Gifts of Love

This past Thursday, the actual day of our anniversary, my husband and I could hardly wait to pick up our two and a half year old grandson for a morning at Toys R Us! We were very excited to spend "our" day with our little honey bun looking at toys to see what might be some good ideas for Christmas. Giving, especially with two little ones this Christmas is just very happy and exciting to us. And, of course, we want to buy the grands something they will enjoy and it has nothing to do with what the gift costs...it  is putting the thought and effort into want we think the receiver will enjoy. To my husband and I gift-giving always makes us happy because it blesses the receiver.

And who better to illustrate the true heart of giving than a child:) My sweet grandson is a giver and I pray that his heart always stays that way.  Before his baby sister arrived and I watched him a couple days a week, we would take a daily walk down the street in his neighborhood. The man next door has a gravel driveway and every walk we took had to include a stop at this driveway to pick up that day's supply of rocks. My grandson would pick up a rock or two for himself and then always a rock or two for Grammie..."MeMe rocks...two!" And when I would thank him he would break out in a smile. And on the days I kept him, it was like that all day...with his meals, with his drinks, with his toys...a sweet giver!  "Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly."  1 Chronicles 29:9

Then there are the children that live next door to me...five of them! They all are very generous but the little three year old girl and five year old boy have made it their job to bring me gifts weekly if not daily. They bring me notes, drawings, popsicles, yogurt...yes, even food! LOL! Last year when my daughter had spine surgery they decided to wrap up some presents and cards for her and sent all of it to the hospital in a gift bag. I thought, by accident, we had received "The Littlest Angel" special treasure box...hahaha. But, Monday's gift was over the top...remember we are talking about the heart of a five year old. He told his Daddy that he wanted to make me a special box so his Daddy took him to the barn and they made me a wooden box. This special box is beautiful and when I asked this five year old why he wanted to make me a gift his answer was simple and short...he liked me:) "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." Deuteronomy 15:10

All this love from a two, three, and five year old! It brought to mind the gifts that God has given me. First, and most important, the gift of his son and the taking of all my sins upon him so I could have forgiveness and eternal life with my God and Savior. The gift of love comes to mind...loving me not matter what and surrounding me with love. God has surrounded me with the gift of love... from my husband, my family, my neighbors and friends. God has poured down His gifts of mercy, grace, and  loyalty upon me...upon all his children. God has given me the gift of waking up every morning to a new day and knowing that day is a blessing and will bring blessings. He has given me a gift of providing for me...everything I need my God has given to me and gifted me with more. He has given me the gift of life...a great life full of love, health, security, and blessings. And all these gifts for one simple reason; the same reason as my grandson and little neighbors...just because God loves me...pure and simple...just because of His love for me!

There are those times that a thank you doesn't seem enough. There have been gifts given to me and thank you seems like just a small word, just not enough. Yet, there are those times of kissing those two sweet little hands holding a rock or two and the thank you I whisper is from deep inside of me. And the thank you yesterday, that caught in my throat while my tears welled up in my eyes as I hugged my little neighbor, was straight from my heart.  Tonight, tomorrow, next week, ask Jesus to give you a giving spirit. In that same conversation ask God to make you aware of the gifts that are given to you and take a minute to give God a thank you from deep in your heart...a thank you that might seem small but will make a difference to Him purely because God loves us and it makes him happy to see us happy:) 

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.