Extravagant Giving

Today I read short story about when an unnamed woman poured spikenard (a costly perfume) over Jesus' head during a banquet. She was chastised by those who saw it and couldn't believe that she would waste so much money.

The question for today was: What would be extravagant giving for me?  I 'm sure this may mean in the financial sense. If you know me at all, I'm lousy with numbers and my husband is the frugal one in our marriage. I always thinking I'm getting a great deal...but really there is a better one to be had.

But when I thought about extravagant giving, money did not come immediately to mind, but really the most valuable thing that I have to give is time. I don't have a lot of it and what I do have is really precious.  Again, I feel like I'm running around in a million directions trying to get everything done.  One of the cutesy commercials comes to mind...I think it's clorox wipes. The little girl wants to dance with her daddy and all he had to do is clean up a mess (one handed!) with a clorox wipe and then he has time to dance with her.  Giving us the message that there is no reason to spend time cleaning up and we should spend more time with our kids....yeah, talk about guilt!

Lately, I've been finding myself setting aside some chores here and there when my 3 year old asks if we can play his favorite board game or to read a story to him.  I look at the house and groan and then say, "sure" because my first-born is growing up way too fast.  I'm still trying to find that perfect balance between chores, errands, and spending time with my family. Spending time with my family is the reason I decided to take time off from work and become a stay-at-home-Mom.

So here again, time...This weekend I am going away for a spa weekend with one of my nearest and dearest friends.  A whole weekend without the hubby and/or kids. I have never done that.  I'm so looking forward to relaxing and spending some time doing things that I want to get done (like the kids' baby books), read an entire chapter without being interrupted, work on a baby blanket without it getting wrapped up and tangled in someone's cute, sticky hands). As I write this, I realize that I have big plans for a two day weekend that is already scheduled with a few spa treatments, huh.

 I already miss my family and I haven't even packed yet. But again, if I make some time for myself, I will be able to make some time for them when I get back. I'm hoping the calm will return and my precious time will be given extravagantly to God, my family, to the Church, and to the community.