Lavish

I think I've mentioned before that I like to blogstalk. Not in a creepy way. I just like to get different ideas for recipes, fun things to do with Austin, or have a good laugh. One of the blogs I visit on occasion is written by a pastor's wife in Nashville. (I found this blog through one of my favorites...Bring the Rain) She recently wrote an entry about using the word "lavish" as an action verb. I would encourage you to read the entire entry, but here's an excerpt just to give you an idea of how inspiring it was.

I mentioned last week I was reading this book and how beneficial it has been to me. One of the key points that has stuck with me daily is an illustration Barnhill shared in chapter 6. The illustration all centers around a cake Barnhill’s grandmother used to make when she was a child. What made the cake so special was the way her grandmother “lavishes” the cake with homemade cream cheese icing. Here is her comparison…

Grandma baked and served with lavish abandon. She did so for the enjoyment of those she was serving. And you know what, moms? Jesus Christ wants to lavish Himself upon our lives in the same way. He won’t apply “just enough” to get us by. Instead, He will heap-He will inundate our lives with the riches of His grace and pile upon our hearts mercy so plentiful that it overflows and pools.

Let’s lavish our children with hugs, kisses, and words of praise! Let’s lavish our laughter and smile upon the children God has placed in our lives. And let’s lavish our grace toward one another as mothers, laying aside tired arguments that divide us and concentrating on that which unites us all… our love for our children and our relationship with them.

The book she is talking about is called She's Gonna Blow by Julie Ann Barnhill. I'm pretty sure I've heard Luke mutter that under his breath a time or 2, but that's beside the point.

I LOVE this concept. More than anything I want to be a mom that lavishes love and encouragement on my children! The world is cruel and quick to criticize, but my children will know that I love everything about them.

I would also like to take this one step further and say that I want to be a wife that lavishes love and encouragement on her husband too. My prayer is that at the end of the day Luke, Austin, and Little Person #2 will view our home as a haven as well as a place where lots of love and laughter are present.

I am so blessed to say that Luke and I both come from families that lavished us with love, laughter, and amazing memories. To this day, spending time with our families is something we look forward to with great anticipation. It's a legacy that I hope to continue in our own little family, because no one (Jesus aside) brings me greater joy than my family!

Thank You, Father, that You have lavished us with Your grace and mercy so that we can lavish others with Your love!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are...

1 John 3:1