More than 1000 gifts

Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:32

I've always loved the comfort of that verse.  I love that Jesus calls us His "little flock".  It shows His tenderness toward us, His regard for our weakness.  I love that He tells us not to be afraid; He knows how tempted we are to fear, just like sheep.  I also love that it is the Father's "good pleasure" to give to us.  He wants to do it, it pleases Him.

But what exactly does it mean that the Father wants to give us the kingdom?  In the very next verse, Jesus says, "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.  Provide for yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (vv. 33, 34).

God's giving us the kingdom may not look like much to the world.  In gaining the kingdom, we are to lose all that seems valuable.  But we are not to be afraid of giving away all that we have.  We are to find our treasure in God's kingdom, in His economy.

This keeping of the list is a step, a way to find our way in God's economy.  May my circumstances never hinder my ability to write here the ways I see His love.

I invite you to join with Ann and many, many others today at Holy Experience.

#1211 - 1225

* gift of firewood from friends
* grace to cover all my sins and all of our sins
* cleaning the kitchen
* just trusting God with scary things
* remembering our children aren't really ours
* seeking wisdom
* the glory of singing together in church and having to plant my feet firmly, afraid I might swoon with the swelling sounds
* God's strong words; at the end of the Scripture reading lately I've choked out "Thanks be to God" because the words are too much.  Am I really thankful?
* taking a HUGE chunk of Jesus at the Lord's supper
* friends who are committed to loving our children
* being outside

* being outside together
* when the heat comes on in the late afternoon
* the snow banks melted enough so that we can see when we back out of our driveway now!
* oldest son baking his very own cake; that's the beauty of being grounded from screens

Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel

- Anne Steele