Our God is a lavish Giver.  I dare anyone out there to try to out-give Him.  It just can’t be done.

My most recent experience with the fact that He is far more creative, generous, and extravagant than I could ever attempt to be towards Him and His Kingdom work, was evidenced in a wonderful, refreshing trip a few weeks ago.

Six months ago, Danny was asked to be a groomsmen in the wedding of good friends in California.  I immediately thought, “We can’t do that, we have no money!” Oh, me, of little faith.

SO, the wedding was approaching and the bride and groom offered to help pay his ticket to get there, BUT since Danny didn’t play it safe last April and flew to Japan in the midst of a nuclear crisis, we racked up a whole bunch of Sky Miles (and evidently a “free companion ticket” that had to be used by the end of 2011).  Danny started scheming a 7 year anniversary get-away plus wedding combo due to the fact that we could both get to California for FREE.

My servant-hearted sister-in-law, Sara-Beth, agreed to watching Trinity, Katy-Grace, and Benjamin (in addition to her own three!) and our pastor and his wife welcomed in Daniel Josiah for those four days. (PRICELESS GIFT!)

THEN, since the amazingly generous bride and groom didn’t have to pay to help get Danny there, they put us up in an AMAZING, quaint hotel just across the harbor from San Francisco (I thought we would be crashing on the couches of someone in their home church! I didn’t find out about the hotel until 3 days before the trip!)

THEN, Danny was able to score an ABSURDLY good deal on a rental car AND not only did they give us a deal but then they UPGRADED our car (Danny pulled his “Enterprise” connection on that one) The car providing really cheap site-seeing ventures.

THEN, most of our meals were provided through wedding festivities, and they were such FULL meals, they’d last us through the next meal time.

THEN, Danny got paid?!? to speak at a small gathering of men two days before the wedding. (which fully paid for the car, gas, and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream as we strolled through the picturesque harbor one afternoon)

THEN, a situation arose with our room, and we just let the front desk know that they might want to fix it after we left, and they immediately gave us a $50 credit for room service, their restaurant, or renting a movie! At this point I was thinking “Ok, Ok, Lord, this is getting ridiculous!!”

AND THEN, we were super late for our flight home, which would have resulted in a full night camped out in the airport, plus a hefty rescheduling fee, but miracle upon miracles I was able to get them to hold the flight for 15 minutes while Danny returned the rental car and sprinted through the airport. (Believe me, that was NOT due to my persuasive abilities, because I have none)

The whole trip, I couldn’t believe that we, a poor seminary student and a homemaker of 4+ kids, were experiencing a luxury vacation on the West Coast.  This could only be done, because God is a Giver of good gifts, and He far outgives any feeble offerings we make to “sacrifice for the Kingdom.”