When my mom became a grandma, she made a declaration to herself, “I’m going to say yes to this grandchild when I can.” She explained that when children ask, it’s so much easier to say “no” than “yes” and often no born out of exhaustion, not a true “no, you can’t build a fire in the living room just to see what happens” kind-of-a-no.
As adults, it’s tempting to say no out of protection or weariness of being hurt. Or to say yes out of people pleasing.
Instead of saying yes when we can, we say firm no’s and mushy, guilt ladened yes’s.
We have trouble with the balance between being frivolous and too sparing. We have trouble being extravagant.
But look at the beauty of creation! The variety, the colors, the flavors, the shapes, the sounds!
Extravagance, extravagance, extravagance. In every nook and cranny.
There isn’t mere green, there are so many shades of green that we stop for a moment here and just think about green, our minds and souls go running around.
And tea can tasted like mint or nasty licorice or soothing English Breakfast.
A voice can display so much more than mere words.
We live in a world that either goes over-the-top and says yes to point of wastefulness or no to the point of poverty.
Eden was a land of extravagance that peeks into our world often enough to remind us this, this is how you were meant to live. If not now, in the world waiting for you.
All the posts in the series will be added to this page each day of October. If you would like to receive these reminders in your email inbox, subscribe now. I look forward to the journey together. Amy
Where do you see extravagance in your day?
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Reminders: Love, satisfaction, extravagance
I love thinking about extravagence in areas like gratitude and generosity, you can never have too much of that can you? What a great analogy of extravagence in the colors God creates. Inspired this morning, thanks.
Shelly, Thanks for the reminder of extravagance in areas like gratitude and generosity … those never get old!
Amy,
I am so reminded of extravagance by you and Shelly when we all lived in Chengdu together. You loved our children, mentored them really. And one day close to Christmas you said, “My dad sent me some China Mad Money, so let’s all go to the JingJiang Hotel and get Christmas Day or was it New Year’s Day brunch with my China Mad Money.” And so we did- and it was a wonderful, colorful, extravagant kind of special moment in the constant gray of a Chengdu winter.
Cheers to extravagance!
Martha
Martha, What memories! I also remember how generous you and Pete were in sharing your three with our small group, not just Shelley and me. Your joy is an example of extravagance to me :)
I love the extravagance of diversity within God’s creation. I see it every day in the wonderful miracle of the unique individuals that I teach. All are created in the image of God, but there is so much beauty in their individual talents, personalities, and characters. How wonderful to see the multifaceted beauty of God in the people around us!
Isn’t that a powerful reminder — yes, yes, in the people all around us!