Enjoy Today’s Gifts

Children love birthdays!  Oh, the excitement!!  And, as parents, we love celebrating the birthdays of our children.  From the favorite food – favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner…or all three! – to the decorations and just the right cake.  And, of course, choosing a gift that will bring delight.  It is a lot of work but definitely a labor of love.

Even after all the celebrating is over and the party friends have gone home, and you are left with the party aftermath, your feet are tired but your heart is happy!  As you hug your birthday child at the end of it all, they look at you and squeal, “Oh, I can’t wait for my next birthday!”  (Um, this is when you collapse into a chair.  Coffee, please!)

Oh, but can’t we so often be just like our little one?  Our heavenly Father delights to do for us and to give us, daily, good gifts.  Certainly, we appreciate them and even thank Him, but just as quickly we are looking for the “next thing.”  It might be the next answer to prayer, the next provision or need met or even the next season of life.  Rushing right over all the wisdom, bounty, and goodness of today’s gift.  Or even today’s miracle.  We know He is kind, loving, grace-filled and so merciful but too often we fail to really appreciate all He is doing (and has done) because our focus is on what is next.

STOP – these are my thoughts on today’s Five Minute Prompt – NEXT.  No doubt, my mind is still mulling over many of the thoughts from yesterday’s Bible study as well.  We have been working on Priscilla Shirer’s study “One in a Million” and yesterday she admonished us to be watchful.  To practice watchfulness – or to be purposefully looking for His activity today.  Not to be consumed with the past, or so focused on the future that we miss how God is actively working in our lives today.  She said, “Abundant life…is not for tomorrow – it is for today.  Watch for it.”

How grateful I am that I don’t have to wait until tomorrow, next month – or the next season of my life – in order to enjoy God’s goodness and all His amazing grace means for my life!!