gifts.

If you've been around me long, you know I like gifts.  Like making gifts ... shopping for gifts ... wrapping gifts ... giving gifts.  I have two gifts laying on my table right now ... love gifts.

Was spending some time in the James study today and got to the familiar verse in James that says,
Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or turning.

I know this verse.  I've memorized this verse.  I've heard this verse many times.

But today, I REALLY heard it.  Heard it in the context of a heart that sometimes struggles with thinking that God is holding something really good back from me.  Stinkin' apple ... from the time of the fall, we've fallen into the trap of thinking that God is withholding good from us.  And forgetting that EVERY.  EVERY.  E-V-E-R-Y good and perfect gift comes from Him.

That's why it is so imporant to list those gifts, day in and day out.  Because we forget.  And when we forget, we go back to thinking that God takes all the good from us.  There I said it.  We all have thought it. 

I've been counting gifts in my calendar (Weird, I know, but it works for me ...) ... and even in the midst of the study today, listed gifts from teh different seasons of my life.  As excited as I get in finding the "perfect" gift for someone special ... God finds equal joy in providing those good and perfect gifts for us.  Sometimes, that "perfect" gift is just waiting on His perfect time as well.  God is NOT the one withholding gifts from us ... let's not be deceived.  He is not trying to trick us or trip us up.  Satan would LOVE to have us believe that though.  Let's give credit where credit is due.  If it is GOOD, it is God. 

... go and celebrate because of all the good things the Lord your God has given to you ... (Dt. 26:11)