Giving Good Gifts

“‘Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 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 7:9-11

***

“I’m going downstairs to work on sharpening,” my husband said as he walked by me. “This kitchen knife is dull, right?”

I nodded, and thanked him in advance for sharpening it. The boys bounded down the stairs after him.

A few minutes later, my oldest came back up and started rummaging around in the living room.

“Mom,” he said as he walked back into the kitchen with a paper. “I need some tape, I’m folding this together to make it thick so Dad can test the knife on it.”

That’s pretty unnecessary, I thought as I grabbed the tape.

“Here bud.” I handed him a piece of tape and put the roll away.

“Mom, I need more,” he said.

“You really don’t…it’ll hold together just fine, and then Daddy will tear it.”

“Yeah but Mom,” he pointed to the sides. “I need a piece here and here.”

I reluctantly pulled two more pieces off the roll and gave them to him.

“Thanks Mom!” he beamed and raced back to the basement.

I turned and went back to cooking, realizing how stingy I can be.

If your son asks for bread, will you give him a stone? God is good at giving good gifts.

I didn’t want to waste tape on a paper that would be ripped up - but, really? An extra piece of tape wasn’t going to be a problem.

My children come to me and ask for things all the time. It’s a normal part of childhood, yes? If we, being sinful people, know how to give our children good gifts - how much more God gives good gifts to us. He is our perfect Father!

But after this interaction with my son, I realized I need to take a better look at how God gives me good gifts. There are times I am not as generous with my kids as God is with me. God provides food, clothing, sunshine; He gives us rain to grow crops; He graces our days with laughter and joy; He leads us to good books and podcasts and conversations with friends. He gives us encouragement through unexpected forms, and some of the material possessions He brings us are simply to put a smile on our faces. We have so much to thank Him for, He is infinitely generous!

When our kids come and ask for something, how do we respond? Do we answer out of laziness or apathy? Do we guilt them and withhold things because they haven’t been “good enough” that day? (If there is disobedience or an icky attitude, deal with it right away so that the relationship is restored asap. Repentance and forgiveness. Done. Can you imagine if God withheld His mercy and goodness from us like we sometimes do with our kids?!)

Sometimes we don’t recognize things as being a gift. To me, it was just a piece of tape being wasted on a paper. To my son, it was a necessary adhesion so that he could make his dad proud. It might be just a book, just five minutes of your time, just a glass of water, just a trip to the store, just ______. But to our children, it is often much more.

We have the perfect role model when it comes to giving good gifts. May we humbly ask Him to make us like Himself, and then look for ways to bless our children. We can learn from the best and be good at this!

Let The People Praise Him

Psalm 67

God be merciful to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us,
That Your way may be known on earth,
Your salvation among all nations.

Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
For You shall judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations on earth.

Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.
Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

Mornings bring a peaceful beauty, untouched by the day. I let the dog out and stand on the back steps admiring the dew on the grass, the fog in the air, the birds chirping from the trees. Have you ever noticed how joyful they are when they wake up?

Sometimes I make it out to the garden in the calm, but more often the day has already started and my two sidekicks run along the fence with me.

I can’t get over the beauty. How do melons and squash plants know to send their little tendrils out, curling around anything they feel? Their spirals captivate me.

In years past, I tried to maintain tomato plants within the wire cages - this year, I have some in cages and one gorgeously unruly tomato plant sprawling across its bed. I look at it and laugh, and I am learning that plants are designed to grow. They know what to do, I’m just the assistant.

What a gift it is, that the earth would yield her increase. We harvest cucumbers and thank God between bites for each one, a means of provision for our family.

Let all the people praise You, O God; let men and women and children see Your handiwork and give You glory. You are a good God, and a wonderful Creator!

Wings || Guest Post

Written by my dear friend Katie, mama of five and faithful follower of the Lord. Katie girl - thanks for letting me share your words. ;)
You can get a glimpse of her beautiful life here; you’ll be encouraged.

***

I reach a point during the day - usually before 10am - where I wish I could grow wings and fly away.

Far away from the constant screaming. The fighting between siblings. The noise and clamor.

And when there is a brief moment of peace, there will always be the never-ending questions from inquisitive little toddlers. Multiple demands for juice. And the diaper changes. The many, many diaper changes.

I find myself only saying the words, “What is it?” “Don’t do that.” “Stop it.” “Not right now.” “Please wait.” I forgot what it is like to put complete thoughts and sentences together.

My heart is racing purely because I am on high alert. The adrenaline is rushing through my system at the sound of each shrill scream. Who is hurt? Who hurt who? Who needs discipline? How should I discipline? “Give me wisdom, Lord.”

