Giving

Yesterday we had the unpleasant task of going to a funeral. While it was a sad event, it was an amazing service and we all learned something about Jan – and hopefully many people in that service learned something from how she lived.

She was a wonderful woman who could be labeled a “giver”. If someone needed something, Jan was there to give it to them. A member of our church shared this story about Jan:

Our youth group likes to go on trips, as a way of bonding with each other and seeing opportunities that are out there where their gifts can be used. These trips are awesome for the kids, but they do cost money. Jan went to the leader of the group and told him, “If you ever have a student who cannot go because they cannot afford it, you come to me.” Each time he went to Jan to ask her to help a student, she never asked who it was or what their situation was. Her response was, “How much do you need?” She simply smiled and handed over the money.

As we drove away from the funeral, Pool Boy said to me, “I want to be able to do what Jan did, helping kids whenever they need it.”

Once we are debt-free, we will do just that. Thanks, Jan, for your inspiration. I did not know you well, but I know you will be missed.