Good Gifts

I've been having such a good time choosing and buying gifts for those on my Christmas list. I consider it a challenge to find things that I think people will truly use and enjoy. I may not always succeed, but hopefully the intent shows through.

And I especially love picking out things for James, Rachel and Ben. I love them most out of everybody on earth, and it gives me joy to think of presenting them with gifts that I've picked out just for them. I watch for things that catch their fancy or gifts that seem to have their names written all over them.

I'm really looking forward to this Christmas, since we'll have two children who are excited about their stockings and their presents. Last year, Ben was too young to really get into it, although he seemed to enjoy himself. This year, I'm sure he'll join his sister in squealing and screeching and tearing into packages (hopefully not *too* many that aren't his own), and I can hardly wait to see them enjoying the things we're giving them.

Tonight I was thinking about that, and it brought to mind Matthew 7:11:
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (NIV)

We as parents love to give things to our children and see their enjoyment and pleasure. But we can't give them gifts every day, because most children would turn into spoiled rotten, self-centered little tyrants who demanded new things constantly. I wonder if God has to restrain Himself in giving us gifts. He delights in giving them to us, but I'm sure that if I got everything I ever wanted, particularly if I didn't have to work for it, I would be just as spoiled rotten and self-centered as my 5-year-old would be.

In looking up the verse above, I found a devotional here. A portion of it says this:
He is the giver of good gifts and He never changes. Never. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His love is not fickle or conditional, His gifts are showered on us, not because we have earned them, but because He loves to give good gifts to the ones He adores.

Every golden sunrise is a token of Father's affection. He paints the sky with rainbows and scatters clouds simply for our delight. All of creation bears witness to His love and His majesty.

If we begin to understand that all we receive in life comes as a gift from our Heavenly Father, then we will begin to look at even the simple things with awe and child-like wonder.

I aspire to be more childlike in noticing and appreciating all the gifts that God has already showered on me, and continues to shower on me, at Christmas and all year round.