I often find myself thinking back to that day, and I get tears in my eyes each time I remember how after singing the traditional “Happy Birthday” song, I flashed a smile and told her to “blow.” But instead of blowing out candles, she blew everyone a kiss. I remember my heart instantly shattered into a million pieces as I realized this was the first time she had ever been told to blow out a birthday candle from a birthday cake. And I can’t seem to shake the memory of seeing the look on my husband’s face as he hurried over to her side, knelt beside her, and showed her what to do.
While this was a moment, I will never forget, the one memory that has stood out in my mind the most since that day is when I brought her to the middle of the room where all of the presents had been placed. You can imagine the excitement on her face and her friend’s faces because this is the moment they had all been waiting for.
As I made myself comfortable on the floor, waiting for her to start ripping open the first one, I saw her just stand there, scanning them with her hands behind her back. Wondering what the holdup was, I slowly became impatient as I knew everyone was watching. And so right before I told her to “hurry up,” she looked at me confused and said, “Hmmm…which one do I want?” Immediately I realized she didn’t know all of the presents were for her. She didn’t know she was going to be able to open them all. She didn’t know…anything. In fact, she thought she got to pick one…and then her friend Ramsey got to pick one…and her other friend Hank got to pick one…
But once I leaned in and whispered into her ear, she put her hands over her mouth, bent her knees a little, and shouted, “You mean they are all for me!?” Within seconds, tissue paper began flying through the air, bows were being ripped off the boxes, and the sound of wrapping paper being torn could be heard throughout the room.
The more I think back to that day, the more I see each of us standing in front of the gifts our heavenly Father has for us every day. Gifts of healing, restoration, wisdom, peace, joy, love, comfort, and forgiveness, yet we think they are not all for us, or maybe we only get just one. Or perhaps we spend so much time trying to decide which one we want, or we stand around talking to others about what we want or even need, we never get to open them all. Or maybe we choose one or two gifts, but then leave the rest because we think others need or deserve them more.
But friends, can I whisper to you what I whispered to our foster princess that day and what I believe our Heavenly Father wants to whisper to you at this moment? If so, I want you first to imagine what you need or even want from Him. Do you have them in your mind? Good. Now I want you to imagine Him sitting next to all of those gifts, and as you stand back scanning them and longing for them, I want you to imagine Him gently leaning over to you and whispering, “Sugars…you don’t have to pick just one because they are all for you.”
Did you catch that?
Did you hear what He said?
He said they are all for you.
So go ahead, sweet friend and through your faith (no matter how big or small) in Him, rip off the bows, tear into the wrapping paper, and let the tissue paper fly. And tomorrow, when you need more of the same, ask Him for it; he will have it; wrapped and ready for you to open and experience all over again. For if we being evil also know how to give good gifts, how much more will our Father in heaven give good gifts and blessings to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11).
The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. ~ John 10:10
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ~ Matthew 7:7-8
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! ~ Matthew 7:1
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