I feel it only right as we end this Christmas season and enter into a New Year that we pour our cup of coffee and sit by the fire to reflect back on our younger days…
Remember the lists made at Christmas we so eagerly waited to hand off to Santa and our parents…the “wish” lists with every toy for every good girl and boy! I am talking about the list with all of our dreams and wishes that would guarantee us a very Merry Christmas should they be under the tree. The list we so carefully put together knowing just what is going to make us happy this year!
There was one Christmas my parents played a very mean trick on me but what a lesson to be learned. This was the year I had asked for a new 10 speed bike. I wanted it to be white with a black seat and very shiny! I had been sure to give my parents a very detailed description of the bike I wanted…and then Christmas morning arrived. I could hear my parents rummaging around the house getting things ready for my brother and me before they called us out. As I opened the door I just knew my new 10 speed white bike with a black seat would be waiting for me!
As I walked down the hall filled with excitement and great expectation I turned the corner and to my surprise there was no bike. My brother was bouncing off the walls and starting to open gifts but I just stood there in shock, yes, selfish shock when my parents invited me to sit down and start opening gifts. Unfortunately, my Christmas was now ruined as I sat there thinking I only wanted the bike and none of these other gifts mattered with a frown of disappointment on my face. As my brother opened his gifts my parents kept things light and jovial but I just could not join in on their fun. Nope, not me.
Finally my mom asked if I’d go to her bathroom and get her robe but I refused as I just wanted to sit there and wallow in my disappointment. Then my dad asked in a stern voice that I go get my mother’s robe. As I got up I looked over at my brother who was having the time of his life opening his gifts, but of course he was getting everything he’d asked for. I begrudgingly walked down the hall feeling very let down by santa and my parents when I entered the bathroom and there was my white 10 speed with a black seat! Oh no, now what do I do…I had behaved so badly, pouting and refusing to participate in Christmas since the ONE gift I had asked for was not waiting for me underneath the Christmas tree!
The bike was a beauty and I do believe I had a smile from ear to ear as I grabbed the handle bars and sheepishly began walking down the hallway while forgetting the robe. My parents just smiled as I turned the corner with my new bike but I was very embarrassed by my behavior. They of course graced me with laughter as I sat and stared at what I believed to be the best gift ever!
How many times in life do we react with selfish shock when we don’t get what we want? I am so thankful my parents graced me even though they played what I considered to be a mean trick on me that Christmas morning. And so it is, God graces our ugly selfishness too and bestows gifts upon us because he loves us and wants to give us the desires of our hearts. At any age God seeks to bring us joy and pleasure in life as he shows us more of his abundant love. And so truth be told, I still have my selfish shock moments. They’re less frequent now as I’ve grown to understand God and how he works. Over the years I’ve become more patient as I wait on him to answer and trust that whatever he provides is just what I need. However, God usually provides much more than I can dream up and flourishes me with more than what is bursting out of my heart as I lay my hopes and dreams at his feet.
My heart is humbled as I reflect back over the years and am reminded of the many blessings in my life. Many heartaches but much more blessing from God. As I enter into 2015 I look forward to the things God has for me because from his hand is every good and perfect gift!
May you too be blessed in this New Year as you wait with great expectation for the desires of your heart!
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Fear to Faith - A Journey to The Other Side 