Attitudes form actions. Our actions of giving, sharing, and helping is a direct reflection of the attitudes in our heart. Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give."
So what happens in the years when things come up a bit short? Should our actions change toward helping and sharing? After all there is less stuff to go around, right? And what is our attitude? Are we thankful or disappointed?
Are folks encouraged or discouraged when they are around us? When we do things for folks that count, we don't need to stop and count those things. Keeping score only belongs in sports.
Everything we have has been entrusted to us from God to use for His glory. So, it is not how much we dare to give away. It is how much we dare to keep.
People make me angry when they steal others folks stuff and call it their own. This past week we had two large motors stolen off of our augers. I wonder how God feels when we steal from Him and call it our own.
When we are feeling down one of the best things we can do is an act of kindness for someone else. Below Mike is adding water during the construction of a farm terrace to try and get some compaction on such dry ground.
Success does not create giving and sharing. Giving and sharing creates success.
Do we have an obligation for giving time and talents in relationship to the future direction of our country? I'm sure most of us will agree we are not exactly heading in the right direction. If we stay the course we are on will our grandchildren be able to continue to enjoy the freedoms and values we do when they become adults?
If good people do nothing about the direction of our country will our grandchildren have the opportunity of the American Dream where they can pursue whatever career they choose and have the freedom to fail or succeed? Will they have resources as we do that they can choose to give and share with others or will our countries leaders take those resources and choices from them?
Before meeting Rick I thought very little about politics, the direction of our country, and the people that govern it. I was quite sure one person would have little or no effect on our countries slide in freedoms and values. But then I wondered to myself how I would answer my grand kids someday when they grow up and ask me if us grownups back then saw things deteriorating and whether or not we did anything about it.
Hanging on loosely to what we call ours and sharing with others our treasures, our time, and our talents brings success. God gets the credit when we pay it forward in faith that He will take care of us no matter how large or small our crop is and how much we share. When we shovel out with a caring, serving attitude, God shovels back and God has a bigger shovel.
"A life lived for others is the only one worth living." Albert Einstein
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