Confession: We Would Bury Live Chickens

When we were little, my cousin and I thought it would be a great idea to grow chickens. I mean, seriously, can you really ever have too many? I remember distinctly going to the fridge, grabbing a dozen eggs, and taking them to the back yard.  He dug the hole, I placed the eggs.   After covering them with dirt and realizing it was 40 degrees outside, we knew we’d need a way to keep them warm.  I remember thinking that my mom’s comforter was perfect for the job so I placed it over the dirt pile. After digging the eggs up every 90 seconds and shaking them to hear the baby chickens inside, we finally gave up due to inclement weather. This is a memory I’ll never forget.  Looking back, however, the true magic was my mom allowing this nonsense to happen.  We were poor… much too needy to throw food away.  In her patience, she poured out some extravagant love and allowed us this little science experiment knowing full well that we would fail.  Was she spoiling us?  Absolutely not.  She made a calculated investment into our lives, allowing us to feel the thrill of exploration.  Everything I know about extravagance comes from a mother who refused to stop giving.  It cost her a dozen eggs, but helped us create a memory that will never be forgotten… plus, if we had succeeded… More eggs!

TL;DR – Don’t be afraid to be wasteful with the ones you love. “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose.” -Jim Elliot