precious friend give me a calendar for next year because she heard me say I needed a new one.  I was overjoyed to be on the receiving end of her sweet gift. 

So, I ask myself, do I give away to others the way they have given to me?

"When we begin to invest the resources of our lives into others, the way God has invested himself for us, ...our light begins to shine." (Heartwork devotion)

 Whether it is painting the dull wall in an orphanage to brighten it up for the children,

 or using your voice to sing His praises,

Or taking the time to share the little moments

 or gently caring for a little one, who can't care for himself,
Spending of ourselves is the most rewarding thing we will ever spend!

   

                     Sometimes spending of ourselves means sharing a victory with those
who look up to you the most.

Congratulations, Lady Eagles on winning state!
You have giving so much of yourselves and we are so proud of you!

But most of all, it requires giving away part of ourselves that we may not realize we had to give,
but when we allow God to mold us, we may have more to give than we ever realized.