My cousin posted a photo yesterday of her son about to open a present he received for his 7th birthday. I felt somewhat mesmerized by that photo. The present was large and it was just about to be opened. The little boy's eyes were wide with anticipation. What would be inside the box under all that wrapping? What was the gift chosen specially for him?
I imagined his parents intently watching him open this present. How would he like it? What joy would be his - would be theirs - when he saw what was inside!
I began to wonder about the very best gifts I have ever received, the ones for which I am still grateful. Mostly, they were the ones that were unexpected:
- The warm homemade cinnamon rolls our neighbor brought over when I was exhausted from cleaning up our flooded basement;
- The silly pear-shaped toy our daughter sent me when I was undergoing chemo;
- The cup of hot coffee and chocolate chip cookies the nurse brought me when I was receiving yet another infusion.
These were simple gifts that came to me when I felt at a low point, and they truly lifted my spirits. Joy! With these simple gifts I felt loved and cared for.
"No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:12.
God is the best gift we can ever receive.
Gifts are so much fun! I also have many gifts I cherish:
ReplyDelete-The charm bracelet my 7-year-old granddaughter made for me
-A smooth black stone my son brought me from summer camp
-A sketch with a quote from the daughter of the woman I used to visit to “speak about Our Lord” and bring Communion
All were out of the blue, unexpected, gifts given out of love. I think we also have many memories that are also gifts to be treasured:
-The phone call from a friend when we were at a low point
-The person that held a door or offered a steadying hand
-A conversation with a stranger we encountered once and will never see again that built us up and encouraged us
- The sight of a beautiful sunrise, view from a mountain top, or my favorite Niagara Falls!
God is always handing out gifts in our world. Even when (or maybe especially when) we don’t recognize it. He is there nudging people to small acts of respect and kindness. He is there in the examples of love and generosity we witness. He is there in the light and the dark, the warm and the cold, the troubles and the delights, the beauty and in those things we may find ugly at first glance. We just need to keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open to receive all that He has for each and every one of us.