Grudging Gift Gratitude

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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! Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

God has generously given each of us a talent/gift and for a fortunate few, multiple gifts. We are to use those gifts to His glory and honor. Yet, some are not happy with our gifts, we complain, compare, and question why we cannot write like Shakespeare, don’t have the ability to sing better than a stepped on dog and cannot knit as fast as Hazel Tindall http://youtu.be/GfRZnN2rL4Y (World’s fastest knitter) who  by the wayhappens to be crazy fast! 

The incredible thing is that whatever your God-given gift gratitude and humble appreciation of that gift returned back to God will transform it, enhance it, enlarge it and through it draw others to God, the greatest gift giver of all.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

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The Ugly Pretty Tree

 ¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight,
         O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalms 19:14 (KJV)

Image by John-Morgan via Flickr

There is a tree we pass every morning on the drive to work that I have watched through different seasons.  This tree was my inspired muse for this morning.  Currently she is experiencing an ugly period. Stripped bare of leaves, naked, feeling no sunlight or showing signs of life she appears dead, lifeless and without purpose.

Yet with the coming of spring she will bloom anew, this is still not her pretty season.  Not with the butterflies lighting on her limbs, not with the young squirrels scampering through the leaves, not her pretty season.  Come the Fall, the seeming promise of death dawns her most dazzling pretty season.  Limbs bejeweled in colors of green, gold and red, sprinkled with sunlight, this is her pretty season.   So like this tree the is life of some Christians.  Often believing that life while we are young is the best it will ever be.  Learning later that maturity, seasoning and age provide the foundation that shows our lives to be living, dying witnesses.   My prayer for today is that through each coming season, my life is a witness to the goodness of God!

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone

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Gifts For All

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 1 Corinthians 12:4  There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.

The last compulsory, must knit stitch has escaped my needles.  Whew, I can now resume the slower paced, patience laced,  pre-holiday gift rush knitting.  Then in a flickering  flash I think of someone I might have forgotten, then another and the next thing I  know the sweatshop vibe begins again. What a challenge, to not forget anyone.  The sense of urgency and drive to not leave anyone out during the gift giving season. 

I am impressed that same sense of urgency should be present in sharing the love of Christ be.  So, filled with the desire and drive to make sure we let as many people know about the most precious gift of all

Making His praise glorious!
Ree

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone

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Different by Daylight

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Matthew 2:2 and asked, Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star when it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him.

The trappings of the holiday season are all around.  Houses have been strung with dazzling displays of lights, wreaths, candles and whimsical moving characters encapsulated in snow globes with their own twinkling lights.  The spectacle  is nothing short of breathtaking.  I find myself riding along in awe.  Santa and his elves are in evidence everywhere, at night.

By the light of the morning sun it all looks, well pretty unremarkable. The cords, extension cords and clips cloaked by the cover of darkness are revealed.  Like sin it looks tantalizing when it is offered all shiny paper, sparkly dressed to entice and ensnare, but by the light of the Son, not so appealing. We must be ever vigilant to not be pulled in by the pageantry but to remember the reason for the Christmas season is to celebrate the birth of  Jesus, my Lord, Savior and King.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

Posted from WordPress for Windows Phone

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