"Paying it Forward"

Since writing my last exam yesterday, I am now officially finished my degree!  This morning, while driving Riley to the dog park, I was conversing with God about this debt I now have and my current lack of full-time employment (I am quickly gathering students for private tutoring, so that is at least something and I am encouraged with how smoothly that is going).  I don't feel anxious or worried; God has always been so faithful to provide.  But I do feel some concern (guilt, maybe?) about this debt that seems to keep growing (and will grow even more to be able to do Teacher's College in September).  And of course, it's Christmas time and I'm thinking about how I can be generous from this place I am at.

At the dog park when I arrived, I got chatting a little with another "regular" who I hadn't seen as much lately.  Just some small talk about the dogs (about a potential pending adoption for Riley!), about Christmas, etc.  After he left, another regular came in who I also hadn't seen in awhile and we chatted a little about my upcoming trip to Chile and about Christmas.  He sounded a little sad and unenthused about the season (which I certainly understand) and as I was getting ready to leave, I felt a strong sense that I should extend an invitation to he and his wife to join my family and I for Christmas dinner.  (I am going to bravely host my family this year.) 

This was sort of interesting because, just last night, my sister-in-law was asking me if she could invite a couple who are new to Canada and who don't really know Christmas celebration traditions.  I didn't jump on the idea and thought that we should check first if our parents would be ok with extending the invitation.  I think too, I was also thinking about how I had just said that my gifts to my family members this year would be the meal and I had that panic thought of, 'Oh more people?!  How can I afford that?!'  I honestly was caught up in these two, sort of selfish I guess, thoughts.

So here I am today, encouraging this retired man and his wife to come over, giving him my number, and not caring about these things.

I walked back to the car with Riley and on my windshield was an envelope.  Capital One.  Strange, are they soliciting people at the dog park?  Then I realized it wasn't sealed.  Inside was a note, from the first "regular" who had left before, that read, "Just paying it forward, this month you seem deserving.  Have a Merry Christmas"  And there was $25 in the envelope.  Wow.

I knew two things for sure.  God is still looking out for my needs (and he can use anyone to bless me).  And it was the right thing to extend hospitality to that older man (and in turn, for my sister-in-law, to the other couple).  I ran back to the dog park and asked the man for their number, so that I could make sure to call and remind them of the invitation.  I still need to call my sis-in-law back.