Presents and smiling children...

It's Christmas day! Time for children to wake up too early (especially for parents who stay up super late working on things for Christmas lunch and present wrapping...) and for them to spend two hours (yeah, it really was that long and yes, there really was that much: grandma, grandpa, aunts and uncles, and even us parents spoil them all rotten) opening presents. The toys are fun but the biggest thing is seeing the great smiles on their faces! It makes it all worthwhile: the lack of sleep, the dollars spent, and the insane packing people into our apartment.

That's the thing that is so encouraging to me: if I enjoy giving good things to my kids and seeing them smile, how much more does God enjoy giving us good things? It's incredible to think about, much less the sense of security that comes from knowing we serve a God who was willing (and still is willing) to give up His only Son for us. It's a phenomenal security we have, knowing God and knowing what God has done leading to what He will do...

God will never fail us and He continues to spoil us rotten. The things He provides are more than enough, I never want for what I need. Today as we give gifts to commemorate the gift God gave more than 20o0 years ago, it's fitting to remember how lavish the gift God gave us was. If we spoil our children by giving them good gifts and enjoying their smiles, imagine God on high watching over us as we smile with joy at the gifts He has given us...

All praise to God on high, for He gives us good things and never fails to overwhelm us with His insane love...

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