Every Good and Perfect Gift


 

One of the houses I always notice on my walks is a lovely yellow house with dark green trim. It reminds me of the first house I owned. Though this one is brick and larger and much nicer, it sports the same color scheme as that little frame house long ago. Passing by reminds me of the time a friend and I painted my house. And the time, because I couldn’t afford a professional, we cut down a huge tree next to the patio. All these years later, I can’t imagine that we actually climbed high with chain saws and ropes. Even more amazing is the fact that we didn’t send chunks of tree through the roof or get injured doing something incredibly dangerous.
As the leaves began to change color this Fall, something else caught my eye about this house. The tree in front is turning yellow, and a yellow very close the color of the house. I wonder how the owners arranged to have their tree be color coordinated with their home this year. It is awesome! I hope they notice. I hope they take pictures. It would be a shame to miss such a serendipity.
Sometimes it is the little things that bring a smile or a sense of wonder to our life. The problem seems to be that we focus all our energy on the big things which may or may not come to pass. Not that we shouldn’t be planning and focused on the big things, but if we are constantly missing the little joys around us, we need to take a breath. It is the small and random gifts that pass through our life that make life a joy between the big things. At times, it is the small and random gifts that get us through the big things.
We read these words in scripture, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Every gift. Not just the big things. Every gift. The color of changing leaves. A smile. A pleasant memory. A friend. A prayer. Grace extended and grace received. A sunset. Music. All around us these good and perfect gifts come from God. What a shame to miss them.
Peace.

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