My head is pounding. Another pregnancy migraine. I wish I could rest. And so I lie down on my unmade bed, hoping the children will realize I need a moment. Maybe the show I put on for them will keep them distracted for 30 minutes. But they find me. Rest is over. “Give me Your solace, Lord.”

I set the four kids up with dominos and Magna Tiles in the play room. They are playing peacefully. I slip away for 2 minutes to take a quick shower before the speech therapist arrives. But not even a minute in, I hear the toddler crying, and big sister close behind her. I get out of the shower, dripping wet, ready and armed to comfort and correct. “Give me gentleness, Lord.”

Crisis over for now. I glance at my phone, purely out of habit. Maybe something will distract me. There is a message on my blog from a woman who just found [my Facebook] page. She is reaching out with questions. I wish I had the answers for her, but I don’t even have the headspace to open up the message. If I turn my back for one second, or set my attention on my phone for longer than one moment, I don’t know what might happen. Chaos. And so I stay focused. In the moment. My eyes fixed on the children and their needs. The message will have to wait for later. “Give me purpose, Lord.”

My mind is working overtime, all the time - but then why am I drawing blanks all day? Why can I not be creative with the kids? I have no energy. It takes every bit of it out of me just to stay calm, present, in the here and now. Lunch on the table, dishes washed, children clean. I play peaceful piano music in the living room, desperate to bring an atmosphere of peace and calm to my home. But the music becomes just another annoyance, another noise to bear, and I end up shutting it off after only one song. “Give me Your peace, Lord.”

As I write, a child is crying. I don’t know why, but can probably guess.

Yes, I wish I could fly away and be at rest.

But here is where I am.

In the noise, in the chaos, in the unsettled.

I am undone.

My world is not right side up right now.

And yet in this place, I worship. I bow down, I lay down every burden, and I lift up my voice. I let go. I cry from the depths of my soul, “God, You are good! I love You! I worship You!” My voice weakens as the tears close up my throat. I drop to my knees, and am overcome by an immense, overwhelming realization that God loves me and is enough for me. In my mess. In my weakness. He is there, and He is ready to uphold me with strength in my soul.

He gives me wings. His wings of courage. Peace. Joy. Strength. My feet do not budge from this earth, but my spirit is lifted high. In this place of worship, I break free from every burden that would wish to weigh me down. Every lie from the enemy that would make me question His love and care for me. Every wrong attitude that would cause me to look at my children and despise my motherhood.

I have to go back to this place every day, this secret place with the Lord. My prayer closet. My resting place. It doesn’t look like what it used to. It is not always a physical place, but a place I go to when my heart is overcharged, and spirit overwhelmed.

Before children, my times with Jesus were carefully carved out every day. Some would call it “morning devotions” or “quiet time.” I sat in my clean bedroom, candle lit, hot tea in hand. Open Bible and pen ready to journal all the things I had on my heart. My mind was fresh and clear. There was no noise or clamor outside my bedroom door. Those days are but a distant memory to me.

But now. Now, the desperation I have for God to speak to me, to comfort me, to uphold me in the middle moments brings me to a different kind of “quiet time.” In this place, He meets me while I wash dishes. While I change the 10th diaper of the day. While I break up another argument. While I want to hide my face in the covers, blocking out the noise. While I simply do the next thing.

Have you met with Him today? Has your trouble made you run into His arms? Is He your hiding place and your shelter from every storm?

In this this place, you will find your wings to fly. Perhaps not away from your trouble, but towards sweet Jesus. Let Him be your song in the night. Your light in the darkness. Your joy in the mourning.

You can bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

"I said, Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest… As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice. Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken."
Psalm 55

A Puddle! || Friday Magnify

"Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together."
Psalm 34:3

We have had so little rain last year and this, that our town mandated a water ban. And out of all years, this is the year my garden is looking really good!

From what He does in Scripture, we know God sometimes uses natural disasters and weather as blessing or judgement. Watching current events all over lately, I can't help but wonder if He has withheld rain because of unrepentant, ungrateful hearts. So this week we have been praying: turn unbelievers in this area to their need for a Savior, bring them to repentance, and bring us rain!

Last night it started raining, and it has rained all the way into this morning. It has an extra sweet sound and smell this time! Regardless of what He chooses to do with the weather and people's hearts, my job as a Christian is to praise Him. Thank You Lord, for the rain. Thank You that you still send rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Thank You for sustaining us.

His grace is enough. We can't make the rain fall, and we can't stop it up. But we can - should - pray to Him for our needs and give Him all the thanks when He blesses us!