MONDAY

James 1:17

• What good gifts has God given you?

When I first met my husband, one of the first things I shared in the obligatory “Get to know you phase” was that I love to read. I told him my favorite place to read is in the pool on a hot day. “How do you keep the book dry?” He asked. “I try really hard,” I said, shrugging. He had named one of the challenges to having this passion of poolside reading. I had destroyed countless books, their pages weathered and wrinkled by the merciless chlorine.

On my birthday, my husband put a small box wrapped in paper that was the color of orange sherbet, a big, stringy, sparkling bow falling around the squarish frame. I hungrily tore off the wrapping, eager to see what he’d found for me. Inside was an electronic book—a Kindle. My eyes widened—more ways to read! This was a utopian gift!

He found my attention and added with a smile, “And it’s waterproof.”

There’s nothing quite like a great gift. There’s a special magic to the feeling of being so uniquely thought of. Have you opened a gift akin to my Kindle? One that is so you. Something that someone took time and energy into finding. It’s a marvelous feeling!

The Bible says in James that “every good gift comes from God above.” What kind of gifts do you think it’s talking about? The ocean’s mighty waves that we get to play and swim in—the earth’s natural roller coaster? The relentless love from Golden Retrievers—their affection overwhelmingly sincere? The views in Colorado—a mountain’s dramatic landscape colliding with the winding lakes and rivers?

It’s worth spending some time considering the good gifts God gives. This week, make a list of the gifts God’s given you.